All Things Video

Gustavo (Guga) Mafra is a serial entrepreneur focused on the digital media space in Latin America. For the last 4 years, he served as the Co-Founder of Amazing Pixel, one of Brazil’s leading multi-channel networks and original content studios. Prior to Amazing Pixel, Guga worked at an advertising agency and later became CEO of FTPI Digital / Boo-Box. In this episode, Guga shares what motivated him to launch a boutique influencer network aimed at providing a better experience for Brazilian talent. We also discuss the differences between doing business in the U.S. and Brazil and the shift to video-on-demand, which is creating scarcity in the advertising space. Finally, Guga tells the story behind Amazing Pixel’s recent acquisition by Snack and explains the “leap of faith” required to sell his business to a competitor. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the online video ecosystem. Listen to interviews with founders, ex

Marc Schrobilgen (Co-Founder & CEO) and Christopher Brereton (President & Chief Product Officer) are the creators of Thematic, a creative exchange that grants influencers access to great music and helps artists reach new audiences. Prior to Thematic, Marc spent 20+ years in the music industry, serving as the CEO of Threshold Media and most recently CEO of Spin Move Network. Chris comes from a product and technology background, pioneering software solutions at Inspire and Cornerstone OnDemand in addition to several entrepreneurial ventures, including Tayamo and PwrdBy. In this episode, we discuss massive shifts in the music industry over the last 20 years that have enabled direct-to-consumer monetization and more fan engagement opportunities for artists. We also consider the potential sale of Universal Music’s impact on the industry, the value gap between music artists and record labels, and Bytedance’s decision to shut down Musical.ly. Finally, we evaluate opportunities to disrupt the music publish

Barry Blumberg is the Chief Content Officer of Mammoth Media, a mobile entertainment studio behind the popular Yarn and Wishbone apps. Prior to Mammoth, Barry was an EVP at Harvey Entertainment and President of TV Animation for Disney. After leaving Disney, Barry discovered Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, the creative comedy duo behind Smosh, and helped them build the brand into a powerful digital franchise. In this episode, we discuss Barry’s penchant for breaking with tradition to create new media experiences, from reinventing Saturday morning cartoons to redefining youth entertainment through mobile content. Barry also recounts the story of Smosh – how he partnered with the creators to help them grow and eventually sold the business to Alloy Digital (now part of DEFY Media), where they developed Smosh into one of the most successful digital franchises of all time. Finally, we delve into Barry’s passion for politics and one of his new projects: Prompt, a left-wing political news brand that aims to inform a

Michael Wayne is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kin, a women’s lifestyle entertainment company. Prior to Kin, Michael worked in marketing and business development for Sony Pictures, LAUNCH Media, and ABC Television. In this episode, we discuss Michael’s entrepreneurial journey, from organizing concerts in high school and an off-hand comment by Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner that motivated Michael to start his first business, to the LAUNCH Media IPO and what inspired him to create Kin in 2007. We also explore digital’s protracted disruption of media and entertainment and debate whether content companies or distribution channels will control the industry’s future. Finally, we discuss the difference between digital publishers and content studios, and Michael predicts that more traditional entertainment personalities will begin to embrace social media. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the online video ecosystem. Liste

Dr. Jessica Taylor Piotrowski is an Associate Professor in the Amsterdam School of Communication Research and the Director of the Center for Research on Children, Adolescents, and the Media. She is also the co-author of Plugged In: How Media Attract and Affect Youth, which offers great insight into her research. Prior to academia, Jess worked at major children’s entertainment companies like PBS and Nickelodeon. This is a special episode recorded live at VidCon 2018, in which we explore what Jess calls the “sunny and dark sides of media.” We address concerns of media addiction and whether media violence leads to aggressive or violent behavior, while also evaluating how digital media can help adolescents develop their social skills and accelerate learning. And finally, we discuss the role of social media platforms in regulating content as well as the part parents and government should play in determining kids’ media exposure. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to unc

Chris Landa is the Founder of Transparent Influence, a review platform for influencers and their past branded work. Prior to Transparent Influence, Chris worked at CAA before entering the digital space as an early employee at Machinima, Base79, and YouNow. In this episode, we discuss the early days of MCNs and why their value proposition changed over time. We also talk about ongoing consolidation in both traditional and digital media, live video’s challenge with content moderation, and the increasing convergence of social platforms as they copy each others’ most popular features. Finally, we dive into issues around talent reliability and fake followers that inspired Chris to launch Transparent Influence, and he shares his take on TanaCon and the recent Spotify vs. R. Kelly drama. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the online video ecosystem. Listen to interviews with founders, executives, and thought leaders from th

Greg Borrud is the Co-Founder & CEO of Seismic Games, an LA-based game studio that develops next generation social games franchises across digital platforms. Prior to Seismic, Greg co-founded Pandemic Studios, which produced several best selling game titles, including ‘Star Wars: Battlefront,’ ‘Mercenaries,’ and ‘Destroy All Humans.’ Greg got his start in the video game industry as a Producer working for Activision producing PC games like ‘Dark Reign’ and ‘Muppet Treasure Island’. In this episode, we discuss the technical and creative changes in the gaming industry over the last 25 years, but note that the most significant shift has been cultural. Gone are the days of the nerdy “loner sitting in the basement” – gaming is now mainstream, social, interactive, and BIG business. Greg advises aspiring game developers to work on multiple titles and avoid getting tied down to a specific platform, and finally, we discuss the future of esports, the appropriate “play pattern” for VR gaming experiences, and voice

Jennifer Perri is the Vice President of the Univision Creator Network at Univision Communications, which creates engaging content for Hispanic and Latino Americans. Prior to Univision, Jen was an early employee at several defining online video companies, including CurrentTV, Big Frame, and Collective Digital Studio. She has also consulted for a number of large media brands and independently managed digital talent like Jenna Marbles throughout her career. We cover a wide range of topics in this conversation, from Univision’s decision to build rather than buy an MCN to Al Gore’s love of karaoke and the possibilities for blockchain to ensure journalistic integrity. Jen also shares her experience working with early YouTube stars like MystertyGuitarMan, Jenna Marbles, and Tay Zonday to help guide their careers and properly evaluate sponsorship opportunities. And finally, we consider the Internet’s potential to provide women, Hispanics, and other marginalized groups a chance to redefine their identity and percept

Yannick Luna is the Founder and CEO of Empire Collective, an influencer network of music, sports, and gaming creators. Earlier in his career, Yannick worked for Atlantic Records, Roc Nation, and Machinima and also launched his own music curation channel to showcase independent artists. In this episode, we discuss the music industry’s slow transition from physical to digital distribution and direct-to-consumer monetization options for emerging artists. We also challenge the public vilification of early MCNs for allegedly pursuing “quantity over quality” by understanding the historical context and incentives that drove their behavior. Finally, we discuss Drake and Ninja’s Fortnite collaboration, and Yannick predicts that influencers will move away from pre-recorded video and focus more on live streaming. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the online video ecosystem. Listen to interviews with founders, executives, and

Scott Fisher is the Founder of Select Management Group, an independent management company that represents top digital talent like Gigi Gorgeous, MyLifeAsEva, and Tess Christine. In this episode, Scott offers advice to emerging digital talent, encouraging them to hone their authentic voice and build an audience rather than chasing money and fame. He explains how he helps talent develop a 360 business, which includes live appearances, consumer products, and original productions. One such project is the award-winning documentary “This Is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous,” which Select produced to help bring greater awareness and acceptance to the transgender community. Finally, we divulge some of our unpopular beliefs, from the ineffectiveness of microinfluencers to reservations about Facebook’s ability to create a compelling video platform. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the online video ecosystem. Listen to interviews

Terri Matthews is the Founder of Jaden's Voice, a nonprofit organization that serves children and families impacted by autism. Terri is also a serial entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and consultant who specializes in human resources and crisis management. In this episode, we discuss Terri’s entrepreneurial journey and the difference between for-profit businesses and the nonprofit world. She shares her experience as a mother of an autistic child, which inspired her to launch Jaden’s Voice and support other families through advocacy. Terri’s desire to challenge the stigmas around autism and share uplifting stories from her advocacy work motivated her to create On the Spectrum, a show dedicated to bringing hope and healing to those affected by autism. Learn more about On the Spectrum at http://onthespectrum.tv/ and subscribe to the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/OnTheSpectrumTM. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting

Arthur Wang is the Chief Marketing Officer of Super Deluxe, a multi-platform entertainment company focused on creative youth. Prior to joining Super Deluxe, Arthur founded a number of startups focused on performance-based marketing before joining CBS Interactive as Vice President of Audience Development and Acquisition. Arthur is an active mentor at Muckerlab, where he offers advice to early stage consumer Internet companies. In this episode, we discuss a few of online video’s inherent challenges: from adapting to constantly changing social algorithms to betting on future monetization opportunities. Arthur shares some of the creative strategies Super Deluxe uses to engage America’s creative youth and underscores the importance of emotional intensity in measuring audience response. Finally, Arthur describes his childhood experiences that have helped shape Super Deluxe’s mission not only to entertain, but to expand awareness of other cultures and perspectives. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things

Jason Peterson is the Chairman of GoDigital Media Group, a media and technology holding company focused on IP rights management and distribution. Its operating subsidiaries include AdShare (social media monetization for content rights holders), ContentBridge (digital supply chain software provider), Cinq Music (Grammy winning record label), VidaPrimo (Hispanic targeted music video network), Distribber (movie distributor), and Tunnel Post (post production services). In this episode, we discuss sweeping changes in the online video landscape, including Internet Neutrality, the resegmentation of the $287B pay TV business for Internet delivery, and the price gap between ad supported and subscription models. We also trace the convergence of music and video, given “Younger audiences prefer to watch their music,” and Jason offers his thoughts on the future of VEVO and Spotify. Finally, we consider the potential of international markets poised for explosive growth, particularly Latin America, Asia, and the Middle Ea

George Ouzounian is a humorist, New York Times best-selling author, and Internet personality best known by the pseudonym Maddox. His website The Best Page in the Universe, YouTube channel The Best Show in the Universe, and podcast The Best Debate in the Universe all feature his satirical, highly opinionated take on a wide variety of topics. In this episode, we discuss the beginnings of George’s writing career and the evolution of his work as an independent content creator. He shares his take on YouTube’s 2017 Adpocalypse and Elsagate scandals, calling creator complaints about YT demonetization “conspiratorial, immature, stupid, and contradictory to what YouTube is as a business.” He also weighs in on the recent controversies surrounding online influencers Jake and Logan Paul, Twitch’s enormous growth potential, and what he views as an environment of “drive-by harassment” on Twitter. Finally, we discuss social media’s impact on the future of politics, surprising moments from 2017, and what to expect from Geo

John Attanasio and Luisa Huang are the co-founders of Toonstar, a mobile app that allows creators to live stream as cartoon characters. John and Luisa are veterans of the Hollywood studio system, who prior to Toonstar, spent 15+ years developing franchises for Disney, DreamWorks, and Warner Bros. After discovering a gap in animation programming for teens and tweens, they designed Toonstar as a mobile app for young audiences to easily create and share cartoon content, unencumbered by the expensive and time consuming process of traditional animation. In this episode, we discuss what motivated these traditional media alumni decided to launch a business at the intersection of technology and new media based on their thesis that future entertainment franchises would emerge from the digital ecosystem. We also discuss how to harness live video to create “destination viewing” experiences, new media trends to make content more snackable and interactive, and Disney’s recent acquisition of FOX at a time when traditiona

Dave Meltzer is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sports 1 Marketing, a sports marketing agency and consultancy started in 2010 with Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon. Earlier in his career, Dave was a technology executive at Westlaw, Thomson Reuters, and Accenture, and he helped Samsung launch the world’s first smartphone. Dave is the author of two books, a highly sought keynote speaker, and philanthropist. In this episode, we discuss how the democratization of media is hurting traditional broadcasters like ESPN and why the rise of fantasy sports has led to a greater emphasis on personal branding for athletes over traditional team promotion. We also debate the future of esports and how traditional media monetization approaches can be applied to professional gaming. Finally, Dave explains that after achieving career and financial success in his 20s, he made some big mistakes and lost almost everything. But from that experience, he learned to be kind to his future self and discovered four key principles: gratit

Fred Chong is the Co-Founder and CEO of Prodigee Media and WebTVAsia. Fred is an award-winning filmmaker and serial entrepreneur from Malaysia who sold his first venture, mobile ringtone company Hipmobile, to YTL in 2002. He went on to launch Prodigee Media in 2005 to focus on the emerging new media industry and encourage digital content creation in Asia. In this episode, we discuss the differences between Western and Asian media, particularly limited infrastructure which has led many Asian countries to skip entire generations of technology like landline phones and cable TV. Fred explains that 95% of the content WebTVAsia and its creators produce today across their 10 regional markets is in local language, so it has limited export value. However, Fred’s vision is to unify Asia through common formats and media practices, and he also plans to serve the Asian diasporas in the U.S. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the

Cenk Uygur is the founder and host of the world’s largest online news show “The Young Turks” and CEO of the TYT Network. Cenk has had a long career as a political commentator and blogger, having voiced his opinions on CNN, FOX News, Al Jazeera, Sirius Satellite Radio, NPR, and MSNBC. Prior to launching TYT, Cenk was a lawyer, TV writer, and host. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss what Cenk calls “the greatest cultural divide […] in this country’s history”: those age 35+ that grew up on TV and Millennials that grew up on the Internet. He predicts that the traditional TV business is heading off a cliff because online video has lower costs, no gatekeepers, and more authentic content. We also debate the future of American politics and the two-party system. Cenk argues it’s no longer about “teams” (blind party affiliation) but rather authentic voices and real policy positions. He advocates for a more progressive Democratic agenda and wants to return power to the people by taking big money out of po

Kyle Heller is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Cinematique, a technology platform for interactive and shoppable video. Prior to launching Cinematique, Kyle founded online-voting platform Convote and award-winning production company Varient. In this episode, we chronicle Kyle’s journey from filmmaker to tech entrepreneur and discuss interactive video experiences. Kyle points out that the video format hasn’t changed much in the past century, but now that we’re all on connected devices, the future of video will be much more immersive. In an era of ad blockers and short attention spans, native advertising, influencer marketing, and interactive content experiences will replace interrupt-driven advertising. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the online video ecosystem. Listen to interviews with founders, executives, and thought leaders from the world’s leading video networks and engage in thought-provoking debat

Artur Filipowicz is the Head of Video Production at Mediakraft Poland, appearing on camera and working behind the scenes to create several original productions. Prior to Mediakraft, Artur worked at the European Student Forum (AEGEE) and Grupa Wirtualna Polska. In this episode, Artur and I discuss the creative side of the online video industry and some of the market challenges intrinsic to Eastern Europe: from low CPMs to difficulty attracting international audiences. Artur shares his experience working in the Middle East – from producing Egyptian tourism videos to teaching deaf students in Qatar how to create their own content and publish to YouTube. Finally, he predicts that premium TV content isn’t going anywhere, just shifting to VOD platforms. Host: James Creech ABOUT THE SHOW All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the online video ecosystem. Listen to interviews with founders, executives, and thought leaders from the world’s leading video networks and