... so said the marketing and techie brains on the second panel I attended at the Montclair Film Festival yesterday. Represented were YouTube Ads Marketing, Paramount Brand Studio (yes, there is a complete film studio just for 'branding' projects), and two other very impressive individuals guiding their companies through the new interest and engagement that big brands are exhibiting for the world of storytelling... excuse, I mean 'authentic' storytelling.
You should know from the start the two most spoken words were 'authentic' and 'creators' - brands are 'not becoming the new studios' but they are investing/financing a variety of narrative projects (films, series, multimedia) that they are hoping will produce "entertainment as culture ignition." Because of their much lower financial risk tolerance, they are instead partnering with studios to bring projects to market that achieve these objectives - easy & very successful example: Barbie.
A shifting paradigm mentioned by the CMO at Paramount and echoed by the other panelists is the strategy that the storytelling mediums for marketing are not just much wider, but that the particular story should live on all the mediums possible, shaped to max out that medium's capabilities. And, though not really something new to Stage32 members, the marketing mavens don't seem to care one way or another about the 'conventions' of genre or length or...anything, really. It's very organically "whatever works."
Brands may not act as studios, but this does mean more money available and looking for story projects to be be written and produced and distributed widely. Creatively it seems to be it's just a matter of alignment - as in 'the stars lining up' creatively.
And then there was the question of AI - I will summarize as follows. It's gonna be used. "Ethically' and 'with consideration' (whatever that means) but it did not seem that anyone was shying away from the idea that AI is here to stay and make continuous strides in many segments of this industry. Immersive tech was also a big thing - both AI and new and exciting immersive storytelling experiences are exactly what one would expect to hear being touted on a panel with YouTube and marketing and tech investors.
The question ahead is - what exactly will these cultural ignitions be and will it make a difference that this segment of storytelling/narrative projects is driven by brands as opposed to studios, independent filmmakers, and, you know, the 'conventional' peeps ;)
The floor is yours :)
PS: link to panelists: https://montclairfilm.org/events/stories-that-sell/
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I have noted an increase in the more serious players desperately seeking stories, and lesser players increased requests, even to the point of accepting pre-scripted submissions of synopsis etc.
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Exactly! It feels like the industry is slowly remembering that everything starts... and lasts... with a strong story. That’s where the real value has always been.
Insightful take... it’s exciting to see new opportunities for storytellers, as long as authenticity remains more than a marketing word.
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Love to know how you got those connections, david!
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Such a rich recap, Sebastian Tudores thank you for sharing it. “Entertainment as culture ignition” really captures the ambition behind this brand-backed wave of storytelling. It’s fascinating to see how genre, length, and even format are becoming fluid, less about convention, and more about resonance. The idea that stories should live across mediums, shaped to each one’s strengths, feels like a creative playground for filmmakers. And yes, the AI and immersive tech conversation is inevitable, but I’m curious how “ethical” use will be defined when the pace of innovation outstrips regulation.
It’s clear the gates are shifting, and so is the power behind them.
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I was trying to follow the post and I honestly don't understand what this means other than continuing a trend of merchandising and adaptation of existing IP and brands - like the Barbie reference. "Cultural ignition" isn't a phrase that is bandied about in development meetings, in my experience, but it does sound interesting. Then again, in the context of major brands adapting into media - that sounds like traditional capitalism in media - not inspiring new stories or ideas (which by definition are contra an expansion in branding activity).
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Sandra Isabel - great points and I agree. regarding " I’m curious how “ethical” use will be defined when the pace of innovation outstrips regulation" - well, I'd assume it will once again depend on 'who' is doing the defining lol :)
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I am with you 100% Sebastian Tudores :))