Cannes, France – October 17, 2024 – The creator economy is increasingly intersecting wiht customary media, a trend highlighted at this year’s Mipcom, the international television market.discussions centered on evolving revenue models, distribution strategies, and the growing power of self-reliant creators, signaling a important shift in the entertainment landscape.
According to speakers at the Mip Digital Upfront, the scale of production needed for different platforms varies dramatically. “To make a television show, you need 100 people. To make a cable show, you need tens. And if you want to make a digital show, one. it’s just an exponential curve,” explained a panelist.
Dhar Mann studios exemplifies this shift, generating revenue through a combination of sources. Creators receive roughly half of the income generated across six platforms via revenue sharing, while brand deals contribute approximately 50% to 60% of their earnings. The studio also utilizes its agency, Fifth Order, to assist creators in managing their assets and ancillary business advancement.
Tubi, the ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) service, is actively courting creators, boasting over 100 million monthly active users, a significant portion of whom are Gen Z and millennials. “We’ve grown an audience of fans to over 100 million monthly active users, a lot of them are Gen Z and millennials,” said Tubi’s Chikumbu.He added that 70% of Tubi’s audience “want content from independant filmmakers, but also from creators.” The platform currently hosts “almost 300,000 episodes” and aims to establish a “creatorverse” – a space where creators can pursue opportunities in Hollywood while maintaining creative control. “[It’s] a place where creators can have a path to Hollywood but also retain their authentic creativity,” Chikumbu stated.
Industry observers note distinct approaches within the creator space.After Party Studios focuses on partnering with creators,funding projects,and securing distribution deals. Dhar Mann Studios,in contrast,has built a production powerhouse around its founder’s personal brand,expanding into diverse formats and monetization strategies. “He’s not just doing it for his own platform, but doing it for others, creating other formats with talents, and doing scripted and long-form in a successful way and monetizing as well,” noted Lazar, who hosted the Mip Digital Upfront 10 years prior. She also highlighted Tubi’s strategy as mirroring traditional media partnerships with creators, leveraging archive and library content.
Recent collaborations announced at Mipcom further demonstrate this convergence. Banijay has partnered with YouTube to launch an Entertainment Creators Lab in France and acquired a majority stake in Dutch label Werktitel.