.webp)
An introduction
Let me start with a little background on myself, and how I’ve come to these conclusions.
For the last three years, I've been deeply immersed in the tech industry, investing in and collaborating with companies at the forefront of innovation. Many of which have been those pioneering advancements in AI and chip technology, critical components that are propelling AI forward at an unprecedented pace.
I know AI is often viewed with skepticism and even dubbed a "dirty word" in this industry, but its rapid development is undeniable. We are witnessing an acceleration in AI that is poised to continue, if not intensify, in the years ahead.
This experience has afforded me early access to groundbreaking AI technologies and companies specializing in generating text, images, music, and video content. The quality of output is astonishingly high, to the point of being scarily impressive. And it's only improving from here.
This surge in AI also brings forth a transformative time for the industry, reminiscent of the shifts from Blockbuster to Netflix and theaters to streaming. This period will certainly challenge many, and not all will weather the transition. However, those that emerge on the other side will find themselves at the dawn of a new golden age in storytelling and content creation, an era that will leave a lasting impact for generations.
Self-generated content and entertainment is the future
I believe that within 10 years (maybe less than 5), a large percentage of the content we enjoy will be self-generated. Including the art we appreciate, the music we listen to, the books we read, and even the shows and movies we fall in love with.
For example, I have two young boys (5 and 1) that love watching Bluey on Disney+.
Today, my five year old opens the Disney+ app and navigates to his favorite episode(s) to watch (and re-watch…). But when my youngest is five, he will also navigate to Disney+, but instead of selecting an existing episode he will create his own right on the spot.
“I want an episode where Bluey and Bingo go to the Zoo.”
Within seconds, an episode will be created that will be indistinguishable from the episodes that we love today (because it’s learned from the hundreds of episodes before it).
From here my son can choose to save his creation (to re-watch later), remix it (“again, but have Bluey get lost while at the Zoo.”) or create a brand new one. This pattern will repeat over and over again.
BANNER OF BLUEY CARDS
New characters will be created specifically for this medium.
This technology extends far beyond existing beloved characters; it opens the door to the creation of entirely new personas and universes as well.
This is more than likely the best approach at the beginning anyways. While Bluey is an established brand that millions love, it wouldn’t be the same if millions of new episodes where being created each year.
Instead we’ll likely see the emergence of fresh characters and series designed without any pre-existing episodes (but instead months and months of training data, rules and artwork to pull from). A distinct advantage for Disney, explored in more depth below, lies in its ability to integrate these new characters into its well-established universes. Imagine a series exploring the life of a young alien within the Star Wars universe or following the adventures of a new character in the world of Cars.
Millions of original episodes will be created each year, many of which will become new all-time favorites for the fans creating them.
IMAGE OF NEW CHARACTER PIXAR STYLE
It won’t just be video, but expanded into all aspects of digital entertainment
This technology would enable customers to create a variety of digital experiences, including books, audio stories, coloring books, and music or songs. Furthermore, this digital content can be transformed into tangible items, such as printed books, posters, t-shirts, and other merchandise, allowing for a seamless blend of digital creativity and physical goods.
SCREENSHOT OF DISNEY GPT, LINKS TO SITE
The streaming wars will heat up, but Disney has a unique advantage.
This future will not be unique to Disney. Netflix and other streaming platforms will adopt this form of content as well. YouTube will give these tools to its creators to create new content. The next Pixar and award winning animation studio could very well stem from this process (And I think is very likely).
But Disney has what others do not. An edge that would take a hundred years for others to follow.
Disney's unparalleled advantage here lies in its rich library of intellectual properties (IP), beloved characters, and expansive universes, spanning from the enchanting worlds of Pixar to the epic sagas of Star Wars and Marvel.
This treasure trove of content not only places Disney at the forefront of traditional media but also provides a robust foundation for an AI-generated future. The emotional connections and deep-rooted love that audiences have for Disney's characters and stories is something that simply cannot be replicated by competitors like Netflix (and certainly YouTube).
While customers might be able to create their own Minion shorts on Peacock, they will only be able to create with their favorite Disney characters on Disney+.
A Harmonious Coexistence with Traditional Content Creation
Viewing the rise of AI as a threat to traditional content creation misses the broader picture. This new medium should not be seen as a doomsday for the creators who have long been the backbone of Disney's storytelling history.
Instead, it represents an additional layer of interaction and creativity, allowing audiences to engage with their favorite universes in more personalized and imaginative ways. Far from replacing human creativity, AI-generated content could augment it, offering tools that put the power of creation into the hands of fans, thereby fostering a deeper connection with the content they love.
This will take time and attention, so it’s important to start early
While the trajectory of AI development is accelerating faster than anyone is prepared for, crossing the final threshold into full optimization and refinement—the leap from 90% to 100%—will be exceedingly challenging.
This final push towards perfection, where Disney would aim to position itself, requires not just time but a deep integration of AI technologies with creative processes, an understanding of audience engagement through data, and a nuanced approach to storytelling that only comes from prolonged experimentation and learning.
Starting early ensures that Disney can navigate these complexities at a measured pace, allowing for the cultivation of expertise and the development of proprietary AI tools and methodologies that align with its history of storytelling excellence.
An introduction
Let me start with a little background on myself, and how I’ve come to these conclusions.
For the last three years, I've been deeply immersed in the tech industry, investing in and collaborating with companies at the forefront of innovation. Many of which have been those pioneering advancements in AI and chip technology, critical components that are propelling AI forward at an unprecedented pace.
I know AI is often viewed with skepticism and even dubbed a "dirty word" in this industry, but its rapid development is undeniable. We are witnessing an acceleration in AI that is poised to continue, if not intensify, in the years ahead.
This experience has afforded me early access to groundbreaking AI technologies and companies specializing in generating text, images, music, and video content. The quality of output is astonishingly high, to the point of being scarily impressive. And it's only improving from here.
This surge in AI also brings forth a transformative time for the industry, reminiscent of the shifts from Blockbuster to Netflix and theaters to streaming. This period will certainly challenge many, and not all will weather the transition. However, those that emerge on the other side will find themselves at the dawn of a new golden age in storytelling and content creation, an era that will leave a lasting impact for generations.
Self-generated content and entertainment is the future
I believe that within 10 years (maybe less than 5), a large percentage of the content we enjoy will be self-generated. Including the art we appreciate, the music we listen to, the books we read, and even the shows and movies we fall in love with.
For example, I have two young boys (5 and 1) that love watching Bluey on Disney+.
Today, my five year old opens the Disney+ app and navigates to his favorite episode(s) to watch (and re-watch…). But when my youngest is five, he will also navigate to Disney+, but instead of selecting an existing episode he will create his own right on the spot.
“I want an episode where Bluey and Bingo go to the Zoo.”
Within seconds, an episode will be created that will be indistinguishable from the episodes that we love today (because it’s learned from the hundreds of episodes before it).
From here my son can choose to save his creation (to re-watch later), remix it (“again, but have Bluey get lost while at the Zoo.”) or create a brand new one. This pattern will repeat over and over again.
BANNER OF BLUEY CARDS
New characters will be created specifically for this medium.
This technology extends far beyond existing beloved characters; it opens the door to the creation of entirely new personas and universes as well.
This is more than likely the best approach at the beginning anyways. While Bluey is an established brand that millions love, it wouldn’t be the same if millions of new episodes where being created each year.
Instead we’ll likely see the emergence of fresh characters and series designed without any pre-existing episodes (but instead months and months of training data, rules and artwork to pull from). A distinct advantage for Disney, explored in more depth below, lies in its ability to integrate these new characters into its well-established universes. Imagine a series exploring the life of a young alien within the Star Wars universe or following the adventures of a new character in the world of Cars.
Millions of original episodes will be created each year, many of which will become new all-time favorites for the fans creating them.
IMAGE OF NEW CHARACTER PIXAR STYLE
It won’t just be video, but expanded into all aspects of digital entertainment
This technology would enable customers to create a variety of digital experiences, including books, audio stories, coloring books, and music or songs. Furthermore, this digital content can be transformed into tangible items, such as printed books, posters, t-shirts, and other merchandise, allowing for a seamless blend of digital creativity and physical goods.
SCREENSHOT OF DISNEY GPT, LINKS TO SITE
The streaming wars will heat up, but Disney has a unique advantage.
This future will not be unique to Disney. Netflix and other streaming platforms will adopt this form of content as well. YouTube will give these tools to its creators to create new content. The next Pixar and award winning animation studio could very well stem from this process (And I think is very likely).
But Disney has what others do not. An edge that would take a hundred years for others to follow.
Disney's unparalleled advantage here lies in its rich library of intellectual properties (IP), beloved characters, and expansive universes, spanning from the enchanting worlds of Pixar to the epic sagas of Star Wars and Marvel.
This treasure trove of content not only places Disney at the forefront of traditional media but also provides a robust foundation for an AI-generated future. The emotional connections and deep-rooted love that audiences have for Disney's characters and stories is something that simply cannot be replicated by competitors like Netflix (and certainly YouTube).
While customers might be able to create their own Minion shorts on Peacock, they will only be able to create with their favorite Disney characters on Disney+.
A Harmonious Coexistence with Traditional Content Creation
Viewing the rise of AI as a threat to traditional content creation misses the broader picture. This new medium should not be seen as a doomsday for the creators who have long been the backbone of Disney's storytelling history.
Instead, it represents an additional layer of interaction and creativity, allowing audiences to engage with their favorite universes in more personalized and imaginative ways. Far from replacing human creativity, AI-generated content could augment it, offering tools that put the power of creation into the hands of fans, thereby fostering a deeper connection with the content they love.
This will take time and attention, so it’s important to start early
While the trajectory of AI development is accelerating faster than anyone is prepared for, crossing the final threshold into full optimization and refinement—the leap from 90% to 100%—will be exceedingly challenging.
This final push towards perfection, where Disney would aim to position itself, requires not just time but a deep integration of AI technologies with creative processes, an understanding of audience engagement through data, and a nuanced approach to storytelling that only comes from prolonged experimentation and learning.
Starting early ensures that Disney can navigate these complexities at a measured pace, allowing for the cultivation of expertise and the development of proprietary AI tools and methodologies that align with its history of storytelling excellence.
When was the last time we thought about streaming from scratch?
It seems as though since Netflix launched over a decade ago, steaming apps have all essentially followed the same overall design. There are plenty of good reasons for this (familiarity, ease of use, etc), but perhaps there's room to explore something different.
Why the focus on mobile?
As of March 2023, nearly 70 percent of digital video watchers reported watching videos on their smartphones. This was the leading medium, with 59 percent responding to watch video on TVs (The previous leading category).
Now, it's easy to understand that much of this stems from the growing popularity of YouTube and social apps (TikTok, Instagram), which are popular for mobile devices. Regardless, it's important to meet customers where they are and give them what they want.
Some new ideas to explore
Here are a few ideas to help brainstorm some potential ideas and directions that the mobile app could explore to make the Disney+ experience even better.
.webp)
An introduction
Let me start with a little background on myself, and how I’ve come to these conclusions.
For the last three years, I've been deeply immersed in the tech industry, investing in and collaborating with companies at the forefront of innovation. Many of which have been those pioneering advancements in AI and chip technology, critical components that are propelling AI forward at an unprecedented pace.
I know AI is often viewed with skepticism and even dubbed a "dirty word" in this industry, but its rapid development is undeniable. We are witnessing an acceleration in AI that is poised to continue, if not intensify, in the years ahead.
This experience has afforded me early access to groundbreaking AI technologies and companies specializing in generating text, images, music, and video content. The quality of output is astonishingly high, to the point of being scarily impressive. And it's only improving from here.
This surge in AI also brings forth a transformative time for the industry, reminiscent of the shifts from Blockbuster to Netflix and theaters to streaming. This period will certainly challenge many, and not all will weather the transition. However, those that emerge on the other side will find themselves at the dawn of a new golden age in storytelling and content creation, an era that will leave a lasting impact for generations.
Self-generated content and entertainment is the future
I believe that within 10 years (maybe less than 5), a large percentage of the content we enjoy will be self-generated. Including the art we appreciate, the music we listen to, the books we read, and even the shows and movies we fall in love with.
For example, I have two young boys (5 and 1) that love watching Bluey on Disney+.
Today, my five year old opens the Disney+ app and navigates to his favorite episode(s) to watch (and re-watch…). But when my youngest is five, he will also navigate to Disney+, but instead of selecting an existing episode he will create his own right on the spot.
“I want an episode where Bluey and Bingo go to the Zoo.”
Within seconds, an episode will be created that will be indistinguishable from the episodes that we love today (because it’s learned from the hundreds of episodes before it).
From here my son can choose to save his creation (to re-watch later), remix it (“again, but have Bluey get lost while at the Zoo.”) or create a brand new one. This pattern will repeat over and over again.
BANNER OF BLUEY CARDS
New characters will be created specifically for this medium.
This technology extends far beyond existing beloved characters; it opens the door to the creation of entirely new personas and universes as well.
This is more than likely the best approach at the beginning anyways. While Bluey is an established brand that millions love, it wouldn’t be the same if millions of new episodes where being created each year.
Instead we’ll likely see the emergence of fresh characters and series designed without any pre-existing episodes (but instead months and months of training data, rules and artwork to pull from). A distinct advantage for Disney, explored in more depth below, lies in its ability to integrate these new characters into its well-established universes. Imagine a series exploring the life of a young alien within the Star Wars universe or following the adventures of a new character in the world of Cars.
Millions of original episodes will be created each year, many of which will become new all-time favorites for the fans creating them.
IMAGE OF NEW CHARACTER PIXAR STYLE
It won’t just be video, but expanded into all aspects of digital entertainment
This technology would enable customers to create a variety of digital experiences, including books, audio stories, coloring books, and music or songs. Furthermore, this digital content can be transformed into tangible items, such as printed books, posters, t-shirts, and other merchandise, allowing for a seamless blend of digital creativity and physical goods.
SCREENSHOT OF DISNEY GPT, LINKS TO SITE
The streaming wars will heat up, but Disney has a unique advantage.
This future will not be unique to Disney. Netflix and other streaming platforms will adopt this form of content as well. YouTube will give these tools to its creators to create new content. The next Pixar and award winning animation studio could very well stem from this process (And I think is very likely).
But Disney has what others do not. An edge that would take a hundred years for others to follow.
Disney's unparalleled advantage here lies in its rich library of intellectual properties (IP), beloved characters, and expansive universes, spanning from the enchanting worlds of Pixar to the epic sagas of Star Wars and Marvel.
This treasure trove of content not only places Disney at the forefront of traditional media but also provides a robust foundation for an AI-generated future. The emotional connections and deep-rooted love that audiences have for Disney's characters and stories is something that simply cannot be replicated by competitors like Netflix (and certainly YouTube).
While customers might be able to create their own Minion shorts on Peacock, they will only be able to create with their favorite Disney characters on Disney+.
A Harmonious Coexistence with Traditional Content Creation
Viewing the rise of AI as a threat to traditional content creation misses the broader picture. This new medium should not be seen as a doomsday for the creators who have long been the backbone of Disney's storytelling history.
Instead, it represents an additional layer of interaction and creativity, allowing audiences to engage with their favorite universes in more personalized and imaginative ways. Far from replacing human creativity, AI-generated content could augment it, offering tools that put the power of creation into the hands of fans, thereby fostering a deeper connection with the content they love.
This will take time and attention, so it’s important to start early
While the trajectory of AI development is accelerating faster than anyone is prepared for, crossing the final threshold into full optimization and refinement—the leap from 90% to 100%—will be exceedingly challenging.
This final push towards perfection, where Disney would aim to position itself, requires not just time but a deep integration of AI technologies with creative processes, an understanding of audience engagement through data, and a nuanced approach to storytelling that only comes from prolonged experimentation and learning.
Starting early ensures that Disney can navigate these complexities at a measured pace, allowing for the cultivation of expertise and the development of proprietary AI tools and methodologies that align with its history of storytelling excellence.
I love creating custom images, photos and graphics of various characters within Disney's universes. Particularly cinematic photos of Star Wars and Marvel characters. I currently use Midjourney to do this, and while it works okay, a dedicated tool from Disney to create such images would be much better (more accurate, better quality, etc).
I explored very early concepts of what a potential version of this could look like in Disney Create - a Disney image generator that allows fans to create various Disney characters that are accurate and on brand. This is already happening with tools like Midjourney, this would be an opportunity for Disney to take back creative control and lead the narrative.
This is a very early concept, and hardly a final iteration, but the goal was to provide some ideas of what something like this could be.
When was the last time we thought about streaming from scratch?
It seems as though since Netflix launched over a decade ago, steaming apps have all essentially followed the same overall design. There are plenty of good reasons for this (familiarity, ease of use, etc), but perhaps there's room to explore something different.
Why the focus on mobile?
As of March 2023, nearly 70 percent of digital video watchers reported watching videos on their smartphones. This was the leading medium, with 59 percent responding to watch video on TVs (The previous leading category).
Now, it's easy to understand that much of this stems from the growing popularity of YouTube and social apps (TikTok, Instagram), which are popular for mobile devices. Regardless, it's important to meet customers where they are and give them what they want.
Some new ideas to explore
Here are a few ideas to help brainstorm some potential ideas and directions that the mobile app could explore to make the Disney+ experience even better.
An introduction
Let me start with a little background on myself, and how I’ve come to these conclusions.
For the last three years, I've been deeply immersed in the tech industry, investing in and collaborating with companies at the forefront of innovation. Many of which have been those pioneering advancements in AI and chip technology, critical components that are propelling AI forward at an unprecedented pace.
I know AI is often viewed with skepticism and even dubbed a "dirty word" in this industry, but its rapid development is undeniable. We are witnessing an acceleration in AI that is poised to continue, if not intensify, in the years ahead.
This experience has afforded me early access to groundbreaking AI technologies and companies specializing in generating text, images, music, and video content. The quality of output is astonishingly high, to the point of being scarily impressive. And it's only improving from here.
This surge in AI also brings forth a transformative time for the industry, reminiscent of the shifts from Blockbuster to Netflix and theaters to streaming. This period will certainly challenge many, and not all will weather the transition. However, those that emerge on the other side will find themselves at the dawn of a new golden age in storytelling and content creation, an era that will leave a lasting impact for generations.
Self-generated content and entertainment is the future
I believe that within 10 years (maybe less than 5), a large percentage of the content we enjoy will be self-generated. Including the art we appreciate, the music we listen to, the books we read, and even the shows and movies we fall in love with.
For example, I have two young boys (5 and 1) that love watching Bluey on Disney+.
Today, my five year old opens the Disney+ app and navigates to his favorite episode(s) to watch (and re-watch…). But when my youngest is five, he will also navigate to Disney+, but instead of selecting an existing episode he will create his own right on the spot.
“I want an episode where Bluey and Bingo go to the Zoo.”
Within seconds, an episode will be created that will be indistinguishable from the episodes that we love today (because it’s learned from the hundreds of episodes before it).
From here my son can choose to save his creation (to re-watch later), remix it (“again, but have Bluey get lost while at the Zoo.”) or create a brand new one. This pattern will repeat over and over again.
BANNER OF BLUEY CARDS
New characters will be created specifically for this medium.
This technology extends far beyond existing beloved characters; it opens the door to the creation of entirely new personas and universes as well.
This is more than likely the best approach at the beginning anyways. While Bluey is an established brand that millions love, it wouldn’t be the same if millions of new episodes where being created each year.
Instead we’ll likely see the emergence of fresh characters and series designed without any pre-existing episodes (but instead months and months of training data, rules and artwork to pull from). A distinct advantage for Disney, explored in more depth below, lies in its ability to integrate these new characters into its well-established universes. Imagine a series exploring the life of a young alien within the Star Wars universe or following the adventures of a new character in the world of Cars.
Millions of original episodes will be created each year, many of which will become new all-time favorites for the fans creating them.
IMAGE OF NEW CHARACTER PIXAR STYLE
It won’t just be video, but expanded into all aspects of digital entertainment
This technology would enable customers to create a variety of digital experiences, including books, audio stories, coloring books, and music or songs. Furthermore, this digital content can be transformed into tangible items, such as printed books, posters, t-shirts, and other merchandise, allowing for a seamless blend of digital creativity and physical goods.
SCREENSHOT OF DISNEY GPT, LINKS TO SITE
The streaming wars will heat up, but Disney has a unique advantage.
This future will not be unique to Disney. Netflix and other streaming platforms will adopt this form of content as well. YouTube will give these tools to its creators to create new content. The next Pixar and award winning animation studio could very well stem from this process (And I think is very likely).
But Disney has what others do not. An edge that would take a hundred years for others to follow.
Disney's unparalleled advantage here lies in its rich library of intellectual properties (IP), beloved characters, and expansive universes, spanning from the enchanting worlds of Pixar to the epic sagas of Star Wars and Marvel.
This treasure trove of content not only places Disney at the forefront of traditional media but also provides a robust foundation for an AI-generated future. The emotional connections and deep-rooted love that audiences have for Disney's characters and stories is something that simply cannot be replicated by competitors like Netflix (and certainly YouTube).
While customers might be able to create their own Minion shorts on Peacock, they will only be able to create with their favorite Disney characters on Disney+.
A Harmonious Coexistence with Traditional Content Creation
Viewing the rise of AI as a threat to traditional content creation misses the broader picture. This new medium should not be seen as a doomsday for the creators who have long been the backbone of Disney's storytelling history.
Instead, it represents an additional layer of interaction and creativity, allowing audiences to engage with their favorite universes in more personalized and imaginative ways. Far from replacing human creativity, AI-generated content could augment it, offering tools that put the power of creation into the hands of fans, thereby fostering a deeper connection with the content they love.
This will take time and attention, so it’s important to start early
While the trajectory of AI development is accelerating faster than anyone is prepared for, crossing the final threshold into full optimization and refinement—the leap from 90% to 100%—will be exceedingly challenging.
This final push towards perfection, where Disney would aim to position itself, requires not just time but a deep integration of AI technologies with creative processes, an understanding of audience engagement through data, and a nuanced approach to storytelling that only comes from prolonged experimentation and learning.
Starting early ensures that Disney can navigate these complexities at a measured pace, allowing for the cultivation of expertise and the development of proprietary AI tools and methodologies that align with its history of storytelling excellence.
I explored some updated design ideas for the 20th Century Website. I believe this new design feels more modern and allows for greater flexibility in showing upcoming and featured movies. I also updated the main movie page to reflect a more modern design.
NOTE: While this is a fully designed and built website, I've only added a fraction of the content to show the proof of concept. This site is not indexible and private, and not meant for public eyes outside of this portfolio.
When was the last time we thought about streaming from scratch?
It seems as though since Netflix launched over a decade ago, steaming apps have all essentially followed the same overall design. There are plenty of good reasons for this (familiarity, ease of use, etc), but perhaps there's room to explore something different.
Why the focus on mobile?
As of March 2023, nearly 70 percent of digital video watchers reported watching videos on their smartphones. This was the leading medium, with 59 percent responding to watch video on TVs (The previous leading category).
Now, it's easy to understand that much of this stems from the growing popularity of YouTube and social apps (TikTok, Instagram), which are popular for mobile devices. Regardless, it's important to meet customers where they are and give them what they want.
Some new ideas to explore
Here are a few ideas to help brainstorm some potential ideas and directions that the mobile app could explore to make the Disney+ experience even better.
An introduction
Let me start with a little background on myself, and how I’ve come to these conclusions.
For the last three years, I've been deeply immersed in the tech industry, investing in and collaborating with companies at the forefront of innovation. Many of which have been those pioneering advancements in AI and chip technology, critical components that are propelling AI forward at an unprecedented pace.
I know AI is often viewed with skepticism and even dubbed a "dirty word" in this industry, but its rapid development is undeniable. We are witnessing an acceleration in AI that is poised to continue, if not intensify, in the years ahead.
This experience has afforded me early access to groundbreaking AI technologies and companies specializing in generating text, images, music, and video content. The quality of output is astonishingly high, to the point of being scarily impressive. And it's only improving from here.
This surge in AI also brings forth a transformative time for the industry, reminiscent of the shifts from Blockbuster to Netflix and theaters to streaming. This period will certainly challenge many, and not all will weather the transition. However, those that emerge on the other side will find themselves at the dawn of a new golden age in storytelling and content creation, an era that will leave a lasting impact for generations.
Self-generated content and entertainment is the future
I believe that within 10 years (maybe less than 5), a large percentage of the content we enjoy will be self-generated. Including the art we appreciate, the music we listen to, the books we read, and even the shows and movies we fall in love with.
For example, I have two young boys (5 and 1) that love watching Bluey on Disney+.
Today, my five year old opens the Disney+ app and navigates to his favorite episode(s) to watch (and re-watch…). But when my youngest is five, he will also navigate to Disney+, but instead of selecting an existing episode he will create his own right on the spot.
“I want an episode where Bluey and Bingo go to the Zoo.”
Within seconds, an episode will be created that will be indistinguishable from the episodes that we love today (because it’s learned from the hundreds of episodes before it).
From here my son can choose to save his creation (to re-watch later), remix it (“again, but have Bluey get lost while at the Zoo.”) or create a brand new one. This pattern will repeat over and over again.
BANNER OF BLUEY CARDS
New characters will be created specifically for this medium.
This technology extends far beyond existing beloved characters; it opens the door to the creation of entirely new personas and universes as well.
This is more than likely the best approach at the beginning anyways. While Bluey is an established brand that millions love, it wouldn’t be the same if millions of new episodes where being created each year.
Instead we’ll likely see the emergence of fresh characters and series designed without any pre-existing episodes (but instead months and months of training data, rules and artwork to pull from). A distinct advantage for Disney, explored in more depth below, lies in its ability to integrate these new characters into its well-established universes. Imagine a series exploring the life of a young alien within the Star Wars universe or following the adventures of a new character in the world of Cars.
Millions of original episodes will be created each year, many of which will become new all-time favorites for the fans creating them.
IMAGE OF NEW CHARACTER PIXAR STYLE
It won’t just be video, but expanded into all aspects of digital entertainment
This technology would enable customers to create a variety of digital experiences, including books, audio stories, coloring books, and music or songs. Furthermore, this digital content can be transformed into tangible items, such as printed books, posters, t-shirts, and other merchandise, allowing for a seamless blend of digital creativity and physical goods.
SCREENSHOT OF DISNEY GPT, LINKS TO SITE
The streaming wars will heat up, but Disney has a unique advantage.
This future will not be unique to Disney. Netflix and other streaming platforms will adopt this form of content as well. YouTube will give these tools to its creators to create new content. The next Pixar and award winning animation studio could very well stem from this process (And I think is very likely).
But Disney has what others do not. An edge that would take a hundred years for others to follow.
Disney's unparalleled advantage here lies in its rich library of intellectual properties (IP), beloved characters, and expansive universes, spanning from the enchanting worlds of Pixar to the epic sagas of Star Wars and Marvel.
This treasure trove of content not only places Disney at the forefront of traditional media but also provides a robust foundation for an AI-generated future. The emotional connections and deep-rooted love that audiences have for Disney's characters and stories is something that simply cannot be replicated by competitors like Netflix (and certainly YouTube).
While customers might be able to create their own Minion shorts on Peacock, they will only be able to create with their favorite Disney characters on Disney+.
A Harmonious Coexistence with Traditional Content Creation
Viewing the rise of AI as a threat to traditional content creation misses the broader picture. This new medium should not be seen as a doomsday for the creators who have long been the backbone of Disney's storytelling history.
Instead, it represents an additional layer of interaction and creativity, allowing audiences to engage with their favorite universes in more personalized and imaginative ways. Far from replacing human creativity, AI-generated content could augment it, offering tools that put the power of creation into the hands of fans, thereby fostering a deeper connection with the content they love.
This will take time and attention, so it’s important to start early
While the trajectory of AI development is accelerating faster than anyone is prepared for, crossing the final threshold into full optimization and refinement—the leap from 90% to 100%—will be exceedingly challenging.
This final push towards perfection, where Disney would aim to position itself, requires not just time but a deep integration of AI technologies with creative processes, an understanding of audience engagement through data, and a nuanced approach to storytelling that only comes from prolonged experimentation and learning.
Starting early ensures that Disney can navigate these complexities at a measured pace, allowing for the cultivation of expertise and the development of proprietary AI tools and methodologies that align with its history of storytelling excellence.
When was the last time we thought about streaming from scratch?
It seems as though since Netflix launched over a decade ago, steaming apps have all essentially followed the same overall design. There are plenty of good reasons for this (familiarity, ease of use, etc), but perhaps there's room to explore something different.
Why the focus on mobile?
As of March 2023, nearly 70 percent of digital video watchers reported watching videos on their smartphones. This was the leading medium, with 59 percent responding to watch video on TVs (The previous leading category).
Now, it's easy to understand that much of this stems from the growing popularity of YouTube and social apps (TikTok, Instagram), which are popular for mobile devices. Regardless, it's important to meet customers where they are and give them what they want.
Some new ideas to explore
Here are a few ideas to help brainstorm some potential ideas and directions that the mobile app could explore to make the Disney+ experience even better.
Julian and I met in the early days of Webflow and always loved working together (he's also a movie nerd like me). When the opportunity to start a venture fund presented itself at the end of 2021, I jumped at the opportunity.
My role is to support all of our investments with various design and product help. I embed myself as interim Chief Design Officer, overseeing the creation of their brands, website, and product designs.
This experience has given me the access to cutting edge technology in AI other leading fields, giving me a glimpse to what I believe will be the future of content and entertainment (and a catalyst to why I'm applying to Disney).
Even with Magical, it was very clear that there was simply way too much creative work than we could handle. We often passed on more projects than we took on, and felt bad that we didn't have an alternative solution for these clients.
We created the Pineapple List to solve this. The process is simple: Hundreds of projects are submitted to the Pineapple List each month, behind the scenes we connect them to our short list of design partners to select from. We gain a small referral fee from any successful partnership.
We've now seen over 1000 projects passed along to dozens of agencies around the world.
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After Zestful, I was eager to start something new. Because of my times at Y Combinator and Techstars (now a mentor at both), I worked with dozens of startups on their various design needs. This lead me to starting Magical, a full-service design agency that has now designed hundreds of websites, products, mobile apps and pitch presentations. We have dozens of incredible designers from across the globe in all areas of expertise.
This is where I learned to manage creative talent at scale (including designers, engineers and stakeholders/clients), and developed strong processes that I believe leads to the best creative work and outcomes.
During the pandemic witnessed the rise in popularity in recreational sports, yet the lack in technology available to consumers to find and play with players in their area. Rally Tennis was created to support this rising demand. The app supported the creation of micro-leagues in cities across the country, with support for various skill levels and play formats (doubles, singles, etc).
The app was available on both Apple and Android devices, and scaled to more than 25,000 customers across the US.
My first real real business venture. I co-founded Zestful in Fall of 2016, and we were quickly accepted in Y Combinator later that year. Zestful was an employee perk program that allowed companies and managers to give monthly allowances to their team to spend on specific products (e.g. $100/mo to spend on fitness and health, $30/mo to spend at local coffee shops, etc).
We built one of the first relationships with Stripe Issuing, raised millions of dollars in venture capital, and hired / managed dozens of employees across design, engineering, marketing and operations. Within months we scaled the company to 30+ employees, with hundreds of customers spending millions each month on our platform (including teams at Disney!).
I led all aspected of product and design, including designing our full web and mobile applications, website, marketing materials, and branding.
It was the experience of a lifetime, and included many firsts for me. We shut down Zestful in 2021 due to Covid, but the experience propelled me into many opportunities that would come after.
It was late 2013 when I started to develop my own products and websites (not just design them), and a big reason why was the launch of Webflow. They were revolutionizing the way designers could visually develop real websites, with real code. I joke that it was because I was the most annoying beta customer of Webflow that they had to hire me just to stop all the feature requests and support tickets.
I joined as employee number 2 (they've since grown to hundreds of employees and billions in valuation). I wore many hats and lead efforts across support, product and marketing. My biggest projects were related to building Webflow University and early design exploration for what eventually became the Webflow CMS.
I gained experience in bringing something from zero to one, and learned so much of what it takes to be a leader, manager and CEO.
My first real tech startup. I actually joined because at the time I was in the early stages of building / launching my own payment app (very similar to Venmo). During this process I was introduced to the CEO of PaySimple (Eric Remer), that encouraged me to join their efforts instead (they were exploring a similar product at the time as well).
It was also my first experience leading design efforts across multiple projects. During my time there I was responsible for designing and maintain our marketing websites, overseeing all aspects of design related to marketing (ads, posters, presentations, billboards, merchandise, etc), and eventually lead our design efforts for the company's very first mobile app (a direct competitor to Square).
My first job out of school. I was originally hired as a business and tax analyst (my degree out of school was in finance, after all), but very quickly realized that my natural design abilities would provide much more value to the business. I was responsible for nearly every aspect of design, ranging from our website to experiential products and internal tools. I credit the leadership here with realizing (and encouraging me to pursue) my design abilities, even though I had never explored them professionally.
Hi, my name is Mat. I'm a designer and entrepreneur. And I want to work at Disney.
If I had to pick just one role to describe myself best (AKA what I say when folks ask what I do), it would be a designer. I've always loved creating things, and believe that the best way to build something of value is through great design.
This has served me well throughout my career. I've been fortunate to build, join and invest in companies that have created billions in value. The experiences I've gained over this time have been invaluable.
I've founded and operate multiple businesses, and have experience building and leading teams across all areas of a company.
Disney holds a special place in my heart
While I've spent my whole career in tech, I've always wanted to work at Disney (I know it's cheesy, and perhaps cliché).
Disney has always been a source of happiness for me. Be it the magical experiences of the park, to the stories on the screen, Disney (As it has for many) has a permanent place in my heart. And this love has only grown stronger having two young boys and re-living the magic with them.
Why now?
My recent experiences investing in tech have given me a front row seat to some incredible new software and technology, some of them at the cutting edge of AI.
I believe the industry is about to enter a pivotal point (in some ways, without even realizing it). The outcome of which will define the next generation of entertainment.
I see this moment as an opportunity to play a small part in helping Disney navigate this future. I don't see this as a short-term thing, but the first steps in a very long career at Disney.
I look forward to meeting with you, and discussing this opportunity further.
