My heart aches for L.A. I grew up at the base of the mountains where the Eaton fire still rages, and have spent many memorable moments in the Hollywood Hills and Palisades. But I am heartened by the outpouring of support across the US and beyond. Because it can be difficult for those outside Los Angeles to get their heads around the scope of destruction that has struck the heart of our industry, I’m sharing a selection of articles below. 

The Firestorms that Rocked Hollywood

“The Los Angeles fires are expected to rank as the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, and will impact every sector and industry in Southern California and beyond. The high volume of industry insiders – from CEOs and A-listers to IATSE members and character actors — who called the Palisades and Altadena home means that the pain and ripple effects across Hollywood and the creative community will be severe and long-lasting.” (Variety)

Location Scouts Document Film Locations Lost in Flames 

“The fires’ impact extends to the business of film production and the livelihoods it sustains. We can’t film on location without their homes and their communities.” (LA Times)

What Was Lost, What Was Saved, What is Next

“One of the biggest things you can do to help our city is to shoot here. We have some of the best crews in the world who need work now more than ever.” (THR)

Loss of David Lynch, Cinematic Icon

“He sees what’s kept invisible and reveals what’s kept scrupulously hidden, and his visions shatter veneers of respectability to depict, in fantasy form, unbearable realities.” The New Yorker

Bold 2025 Predictions for M&A, a Musk Ban, a Spanish Studio Breakout, and the Rise of Qatar

“The coming 12 months will be huge for the international entertainment landscape, with change certain on multiple fronts.” (Deadline)

Hollywood Hunts Down Authenticity In Local Markets

“If we can create a bridge to Hollywood just by partnering on things, that’s what I’m most excited about.” (The Hollywood Reporter)

Home-Grown Commercial Cinema and Returning Series to Drive Streamer Growth in India

“Once you’ve already got your one level of subscribers, who are in a socio-economic position to be able to afford these services, you now need to broaden your reach.” (Variety)

‘Shogun’ is Game-Changer for Japanese Content Seen Worldwide

“Overseas studios are hungry for quality Japanese content and local creators are adapting to meet demand.” (The Japan Times)

Golden Globes Celebrate Creative Diversity

“Brady Corbet, director of The Brutalist, used his time onstage to remind the audience his was a ‘film that kept falling apart’ and which some warned would be ‘undistributable.’ ‘No one was asking for a three-and-a-half-hour film about a midcentury designer on 70 millimeter [film], but it works.’” (Vanity Fair)

Drop Across All Formats In Titles Of TV Fiction Produced In Europe

“Production hours of series with 13-episodes-or-less-per-season stagnated as seasons had fewer and shorter episodes. The UK with 159 titles in 2023 was eminently the main producer of high-end series, ahead of Germany (119), France (92), Italy (58) and Spain (58).” (European Audiovisual Observatory)

Screen Australia Optimistic About Future After 29% Drop in 2023/24 Drama Spend

“In an environment where international financing is also increasingly harder to source, we need to pull together as an industry to ensure the sustainability of the sector.” (Deadine)

Production Volume Downturn of 18.5% in Canada Halts Years of Growth

“The numbers confirm the significant economic slowdown that Canadian producers and creators have faced over the past 18 months.” (CMPA)

No Hollywood Consolidation for Profitable Mouse House

“Disney’s plan to remake itself as a streaming power is finally moving from the realm of fantasy to tangible. Disney has snagged a bigger share of viewing than any other conglomerate, including YouTube, every month since September.” (Vulture)

Enhanced Rebate of 35% Rewards up to 50% to Broad Range of Projects Doubling Down in UAE

“These include featuring national history, culture and identity in storylines; post-production work in Abu Dhabi; main unit production of a feature film and/or an entire TV series in the emirate.” (Variety)

German 5% Boost to Film Incentive Leaves Much Unfinished Business

“The good news for Hollywood is that – amid turbulence due to Germany’s political crisis – the existing incentive “has been increased and optimized.” (Variety)

Florida-Set Bad Monkey Tops List of Shows Cashing in on California

“Bad Monkey is a Florida show to the core. Lured by a $20.6 million state tax incentive that’s changing for Season 2.” (Variety)

Czech Republic Earmarks Funding for Storytelling Beyond Traditional Cinema

The Series category introduces funding opportunities for drama series, miniseries and documentary series, covering both project development and production. (Cineuropa)

YouTube Tool Equips Talent to Control Use of Their Likeness

“We’ll work with CAA to ensure artists and creators experience the incredible potential of AI while also maintaining creative control over their likeness.” (Deadline)

Generative AI and Copyright Findings of EU Survey

“Member states agreed that purely AI-generated works cannot be protected by copyright, in line with the Berne Convention. As such, only a natural person can be recognised as an author. And an impressive 92% of the authors surveyed can recognise AI-generated visuals, texts or music.” (Cineuropa)

Streaming Advertising is 30% of Traditional TV Ad Market in the UK – and Growing

“There is an air of inevitably that ultimately the US giants will manage to fine tune problems such as ad pricing, targeting and providing concrete campaign performance data to become a major force.” (The Guardian)

More Comedy and Celebrities. Industry Eyes Peeled for Innovative Super Bowl Advertisers

“It’s become a place for advertisers not just to reach a large audience, but to show Wall Street that…they’re doing well. It covers a two-prong approach there: reach the consumer, but also reach the investors.” (Marketing Brew)

Brand Marketers See Creatives and Athletes as Interchangeable

“The line between athlete and creator no longer exists. In 2025, we’ll continue to see talented athletes rise to stardom with compelling storylines that will resonate with advertisers and fans. Athletes who aren’t active on social are basically leaving money on the table.” (Digiday)

Travelers Cut Discretionary Spending To Make More Memorable Vacations

“Brands need to do more than talk about culture; they need to be transparent about what they’re doing to stimulate local economies, how they’re addressing sustainability, and how they are respecting local communities.” (LBB)

Set-Jetters Celebrate First Ever Summit in Peaky Blinders’ Turf

“Movies like Paddington in Peru and Gladiator II, and TV series such as Emily in Paris, Bridgerton and The White Lotus have galvanised consumers, the tourism industry and the media into action.” (WMCA)

Predictions for AI’s Impact on Advertising in 2025

“Enhanced predictive analytics will allow companies to anticipate consumer needs with precision, turning data into decisions. The real transformation won’t come from what AI can do, but from how we choose to use it.” (LBB)

A Global Creative Community Merger with the Power of Data – Meet Leo

“It is about big ideas from creative minds that are nurtured by strong agency culture, to have an impact on our clients’ business. In today’s world it is also about more collaboration and more access to capabilities.” (LBB)

Ads That Struck a Cultural Nerve Last Year

“Whether it’s heightened tension in an election year, ongoing polarization, or anxiety around emerging technology, marketers are often wading into a heated environment when trying to reach consumers.” (ADWEEK)

Favorite Ad Campaigns of 2024

“If ever you needed proof that people still care about advertising and brands, you need only look back at the past 12 months, where shock and controversy seemed to rock up on a monthly – if not weekly – basis.” (Creative Review)

Personalisation and Events Fueled by Increased UK Marketing Spend

“Video and audio saw particularly sharp declines, highlighting the cautious approach many companies are adopting toward traditional mass media.” (LBB)

Authenticity Resonates – CMOs Identify Overhyped Marketing Trends of 2024

“With audiences’ increasingly limited attention, brands need to dig deep, do the research, and identify the right voices to connect with their customer base, regardless of broader notoriety.” (Marketing Brew)