Bloom in Tech

David Bloom
  • 5.0 (6)
  • TECHNOLOGY

I talk with (and about) smart, innovative people and companies in tech, media, entertainment, VR/AR, games, esports, AI, blockchain and advertising. I'm a long-time journalist and former studio executive. I write regularly for Forbes, Next TV, Tubefilter, and TVRev, and consult on communications and content strategy.

  1. 08/25/2022

    Building A Better Streaming Service For Latin American Markets

    I moderated a panel this past week for streaming-video trade organization OTT.X as part of a free mini-conference designed to provide nascent streaming services in Latin America with tips, best practices, lessons learned and more from a range of streaming services, OEMs, platform operators with their own AVOD/FAST offering, and other corners of the ecosystem. Among the lessons: be a good partner with your distribution platforms; experiment a lot; leverage your data smartly think of it as audiences rather than specific programs or channels; and keep your  ad loads low so ad prices can remain high premium. And don’t forget the immortal line, “Make me a vegetable,” the cry of frustrated steaming viewers wanting a simpler, easier experience than the industry is giving them now.  Sometimes, even 50-year-old shows such as Bob Ross’ old PBS painting series have found loyal and long-lived audiences in the FAST world.

    39 min
  2. It's An Ad's World: Apple TV+, Friday Night Baseball, Advertising, and Adweek's New Podcast Network

    04/14/2022

    It's An Ad's World: Apple TV+, Friday Night Baseball, Advertising, and Adweek's New Podcast Network

    I sat down to talk with Adweek CEO Juliette Morris and Sr. Producer Al Mannarino about their new podcast network and what it means for the trade publication going forward, the state of podcasting and advertising, and more. And I have some thoughts about the future of Apple as it ventures in live sports streaming with Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV Plus, alongside a bunch of big new advertising partners. Will this change Apple's approach to streaming, privacy, advertising and other not-so-little subjects? Stay tuned.

    29 min
  3. Taking The Oscars Online, And Talking With Topico CEO Andy Walraven

    04/02/2022

    Taking The Oscars Online, And Talking With Topico CEO Andy Walraven

    There's been a whole lot of talk about That Slap, but I'm more interested in what happens to the Oscar broadcast now that the Motion Picture Academy has embraced streaming enough to hand out awards for Best Picture, Animated Feature, Documentary Feature and other major categories for projects that were mostly or solely online. How long will Oscar remain a broadcast event, rather than one that is mostly streamed online? And what more can you do once the event is online? I have a few ideas. I also talk with Andrew Walraven, CEO and founder of a very interesting free mobile app called Topico, that allows you to create a very different kind of newsfeed than the one on social media that's been so problematic. Topico focuses on, yes, topics rather than the people or outlets posting the story, and relies on only vetted real news sources, with no user-generated content, memes, videos, etc. It's an intriguing approach to one of journalism's worst problems, and I quite like it. Give a listen.

    47 min
  4. Streaming Services Head For A Big Oscar Night

    03/25/2022

    Streaming Services Head For A Big Oscar Night

    Netflix alone has 10 films with at least one Oscar nomination, part of a phalanx of top contenders for the movie business's most glamorous awards. Which streaming-first or streaming-mostly projects are lining up for a big night in Sunday's Oscars? Will Netflix flex The Power of the Dog? Has Apple TV Plus cracked the CODA for success? Can Disney Plus exclusive Encanto enchant Oscar voters as much as viewers? Bloom in Tech looks at the chances for the many streaming-connected films filling this year's Oscar brackets.

    17 min
  5. Which Streaming Services Are Set For Big Oscar Night Wins?

    03/25/2022

    Which Streaming Services Are Set For Big Oscar Night Wins?

    The 2022 Oscars are fast approaching, and films that mostly or solely appeared on streaming services are set for a big night. Bloom in Tech looks at which streaming-first films are likely to take home a Little Gold Man or six as the Oscar broadcast unfolds. Netflix has 10 films with nominations, and several other services have at least one or two. It's going to be quite a night.

    17 min

  6. 08/19/2021

    Writer-Director Neill Blomkamp On 'Demonic,' Volumetric Capture, Videogames and His Next Projects

    South African-born writer-director Neill Blomkamp has been using tech in smart ways to create thoughtful, groundbreaking movies ever since his first feature, District 9, a smart sci-fi take on apartheid, arrived in 2009, and grabbed an Oscar nomination for its visual effects. Since then, he's directed two more science-fiction features, with far bigger budgets: Elysium, with Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, and Chappie. Blomkamp's newest project, Demonic, arrives this week in theaters this week from IFC Films. It's a smart, small horror/sci-fi film about possible demonic possession, and uses the relatively new production technique of volumetric capture to create a purposely glitchy digital dream world within the movie. Blomkamp talks about what he was trying to achieve with the technology, what prompted him to make a low-budget horror film during the pandemic, and what his next projects will be. Along the way, Blomkamp has continued to make short films, often in a science-fiction realm, including for video games Anthem and Halo, as well as his own projects such as Rakka, which featured Sigourney Weaver. Blomkamp also is working with Gunzilla Games to design a multiplayer shooter, an outgrowth of his sporadic involvements as a gamer. We covered a lot of ground. Give a listen.

    29 min

  7. 06/11/2021

    The Logan Paul-Floyd Mayweather 'Fight' And The Celebrity-Sports-Live Event Mashup

    Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather had a boxing exhibition this week, and yes, someone punched Logan Paul in the face. Also, both participants made a huge amount of money. They won't be the last to try this either, as influencers lace up the gloves for a similar chance to build their fan base, generate new sponsors and make business deals far beyond whatever thing first made them Online Famous.  I talked with Robert Ellin, the CEO of LiveXLive Media, which has another big-dollar event coming this weekend, involving 14 more online influencer/fighters, interwoven with performances by big music names such as DJ Khaled, Migos and Lil Baby. Given the money and fan attention in these pay-per-view events, expect plenty more events like these to come.

    10 min

  8. 06/09/2021

    The World After Covid With Deloitte Chief Futurist Mike Bechtel

    What's likely to change in business, entertainment, media and tech in the years after the Covid-19 pandemic finally eases? What's NOT likely to change? I talked with Mike Bechtel, managing director and the chief futurist at Deloitte and a professor at the University of Notre Dame business school, about what comes next, how technology and expectations are changing, and much, much else. Bechtel led Deloitte's work with the World Economic Forum, who put on the Davos summit each year in Switzerland, to put together a comprehensive look at where the world is headed, and what businesses, governments and non-governmental agencies should do to prepare for this different world. In particular regarding media and entertainment, what does it mean to be a creative talent in a world of "spoke-to-spoke" connections with fans, rather than going through hubs controlled by gatekeepers? The report, in what likely was a first for both Deloitte and the World Economic Forum, even includes four short science-fiction stories that illuminate some of the changes the organizations see coming just ahead. Give a listen.

    1h 5m
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5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

I talk with (and about) smart, innovative people and companies in tech, media, entertainment, VR/AR, games, esports, AI, blockchain and advertising. I'm a long-time journalist and former studio executive. I write regularly for Forbes, Next TV, Tubefilter, and TVRev, and consult on communications and content strategy.

Information

  • Creator
    David Bloom
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2022
  • Episodes
    106
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © David Bloom
  • Show Website
    Bloom in Tech