UCLA Anderson School of Management Blog

Center for MEMES’ Jay Tucker: Relentless Problem Solver, Unrepentant Optimist

 

Jay Tucker (’09) is the new executive director of UCLA Anderson’s Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports. He graduated from Anderson in 2009 and embarked on a career with a certain local competitor school, where, as CMO of the Institute for Communication Technology Management at USC and founder of the Silicon Beach initiative there, he led an interdisciplinary team to launch a $50,000 venture competition combined with a conference focused on innovation, emerging technologies, tech startups and digital entertainment. It’s early days, but Tucker has had his finger firmly on the MEMES pulse (presiding, in fact, over the 2017 Pulse Entertainment, Sports & Technology Conference). He is busy preparing for NextFest, the collaborative cross-disciplinary event with FuturizeX UCLA on March 2.

 

---

Q: What in your educational or personal background led you to your current professional interests?

I’ve always had a passion for entertainment and its impact on popular culture, and even taught courses on media literacy before attending business school. My interest in the business of entertainment grew over time as I saw a rapid increase in franchises jumping from publishing to feature films, video games, TV series and other platforms. One of the essential questions I had at the time was whether quality alone was enough to ensure business success for content — in other words, is content really king? Another was the converse: Could exceptional business operations be a substitute for amazing content?

These days, it’s clear that my questions were far less important than the question of how Hollywood would harness innovation and disruptive technologies to delight audiences and finance the next wave of storytelling. But the drive to understand the industry, and the business of storytelling, were a big part of what compelled me to come to UCLA Anderson.

Q: Before starting your MBA, you worked in a range of marketing, tech and educational roles. How did earning your degree enhance or influence the direction of your career in the years to follow?

At Anderson I had the opportunity to connect with industry leaders in film, video games and more. One advantage I brought to the table was deep experience as a technology leader and as a Web developer in the early days of the commercial internet. My time at Anderson coincided with the rise of a number of digital and social media platforms, and some of the business leaders in Hollywood were interested in my perspectives on how technology would impact the industry.

Def Jam’s Steve Bartels on the Iconic, the Reverent, the Genuine

By Carolyn Gray Anderson

In the ever-evolving business of music, streaming services have eclipsed CDs and even downloads. So it was with awe and more than a little nostalgia that Steve Bartels (CERT ’92) — CEO of Def Jam Recordings and a special guest at UCLA Anderson’s 2017 Pulse conference — recalled hauling luggage carts full of vinyl to his early gigs as a DJ in the 1980s, when he brought a New York sound to the San Fernando Valley.

Bartels began his industry career under the wing of late legendary executive Charlie Minor as national director of promotion at A&M Records. “He completed people,” Bartels said of Minor, whom he called “happy and energetic.”

Bartels describes many people and things he admires with a string of positive adjectives: When Dean Judy Olian asked him about Def Jam’s origin story and his early days with the label, he replied, “Eclectic, vibey, authentic, honest.” Asked who he thinks perfectly represents Def Jam, whether a type or particular artist, he tossed out descriptors like “reverent,” “genuine” and “icon.” He cited underground newcomer Amir Obé and rising talent Alessia Cara as unconventional artists poised to join the pantheon of greats. That’s high praise considering the label has included legends like LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Jay-Z, Nas, Ludacris and The Roots, as well as contemporary stars Big Sean, Jeremih, Jhene Aiko and 2 Chainz, who just won a 2016 Grammy for Best Rap Performance. Iggy Azalea, Bartels said, is “quietly working on something that’s going to blow your socks off. She definitely says what’s on her mind.” And, he finished, “if anybody exemplifies what Def Jam subscribes to, it’s Kanye” — to whom he applied the terms “topical” and “genius.”

Paramount Television President Amy Powell Rewards “Strong, Tenacious Women” Like Those Who Influenced Her

View the full gallery of photos from Velocity

---

By Paul Feinberg

Amy Powell (’05) president of Paramount Television and Digital Entertainment, was the morning keynote at UCLA Anderson’s second annual Velocity Women’s Leadership Summit, whose 2017 theme was Empower Together. Powell used the specifics of her own life and career to illustrate universal lessons for those gathered.

Powell grew up in “a household of very strong influences, parents who encouraged her to go out and get what she wanted,” and she was inspired by a close relationship with a grandmother who was “the epitome of a strong woman.” Those influences infused Powell with a confidence that enabled a recurring theme in her life: moves that took Powell outside her comfort zones.

Joss Whedon to UCLA Anderson Students: “Make Your Choice, and Give Yourself to that Choice”

By Paul Feinberg

“Save the Day … didn’t,” said writer/director/producer/auteur Joss Whedon, referencing the digital production company he founded in the months leading up to the 2016 presidential election. The goal of his super PAC Save the Day was to get out the vote, specifically in support of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, though the candidate herself was never specifically mentioned in any of the short films produced by the organization.

But while the text of Save the Day didn’t go as planned, the subtext contained several important lessons: that the act of voting is a powerful one and that getting involved in the causes one believes in is a brave and necessary act in a democracy. Whedon recently emphasized these points in an appearance at UCLA Anderson at the invitation of the Entertainment Management Association.

Whedon was a working writer in Hollywood when he created his first television show. Buffy the Vampire Slayer became a cultural phenomenon, featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy: high school student by day, killer of vampires and other denizens of the evil realms by night. Buffy begat its spin-off Angel and Whedon and his company Mutant Enemy Productions became power brokers in the entertainment industry. His body of work includes creating, writing and directing television shows, comic books and feature films. If you’re one of the millions of people who enjoyed the two Marvel films featuring the super hero team the Avengers, you’ve enjoyed Whedon’s work.

TechDay in Los Angeles Attracts UCLA Anderson Startups

By Carolyn Gray Anderson

TechDay comes to Los Angeles on Thursday, September 22, and UCLA Anderson alumni in the startup community are gearing up. The one-day technology exhibitor and demonstration event hosts more than 50,000 people from six continents at events in major cities like New York and London.

Max Lynn (’13) manages business development and finance for AtomTickets, the app that simplifies locating movies you want to see, purchasing tickets and concessions, and coordinating with friends — skipping the line in the process. AtomTickets will be at TechDay at a booth in the entertainment and music section.

Lynn’s title is Road Warrior and, by contrast, his favorite movie is Up in the Air. He and the AtomTickets team said their top tip for UCLA Anderson students interested in launching a startup is “Make sure your idea solves a problem.”

We asked them to describe the tech startup environment at the intersection of Hollywood and Silicon Valley in 140 characters or fewer: “We are surrounded by smart, driven companies looking to change the game for the better — which is great company to keep.”

Visit AtomTickets at TechDay Los Angeles and follow them on social media @atomtickets

Follow Us:

Architects of Change Returns to UCLA Anderson Featuring Music Mogul Russell Simmons

By Cheechee Lin

 

“I am a conscious idealist that works for change starting from myself."

Hip hop mogul and businessman Russell Simmons joined journalist Maria Shriver for her Architects of Change series at UCLA Anderson.

Simmons’ best-selling book, The Happy Vegan, is widely-acclaimed as an accessible and inspiring guide for readers looking to move towards a plant-based diet and a happy, purposeful life. Simmons rose to fame by co-founding Def Jam Recordings, quickly propelling him to the top of the hip hop industry. Yet the man who sat down for an intimate chat with Anderson students in Korn Hall spoke of a simple life.

“Happiness comes from inside,” Simmons said. “Operating from a place of needing nothing— that’s happiness. No matter how rich you are, you can only sit your a-- in one seat at a time. The goal of life? To be comfortable in that one seat. Only when you are awakened with clarity can you be present and focus on the job. We are ever evolving to be more present, and more awake.”

Simmons describes his thought leadership through his influence on his fans. “As a [celebrity], you can say sh-- and it travels. You can affect change in many ways, and your efforts in every area become more fine tuned as you become awakened,” he said.

“You’re a different type of leader when you envision a different type of success. It’s empowering to take on philanthropic endeavors.” Simmons is an outspoken voice promoting a plant-based lifestyle. “The abuse of animals is destroying our planet at a rate we don’t know how fast— and we’re on a trajectory we don’t know how to stop. The water used to produce one hamburger is the equivalent of 70 showers. By changing your diet, you are not only helping yourself, but helping the planet. You’re in LA, and eating vegan has never been easier!” 

How the Film Industry Reeled in Anderson Alumna Monique Jones

Monique Jones (’93) is vice president of finance and controller for Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, a leading independent finance and production company dedicated to developing high-quality motion pictures and television programming. Jones provides financial analysis and decision-making support to the executive management team. She has also held senior finance positions with Sony Pictures Television International, Icon Entertainment International, Myriad Pictures and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. She moderated a panel at Anderson's 2016 Pulse Conference in January.Twenty years into her career in the entertainment industry, she looks back at how she aspired professionally.  

Q. You began your entertainment career in Los Angeles in 1996, but you’re originally from Omaha. Did you know growing up in the Midwest that you wanted to land in Hollywood?

When I was growing up in Nebraska, my dream was to move to New York City. I didn’t know what I would do there, I just knew it was the city for me. I made a pit stop in Washington, D.C., to attend college at Georgetown University. Although I majored in finance, it was during my college years that I developed my interest in the entertainment industry. Specifically, I wanted to work in the music industry. But before heading west, I moved to New York after graduating from college and worked as an internal auditor in the financial services industry.

Q. What led you to UCLA for your MBA?

After working in financial services for four years, I knew I would never be passionate about a career in that field. That said, I was not prepared to quit my job and take an entry-level position in the music industry. I decided my best strategy would be to earn my MBA at a school in Los Angeles. This would give me the opportunity to pursue a variety of internships during my two years in a full-time MBA program and determine if a career in entertainment was the right fit for me. If it wasn’t, then I would still have earned my MBA and would be able to pursue other career options.

Women’s Opportunity Lies in the Unscripted Spaces

Left to right: Karla Ballard Williams, Lisa Erspamer, Mali Kinberg, Susanna Fogel

Enjoy photos from the Velocity conference

---

By Carolyn Gray Anderson

One of the leitmotifs at last week’s Velocity conference was the obligation women have to help other women — help people in general, as keynote speaker Jane Wurwand pointed out — as far as keeping workplaces diverse. “Pull a woman in behind you when you move up so that there is no void,” she said. Hollywood is notoriously white and male, and the annual Women’s Business Leadership Summit included a special panel for industry veterans to talk about what’s changed for the better since they embarked on their careers and where they feel like they still face roadblocks.

Karla Ballard Williams, founder of YING Bank (whose motto is Currency for Humankind), moderated the panel, which included: Lisa Erspamer, an Emmy-nominated media executive who co-founded Happy Street Entertainment; EVP and head of international at Media Rights Capital Mali Kinberg, whose knowledge of several languages led her, following a Ph.D. in literature, to a career in foreign film sales and distribution; and Susanna Fogel, a comedy writer, producer and director whose first feature, Life Partners, will soon be followed by a second.

Williams is co-chair of the 41st Annual Gracies, an awards show supported by the Alliance for Women in Media, where Williams serves on the board. She was previously SVP of Participant Media’s TAG division, a social-action agency leveraging the power of storytelling to drive impact, and she served as the global account lead for Sony Pictures Entertainment on rebranding and strategy engagements for Latin America. She is an appointee to the United States Federal Communication Committee on Diversity in a Digital Age.

She opened with, “We’re sitting here with women who have killed it in entertainment.” So, why the dearth of women still?

AEG’s Dan Beckerman Sheds Light on International Strategy

View our album of photos from the 2016 Pulse Conference

---

By Golie Alemi

Dean Judy Olian kicked off the sixth installment of the Pulse Conference, UCLA Anderson’s signature event highlighting trends in digital media, entertainment and sports, with a conversation with CEO and president of AEG Dan Beckerman (’96), who was recognized as this year’s Game Changer Award recipient.

Named CEO in 2013, (replacing Tim Leiweke), Beckerman stands at the helm of a sports-entertainment powerhouse that includes: Los Angeles’ professional teams (Kings, Galaxy, 30 percent ownership share of the Lakers); venue ownership and/or management of arenas around the world (Staples Center, Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the O2 Arena in London, Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai); and a live-concert-promotion division.

The Future of Television: The Battle for Your Attention Takes Center Stage

View our album of photos from the 2016 Pulse Conference

---

By Andy Tillman

UCLA Anderson’s 2016 Pulse Conference, presented by the Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports, featured an in-depth conversation on the future of television. Distinguished Visiting Professor Brian Frons sat down with Jim Lanzone (B.A. ’93), president and CEO of CBS interactive; Tony Goncalves, senior vice president of strategy and business development at AT&T; Eric Johnson (B.A. ’91), executive vice president of global multimedia sales for ESPN; and Chris Moseley, chief marketing officer for game show network, to discuss the current media landscape and their views for the future.

If ever there has been a Wild West in the industry, this transitory time for television is it. As TV goliaths scramble to define themselves online, the cable industry must find ways to hold on to their subscribers, and online content providers must further perfect their evolving business models. “Consumers are consuming more content than ever, the how and where are changing,” said Goncalves. “If the future is going to be defined as content anytime, anywhere, then those who have scale will win.”

While many networks partner with online counterparts, others fear that handing over access to programming steers hard-earned viewers elsewhere.