Michael Burns

Hollywood's Pursuit of the Digital Dollar

Kevin Cloud, Michael Burns, Kevin Mayer, Steven Mnuchin, Ben Silverman

Industry leaders from Lionsgate, Disney, and Netflix discuss a pivotal transition in Hollywood where digital revenue is projected to surpass physical sales within two years, driving a strategic shift toward direct-to-consumer channels and the acquisition of digital-native talent like Maker Studios. Executives detail how financing models are evolving from risky pilot programs to straight-to-series commitments that reduce financial exposure while enabling binge-watching behaviors that dominate younger, device-agnostic audiences. The panel further explores how content-distribution convergence and native advertising are reshaping monetization, creating new opportunities for IP exploitation while raising concerns about market consolidation's impact on independent voices.