TheGrill 2015: Maker Studios, AwesomenessTV CEOs Compare Video on YouTube and Facebook (Video)
”Whatever it is, it will be very big,“ Maker’s Ynon Kreiz says of Facebook’s new native video efforts at TheWrap’s sixth annual Media Leadership Conference
The CEOs of Maker Studios and AwesomenessTV, Ynon Kreiz and Brian Robbins, respectively, believe their companies have grown beyond being simple multi-channel networks.
In a panel on Monday at TheGrill, TheWrap’s annual medial leadership conference, the executives discussed the state of their companies since Maker was acquired by Disney in 2014 and AwesomenessTV was acquired by DreamWorks Animation in 2013.
One area for future revenue for both companies arises from the transition of Facebook from marketing tool to distribution partner. Though the platform’s native video is still growing and evolving, both Kreiz and Robbins expressed confidence in the potential for future opportunities. “Whatever it is, it will be very big,” Kreiz told TheWrap CEO and editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman.
“We take a very different approach to video we upload to YouTube and video we upload to Facebook,” Robbins said, noting that the types of video that find success on each platform are very different.
But the majority of the content produced by both AwesomenessTV and Maker remains on YouTube. And despite other people’s complaints about the chunk of ad revenue taken by the Google-owned platform (55 percent), both CEO’s expressed happiness with the relationship.
“YouTube has done a great job in defining a category,” Kreiz said. “They didn’t conceive it, but they definitely defined the space… Our job is to reach people wherever they are, and not everyone is on YouTube.”
Though the company recently shuttered its own native web portal Blip.TV, Kreiz argued that the company doesn’t rely solely on YouTube. Its revenue comes from other areas, including the commercialization of their creators’ social media followings.
“If you rely solely on ad sales revenue, it’s probably tougher,” he said.
That sentiment was echoed by Robbins, who said that YouTube remains an important partner for AwesomenessTV. “I have no misgivings about YouTube. It is still a huge part of our business,” he said. “[But] our content lives in a lot of places other than YouTube.”
Robbins said that the company’s multi-channel network component was developed as a side product of a more traditional media production company. “We set out to build a brand with a wide space in it for teens. We thought that this was really who was interacting with the platform,” he said.
Kreiz expressed a similar sentiment, citing Maker’s many other ventures, including in technology, social media and actual production.
“In our mind, MCN is a term of the ’80s. The industry has evolved a lot since then,” Kreiz said. “The actual part of on-boarding talent is an important part, but not a key aspect of what Maker is.”
Kreiz also addressed his future at Maker Studios beyond the end of his contract and the studio’s earn-out period with Disney. Though the executive declined to say what his plans are, he emphasized that he remains completely focused on Maker.
“Well right now the focus is 1,000 percent Maker, and finishing the earn-out period on a high,” he said. “And finishing the first chapter with Disney on a high note.”
The Scene at TheGrill 2015: TheWrap's Media Leadership Conference (Photos)
TheWrap's editor in chief Sharon Waxman kicked off the sixth annual TheGrill Conference Day 1.
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"Empire" co-creator/writer Danny Strong (left) and producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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"Empire" co-creator/writer Danny Strong and producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage with Sharon Waxman during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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"Empire" co-creator/writer Danny Strong and producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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"Empire" co-creator/writer Danny Strong and producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage with Sharon Waxman during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Maker Studios CEO Ynon Kreiz spoke onstage during Day 1 of TheGrill 2015.
Andrew Glasgow, SVP at Viacom Scratch, spoke about the declining attention span of Americans during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill conference.
From left to right: TheWrap's executive editor Joseph Kapsch, "So You Think You Can Dance" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, Electus founder and chairman Ben Silverman, PactUS president David Lyle, and "Big Brother" executive producer Allison Grodner.
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PactUS president David Lyle discussed the state of reality TV during Day 2 of TheGrill.
"Big Brother" executive producer Allison Grodner discussed the state of reality TV during Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Nigel Lythgoe discussed the state of reality TV on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Electus founder and chairman Ben Silverman talked the state of reality TV during Day 2 of TheGrill.
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CNBC reporter Julia Boorstin attended TheWrap's sixth annual TheGrill conference at The Montage Beverly Hills.
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Conde Nast Entertainment president Dawn Ostroff discussed content creation on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Box founder and CEO Aaron Levie discussed content protection with TheWrap's editor in chief Sharon Waxman on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello discusses her life and career during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello discusses her life and career during Day 2 of TheGrill
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From left to right: Movio co-founder and chief executive Will Palmer, Fandango president Paul Yanover, Skydance Media CCO Dana Goldberg, IMAX's head of international marketing Roger Pollock, Universal president of worldwide marketing Josh Goldstine, and TheWrap's Deputy Managing Editor Thom Geier discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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IMAX's head of international marketing Roger Pollock discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Fandango president Paul Yanover discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Skydance Media CCO Dana Goldberg discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Movio co-founder and chief executive Will Palmer discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Universal president of worldwide marketing Josh Goldstine discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Steven Amato, CEO & chief content officer of Contend and Sharon Waxman, founder & CEO of TheWrap spoke onstage during the "Drones and Hollywood" panel at TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Co-founder and chief executive of Movio Will Palmer held a discussion regarding "What Women Want: Unlocking Box Office Revenue" at TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Joseph Atkinson, U.S. Advisory Leader for the Entertainment, Media & Communications Practice at PwC, spoke onstage at TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Twitter and Uber investor Chris Sacca talks investing in the tech space during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Evolution Media Group founder and co-managing partner Rick Hess talks about financing media during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Former MTV president Van Toffler talks about his new company during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Lloyd Braun, Founder & CEO of Whalerock Industries during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Mark Terbeek, Partner at Greycroft, Jesse Jacobs, President of The Chernin Group and Brian Weinstein, Head of Corporate Finance Group of CAA during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Steven Haft, SVP Innovation of Time Inc., Sanjay Sharma, President & COO of All Def Digital, Christian Meinberger, SVP Content Programming & Production at Studio 71, and Tobias Bauckhage, CEO and co-founder of Moviepilot during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Steven Haft, SVP Innovation of Time Inc. and Adam Smith, Partner at United Entertainment Group during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Entertainment, media and technology converge at TheWrap’s sixth annual Grill Conference at the Montage Beverly Hills