With hits hard to come by, Hollywood’s studios have increasingly shifted their focus to producing movies and television series with established fan bases, looking to capitalize on built-in awareness, fan bases and notoriety. In this new world of intellectual property (IP)-driven content, Findlay Brown, a member of Authentic Studios, which is the in-house production company from licensing giant Authentic, is revolutionizing the way IP-based content is created in Hollywood.
Traditionally, to create this IP-based content, IP holders like book, comic book or magazine publishers, estates of iconic people, or toy companies would license their properties to studios or production companies to adapt them. While those IP holders would see a cut of profits on top of their original licensing fees, they rarely had much participation in the actual content creation. However, Authentic Studios is changing the game by utilizing its own IP library to create original content in-house, giving them more creative control and the opportunity to maximize profits. Brown and other experienced producers are adept at converting these brands into compelling on-screen content, producing scripted and unscripted films, television shows, podcasts and commercials for major streaming services.
Despite being part of a $30 billion international company, Authentic Studios operates with a surprisingly small team of just seven staff members, including Brown. Despite facing the challenges of the first double WGA/SAG strike in 60 years when operations began in early 2023, the Studios team managed to sell nine major projects, making it a remarkable first year for the company.
Brown himself is thrilled to be able to merge his two passions, sports and entertainment, within the dynamic environment provided by Authentic Studios. The unique business model allows for the production of content across various mediums and genres, making it a dream come true for a producer of his quality. Brown, a BAFTA-nominated producer has fit in seamlessly with the Authentic Studios team, helped by a background in elite sports, work experience at some of Hollywood’s most prestigious production companies, and a degree from the top-ranked film school in the country, the American Film Institute Conservatory.
As the world’s largest sports and entertainment licensing company, Authentic Brands boasts an extensive IP portfolio featuring iconic brands like Reebok, Barneys, Nautica, Forever 21, and Juicy Couture, along with legendary sports and culture figures such as Shaquille O’Neal, David Beckham, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and Muhammad Ali. Authentic Studios encompasses four labels: Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends, David Beckham’s Studio 99, Sports Illustrated Studios, and Authentic Productions.
Some of Authentic Studios’ notable releases include the award-winning Netflix docuseries Beckham, the live NBC special Christmas at Graceland, and the Netflix animated series Agent Elvis. Upcoming projects include The Iverson Way, a documentary about Allen Iverson; The Greatest, a scripted drama series based on the life and career of Muhammed Ali; The Money Game, a college sports docuseries set to stream on Amazon Prime Video, and the game show Lucky 13 premiering on ABC this July. They also recently announced a new Broadway musical telling the incredible life story of Muhammad Ali.
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This post brought to you by Atif Sharif.
Photo by Findlay Brown.
