Read this: Pam Abdy, CEO Warner Bros Motion Picture Group

BBC sounds everyone is welcome to my podcast put your foot down and be brave lyrics celebrating to find out where in the World women the Living their best lives on music radio podcast hi, I'm Katie razzall, and this is the media show from BBC Radio 4.

She's one of the most powerful women in Hollywood now at the hell and one of the movie industry's biggest players Brothers Motion Picture group the 100 one-year-old studio that first brought off the turkeys ushering out the silent movie era with its jazz singer and the studio behind the love Classics from Casablanca

Batman but in recent years Warners face challenges not just problems caused by covid and strikes by actors and writers that others have its own making not least a falling out with director who took his award-winning Oppenheimer to universal instead the company is also now riding high with Barbie the biggest grossing film in the company's history and hello just to talk about your career for a little bit first you started as an intern and then receptionist at Jersey films the production company that made Pulp Fiction and you and you went on to the assistant to the co-founder and director Danny DeVito what was that like and what were your first impressions of the movie business that then well it will be business back and it was a 1995 when I move to your and I went to Emerson college, and they had this wonderful programme this internship program.

So that's how I ate in the internet.

And it was fantastic.

I was exciting I mean like driving onto this.

They were at the time on the Sony lie, so driving on the Sony which was the old MGM like feeling the 300 film in being like you know from me being killed from New Jersey I couldn't believe this was happening and it was so cool because it was frozen films too and I knew I had my right away as an intern he was off making a film but he will call the office every day and I don't answer the phone and I think I had a pretty heavy accent back down like Jersey accent.

It is slipping you'll catch it but he would call and we will talk any would ask me questions and and that's how we found a relationship and he was coming that movie Matilda at the time which was directing it was the day of shooting and he ended up asking his assistant to no longer be his assistant and he's like I'll take the kid at the front desk.

You know with the accent and that's how I got my letter.

I started working for him.

And it was thrilling.

It was terrifying it was everything I could imagine in honestly.

It was like going to the best film school in the world because you really how to make movies nuts and bolts make movies from the Ground Up working at the company and it was a lucky break.

That's glad you to incredible place.

Yes, it was it was a it was incredible apple and it started out just as being in office assistant and you know I worked really really hard and try to figure out the business try to figure out how to be in a challenging you know you don't there's no like Guidebook to say you're a good assistant and a lot of it in Staines and a lot of it is follow through and you know I just ended up working more hours and going into you now going onto the sex with him going into the sound mixer with him and then finally started being able to travel around and work.

You know I drove I drove him everyday and

Assistant there really learnt how to make films and worked on many different songs with him not only at the production company at the time for him is just an actor which allowed me to when he was off studying lines around and run around to be department out run around to the line producer of the camera department and I sit there and just clicked out of every single thing.

I couldn't understand how each department work and what they need and I really learnt the most everything there.

I really did and you spent the calls now decades several decades in the business a paramount pictures MGM before Warner Brothers when I buy something at straws by something I heard or read about Casablanca but back in 1942 when that movie was being made here.

It was one of 50 films at that time.

It was particularly special and then of course it became this incredible hit that sustained devil these all these decades is that what we making about me.

Can you have you ever know when the movie is?

I don't think there's a set thing knowing what's going to work in what's not going to work.

I think for myself.

I always go out it with the best.

Hope the best intentions of finding the best filmmaker finding a great story that I think the audience wants to see and then trying to make it the best you can be you know it's really hard you know the first thing.

It's always funny to me.

I always used to say this when I was the producer is like the best day in the worst day of your career.

You know your moment in making a film is the date of the director signs on because you can sit in the producer and develop described in work with the writer and come up with the wonder most wonderful story in your there and then obviously you get your dream director and they come on and I like this is what it's going to be and it's the best you have to put the breast what you're on vision of it was and then go into the hands of the director for me.

That's one of the greatest moments in time is when you get the collaborate with a great story.

Grateful make her so you know you don't know there's movies that I thought that I said.

Oh, this is going to be the one and it wasn't like one well.

You know it had a great script and it was super ambitious and it just didn't turn out to be what we wanted to be it was it it's not just wanted to see you know and that's ok and that happens and you're not going to pick the right ones all the time and then there's a little you know conversely.

There's a little movie that I made that change my career which was cold and you know I read that script twice in one night and spoke to me because I was from m e and I was a kid who left The Comforts of Home in West to try and chase my dreams and that's what the character was so I will leave it to it, but I don't know that anyone else is going to want to see it and you know that was a first-time director.

He had been on it show from

On Scrubs and everyone and every single person we went to so many companies and they were like no he's a person director.

How's it going to do? You know I had a budget at the time of $4000000 and I met this individual who said he would finance the film and he said alko.fi it.

So he's going to give us the budget and we went to one studio on the side will give you the other half of the budget, but the deal they were making my first was pretty support wasn't good and we will never say anything.

We don't even know if anybody would ever see the movie after that and he said if you cut the budget in half.

I'll find out the whole thing and I did and I cut the budget down to two and a half I moved into my parents house in New Jersey cos we had no money for me to live and this movie and Prozac in myself in Natalie Portman and Peter sarsgaard.

I mean we just we were all young.

You know and we don't know what we were doing and it was magical.

It was truly one of those magical.

Ever I use everyone I knew from growing up for favours for locations.

My mum would cook and bring food for craft service.

It was just one of those special things but I had no idea if anybody was going to see the movie that Sunday and finishing work was Superdry fine.

I bet you could tell budding filmmakers or you know the rules that you live by in terms of to the movie of this is kind of movie.

I I get all this movie has the kind of movie that is going to do well.

I think I think now more than ever because there is such an expansion of where are receiving and getting the content I think for for us who believes wholeheartedly into the theatrical experience and when you're putting movies out in the theatre in your engaging the audience to say buy a ticket drive out of your house.

Get a babysitter go see this movie.

I think you have to have intention and I think you have to know who the audiences you're going for and if you're if you're a movie.

Not at least one audience your movie for no one so the hug goal is always who is this movie going to speak to who you trying to engage? How can we explain that are aliens and that's the exciting part Uno for me it always starts with the Script everything is about what's on the page the story in the film maker for me.

It's always about what is that still make revision what is passion? What is the story? They're going to tell that I live and I buy I really do by I think for a budding filmmakers.

It's always about you know.

What is the story want to say who are you? Can you and how are you clearly telling that story about Bobby that is a big one right now the biggest movie of last year 1.4 billion and counting are you surprised by that or did you feel it in your bones that it was going to work you started to feel it in your bones that was going to work but you know because Greta and Noah script was so special.

When we were privileged when we came in they had been in the middle of shooting so we got to be here for halfway through the shoe and I went to visit the set the first time and I saw just the magic and greatest command of the story as a filmmaker and I think she is truly one of them.

She's a visionary and she is one of the best filmmakers working in today.

I mean for me.

It was like I just watching her work with the actors and tell the story and design and every single detail was so special you know that at the centre of it.

There is someone with command troll invasion of the storytelling process in data and at the time.

Did you see it as a feminist movie did you think it was having to the site guys? I thought it was a movie the head feminist principles to it and talked about what it is to be a woman but in the reason why I think the movie can access because the movie is about what it is to be human and what it is to be connecting and what it is to feel.

And what it is to see people and I think what's so special about Barbie is that it speaks to everybody around the world.

I mean.

We are when we had her first test screening and felt that energy in the audience.

You know you were going to work or processor post in every time we dropped a piece of content trailer orteza or an image.

You just felt that energy around it and I think I remember opening weekend.

I went to the theatre on Sunday morning.

Cos my daughter wanted to see it again for the 5th time and she asked my husband to come with us because he was unable to come to the Premiership with my date for the vs.

Always my date for everything but we were sitting there and the lights went down and the music comes up and it's that first image of Barbie super height tool Barbie and I saw her settlement and this grin on her face my WhatsApp my husband.

I got this is her stomach hurts under ct4 her this is what it felt like when I

Age and went to the theatre in the lights went down and something that I felt was made and speaking to me spoke to her.

It was that was magical and despite it being in a clearly a huge hit and the most talked about movie of last year why the snobs you know no BAFTA awards at Margot Robbie not nominated at the Oscars what I mean wasn't worth super grateful for all the recognition that the movie has received it was super grateful for the support and we really grateful that is it ignited is around the world and it made 1.4 billion dollars and his smashed so many records just you know those records box office records Warner Brothers history record, so we're super grateful for that.

You know of course.

I want to see all of them get recognised they deserve it.

You know and I think listen.

I think the industry has.

Making a lot of dried with a long way to go to the academy.

Go does a sexist I don't want to say that they are sexist I want to say that I wish that there was a way to make sure that everyone saw every single movie that was was out there and I don't I don't know that process has sort of found its way, will you and your couch and Michael can you take over the studio nearly 2 years ago your appointment came after one of Brothers No appear to have lost its way United's Pansino have 90 million on Batgirl and an accident.

It's lost Christopher turn who made movies for the studio.

You know with the four decades most of his career Steven Spielberg made.

Love to movies that other Studios your coach and Michael Lucas said your vision from one has been to rebuild this iconic studio to The Heights of its glory days what went wrong.

Do you think?

Look I think the I think it's challenging and you know I think it's a challenging business.

It's a ever moving marketplace and I can't speak to what happened really here before because I wasn't so I can't really answer what went wrong.

Are you looking for outside outside you know and and it's hard to judge other people's houses unless you're inside that house so I think that from the very first meeting that day as well.

I've had with us.

We sat down with a bit and my can I talk to about are still make her approach and aquatics Leigh and what we believe in and was so supportive in an onboard from the beginning with David such as I want to bring the glory back to whatever I want to bring the best and brightest storyteller series of the best in the world.

We are so many different businesses that we can have storytellers any kind of story they want to tell whether or whether that's on whether it's on the Discovery networks on one of Studios

Television is incredible group of creative leadership here and David he said the best and I want them here and one of them was Tom Cruise you know we said I made amazing films at Warner Brothers and he's been working a permit for a long time.

We wanted to figure out a way.

How do we do that and we did and how did you do it? How do you lose someone like Dumfries what are you doing? Is it a lot of phone calls? It meetings is it lunches? What is it? It's meetings.

It's really thoughtful and intentional discussions about where we see the business and where we see the audience and what kind of stories that a global audience want to see and that's what I'm cares about.

I mean he is incredible human being an incredible storyteller and producer and I think it's just it is the timing of everything where we as a studio leaning into the theatrical experience we believe in the article.

We believe in putting movies around the world everywhere and then.

Making sure they're showing around the world everywhere and then showing up on HBO later and making sure that were maximising all the stories in every single window possible and I think we just are like-minded with Tom and that way so what are you going to make with you? I mean I was going into space with universal Mission Impossible elsewhere.

What's he going to do with your first film is with Alejandro Gonzalez inarritu who so excited about it's you know I've had the privilege of working with all 103 times for so for me.

This is like a dream come true one of my favourite actors of all time and my favourite directors of all time collaborating on story and there's more to come.

We have we have a few things that are not really talk about anything about that movie the meeting space space.

I will tell you that and I think it is a I think it's good.

It's a movie that you know deserves to be seen on the biggest screens possible all around the world will Tom Cruise me on the motorbike in an aeroplane showing off his mum.

Fair enough, but it's ok great sounds brilliant.

You were talking about your boss David said recently the film side of the business have been underperforming lots of people read that to me in the colour purple, which would be probably lost 40 million dollars Aquaman 2 didn't do the business that Warner had hoped for the Last Time Warner Brothers won best picture at the Academy Awards was more than 10-years ago with I'll go in 2013.

What does that say about the studio? I mean? What does that say about the Awards really cos they made some wonderful movies and they've had multiple nominations over the years in now in that decade so I think that I think what it says about the studio.

Is that you'd like I said earlier you try with the best intention to make the best movies possible that are in it and then also market down the best way you can and then get them out of the audience on the best date that you can.

You know I think the colour purple is a beautiful film and I wish it had found a more broad audience but it sounded audience and now it can be seen where the audience wants it wants to see it.

It's Max and it's doing really well on Max and you know that parts great.

I think with Aquaman you know I think having it at the end of the year was a great time to release that film alongside our I think the fact that we kept all three movies in the year at the end of the year for exhibition was a very bold and intentional decision that we made and we felt that the best time to release all three of this helps new have a track record for winning Oscars Birdman The Big Short the revenant.

What's your recipe for Oscar lorry director director, so that's what your USB here is at Warner to take them back.

It is even on and any kind of movie.

I think it's important.

I think you should the best route to dragon comedy the best.

Inside by the best director I mean I think it's all about your in the hands of that story tell her and they are the ones that are capturing the images.

They are the one getting the performance is there than creating the narrative in a story with alongside the riders, but it's really in the hands of the filmmaker.

So I think the recipe is is filmmakers and a cold one with people like his Greta Gerwig gonna get a Barbie to I mean we love to tell you see what the block would be I'll trying to work it out Barbie works out in the real world that the right way isn't for her and try to go back to the Barbie land.

I think there's a lot of people speculating about what it can be are you talking to you about B20 always talking about it? I think right now.

You're just so happy this week to be celebrating rb6s Barbie at the Oscars this weekend and you brought back the Old Warner tradition and this involves.

Famously co-founder Jack Warner did it with Marilyn Monroe use recently gave Bobby producer and star Margot Robbie get he and that's what you've done a deal with her company called luckychap.

Just saying about the key and how did you seal the deal with Margot Robbie well, it was so thrilling O'Mara long time and then just had the privilege of working with her own Barbie and she and her partner is Tom Ackerley are just amazing for your service.

I think they are just wonderful life development there wonderful about the nuts and bolts of producing a great about finding those new voices whether you know it was now that they did with sore burning with promising young woman and you know Lauren Greta Gerwig to do Barbie I just think their tremendous producer so doing the process of making the film we were talking with Greta and her partners about making Warner Brothers their home.

They are they are exactly the types of filmmakers that we want to be here at the Studio we feel like.

Play Joan of Arc and commas is just magical everything it.

Is there so smart and we met we asked them to join us here in were so lucky that they said yes, and what is the key mean? It's a symbolism that I can Jack wanna give several years ago when Newtown it would sign you know that was back in the old Studio system, so when you Talent would sign deals and become players at specific studio.

He would give them a key welcome welcoming them to Warner brother so might have seen it on here a story about it and he found a couple of the old keys on on eBay and we bought them and we're now going to make it a tradition so is Morgan leave a key margo's is actually Marilyn Monroe ski wow fantastic.

In the world for all of this stuff, so you never know OK well, let's talk about Christopher Nolan the man of the moment.

He spent most of his career at Warner then he walked away and 2020 before your time it after the studio decided to Premier a years worth of films on it streaming service.

He's since praise you for what you're doing is as it's encouraging.

Do you want Christopher Nolan back at Warner Brothers what are you doing? I was waiting back.

It's up to Christopher Nolan and I think they are tremendous artists and filmmakers and we've had a wonderful dialogue with them since we came to the studio and so excited for animals are fine.

I think it's brilliant film and what is the success of its way to you.

It's interesting isn't because you're in a way that people talk about is reshaping what constitutes Blockbuster entertainment and film about a theoretical on paper.

Don't you think it's going to do as well as I need to know is it to Christopher Nolan film you know and I think they have a relationship with his storytelling and you know that he's going to tell a wonderful store.

Rihanna complex story and I think they they show up when they feel like it's going to feel like an event and I think I Can Hire absolutely felt like an event and we all know he left he left the time because of this anger that lot of directors spell around this business with the actual window and you know they make the film for the big screen.

What he told me was when he told me the amount of time between a film cinema release not being put on a strimmer should absolutely be longer.

He said it's not good for the health of cinemas.

Otherwise do you agree with him? I do think that not every movie needs to stay in the cinema.

Perhaps as long you know I don't think it's like one-size-fits-all.

I definitely don't feel that but I do feel like absolutely a movie theatre creating that cultural experience the communal experience.

I just think it is you cannot experience that kind of storytelling anywhere else.

It's your it.

It started with an audience you're laughing.

You're crying you're getting scared together.

You're experiencing something together you then leave you go have a coffee or dinner and you talk about that film when you talk about how it made you feel and I just think it shows up in all the other dancing windows with the different kind of feeling.

So you don't want got that wrong when it comes to christen.

I think I can charge what they were doing.

I think they were trying to adapt to whatever was going on you know we were we were in the middle of a global pandemic.

You know I can only speak when I lost the biggest ah yes, and that's super unfortunate but I think that I can only speak to my experience was running I've been present in a studio during a global pandemic that didn't have a streaming service as a backstop.

We can I wear them and as you know very you know it was very hot there.

We moved James Bond four times and that was a considered and very intentional effort by.

All of our leadership at in in concert with Barbara broccoli and Michael Wilson that's what we did and that we chose to do but I think each company at the time was doing what they thought was what they had to do when you're not hard to speak to her judge someone else did I'm right now.

You've got this and your first major hit 2024 June Part 2 opening weekend in America and Eugene park one.

I think was released on streaming on the same day as in cinema has Warner learnt it's lesson when will gym to start being streamed we don't set window.

Don't we don't talk about that from from the beginning.

We open the movies and we let them play and we see what's that week.

We iterate all the time you expected to spend more time in cinema in cinemas for a while.

You know what we did at the time and I think we do here as well as there's the PB stop afterwards where you know the movie is available then it shows up on a spot so.

I think I think my job is to maximise each movie in the best way possible or job as digital marketers is to make sure that every time we shows up different window that it finds a New Orleans sent you know trying to monetize the film the best we can for everyone but I was a really interesting about last night that I I actually in the commercial but clearly I have been something that we had it in the strikes that something that people are worried about in the movie business what you're feeling about AI and what it might iterate in this in this movie business.

I think if a I can help us create that are efficiencies in the post production process in the production process and very excited about that and that's not place in humans.

That is just in the way we do it affects the way we create the pipeline and delivery and all that kind of stuff.

I think I'm excited by and

What I want to understand it better.

I think we all need to understand it better.

Do I think that AI is ever gonna be able to feel emotional hurt? You know create love her love know you know maybe maybe when I'm long gone, but I don't see that in the foreseeable future.

I think I think what I was doing so many other Industries like medicine them and things that I'm worried about I think it's super exciting what's going on and we'll see how it works for the film business and I guess it does come for entry level jobs and that would cut out the kind of way that you got into the yeah.

Call me crazy.

I think back of me starting like driving to my working sitting there not answering the phone and you know getting coffee for people.

I mean I guess I can imagine it anytime soon and we were talking earlier about in a wearing Tom Cruise obviously everybody would like to have Christopher Nolan on their in their studio.

How does that work?

Are there other guy I was reading for example about you know JK Rowling who has you know one of as I understand it one of a kind of a plus Talent that Warner Brothers have made some incredible hit movies of the Harry Potter and then fantastic beasts yes now the TV series in development or happening, but clearly that relationship has been tested over recent years.

Are you try repair ties with JK Rowling oh? Yeah, it's a really good place with JK Rowling I think that David went over there right when he got here in sat down and talk to her and really listen work before we didn't work before and I think he was really fat all about it all and now my colleagues Casey boys and shining down to your working on the series with her and I think it's do you think I'll ever be another Harry Potter film or is that the books are done? No I don't think I would never say it's making the books for you know for a serious so I think we'll see the

Regeneration offence super exciting and I know you said when I went to see her did it feel like a relationship that needed mending I supposed to be this period I think they are and I think that I think that all relationships especially when your new people coming into a company that the listening and you have to hear what what's a good 2 people with dinner feel good to people and you have to understand and try and and try and forward your own relationship like it's kinda like that thing when kids like you just deserve respect because you had the see you have to earn respect from people in an artist in and I think trust you to earn trust from people's just like being a little kid like when you go to school.

Just expect you to trust them or or respect them if the kids trust you to earn teacher stress you have to earn your parents Trust I think it's about being thoughtful and

Being transparent, I think the more transparent that people are in this situation in these businesses in the Arts in making movies the better and I think it just provides a healthy atmosphere to creating in the world that we live in now where she is taking the political stance you know she has political views, pleased that she believes.

Are you know right and then you probably a whole staff and other people and the people work on the Harry Potter films who were founded by what she said and you got a manage that I think you'll always have the world.

We live in today and I think she is an amazing storyteller.

I think her books have touched so many generations.

I saw what they did to my own child in and that reading between parent and child.

I think it's super exciting akc and shining or about to create a whole new story so many things will be able to do in a season that you know just because it's longer than

Able to do anything involved in the in the the series as well, which will be super great and exciting.

I use the term big guns earlier.

It feels like I'm male term anyway, but you do in the movie where the big guns are off and Mail your significant play Here Don Langley driving at me before is running universal are things changing because today UCLA diversity report came out in annual Hollywood and it's still the case you know hardly any women directors making big budget movies I think of 100 million budget movies only three women directors including Greta 25 men and women of colour continually left out of things changing and Hollywood ask people this all the time and they are but then the numbers come out again and I haven't I know it's frustrating because it feels like when you feel like you're doing the work which I feel that we.

IKEA at Warner's you think that it's going to be different and it hasn't quite ground to the level, but I think a lot of this has to start with education and and it has start with the younger age and that goes for every aspect of the business where we are lacking diversity and and women in certain job roles whether that's directing whether that cinematography whether that is visual effects or sound I think I think traditionally there are certain rules that women gravitated towards because there was no one in those positions that they saw that looks like them or people you know people of diverse background felt that they had an entryway into the business so I think concentrating on education and I think she is trying to do that and different kinds of programs like the Hollywood reporters women programme where it's I did that when you're on your team with you have a mental he was a young woman.

You know there.

Kids Darren High School just outside of Los Angeles like very close, just a little Suburbs around and they can see the Hollywood sign but the idea of getting into a job is so far.

They don't even know that that's a possibility for them and it is these kinds of programs that allow these young high school students to say hey I can be part of a story Tony experience.

I don't have credit to do it.

I don't have to be you know I supported this young woman who had a wonderful film out this year by Rockwell 1001 not have to be to be a storyteller I can work and crafts service I can work in sound I can work in camera.

I just think it is the most important thing and that how are going to change the numbers of people are in positions of power.

I was interviewing for now the other day about Saltburn and he was saying on that film that they've made sure that more than 50% of the people behind the camera women and they had.

Doctor Who are you and your position? Is that what you're also trying so do absolutely I think it's been again using this word intentional but I think that's what we have to be no more than ever in this market place that were in in the story time.

I miss you and I think I think it's more into if you don't I'm not saying you have the hire someone because they're a woman or from a diverse background, but you have to create opportunity and you have to have to go in there and pitch themselves and give them the opportunity and let them know that it's ok to come in and put yourself and you may not get one job, but you make it the other day you know and it's all in networking business as well.

It's all about working with artists and creators and technicians and that's how you build the family and you grow together.

I mean I think I think you know I've

Intentional about it from the time.

I was young.

I've worked with many female directors and and people of colour and I think that it is I just think it's imperative to tell stories from different lenses with different perspective.

There is no that's the War of the Worlds is told everybody walk through life with a different perspective entertainment and storytelling should be represented for everyone so you see you every year Oscar list comes out and no woman ever won best cinematography Oscar only one women on the directing list this year same as you know previous years you think when you see that.

I think we have a lot of work today and I think I have a lot of hope so for the future.

I feel like you know we have some wonderful.

I mean I didn't going up in the week when I was going to try to come into the business women directors.

I didn't I didn't know that was maybe a path for me.

There is riders, but there are a lot of executives.

They were female.

Female producers so like reading about Dawn Steele reading about Sherry Lansing you know reading about Julia Phillips the producer to the Sting you know reading about these women get pregnant when Breaking people that you know broke barriers and came in and told great stories and a lot of them stories that featured really you know complex swimming at that was inspirational for me and then and then you no listen.

I was lucky one of his partner is Stacey share who is Pulp Fiction and he said and she's she's an extraordinary pretty sure I learnt from her and she mentored me so I was really lucky to have a mental like that then when I went to paramel.

I was really lucky to have to get to work by Sherry Lansing for year.

I learnt so much from them really lucky early on getting to know Donna Langley and getting to know Mary parent.

I was slightly you know they were already executives when I started as an assistant and they were always support.

And I was able to go to them and ask for advice.

I try to be that way for the Next Generation that's important to me.

I want to give back.

I feel very lucky and blessed for my career for the male and female I had a nice just think it's my responsibility and simple everytime you know eventually may be retired but probably not your problem.

You just keep on going absolutely love it fair enough.

I would do if I'm sure we're from the UK that we're here in Hollywood but let's talk about the UK or explain studios in the UK at Leavesden the British chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the UK will be second only to Hollywood for studio Space next year what makes the UK a good place for you to make movies are amazing cruise.

I think the craftsmanship is extraordinary and there's a great great incentives to go there and I think.

You know everything has been visual effects sound Studios colorsxstudios the big stages we have at Leeds and I just think everything's there at state-of-the-art and it's for place to work we cheaper to.

Can I get your cheaper? I just think it's you have a different you know tax incentive than a lot of Estates to hear and I'm interested in what you make of the argument you you were talking earlier about the collective experience of going to see movies and yet.

You know there is also an argument that cinema just no longer play such a key role in Pop Culture you know Bob and Homer aside in a video games tiktok arguably more important for multiple Generations TV viewing for the Oscars has gone down in over several years.

Is it are you picking up with it a sign that people are less interested in so I don't think they're less interested.

I think I think cinema has struggled over the last several years because we had quite a few things happen.

We had a global pandemic and last year I had to strike and I think that the consistency of the moviegoing experience got delayed because of these two very big events, I think.

Or we create stories that people want to go to the theatre and see they're going to go didn't stop going years ago after the you know global pandemics in the business.

I'm going to see her in the 1800 still want that kind of energy and communal experience so I think it's I think it's about the more you know I hopefully this year.

You'll see a lot of movies.

Got pushed to this to the back after this year.

We are really sort of bearing first-quarter on an exhibition because of the strikes and let's see what happens.

I think it's super exciting to do so wonderful that it's igniting audiences around the world wanted to go.

See you then.

You know there's last year.

I mean there's more than just going home or they were Super Mario brothers last year that was sound of freedom last year.

There was five nights at Freddy's last year you know there are several films that ignited audiences that they wanted to go see where are you on duration because Casablanca made here.

42 Barbie 12 minutes longer than that that we've got killers of the flower Moon Over 3 and a 3 hours of a timer 3 hours I spoke to somebody about this and he said he talked about squeaky bum time for about 2-hours people just stop moving and yeah, where is getting a bit too long long long long but I think that.

I think that you can't say everybody needs to be 90 minutes or every movie should be 3 hours you know what do you say that to you directly work with the filmmakers and say like I work closely with the funny cos when I make some things too long and we say this feels like the pace here or this isn't this isn't working in the section and you know we have wonderful tools with audiences to see where they get a little piano and at the end of the day.

It's what is the filmmakers Vision and how do we communicate the story of trying to tell in the right amount of time and is that I'm interested in how you balance was clearly you and creative industry as a very creative person believe you're in charge of the money and economic.

Yeah.

How do you balance that with filmmakers who want to go really long? He wants to spend hundreds of millions think I can speak for everyone else.

I think Mike and I are unique perspective on being chairman of the studio is we've also been produces so a lot of the film.

We work with them know that we come from a place with best intentions about the movie and we try to very early on in the process with filmmakers been really closely with than that budget of the film needs to be and being disciplined about the budget and we're not trying to cut them just to cut them or not trying to give them too much to stay over and told we give the right amount of money for that particular conversations.

I have some they are sometimes they really difficult conversations, but like I said if you transparent and you say it friend.

This is what we think the budget should be and we work together to get there.

They know where you're coming from a place of in a we put everything as we produces.

That's just the way my can I do it and we're never going to change you're never going to be any different so I think the conversation sometimes go down a bit easier because the stomach is know we've been on the ground in the trenches sweating it out as producers and we understand the challenges that they face every.

And we've all been in the cinema watching some amazing film and then someone next to us is sitting on their phone.

It's where are you with that? What do you say when someone is I do I go to the cinema on most I tried to go on with every weekend.

You know my daughter and I love going my husband wants to go we try to see everything in the theatre.

It's really important to ask to me.

I have to say I haven't noticed a lot of people on the phone is late like I took my daughter and I went to see Mean Girls he would think that there be more kids like messing around on the phone to an agency that they're engaged and my last question for you is as we said I'm older brothers.

You've been here for a while now, but with many more years to go.

I'm sure with the Academy Awards heading towards us what just summer what you're doing to make sure that in the future.

You're sitting at Dolby theatre in next year the year after the year after that.

Your phone wedding best picture and and really trying to build an eclectic slate make another building in eclectic.

Sleep here.

We try to make different kind of movies different budget levels with world-class storytellers and I think that's the best you can do is try to find the best stories possible that our commercial that are artistic that you know where commerce and are each other to thank you very much.

Thank you for having me.