We're not as in control of our media choices as we think. Behind every Netflix view, Spotify selection or crowdfunding decision is an engineer or algorithm informing our actions in some way. Below we showcase the ten people shaping our cultural choices.
If you had a favourite film as a child, the chances are that Kathleen Kennedy produced it. From Back to The Future to Jurassic Park, Kennedy’s film career has been illustrious, to put it mildly. Now, as President of LucasFilm, she’s reshaping the Star Wars Universe.
Since it’s movement into online streaming services in 2007, Netflix has slowly been changing the way we watch movies and television shows. Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, is the man behind your next Netflix obsession, and his work will influence the nature of Netflix services in the coming year.
Wang Jianlin, owner of the Dalian Wanda Group, is using real estate to increase China’s box office revenue. His Qingdao movie complex looks set to attract a variety of film industry talent, to compete with Hollywood heavyweights for a share of international movie production.
Snapchat’s live stories create a geofenced content hub, sharing news across tens of millions of Snapchat viewers. Ben Schwerin, director of partnerships for Snapchat, is now looking to improve the quality of live Snapchat feeds by partnering with major broadcasters such as NBC and Buzzfeed.
Edward Newett is the man behind Spotify’s Discover Weekly algorithm. Now the 36-year-old New Yorker talks to WIRED about how he influences the musical tastes of a generation.
In today’s cultural ecosystem, a quirky idea can be moved to market through the sheer will of committed customers. This is the idea behind Indiegogo, one of the largest crowdfunding platforms in the world. Danae Ringelmann, co-founder of Indiegogo talks to us about the power of the “Gogo factor”.
The demand for spoken-word audiobooks has been growing rapidly – a fact that was proven when, in 2015, global membership to Audible increased 40 per cent year on year. Laurence Howell, Audible’s content director, talks to WIRED about the importance of oral storytelling.
Victoria Siddall, Director of Frieze is taking a new approach to the art fair industry. With the launch of Frieze Academy in 2016, the Frieze art fair has become a globally-recognised brand, attracting the likes of management giant WME-IMG to rally behind Siddall’s company.
Ted Hope, renowned indie producer, responsible for movies such asEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is using his film credentials to shake up Amazon Studios. Since joining Amazon in 2015 as head of motion picture production, Hope’s vision for Amazon’s future might be the last hope for independent films.
With more than a billion views on the YouTube video of Hotline Bling, Drake’s creative appeal continues to grow. His evolution from releasing his first mixtape in 2006, to signing a groundbreaking deal with Apple Music in 2015, has cemented his power not only as a musician but also as a business strategist.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
