Apple TV+ executives talk about the service in an interview. Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, former Sony employees, talk shop.
One of the first things they had to wrap their heads around was that they were no longer working for a Hollywood studio. The traditional factors that had defined their options as studio chiefs for so long — budget deficits, international sales, syndication potential, et al. — no longer applied. Now, the guiding principle was to build a service worthy of the Apple brand that also harnessed the power of digital media. The result is a collaboration between many departments.
Queen Oprah and the UK’s Prince Harry are doing a docu-series on mental health for Apple TV+, and Bryan Chaffin is joined by Charlotte Henry to talk about what that says about Apple’s video efforts. Charlotte also brings some across-the-pond context about Prince Harry and the royal family and how this news was greeted in England. They also talk about JJ Abrams saying that working on Apple TV+ was like the Wild West. They cap the show by discussing Ming-Chi Kuo’s most recent Mac predictions.
Where is Apple going with its content drive? Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest-host Charlotte Henry to dive deep into original shows, services, publishing, news, and Apple’s other content ambitions. They also talk about the promise (and potential drawbacks) of Marzipan, and what Apple’s recent executive shuffling might portend.
Bryan Chaffin and guest-host Jim Dalrymple talk about how they use their iPads, and it turns out they’re pretty different use cases. They try to talk about where Apple TV might go but venture into a much deeper conversation about Apple’s original TV shows and videos. Spoiler: one of them is a pessimist. They close the show by examining the state of the Mac. Another spoiler: one of them is a pessimist!
Ms. Eskridge joins Apple with the title Creative Executive reporting to Matt Cherniss, Head of Development for Worldwide Video.
Apple ordered 10 episodes of the 30 minute drama from writer Tony Basgallop, and mum’s the word on the plot.
Deadline reported that Ms. Trussell will start in March, and will oversee production issues for Apple’s original shows.
According to Variety, the show will be titled Swagger, and it will be produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Television along with Durant’s Thirty Five Media.
Variety reported that Ms. Wiig will star in a 10-episode half-hour comedy, her first regular TV gig since leaving Saturday Night Live in 2012.
Wall Street analysts have a shopping list of things Apple could spend that money on, but I wouldn’t advise outside observers to start spending that money for Apple just yet.
What would it take to make Apple TV great again? Or, maybe just make it great? Bryan and Jeff dive deep into Apple’s challenges in the settop market. They also deconstruct our newest Apple Death Knell addition, where Paul Pampilly tells us “Apple Is Doomed.” They cap the show with some great listener comments about the iMac Pro.
Apple just signed its third scripted TV show, and it’s a SciFi space drama being developed by Ronald D. Moore.
From 2012 until now, Ms. Lee was producing partner to Emmy-winning writer and showrunner Jason Katims at Universal Television-based True Jack Productions.
The show has been ordered in a straight-to-series deal for two seasons, bypassing the pilot stage entirely.
It has been clear for a while that Apple is becoming a key player in original content, and its hire of Jay Hunt from the UK’s Channel 4 means it has the right team in place.
According to Variety, Mr. Wandell will be, “developing big-ticket productions that can travel well around the world.”
Apple and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television and Universal Television have struck a deal for a reboot of Mr. Spielberg’s Amazing Stories. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple will pay “significantly” more than $5 million per episode for the series in a deal for 10 episodes. The show, which was created by Steven Spielberg and originally ran in the 1980s, will include Mr. Spielberg as executive producer. It’s a significant investment for Apple, which is looking to develop a stable of high-end flagship programming that will bring viewers to its Apple Music service. The Wall Street Journal noted that Apple hired Sony Corp.’s top Hollywood television executives Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht earlier this year.
Apple continues to pillage Sony Pictures Television for its own TV efforts by hiring three more veterans. Another WGN America veteran just joined Apple’s team, too.
Matt Cherniss, the former president of WGN America, just joined Apple as the company’s head of U.S. programming for Apple Music.
