Dan Servantes

There is too much negativity around the Entertainment Industry right now. Here are 6 positive stories/trends for your feed 📈 Studios are buying again Eight spec scripts sold in August 2025, the biggest month since 2017. For context only 11 specs sold in all of 2023. 📈 New Jersey production is booming Film & TV spend hit $402M in the first half of ’25, up 200% YoY. 📈 Disney is increasing content spend They’re adding $1B to their content budget next year for a total of $24B 📈 Tubi is doubling down on creators After launching Tubi for Creators in June, they’re already rolling out a slate of creator-led originals. 📈 Creator economy remains hot TikTok x iHeartMedia just signed a major multiplatform partnership, including creator-hosted podcasts. 📈 Florida expects a production surge Expanded 2026 tax incentives + a new below-the-line certification program are set to bring fresh business into the state. The collapse narrative is lazy. The industry is evolving, not dying. If you are open to pivoting and being malleable, you can thrive in this Industry.

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Music publishing is a ~$10B business built on trust. Licensors trust royalties will be collected and paid; licensees trust they can use music without disruption. Sitting between them are the PROs (BMI, ASCAP, etc.). A recently filed lawsuit is challenging whether that trust still holds—specifically, whether PROs can reliably guarantee what both sides think they’re getting. On a recent road trip, I broke down what’s at stake and what it could mean for the publishing ecosystem: • Do venues keep relying on blanket licenses from PROs? • Or do they start licensing directly from rights holders? • How might greater transparency and tech reshape the model? Curious to hear from venue owners, publishers, attorneys, and artists: where do you think this goes? #MusicPublishing #MusicBusiness #MusicLicensing #Royalties #BMI #ASCAP #PROs #MusicLaw #EntertainmentLaw #CreatorEconomy #Transparency #MusicTech

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beatBread says it's now deployed over $100 million across 1,700 artist and label funding deals since its launch in 2020. The financing platform offers advances on both catalog and unreleased music and has supported creators in 42 countries, with a cumulative of over 67 billion streams to date. beatBread recently launched a new $100 million fund aimed at labels and distributors looking for alternatives to traditional financing. Interim CEO Tracy Maddux says the company’s mission remains expanding access to capital without forcing artists to give up control of their work. https://lnkd.in/gYCgBKZQ #musicbusiness #musicindustry #musicbiz

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Smart brands are building studios and IP ASAP. 👉 Entertainment first - product second. We're seeing a massive shift and it's happening right before our eyes. Brands have woken up to the fact entertainment isn’t a just a tactic. It’s *the* strategy. Liquid Death the canned water brand is now a full-blown entertainment ecosystem. Result? A $1.4bn valuation built on culture. Then look at DICK'S Sporting Goods 🤭 They’ve built studio capability around sports storytelling and documentaries turning content into a $$$$ significant revenue stream $$$$. And you don't need to be a huge brand to pull it off. Ffern is smashing out of the park - https://lnkd.in/eq2CgiUC 👉 The lines between brand, studio, and entertainment company are dissolving. 👉 Content isn’t a campaign. It’s key infrastructure. 👉 Culture beats interruption. 📈 Because when brands entertain first and sell second, they don’t just capture attention. They build worlds. They build loyalty. They build enterprise value. The future belongs to brands that behave like media companies. Full conversation with my IPX co-founder Anthony Damianakis here; https://lnkd.in/eH7wWt6F -- IPX - The Content Marketplace brings brands, audiences, and IP together. Want to know more? goIPX.com

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Everyone is talking about the TikTok → Tubi pipeline.But what’s more interesting is what’s underneath it. We’re seeing two very different systems emerge: 👉One optimized for performance. 👉One built for IP. Microdrama is scaling fast — but it behaves more like mobile gaming than streaming. Which raises a bigger question: Are we building content that performs… or content that lasts? #Streaming #CreatorEconomy #ShortForm #IPDevelopment #FutureOfEntertainment #ContentStrategy

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Micro-syncs and missing royalties, the metadata problem most aren't talking about... Micro-syncs are booming. Social clips, podcast intros, branded shorts, mobile games and more are constantly licensing music in bite-sized formats. But here’s the kicker... 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱, 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲, 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱. For artists and rights holders, that means revenue is either delayed or completely lost in the fog of incomplete data. It’s not just a reporting issue. The real problem lies in the 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 from the start. When music is delivered to platforms or clients without proper writer, publisher, and PRO info baked in, that track becomes a ghost in the system. It might get synced 500 times in a month, but without solid attribution, those royalties float into what’s commonly called the 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗯𝗼𝘅. Once it’s there, getting it out is much more difficult. The platforms using the music may not be malicious. They might think a cue is royalty-free when it’s not. Or they’re using bulk-licensed libraries with 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀. But the result is the same, artists don’t get paid and creators downstream don’t even know what they're missing. What solutions have you seen (or used) to make sure sync metadata is in place from creation to licensing to payout? #SyncLicensing #MusicMetadata #RoyaltyTracking #MusicIndustry 

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The future of indie film marketing is shifting, and most people aren’t seeing it. For decades, filmmakers have relied on film festivals, PR, and social media hype to build an audience. But there’s a quiet shift happening right now: • More direct-to-audience funding and distribution (see: Mark Duplass + Kinema + Seed&Spark announcement last month) • More filmmakers choosing email over social media • More investors prioritizing direct relationships over massive advertising campaigns Look at what’s working: • Terrifier 3 used niche, direct marketing to drive a high return on investment • Independent projects are being crowdfunded by engaged, loyal audiences • Film investors are prioritizing relationships with filmmakers over cold pitches The filmmakers and investors who embrace direct marketing—not just social media—will win in the next decade. How are you adjusting your approach? #Filmmaking #IndieFilm #MarketingTrends #EmailMarketing

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The hard truth no one wants to hear about short-form platforms. If tomorrow short-form platforms built on gamified payouts stopped flooding the market with advertising money, no one would watch vertical shorts apps like Reel Shorts. If tomorrow Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Tubi stopped advertising, we would still open them and watch a movie. That’s the difference. I see many people jumping into this system as if it were entertainment, applying the same rules, the same logic, the same expectations. It’s not the same game. It’s a completely different ball game. Every vertical platform launched today that is not backed by: • tens of millions in ad spend • artificial reach systems (bot farms, clipping, forced distribution) is destined to die. Remember this word. Die. The biggest mistake is thinking this is the new entertainment. It’s not entertainment. It’s a massive business — comparable to mobile games on the App Store. Same mechanics. Same addiction loops. Same dependency on paid attention. Treat it like cinema and you lose. Treat it like television and you lose. Play it for what it is — or don’t play at all.

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The Guggenheim name isn’t normally associated with the creator economy. That’s changing. Dillon Lawson-Johnston and Criswell Fiordalis have launched a new creator economy fund through their firm Guggenheim Brothers Media. Lawson-Johnston is the great-great-grandson of Solomon R. Guggenheim. For our latest podcast and newsletter, Kaya Yurieff and I spoke with Fiordalis about the fund, when companies should consider funding and what he makes of key-person risk—and more!

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I was honored to join Fox 5 Newsroom Live in New York recently to unpack the dynamics transforming the streaming industry. We’re moving past the era of simple expansion into a period defined by consolidation, fragmentation, and strategic M&A. This isn't just about who offers the most content—it's about who can build a sustainable, viewer-centric model in an increasingly complex ecosystem. The key question now is: How do platforms balance scale with relevance, and what does that mean for the viewer experience? These shifts will separate the resilient players from the rest. Grateful for the opportunity to share my perspective. You can watch the full segment below—I’d welcome your thoughts on where the industry is headed next. #StreamingWars #MediaStrategy #ThoughtLeadership #FutureOfTV #MergersAndAcquisitions #LinkedInNews

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Netflix House opens today in Philly, and it’s much more than a fan attraction... It marks the first real attempt by a streaming company to extend its platform into the physical world. By transforming IP into experiences, Netflix is building an ecosystem that goes beyond the limits of subscriptions and advertising. It’s testing how stories can live off-screen, where emotional engagement drives long-term value. (Link in comments) WHY IT MATTERS: ❏ Netflix is turning its content into physical environments that generate data, fandom, and revenue. ❏ The company is building a new growth layer that strengthens brand loyalty without depending on constant content output. ❏ This is the first proof of concept that streaming IP can function as a spatial business model, not just a digital one.

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Last week I talked about soundtrack.io taking off in Manhattan restaurants, but it’s happening well beyond New York. Affordability is a major driver. I sat down with one of our customers to learn more, and as it turns out, saving significant money on licensed music was just the beginning… Here are the takeaways from my conversation with Head Brewer Christophe Perdu at Grand Strand Brewing (grandstrandbrewing.com) in Myrtle Beach, S.C.: 💵 Affordability  Having all background public performance licenses included made a big difference. They went from paying $400/month to just $35/month. 📱Ease of Use The simplicity and music curation really stood out to his team.  🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Staff Buy-in He’s involving staff in the music selection without compromising the brand’s identity. Big thanks to Christophe for sharing his experience!

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🚀 The Future of TV is AI—And New Jersey is Building It The entertainment industry is at a tipping point. With Amazon-backed Fable Studio now using AI to generate entire 22-minute TV episodes, we're witnessing the birth of a new era in content creation. And here in New Jersey, we're about to make history. 🎬 AI Meets Hollywood East Fable's Showrunner system proves what's possible: ✔ Instant episode generation from simple prompts ✔ Personalized storytelling where viewers become characters ✔ AI "actors" that evolve over time This breakthrough couldn't come at a better moment for NJ's booming film industry. 🌟 New Jersey's Perfect Storm With best-in-class tax credits (including the NJ Digital Media & Film Tax Credit), strategic East Coast location, and expanding production infrastructure, our state is primed to lead the AI-content revolution. Now imagine pairing these advantages with cutting-edge AI tools to create: ✅ Faster productions at competitive budgets ✅ Hyper-local content with global appeal ✅ Next-gen storytelling that leverages both human creativity and AI efficiency 🏗️ Keystone Studios: NJ's Future Home for Innovation Keystone Studios represents New Jersey's bold next step: a next-generation production facility that will embrace AI as a creative partner while preserving the human magic of storytelling. We're committed to: ✔ Pioneering responsible AI integration in film/TV production ✔ Training NJ talent in these transformative tools ✔ Attracting productions that want to leverage both tax incentives and tech innovation 🚀 Why This Matters Now The studios that thrive in the coming decade will be those that: ✨ Combine AI efficiency with human artistry ✨ Capitalize on emerging tax credit opportunities ✨ Build infrastructure for next-gen production New Jersey has all the ingredients to become the Silicon Valley of AI-assisted content creation—and Keystone Studios will be at the forefront of this movement. To my fellow global creators, producers, and innovators: The future isn't just coming—we're building it here. Let's connect and make it happen. 👇 #NJFilm #AI #KeystoneStudios #FutureOfProduction P.S. When historians look back at the AI-content revolution, will they point to New Jersey as ground zero? With the right vision and partnerships—absolutely. 🎥🤖

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I talk to SaaS founders every week who are convinced their product is too complex, too technical, or too niche for great video content. And every time, the issue is the same — they're explaining features when they should be telling a story. Nice to see the team turn arguably one of the least exciting topics on the internet (SAT prep) into a channel with 205M views and 422K subscribers!

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With Wattpad being acquired for $600M in 2021 and Patreon’s valuation hitting $4B, direct-to-market digital content publishing platforms have helped plenty of creators monetize their writings (and more) while growing audiences. If considering one of these outlets or others for releasing your stories — while still having traditional publishing within your gameplan — here are some of the things, as a literary agent, I believe are worth considering. Out of curiosity, if you’ve shared and sold art/subscriptions on these platforms or others, what has been your experience?

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Substack cracked the code most platforms won't touch. Give creators the network value. Not the shareholders. Every other platform built the same broken deal: you bring the audience, we keep the money, you rent the attention. Substack flipped it. Notes timeline. Built-in podcasting. Subscription infrastructure. The creator owns the relationship. Smart money sees it. Creators are flooding in. Because when you go deep in someone's head weekly, they'll pay for access. Didn't make sense until I saw creators actually doing it.

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Creative Capital Is an Asset Class in Waiting Entertainment is often framed as: Art or finance Culture or capital That framing is obsolete. Creative capital behaves like other alternatives: Asymmetric upside: Portfolio effects Long-tail monetization Non-correlated returns What’s been missing isn’t opportunity. It’s institutional translation. Once creative assets can be evaluated with discipline, the capital follows. #CreativeCapital, #AlternativeInvestments, #AssetAllocation, #AsymmetricReturns, #EntertainmentAsAnAssetClass, #AllocatorPerspective

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I’ve got a free multi-billion-dollar idea for FAST platforms.   Every breakout creator platform of the past decade launched the same way, not with licensing deals, but by seeding creators at scale.   Reels. YouTube Shorts. Snap Discover. IG video.   They all kicked off by pulling in creators who had success on other platforms, giving them distribution, and helping them win. It’s the oldest “new” playbook in media and yet almost no one in FAST is executing it.   Instead, they’re buying up content libraries and waiting for magic to happen.   Here’s what I’d do instead:   Start with the most obvious and underserved category: family-friendly creators. Not just because it’s brand-safe. Because it’s the biggest addressable market with built-in trust and multi-generational appeal. Plus parents and families are scared of the open platforms' limitless access to content that isn't safe.   Then prime the pump: Sign 50–100 creators. Give them real guarantees. Don’t ask for their IP. Offer white-glove onboarding. Help them do something bigger. The math is simple: For $20M, you could onboard 50-100 creators with minimum guarantees. For $50M? You'd probably have exclusive content from every major household name creator. And you'd get creators who already reach more people daily than most networks reach monthly.   Once that works, go self-serve. Let the flywheel spin.   What makes this model work isn’t just the content — it’s the ecosystem behind it:   - Transparent rev share (55/45 or better) - Built-in discovery and distribution - Real support — not lip service - Ability for creators to learn and launch new content This isn't theoretical. The first platform to execute this playbook doesn't just win content. They become the HBO of the creator FAST space. The place creators are treated as the premium artists they are.   So if you’re asking, “How do we compete with YouTube?” You’re asking the wrong question.   Ask instead: How do we become the destination for the next chapter of creators?   That’s the free playbook. The only question is — who’s bold enough to run it?

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