Hollywood Meets Madison Avenue: A Deep Dive With Producers
Michael Sugar and Daniel Rosenberg make the business case for brand-funded storytelling
Hi, I’m Olivia Morley, founder of FusionFront Media and former Adweek journalist. Welcome to Screen & Sponsor, the newsletter and podcast where VaynerMedia's Jessie Holder and I uncover how brands are shaping the future of filmmaking. And if ad agencies are your focus, don’t miss Agency Business, my weekly podcast with Madison & Wall’s Brian Wieser, breaking down the stories that matter most in the industry.
Ep 1: How Brands Are Shaping Hollywood—A Masterclass With Michael Sugar and Daniel Rosenberg
Earlier this year, the Tribeca Festival expanded its Tribeca X track to spotlight brand-funded filmmakers. I moderated an onstage discussion at the festival with two former Hollywood insiders now shaping this space: Michael Sugar, the Oscar-winning producer of Spotlight and founder of Sugar23, and Daniel Rosenberg, executive producer of Spike Lee’s Inside Man and co-founder of the branded-content agency Piro.
We had such a good conversation that I wanted to dig deeper—and that’s how this episode of Screen & Sponsor came together.
In this episode, Michael and Daniel share their perspectives on why brand-funded entertainment is gaining traction and how it’s creating new opportunities for filmmakers and marketers.
ICYMI: News You Should Know
Adweek: Sugar23 and Fifth Season recently launched a brand-focused TV and film studio, committing $100 million to brand-funded productions over the next three years. This partnership reflects a growing industry trend.
Deadline: Sugar23’s first greenlit project since partnering with Starbucks Studios is Madwoman’s Game—a documentary featuring Keanu Reeves and directed by Zach Zamboni.
What else?
Extremely Online, by Taylor Lorenz: I’m old enough to remember dial-up internet and AOL chatrooms, but young enough that I wasn’t reading business news back then. This book outlines the evolution of influencers from early blogs to mommy bloggers to today’s social media platforms. I’m on page 145.
This T Magazine profile on Robert Pattinson, by Nick Haramis: I clicked on this piece without much thought yesterday and ended up reading every word.
Looking for more? Listen to my podcasts:
Screen & Sponsor: Exploring the future of brand-funded filmmaking, co-hosted with Jessie Holder.
Agency Business: Weekly insights into ad agencies with Brian Wieser of Madison & Wall.
For advertising opportunities or questions, reach out to me at olivia@fusionfrontmedia.com.