Better Call Paul

This week, Paul and Jess begin by remembering Sir Patrick Stewart, the legendary actor, who passed away at the age of 86 but left behind a legacy of iconic roles. Next, they discuss some statistics showing that Film and TV production in NYC has been growing at an incredible clip, as a more lucrative production incentive and more streamlined permitting have encouraged studios to film more projects...

This week, Paul interviews fellow GT Entertainment lawyer, Paige Kaplan Randolph who was named one of The Hollywood Reporter's top lawyers in the new era of entertainment among other reps who are advocating for influencers and creators at the intersection of streaming, social media, endorsements and legacy media. Paige discusses how she broke into the entertainment industry and built her practice...

This week, Paul and Jess begin with a report out of MIPCOM that Fox and Kevin Hart's Hartbeat agreed to a deal where Fox will have preferential rights to develop film and tv projects out of Hartbeat's microdramas. Next, they discuss the debut of the Grand Theft Auto: VI trailer ahead of the game's Nov 19th release. Finally, they explore Character. Ai filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and...

This week, Paul and Jessica recap Skydance/Paramount closing its acquisition of WBD and the new leadership team's initial announcements. Next, Paul provides an update on the steep discounts in valuations for LA's most storied sound stages and lots as they both reminisce about their time working on lots. Finally, Paul celebrates Joe Rogan and Spotify who just announced a renewal agreement for the m...

This week, Paul provides an update on the Protect College Sports Act which passed by a wide margin in the Senate. Next, Paul and Jess discuss an internal restructuring at United Talent Agency which creates a Filmed Entertainment division to harmonize film, television, and streaming as the businesses increasingly blend together. Finally, Paul takes a minute to celebrate Kevin Feige who was named th...

This week, Paul and Jess begin with an update on the Paramount WBD saga as Paramount and the 12 state attorney's general announce a settlement that is awaiting judicial confirmation. Next, they discuss Puck's capital raise as Red Bird Capital becomes its new lead investor at a $250M valuation. Finally, Paul celebrates one of the iconic films from his childhood, Transformers: The Movie which is bei...

This week, Paul and Jess cover a diverse range of topics from Disney's new deals with influencers and content creators, a new potential federal Film tax credit, and finally, a recently-signed law in California that requires advertisers to disclose when synthetic performers are prominently used in advertisements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Sean Gupta resumes his BCP residency and provides an insider perspective on the 2026 Emmys. Sean and Paul recap the biggest winners of the night and greatest TV shows of the past year. Finally, they discuss a recent trend of artist residencies expanding outside of traditional hubs like NYC, Las Vegas and London. Bad Buddy, Celine Dion, Backstreet Boys and others are hosting residencies...

This week, Paul and Jess begin with a high level description of some of the most compelling works at this year's Venice Film Festival. Next, Paul breaks down the recent conviction of Duane "Keefe D" Davis in the murder of Tupac Shakur 30 years ago. Finally, they preview the Indian film, Ramayana, which will have, by far, the highest budget of any Indian film ever made, and attempt to bring the anc...

This week, Paul welcomes Jessica back into her co-hosting chair as they wrap up the summer. They begin with a recap of Drake's sale of a controlling interest in his clothing and lifestyle brand, OVO, to Authentic Brands Group. Next, they discuss Love Island: USA which Peacock recently renewed for a Ninth season, and why it is such a great asset for Peacock (and its participants). Finally, Paul pro...

This week, Paul and Sean interview one of Sean's former Columbia Business School students who co-founded Storeel, a vertical drama distributor and production platform that enables users create their own vertical dramas using cutting-edge technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Paul and Sean begin with an update on the potential Skydance/Paramount WBD merger that has polarized Hollywood. While federal regulators have signed off on the deal, 12 states are suing to block it and a few major financial penalties hang in the balance. Next, they discuss a great week for sports franchises as the LA Lakers who were sold for the second time in 14 months as Bob Iger and...

This week, Paul and Sean begin with the recent development that several prominent SVOD platforms are exploring adding a free tier to expand their subscription funnel and sell increased advertising revenue. Next, they discuss a study released by Ampere that stated US and UK individuals spend more time consuming media than doing anything else (including work or sleep), and break down the categories...

This week, Sean Gupta brings his passion and business savvy to BCP. Paul and Sean start off with a celebration of Spider-Man: Brand New Day which had the largest ever domestic box office opening with $360M. Next, they discuss producer/financier Jason Cloth's indictment on 7 counts of wire fraud in connection with a $100M ponzi-scheme. Finally, Sean shares his perspective as someone who has worked...

This week, Paul and Jess begin with a quick recap of San Diego Comic Con in its pop culture glory. Next, Paul provides a break down of the proposed Senate bill, the Protect College Sports Act and how it may impact the NCAA NIL landscape, if passed. Finally, Paul and Jess tick through some of the media companies that announced Q2 earnings, in a quarter that was generally very positive for media com...

This week, Paul and Jessica begin by congratulating Spain on their 2026 World Cup win. Next, they discuss FCC Chair Brendan Carr's intention to remove the 39% broadcast ownership cap. Then Paul reminisices about his start at Marvel as he provides an update on Marvel moving out of NYC and Paramount possibly leaving California. Finally, they reflect on Fandango's plan to pivot to being a FAST platfo...

This week, Paul and Jess come back from their 4th of July break in a big way. First they break down the 78th Emmy nominations - once again dominated by the streamers. Next, they discuss the movie box office week from Moana's live action struggles, to Michael crossing $1B and look forward to Christopher Nolan's epic, The Odyssey. Finally, Paul discusses Comcast's recently announced decision to spin...

This week, Paul and Jess discuss the scorching summer box office with July expected to be a major month for tent pole films including Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Next, Paul breaks down the Fifth circuit's somewhat curious view on US copyright terminations having a global reach, and why publishers are asking the Supreme Court to weigh in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

This week, Jess and Paul begin with a major streaming update as legacy media power house Fox Corp announced a $22B purchase of Roku which will position Fox as a major player in the platform wars. Next, they discuss Quinta Brunson's overall deal with Twentieth Century Fox/Disney as she moves her production banner 5th Chance from WB to Disney and hopes to build out her content catalog beyond the wid...

This week, Paul and Jess focus on a sports-themed episode to celebrate the NBA champion New York Knicks, the arrival of the World Cup in North America for the first time in over 30 years, and how the recent Brendan Sorsby judicial decision could set a precedent that gambling may not be a deal breaker for NCAA eligibility. Finally, they end with a brief recap of the 25th Tribeca Film Festival. Lear...

This week, Paul welcomes back special guest Sean Gupta who provides an update on how technology and AI are impacting the media business from areas such as search, recommendations, production, and licensing. To some degree old patterns have re-emerged (e.g., placement of content within home screens and guides) and in other ways, the process of going from concept to product is more streamlined than...

This week, Paul starts with the update that the DOJ appears likely to approve the Skydance-Paramount purchase of WBD. Next, Paul and Jess discuss the dramatic impacts of NJ's film and TV production incentives which have led to a dramatic increase in projects and production spend. Finally, they discuss Curry Barker's Obsession which has amazingly grossed $115M on a mere 750K budget and ponder next...

This week, Paul and Jess begin with the announcement that Charlamagne Tha God's smash hit radio show and video podcast will stream live on Netflix 5 days a week as Netflix further embraces a hybrid model offering live content. Next, they discuss the end of an era as CBS's Late Show ends its run. Finally, they discuss JPop's entry into the U.S. market with Number_i signing with WME and Atlantic. Le...

This week the twists and turns of entertainment continue as Vertical Microdramas pick up steam and BET announces its partnership with aTwist. Next, Paul and Jess discuss how Cocomelon might translate to the big screen. Finally, Paul recaps Byron Allen's deal to buy a controlling stake of Buzzfeed for $120M and ponder whether Buzzfeed can reinvent itself as a FAST platform. Learn more about your ad...

This week, Paul and Jess begin with a high level recap of the tentative 4-year agreement between SAG and the AMPTP which means that Hollywood is unlikely to repeat the strikes of 2023. Next, they discuss the costly legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni that is settling unceremoniously. Finally, they look forward to the next Cannes film festival and share a few films and developments...