“Apple’s new venture has taken the company far from its Silicon Valley comfort zone and thrust it into alien territory: Hollywood,” John Koblin reports for The New York Times. “Or, to be more precise: Culver City, Calif., the former home city of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where Apple is building a new 128,000-square-foot headquarters for its entertainment division.”
“Apple’s plans to make itself into a big player in the entertainment industry are now coming into focus. In recent months, the company has outspent Facebook and YouTube — two other tech companies that have also taken steps into original programming — as well as the traditional TV studios.,” Koblin reports. “Since October, Apple has made deals for 12 projects, nine of them ‘straight-to-series’ orders — an aggressive method of creating new programming that skips the pilot-episode stage.”
“When Apple began courting producers last year, it said it had a budget of about $1 billion to work with. Now it is becoming clear that the company will blow well past that figure,” Koblin reports. “Perhaps more meaningful, though, is that Apple’s strong brand name and its willingness to write big checks have quickly made it a top draw for show creators and stars.”
MacDailyNews Take: Yup.
Those who can wrap their heads around Apple’s massive cash mountain and the company’s unparalleled ability to generate cash can clearly see who the winner will be. The most talented producers, writers, directors, editors, actors, etc. are attracted to exactly what Apple has and makes in vast abundance: Cash. The king.
Like bears to honey, it’s happening already. – MacDailyNews, January 3, 2018
“Producers and entertainment executives who have met recently with Apple executives said the company has been leaning toward programming in keeping with its bright, optimistic brand identity,” Koblin reports. “In other words, it seems possible that Apple will shy away from projects that are gratuitously dark or heavy on social issues.”
MacDailyNews Take: Yup.
There will be a market for content that Apple will not want to put their name on. The also-rans that survive will do so by becoming the “skinamax” of the content streamers or by narrowly specializing and sharply focusing their branding. – MacDailyNews, January 3, 2018
Koblin reports, “They added that the company was targeting somewhere between March 2019 and the summer of that year to roll out its slate of new programming.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Can’t wait!
SEE ALSO:
Is this Apple’s plan for Apple TV? – March 22, 2018
Apple orders animated comedy ‘Central Park’ from ‘Bob’s Burgers’ creator Loren Bouchard – March 12, 2018
Apple hires Carol Trussell as Head Of Production for Worldwide Video Programming division – February 22, 2018
Apple loses bidding war over J.J. Abrams sci-fi drama ‘Demimonde’ to HBO – February 2, 2018
Apple and HBO in bidding war for J.J. Abrams sci-fi drama series – January 17, 2018
Apple’s TV tactics: Can Cupertino figure out the television formula? – January 16, 2018
Apple orders ‘See’ series, a futuristic drama from ‘Hunger Games’ director – January 10, 2018
Life after iTunes: Apple’s big media challenge – January 9, 2018
Apple developing new original drama ‘Are You Sleeping’ starring Octavia Spencer – January 3, 2018
Three more Amazon Studios executives move to Apple – December 26, 2017
Apple orders space drama series from ‘Battlestar Galactica’ producer Ronald D. Moore – December 15, 2017
Apple gives Jennifer Aniston-Reese Witherspoon series a 2-season order, confirms Spielberg’s ‘Amazing Stories’ reboot – November 9, 2017
Apple outbids Netflix for show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon – November 8, 2017
Apple eyes iconic studio as base for Hollywood production push; vying with Netflix for high-profile Jennifer Aniston drama – September 1, 2017
The magic and misdirection of Apple’s streaming strategy – August 18, 2017
Apple wants to spend $1 billion on 10 original TV shows over the next year – August 16, 2017
Former WGN America president Matt Cherniss joins Apple in latest TV push – August 15, 2017
Rivals leaving Apple behind as Apple TV remains stuck in a test pattern – August 8, 2017
Apple’s so-called TV ‘strategy’ continues to be an embarrassing joke – June 30, 2017
Apple poaches Sony TV executives to lead major push into original content – June 16, 2017
MDN take: “… Cash. The king.”
Respectfully, and understanding that you meant this in a specific context (I”d like to address the wider context of this reality). I would agree that much of the world bows the knee to this old tyrant, but the service of money above all is not the producer of good things in the long run. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, once wrote “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Certainly, much of the evil that people perpetrate on others and the world around us is for the sake of gaining more money, thinking that obtaining it will bring happiness. The type of happiness within money’s power is shallow and temporary, and ultimately unsatisfying. It is a hard task master. The King of kings said, “A person’s life does not consist in the things they possess,” and “What does it profit someone if they gain the whole world and lose their own soul?” The richest monetarily in the world are not the happiest. There are souls in the world who are among the poorest, but who are filled with joy, not because of their poverty, but because they have discovered the one great treasure that only can satisfy the human heart.
I know, awfully heavy for a comment on so little a phrase. It’s just that seeing and thinking about the wider implications of the phrase “Cash. The king.” saddened me, and I wanted to say something. As there are so many political opinions allowed in the comments of MDN’s articles (even if commenters do not alway treat with mutual respect other persons with whom they may disagree), I hope this comment which so many will likely disagree with, can stand.
Just to be clear, as per the context, exactly what we meant in our Take can be summed up as “Cash. The king of Hollywood.”
Good point and clarification. My comment sought to recognize that I was widening the statement to a larger context than you used it (no accusation was being levelled at MDN) – I was just remarking on the sadness of this reality and its affect upon us and the world we live in.
Best wishes.
Given the amount that Netflix is spending on original content & Apple’s new-found desire to play in this space, I always felt $1 billion was too low.
Shhhhh.
Last week I started padding my portfolio with more Apple and Disney stock. Friday was such a wonderful day to be a buyer.
I already own some NFLX because they are the current online streaming champ and should continue to do well this year. However, next year there will be two new contenders in the ring and the beatings will begin.
It’s a pretty safe bet when you bet on all the players. It’s not like streaming online content will be going away anytime soon.
The ship has sailed Pixar and Marvel are owned by Disney, Apple as the new fool in Hollywood will just lose money, Apple as a content company means in time one audio/video format for all Mac’s, iPhone’s, and iPad’s, the future is Cue-less.
So in real world time (Apple can’t seem to ship to there own deadlines anymore), that would be 2020.