|
 A Member Profile by Chris Davison, davison@intellcap.com
Jordan Levin is Founding Partner and CEO of Generate, a next-generation studio that creates targeted content for multi-platform distribution. Jordan began his career as a film student and has since worked in many areas of the business, from talent management to production to the executive suite. I recently had a chance to interview Jordan to discuss talent, transmedia, and Texas.
Q: Can you tell us about your background and what made you want to work in entertainment? How did you get involved with the HRTS?
A: I grew up in the center of the country, back and forth between Chicago and Texas, and always loved movies and television. I experienced what I consider to be the golden age of television and studied what others considered the golden age of Hollywood, but always from a critical distance, meaning that I had no insider awareness of the process and therefore embraced everything wide-eyed. Hollywood was another world and I aspired to be part of it without really knowing what it all meant. From the age of five I had a camera in my hand. Initially a Super 8, then the first consumer video camera, and was always making movies. My dream was to become a film director and I went to film school where I was seduced into the theory and criticism path, for both television and film, at a time when both industries were beginning to undergo profound change due to the growing impact of cable and home video on traditional business models and consumption habits. Nonetheless, I always wanted to get closer to Hollywood and finally did upon graduation. It also didn’t hurt that my father left the advertising business to enter the world of theatrical marketing and moved my family to Los Angeles while I was in college. At the same time, it also didn’t hurt that Hollywood came to Austin, Texas during my college years and I was able to intern on a number of films and work directly with A-list producers and directors. I remember being told, “You’re going to the HRTS luncheon,” almost as soon as I started working for Disney’s network television division. Later, Rick Rosen, then President of HRTS, told me, “You’re joining the HRTS Board,” and that’s how I got involved with HRTS.
Q: Generate develops franchise entertainment properties for the transmedia generation, what are some of the unique opportunities and challenges of the younger, multiplatform generation?
A: I’ve always been the most interested in connecting with a younger audience. I’ve been fortunate to have had success doing so throughout my career. When we started Generate we decided to organize the company not around a single media platform, like television or film, but instead focused the company around a demographic, in our case the Millennials. While this group is notoriously difficult to engage because of their diverse and fragmented media consumption habits, their fearless and empowered disposition creates opportunities simply because they are not wedded to past ways of doing things.
Q: How would you compare being a network executive to running your own company?
A: Sadly, a lack of corporate perks. Every position has its challenges. Within a larger corporation it is more difficult to take risks and pursue disruptive strategies in the name of innovation. However, it was truly an unparalleled gift to be able to get excited about someone’s creative vision and have the ability to put it on television for millions to see.
Q: With the recent shifts in the political landscape, how do you see Washington-Hollywood relations changing, for the FCC and in general?
A: My amateurish and highly uninformed read on this is that hopefully the FCC will focus on emerging media and work with the creative, advertising and technology communities to craft a cohesive and collaborative strategy to catalyze growth in the digital arena and reinforce our media leadership throughout the world.
Q: How do you see the industry changing over the next few years?
A: Why don’t you just add, “...in ten words or less!” This is not a question that affords an easy answer. Anything I say in such a brief period of time is going to sound trivial. Overall, I believe the industry is going to increasingly have to adapt to creating new business models that derive from consumer behavior rather than imposing legacy business models on consumers in hopes that they continue to play along. In my opinion, technology has liberated the consumer and successful companies will tap into fulfilling shifting consumer demands, which will in turn attract advertising dollars. I also think the media industry is going to become increasingly collaborative. Vertical integration and walled gardens will give way to mutually beneficial alliances. The lines will blur between competitors and partners. Catering to empowered consumers will require a more open system of relationships. In addition, I would anticipate that more content will be developed in a bottoms-up methodology versus the traditional top-down approach. Authenticity and credibility will become prerequisites for success. Social media is the most significant catalyst for change and nurturing a community of enthusiasts around an individual piece of content or talent will prove more critical than mass marketing efforts. Integrated solutions will be the only way to recapture significant mindshare and voice in the marketplace.
Q: Anything you would like to add?
A: I still don’t understand why HRTS can’t serve cheeseburgers and french fries at the newsmaker luncheons. At least a nice club sandwich. Who needs the rubber chicken?
|
