“Artists need to be business people too,” filmmaker Tiffany Shlain told me when she came into San Francisco’s TechCrunchTV studio. Shlain, whose movie Connected launched earlier this week, is a pioneering movie maker not only because of her award-winning films but also because this innovative businesswoman has figured out a way to make money in today’s digital economy.
“The gates are open right now,” Shlain told me about a 21st century movie business that is, she says, “completely different” from the 20th century studio model. And that’s because, she explained, filmmakers now have the technology to directly connect with their viewers. Put 50% of your energy into the making of the movie, she thus told me, and the other 50% into promoting it on networks like Twitter and Facebook.
Tiffany Shlain proves that creativity and entrepreneurial innovation not only can but must coexist in today’s digital economy. Filmmakers, writers and musicians should listen carefully to her advice about leveraging the power of their audience.
Watch the first part of my interview with Tiffany Shlain here.