I am lucky to have played a part in defining what influencer marketing is. Born from the vision of Lisa Donovan and Dan Zappin Maker Studios pioneered a model that has been mimicked by many over the years. Living from start to finish the birth of the YouTube community to the corporatization of user generated content, and from startup to sale of a revolutionary creative ecosystem, I have a unique perspective on entertainment and communication. Currently there is a strong disconnect between well established crew based content systems (traditional studios) and conversational entertainment (social media based user generated content) which is creating misunderstandings on both ends about how to work together in a meaningful way. My mission at TheMachine is to educate, facilitate, and elevate the inevitable convergence of these two creative worlds while inviting brands to power this movement and inspire a new breed of consumer with valuable content (CVC) We are blessed to have a virtual connection to the world. Exposure to new and exciting perspectives. I am working to continue bringing the world together through global productions. Starting in South East Asia we have production capabilities in The Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and China, and through our partner company Europe and much of Africa. The goal is to blend ideas and skill sets to bring us all closer together through art and create new opportunities for artists in developing countries. Our near future will see theatrical film go the way of the Stage Play, YouTube mimicking the early film studio model and “owning” a stable of “talent”, Amazon and Facebook leading VOD in profitability as they continues to merge entertainment with e-commerce, the automation of talent negotiation, normalization of “Virtual Social” experiences, and other fun crystal ball moments. Keeping my eye on this future, constantly learning, evolving, and challenging the norm keeps me excited motivated and creative. Also I don’t want to work with assholes. Peace.