Producing

I think it's a step in the right direction too, Richard "RB" Botto. I hope the theatrical windows get longer!

Especially long now that Paramount is suing WB in a classic hostile takeover bid. The lawsuit asks the court to force WB to reveal details about it's deal with Netflix and how it is valuing Global Networks stub equity - which WB has never made public. Paramount says (rightly IMO) that this is vital so that WB shareholders can assess the actual offers on the table. See https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/12/paramount-skydance-warner-bros-discovery...

Zero doubt, it's a brand softening effort, Rick J. Lucas. And I agree, Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg that the aggression (and further aggression just this morning) from Paramount played into a readjustment of PR campaign. Can't believe a thing they say, of course. But the most important thing to remember is we're likely a year away from the dust settling.

Richard "RB" Botto I would like to think that Sarandos means it - they made nice/symbolic/maybe nostalgic moves with the Paris Theater in NYC and the Egyptian in Hollywood (and one more I can't remember) - I think theaters figure into his distribution strategy... just not in the way it fits into ours. We're thinking 'the magic of going to the movies'; he's thinking 'amplifying spectacles for our streaming content!' (i.e. Stranger Things finale)

I'd like to think he does too, Sebastian Tudores. But it's tough to trust him at this point. And the timing, with all the Paramount moves and pressure, seems suspect.

J'ai adoré ton court métrage, cella me donne encore plus envie de réaliser le mien, continue ainsi pour la suite !

Koby Nguyen Merci beaucoup ! N'hésite pas si tu as besoin de quelqu'un ! toujours ravis de participer et d'aider !

Jack Binder Thanks a lot !

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth Thank you very much for this feedback, it is really motivating to read something like that !

Avec plaisir Lucas. ;)

Double Down.

Wow Jack Binder, thats challenging :))

I like that, Suzanne Bronson :))

Venturing into uncharted territory

Love that, Vivek Singhania.

thx for this share Sandra Isabel Correia :) yeah, it sounds like a primary goal is using the vertical feed for getting eyes on other stuff. So I think Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg makes that point well. 'meeting audiences where they are' is one of those ever spreading definitions, depending on what media and advertisers can and are allowed to do - I'm sure they'd love to put up billboards in our bathrooms, if we would just let them ;) ...oh wait, I forgot most of us already do carry our little rectangular billboard into the bathroom.

and I agree 100% Sandra Isabel Correia - everything is an opportunity. and probably the best way to address all new development is by engaging and guiding - more aikido, less boxing - at least, then, we can exert some influence over the outcome.

I'm trying to gather the overwhelming opportunities Sandra Isabel Correia! For me I've been preparing by anticipations, particularly with the significant leap in tech software and eventually AI!

The masses are equipped readily with smartphones and IPhones, making it distinctively obvious for some time the direction intended, major corporations were heading.

2026 is carded for major pivotal concepts in many fields and diversities! With preparedness and visualizing therefore, I'm ready with the optimisms for the journey ahead !

The comments are great!

Great points, Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg, especially about how “AI” and “vertical” get tossed around without much nuance. And yes, the gap between consumer‑facing tools and what studios like ILM or Nvidia are doing behind the curtain is massive.

Using verticals as traffic drivers to long‑form content makes total sense strategically. Marketing tools are changing, and I see all of this as a big new opportunity. Thank you for sharing with us.

Thanks, Sebastian Tudores! And yes, the “little rectangular billboard” made me laugh because it’s painfully true. I’m with you on the Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg approach. If we engage with these shifts instead of resisting them, we actually get to help shape how they evolve.

Love your optimism, Eon C. Rambally, it really is an overwhelming wave of opportunities if we stay prepared and adaptable. With the tech leaps we’re seeing and everyone carrying a production tool in their pocket, the landscape is shifting fast. Exciting times ahead, and I’m glad we’re all unpacking it together.

Morgan Aitken, that’s a great point. Funding definitely shapes the rules. And yes, bringing the specific interest group in early can make all the difference, especially with stories rooted in lived experience. Thank you. I took note of that.

Thanks for this, Shadow Dragu-Mihai, Esq., Ipg. I sincerely appreciate the distinction you’re making. The moment a film starts telling people what to think, it stops being art. With The Misstep, the goal was never to preach but to illuminate a lived experience and let the audience find their meaning in it.

When I mentioned “impact strategy,” I wasn’t talking about messaging or persuasion. I meant the practical side, thinking ahead about who the film might resonate with, how it might open conversations, and which communities or partners might help it reach the people who need it. More about pathways rather than statements.

And on balancing authenticity with production realities, I meant the usual producer’s dance: staying true to the emotional truth of the story while navigating budget, time, casting, and all the constraints that inevitably shape the final piece. Not documentary-specific, just the everyday friction between intention and execution. Hope that clarifies it a bit. Thank you.

That’s beautifully expressed, Baron Rothschild. I agree that when the intention is clear from the very beginning, it naturally guides the creative, ethical, and logistical choices that follow. Purpose really does act like the quiet architecture behind the work. Thank you.

Thank you, Sandra. When intention is named correctly at the beginning, the entire process tends to organize itself around that clarity. It’s always interesting to see how universal that pattern is across different types of projects.

No doubt, Baron Rothschild. And that’s exactly what makes me curious. It’s fascinating how that clarity at the start seems to shape such different projects in similar ways.

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth Thanks! I agree execution is where value really shows, and I’m actively working on that.

At this stage, I’m intentionally open to development-level collaboration before fully locking the script. Appreciate you sharing your perspective.

Carefully is the answer. You can be understanding of the world and work within it's logic, but if there are mistakes or inconsistencies that an audience will be sure to notice it is a problem. Sometimes you need to peel back the layers of what the writer wants to achieve with something and figure out a solution from there.

Ewan Dunbar Spot on, Ewan! I totally agree. As the "architect", sometimes I’m too close to the world to see the cracks. That’s exactly why I’m looking for a producer who who isn't afraid to peel back the layers and make sure the system is bulletproof for the audience. Thanks for the insight!

Firstly, I think it depends on both the producer you want and what producers you’re talking to want. Some producers focus on financing, relationships, and packaging and they stay mostly out of the creative. They tend to jump on projects they feel are far enough along to pitch. Others want to help find the money and also be creative partners. A lot of producers land somewhere in the middle.

So the first pressure test is the producer. The most important thing is to find the right producer who understands your vision and your goals. If you meet producers who love the concept but want to rebuild it into a different show, they may not be right for you. One of the biggest mistakes I see is signing with the first “name” who says yes. A yes is great, but you still need aligned taste, aligned end goal, and a clear division of roles.

The next pressure test is whether the world is pitchable to people who have not lived in your head. A producer usually steps in by stress testing clarity, audience, and engine, not by breaking your internal logic for sport. Here are the areas we typically test first:

Clarity of the core engine: What repeats episode to episode, or sequence to sequence, that creates forward momentum?

Rules and consequences: What are the rules of the memory system, what breaks first, and what happens if it fails?

Character agency: Are the caretakers active drivers of story, or are they mainly explaining the world?

Escalation plan: What gets worse in a measurable way and how fast does it ramp?

Emotional spine: What is the human need underneath the beautiful concept, and how does it evolve?

If you want producers to step in effectively at this stage, the biggest help is giving them a clean, usable set of materials, even if you are still developing:

A one page overview of the world rules, written for someone new

A one page season or long arc, with clear escalation beats

A short character page for the key players and what each wants

A tone and comps paragraph that places it in the market

Optional but powerful: a visual proof of concept, a short comic chapter, or even a narrated mood teaser

And yes, market reality matters, but it does not mean you need a star or famous IP to move forward. What reduces risk is clarity, a strong hook, and proof that the concept can sustain story. If you can show momentum and a repeatable engine, producers can do their job: package it, target the right buyers, and translate your world into a pitch other people can immediately grasp.

Stage 32 has a lot of courses on pitching, packaging, and series bibles, so I’d check out their webinars.

Joshua Young This is incredibly helpful! I really appreciate the clarity on what producers actually pressure-test at this stage. I’ll start building a clean one-page materials set based on your checklist.

Amanda Toney Thanks for this interesting list.

Here's my thoughts on these 8 points:

1. How will WB-Discovery Sale Impact the Indie sector? - This is difficult to assess because it begs the question "what is an indie film" - if it includes studio subsidized or distributed films, then no impact at all. If it includes truly independent films - then who knows - the distribution pipelines and environment are experiencing complete and global restructuring. Indie film that can tap into the global market doesn't need to play the studios game. So only time (and likely forensic analysis) will tell.

2. What will Industry Make Of The TIFF Market? - Again, the industry is in flux. One of the reasons the AFM is no longer relevant is because no one needs to travel to your town to review screeners and do deals face to face. Most deals are already done through online discussions. That being said, the TIFF is a very important festival and perhaps there will be some interest, if it does rebrand as an industry conference (a-la tech conferences perhaps?).

3. "AI On The March" - IMO most all filmmakers are woefully behind the curve in knowing what generative AI can and cannot do, and what is going on behind the scenes and in the development space. IMO, and as a consultant on a tech/film startup, generative AI will lower costs for professional production, but it does not lower barrier to entry any more than the cell phone camera has done. Perhaps for some junior FX crew who learn to prompt at the direction of a real director and real tech team. But consider: how valuable is your skill when theoretically everyone on the planet can do it? Not valuable.

4. Union Talks in 2026 - AI "guardrails" etc on the table.... Having said what I did under #3 above, if the unions and MPA draw out talks very long, it opens the market up for smaller truly independent studios to claim market share - through integration of current AI and 3D tech, as well as the changes in global distribution. Will they see short term or long term?

5. Los Angeles Production Blues - The "rank and file" are still going to bear the brunt of whatever happens with "runaway production." People don't recognize, filmmaking is a portable business. It takes 2 or 3 key people to do it and you can hire crew anywhere. So if costs are too high, you move it. It's a poor choice not to. The article mentions New Mexico tax incentives - one of the issues is the reliability of incentive programs elsewhere. New Mexico is not historically reliable - political maneuvering has disrupted the program more than once. Georgia remains the "best" choice, but Texas and Louisiana are coming on strong.

6. The Trump Factor And Foreign Film Tariffs - it's hard to keep a straight face on this one. IMO a non-starter. Unconstitutional, unenforceable and calculated to frighten socialist countries like Canada (where freedom of speech and economic health are secondary concerns and the weird concept of tariffs on ideas is actually a legal thing). Those countries don't know it cannot be done here, so are likely to make concessions that lower their cultural barriers to US film, or to invest in US co-productions. Like him or hate him, Trump's not stupid.

7. New US Theatrical Buyers - I don't know what to make of this, and ownership of these "new buyers" should be analyzed to see what the real behind the scenes might be. The Paramount decrees being set aside in 2020, block booking, clean screens and other cartel practices by the major studios are now legal and a distribution fact. This means less screens for indie films, and less for films owned by indie releasing companies, unless of course they are owned or controlled by an MPA affiliate or sub. However, theatrical distribution outside North America is not so controlled. So these "US" buyers may be counting on non-US markets.

8. Box Office Rebound - IMO don't count on it. Notice industry pronouncements and articles always focus on DOLLARS and not TICKETS SOLD or actual audience. The latter is what counts. The IPG did a study of theatrical tickets sold from 1950 through September 2025 - I recall 2025 is set to be about 20% of what it was at its height in terms of actual tickets sold, and even in light of the greater number of screens available. However, IMO people should understand that theater owners ARE NOT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY. They are real estate investors who rent bare-bones facilities out at very high rates for very short periods (sometimes just days or hours, but usually weeks). Analysis shows they remain in fact, very lucrative and very profitable despite the trajectory in ticket sales, and contrary to the screaming of the chain owners. In other words, theatrical is not going away.

Thanks for sharing the article, Amanda Toney. I think the North American box office and global box office are going to be better this year with the movies that are coming out.

Thank you for sharing this article, Amanda Toney. Not only was the article of interest to me, but I believe the website also isn't one I had been on before. -

Brilliant! @amandatoney

Woohoo! Can't wait to teach this tomorrow. Who's coming?

So excited for today Crickett :)

Thanks, Sydney, me too!

Thank you Crickett Rumley for such a practical and comprehensive presentation of the journey, opportunities, and the resources to be aware of to monetize a short film. And thank you to our attendees, both live and OnDemand! :)

This looks very informative and helpful! @jameslagrimas

Great news! Studios always need new content.

Incredible! Good news for Louisiana production!