Daniel Davila, CEO of Divisadero Pictures and tech strategist for Disney, Microsoft, and Comcast, discusses AI and the entertainment industry

The current Hollywood writers strike is the highest profile example of shifting dynamics in the entertainment industry. Studios are spending less to produce more content. Fees paid to writers have plummeted. Generative AI is only accelerating the trend. This has profound implications for the future of storytelling.

Today’s guest is an expert in the entertainment industry having founded Divisadero Pictures in 2011 to advise entertainment companies from Disney to Comcast to Microsoft on strategy and finance topics. Daniel Davila received his MFA from USC and his MBA from Stanford. 

For historical perspective, today is only the second episode in more than 190 where we’ve discussed AI and the future of the work in the entertainment industry. For long-time listeners the last time was episode 87 back in April 21 with Michael Solomon and Rishon Blumberg, authors of Game Changer: How to be 10x in the Talent Economy, who  managed Bruce Springsteen and John Mayer in a previous life.

Thank you to friend of the podcast Matthew Perez for the introduction to Daniel.

Listen and learn…

1. The history of media consumption patterns
2. The economics of the entertainment industry
3. How AI is changing the entertainment industry
4. How Daniel used generative AI tools to write a 70-page movie script
5. Daniel's pitch to Francis Ford Coppola about the role of AI in movie-making
6. The impact of streaming on media production and consumption
7. The bias inherent in text to image tools like Midjourney

References in this episode…

• Michael and Rishon, Bruce Springsteen's former managers, on AI and the Future of Work
• Divisadero Pictures
• The Hollywood writers strike