Side Projects Podcast

You Can See Everything, the new documentary from Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim about the Theranos founder Elizabeth (or “Liz”) Holmes, has proven to be a real cultural moment — the biggest non-music documentary opening since Fahrenheit 9/11 in 2004. In this episode, Clara, Trey, and Eli discuss the enduring cultural curiosity surrounding Elizabeth Holmes, her domineering, coke-addled boyfriend Billy Evans, and why the film’s success and hype can be attributed to its stripped back production and secretive rollout. IG: @sideprojects__YouTube: @SideProjectsPodcastSubstack: https://sideprojectsco.substack.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Eli, Trey, and Clara are talking about what seems to be a growing existential crisis in the ill-defined world of “cultural strategy:” Who is it really for? What does it really mean? And as youth-led protests swell from Marseille to New Delhi, to what extent is “cultural strategy” helping to shape (or better) society in any meaningful, material way? We talk about Matt Klein’s recent “State of Cultural Strategy” poll, WGSN threatening to sue for “proprietary trend IP,” paying $1,000 to “define taste and culture,” industrial piping, and much more. IG: @sideprojects__YouTube: @SideProjectsPodcastSubstack: https://sideprojectsco.substack.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s one thing bringing high-flying Hollywood directors and regular Americans together en masse? Vilifying tech billionaires. Just as anti-tech populism is simmering to a boil ahead of the midterms, a slate of biopics and documentaries with hubristic tech billionaires—Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, and Elizabeth Holmes—are hitting the theaters. Eli gets Trey’s thoughts on The Social Reckoning, Musk, You Can See Everything, and Artificial, how much these movies will really do to change anyone’s mind, and whether or not “really good creativity” or structural change (like getting $$ out of politics) can help turn the tides.IG: @sideprojects__YouTube: @SideProjectsPodcastSubstack: https://sideprojectsco.substack.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past few years, we’ve been seeing a new genre of creators gain prominence. Maybe you've heard them referred to as “knowledge influencers,” “brandsplainers,” or the “alternatively influential.” Their credibility comes less from sales-savvy or attention hacking as it does from a depth of knowledge and expertise across a range of niches—from advertising to AGI. On this episode, Trey and Eli are talking with Jenny Rothenberg, the co-founder of Smooth Media, a creator rep agency/B2B conduit helping to expand the audiences and commercial viability of this growing crop of creators. We discuss how Smooth is building a new version of industry trade publications, why there’s so much demand for trend/brand creative breakdowns, and CatGPT’s equity deal.IG: @sideprojects__YouTube: @SideProjectsPodcastSubstack: https://sideprojectsco.substack.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clara, Trey, and Eli discuss everything becoming TV, New York morphing into one big content backdrop, navigating Washington Square Park like it’s ABC’s Wipeout, and whether or not there are too many branded social series. Plus, Aliens, DraftKings VIP list, and Unzipped. IG: @sideprojects__YouTube: @SideProjectsPodcastSubstack: https://sideprojectsco.substack.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.