When discussing the growing streaming landscape, Sandra Stern, recently promoted to vice chair of Lionsgate Television Group, observed that even popular TV franchises can retain “churn” for decades—that is, the number of subscribers who watch one episode. They sign up for a highly promoted movie or TV series and then unsubscribe after watching it.
Stern and other top company executives joined TheWrap for Tuesday’s virtual Power Women Summit (PWS) panel titled “The Women of Lionsgate: Brands and Franchises in Today’s Media Landscape,” sponsored by Lionsgate. Stern said the production value of TV franchises came into sharp focus during the pandemic as stay-at-home viewers entered the premium subscription service game.
“The big concern for all paid platforms, for all streamers, is churn,” Stern said. “Something we must see [so]We sign up for the platform, and once we see it, we tune into it. Streamers, especially paid services, are looking for ways to not only attract but retain subscribers. And a reliable way to substitute for retaining subscribers is to keep them engaged with the things they know and love… I think that’s a really major objective, especially for streamers.
Fellow panelist Erin Westman, Lionsgate president of production, Motion Picture Group, agreed — adding, however, that the potential for sequels never outlasted the original idea.
“Almost all our franchises started as films that were just one-off mid-range films. We didn’t release the first ‘John Wick’ (in 2014) and called it ‘John Wick 1,'” Westman said. (The John Wick sequel “John Wick: Chapter 2” was released in 2017; “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” came out in 2019 and the highly anticipated “John Wick: Chapter Four” is due out in 2023). “We had no real awareness,” she continued, “and we’re kidding ourselves if we say we did.” Just kidding, that movie would become the thing it became.”
Added Westerman, “You go into this knowing you’re telling a story about a character you hope the audience will love as much as we love … but the audience has to show that.” And you have to tell that they want more of that character.”
Jennifer Brown, Lionsgate executive vice president and head of global experiences, said the company is constantly updating its approach to connecting franchise content with new audiences – connecting existing IP to new platforms, encouraging those fans and Joining includes those looking to partner with Lionsgate as an IP. -Creators inspired by their products and stories.
“As content creators, we really want to engage and deliver content to our fans in as authentic ways as possible,” Brown said. “The Metaverse and Web3 are definitely a big topic of conversation. And one of the reasons we are so excited about that space in the IP world is because it gives us direct engagement with fans.
Kamala Avila-Salmon explained that much of her job as head of inclusive content for Lionsgate’s motion picture group is making sure that the franchises themselves, receive a facelift with each new iteration to ensure that the storytelling and The characters reflect today’s diverse audience. She said that audiences of all groups, including white audiences, want a window into underrepresented cultures and a diverse cast of characters.
“This is not just a social justice venture,” Avila-Salmon said. “There are real reasons why we need to think about what the social implications of some of this work are – but [even if] Your approach is purely capitalistic, it is in your best interest to create content relevant to the cultural bearers of your generation.
And, she added, “there are other things that are capturing the attention of audiences — there’s gaming, there’s social media. And so to stay relevant, we have to keep creating content that feels relevant to the audience that’s actually consuming it.” Is.
For more discussion, you can watch the full panel Here Or in the video above.
power women summit (PWS) is the largest annual gathering of the most influential women in entertainment, media and technology. The objective of the event is to inspire and empower women in the landscape of their professional career and personal life. This year’s PWS provides two days of education, mentoring, workshops and networking around the world to promote this year’s theme “A Time to Unite”. Learn more here: thewrap.com/pws.
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