Hollywood Valley

Nick’s path from MGM into digital distribution and film sales What it was like working at MGM during the rise of digital platforms The evolution of iTunes, VOD, and digital movie ownership Lessons from Microsoft, Amazon, and Gravitas Ventures How independent films actually get distributed today Why film festivals are only one part of the distribution journey The realities of film sales and monetiz...

Brandon’s early experience at Disney as an Imagineer Why entrepreneurs sometimes need to be delusional Building Laurel & Wolf and Showroom Finding opportunity in overlooked industries How AI is changing construction businesses The idea behind Plan Monster Cold outreach, sales, and getting attention Why discomfort and embarrassment are part of building Human psychology and founder mindset Learn mor...

Ian’s start at Cartoon Network and working on The Powerpuff Girls The transition from traditional animation to digital workflows Similarities between the adoption of digital animation and AI filmmaking How Ian got started working with AI tools and filmmakers AI filmmaking, prompt engineering, and creative workflows Why storytelling and creativity still matter in an AI-driven world Social media as...

Adam’s transition from CNN to unscripted television What makes a strong unscripted pitch How producers discover new projects and talent Why YouTube is changing the future of unscripted content The challenges creators face getting ideas in front of decision-makers How Showrilly helps creators and producers connect Protecting pitches and navigating idea ownership The future of unscripted development...

• Victor Rivas’ journey into visual effects and filmmaking • Working on projects connected to major blockbuster films • The challenges of building a VFX company in Puerto Rico • Why pre-production matters so much in VFX • How AI is changing visual effects workflows • Why AI should be viewed as a tool instead of a replacement • The future of indie filmmaking and AI-assisted production • Why storyte...

Colton’s background in commercial production and documentary storytelling Building Open Canva and simplifying AI creative workflows How AI is changing filmmaking and visual storytelling AI in pre-production, treatments, and creative planning Authenticity and storytelling in an AI-driven world Startup culture and filmmaking similarities Collaboration, creativity, and the future of AI tools Learn mo...

In the first episode of Hollywood Valley, Alvaro de la Cruz sits down with Tim Shea, founder of Latticework Insights, to discuss AI, entertainment, audience behavior, and the growing gap between what these tools promise and what they can actually deliver today. The conversation explores the current state of generative AI, the limitations of creative AI tools, predictive analytics, audience behavio...