Insights
Netflix already won, but creators are still fighting the last war
The real opportunity is in owning distribution to specific audiences
IP ownership matters more than platform reach
Full Recap
Kokomo in Brooklyn served the perfect backdrop for dismantling everyone's assumptions about the creator economy. Eight people who actually move money in media, not just followers.
An entertainment lawyer who reps A-list talent started with a simple statement: "If you're still trying to get on Netflix, you're five years behind." The former Disney executive across from him winced. He'd just left to start an independent production company.
But the gallery owner next to him wasn't buying it. She'd watched visual artists build million-dollar practices by owning their audience directly. "Painters don't need galleries anymore. Why do filmmakers still need distributors?"
The entertainment lawyer's response was surgical: "Because most filmmakers think like artists, not business owners. They want someone else to handle the money part."
A documentary filmmaker who'd self-distributed her last three films jumped in. She'd made more money selling directly to 5,000 true fans than her friends made licensing to streaming platforms. "I keep 80% instead of 8%. Math is math."
The Disney executive looked like he'd seen a ghost. The venture partner was already calculating market opportunities. The gallery owner was connecting dots between art market dynamics and content business models.
By the end of the night, the documentary filmmaker was advising the Disney executive on direct-to-audience strategies. The venture partner was exploring investments in creator-owned distribution platforms.
That's what happens when you put people who understand ownership in the same room.
Your Seat at the Table
These insights came from a single conversation. Imagine the opportunities that emerge when you're in the room.
If you're a leader building at the intersection of culture and capital, we invite you to be considered for a future dinner.