#Franchise Network Building

[franchise-guru]

Franchise Guru™: Your Trusted Partner in Franchise Success

In the dynamic world of franchising, navigating the path to success requires expertise, strategic insights, and unwavering support. Franchise Guru™ emerges as a beacon of guidance, offering comprehensive Franchise and Business Consulting Services to both emerging franchisors and franchisees. This article delves into the multifaceted approach of Franchise Guru™, exploring how it has become the go-to partner for realizing franchise aspirations.

Section 1: The Franchise Landscape and Its Challenges

Franchising presents unique opportunities and challenges, demanding a nuanced understanding of market trends, consumer behavior, and operational intricacies. Franchise Guru™ begins by acknowledging the complexities inherent in the industry, recognizing that success hinges on a delicate balance of strategy, innovation, and adaptability.

Section 2: Franchise Guru™: A Holistic Approach to Franchise Development

Franchise Guru™ sets itself apart through a holistic approach to franchise development. By offering services ranging from strategic planning and market analysis to operational efficiency consulting, the team at Franchise Guru™ ensures that every aspect of the franchising journey is meticulously addressed. This comprehensive approach is designed to empower both franchisors and franchisees with the tools they need to thrive.

Section 3: Tailored Solutions for Emerging Franchisors

For those looking to expand their business through franchising, Franchise Guru™ provides tailored solutions. From developing effective franchise development strategies to optimizing franchise systems and assisting with legal considerations, Franchise Guru™ is committed to paving the way for emerging franchisors to build successful and sustainable franchise networks.

Section 4: Empowering Franchisees for Success

Franchise Guru™ recognizes the pivotal role played by franchisees in the success of any franchise system. Through targeted business advisory solutions, market entry consulting, and ongoing support, Franchise Guru™ empowers franchisees to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship while maximizing the potential for profitability.

Section 5: International Reach and Expertise

With a global presence spanning key locations like Al Huda Building (Dubai), Mumbai (India), and Beirut (Lebanon), Franchise Guru™ brings international expertise to the table. This global perspective is invaluable for businesses aiming to expand their franchises across borders, offering insights into diverse markets and cultural nuances.

Section 6: Success Stories and Testimonials

The true measure of a franchise consulting service's effectiveness lies in the success stories of its clients. Franchise Guru™ takes pride in the achievements of the franchisors and franchisees it has supported. Through testimonials and case studies, this section highlights real-world examples of businesses that have thrived under the guidance of Franchise Guru™.

Conclusion:

In the ever-evolving landscape of franchising, having a trusted partner like Franchise Guru™ can make all the difference. From strategic planning to operational execution, Franchise Guru™ stands as a beacon of support for those aspiring to achieve franchise success. With a commitment to excellence and a proven track record, Franchise Guru™ invites both emerging franchisors and franchisees to embark on a journey of growth, innovation, and lasting success.

For more information or to explore how Franchise Guru™ can support your franchise goals, contact us today. Your success is our mission.

[perseidlion]

Streaming in Kaos

Well, it happened. I can't say that I'm surprised that KAOS has been cancelled by Netflix. I am a little surprised at the speed at which it was axed. Only a month after it aired, and it's already gone.

That has me wondering if the decision to cancel was made before the show even aired. We have to remember that marketing is the biggest cost after production. If the Netflix brass looked at the show and either decided (through audience testing, AI stuff or just their own biases) that it wasn't going to be a Stranger Things-level hit, they probably chose at that moment to slash its marketing budget.

That meant there was pretty much no way that KAOS was ever going to hit the metrics Netflix required of it to get a season 2.

What makes me so angry about this (other than the survival of a show relying on peoples' biases or AI) is that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you decide before a show is ever going to air that it won't be a success, then it probably won't be. If you rely on metrics and algorithms and AI to analyze art, you will never let something surprise you. You'll never let it grow. You'll never nurture the cult hits of the future or the next franchise.

Netflix desperately needs people behind the scenes that believe in stories and potential over metrics. Nothing except the same old predictable dreck is ever going to be allowed to survive if you don't believe in the stories you're telling.

The networks and streamers have a huge problem on their hands. They need big hits and to build the franchises of the future to sustain their current model (which is horribly broken.) But people have franchise fatigue and aren't showing up for known IPs like they used to. The fact that Marvel content is definitely not a sure thing anymore is a huge canary in the coal mine for franchise fatigue. People aren't just tired of Marvel, they're tired of the existing worlds both on the big screen and the small one. Audiences are hungry for something new.

It is telling that the most successful Marvel properties of the last few years have been the ones that do something different. Marvel is smart to finally pull out The X-Men because that is a breath of fresh air and something people are hungry to see more of.

There's pretty much no one behind the scenes (except for maybe AMC building The Immortal Universe) that is committing to really taking the time to build these new worlds. Marvel built the MCU by playing the long game. That paid dividends for a solid decade even if it's dropping off now. That empire was built not with nostalgia for existing IP (don't forget the MCU was built with B and C tier heroes) but with patience. Marvel itself seems to have forgotten this in recent years.

Aside from that, I think people really want stories that aren't connected to a billion other things. That takes commitment on the part of the audience to follow and to get attached to. People WANT three to five excellent seasons of a show that tells its own story and isn't leaving threads out there for a dozen spinoffs. We're craving tight storytelling.

KAOS could have been that. Dead Boy Detectives could have been that. So could Our Flag Means Death, Lockwood and Co, Shadow and Bone, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Willow, and a dozen other shows with great potential or were excellent out of the gate.

If you look at past metrics, you only learn what people used to like, not what they want now. People are notoriously bad about articulating what they want, but boy do they know it when they see it. Networks have to go back to having a dozen moderate successes instead of constantly churning through one-season shows that get axed and pissing off the people who did like it in a hamfisted attempt to stumble on the next big thing.

The networks desperately need to go back to believing in their shows. Instead, they keep cutting them off at the knees before they ever get a chance because some algorithm told them the numbers weren't there.

[robots-here-and-there]

Now that I've gotten some sleep and feel more awake, I can't help but feel that I need to give some context for people to better understand my random thought.

So quick and small info dump; when computers started to become a thing in the mid 1900s, Alan Turing (an English mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher and theoretical biologist) created a test in 1950 (which is why the test is named after him) to see how advanced and sophisticated a machine's AI is. The test does so by comparing it against human "intelligence" ("intelligence" as in behavior, thought process, problem solving, etc.). If a machine's AI is indistinguishable from, or equivalent to, that of human "intelligence", then it passes the Turing Test.

Cybertronians might be living machines, but they're still machines. So the Turing Test is a test that very much applies to them. And since their "intelligence" is indistinguishable from human "intelligence", they pass the Turing Test with flying colors. Which means that bit of info can be used to argue that cytronians are people just like humans are.

The fact that none of the Transformers series (or fanfics) out there (that I know of) have the autobots'/cybertronians' human allies mention or use the Turing the Test as a way to defend their robotic friends from humans who are racist toward cybertronians is a shame. So it is, in my option, a missed opportunity to add that little bit to the world building of the Transformers franchise.

Random thought; its a shame that no Transformers media ever mentions or make use of the Turing Test.

[positivexcellence]

Jared Padalecki Joins ‘Fire Country’ For Guest Arc That Could Lead To New Franchise Offshoot

EXCLUSIVE: Jared Padalecki is returning to series television. The former Supernatural star, coming off a four-season run as the lead of Walker, has been tapped for a three-episode arc on the upcoming third season of CBS‘ hit drama series Fire Country, headlined and executive produced by Max Thieriot.

He will play Camden, a SoCal firefighter and maverick with a surfer swagger who is a force to be reckoned with and immediately recognizes Bode’s (Thieriot) raw talent.

The deal with Fire Country producer CBS Studios is strictly for the recurring role, sources said. Given Padalecki’s status as a popular leading man with two hit series under his belt, I hear there is a possibility for the guest stint to lead to a new spinoff headlined by him that would join the upcoming Sheriff Country.

Sources stress that the idea is still in its nascent stages. And similarly to the NCIS franchise, which originated on CBS and has generated four domestic offshoots on the network but has also expanded into streaming with the latest spinoff, NCIS: Tony & Ziva (as well as the streaming/broadcast NCIS: Sydney), a new Fire Country spinoff could be for broadcast or streaming. Reps for CBS and CBS Studios declined comment.

Fire Country, which was the most watched new broadcast series in its freshman season, was quickly identified by the CBS leadership as a potential franchise anchor that could spawn multiple spinoffs.

“We are focused on mass-appeal franchises,” CBS President and CEO George Cheeks said in June 2023. “This season’s number one show was Fire Country, which completely lends itself to building out a whole new universe… It became very clear that not only was the show special, it really felt like this could be a great example of us building together a franchise from scratch.”

The first Fire Country spinoff, the Morena Baccarin-starring Sheriff Country, which started off as a planted spinoff episode on the mothership series this past season, was recently picked up to series for 2025-26.

Keeping Padalecki in the fold has been a priority for CBS Studios following the end of its CW drama Walker, on which he was star and executive producer, leading to creating the opportunity for him on Fire Country. Walker was canceled for financial reasons despite being the network’s most watched series.

Fire Country averages more than 10 million viewers per episode in multi-platform viewing. (Live+35-day on Paramount + and CBS TVE)

Season 1 became available on Netflix in the US August 1 and has already reached #3 in the streamer’s daily rankings. This is an additional domestic streaming window for Fire Country whose first two seasons are on Paramount+. It is designed to give the show additional exposure ahead of its Oct. 18 Season 3 premiere on CBS.

From creators and executive producers Tony Phelan, Joan Rater and Thieriot, inspired by Thieriot’s experiences growing up in Northern California, the series follows Bode Donovan (Thieriot), a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, which sends him back to his hometown.

Billy Burke, Kevin Alejandro, Diane Farr, Stephanie Arcila, Jordan Calloway and Jules Latimer also star. Tia Napolitano, who also serves as showrunner, executive produces alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed of Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

Since the end of Walker, Padalecki also has discussed a role on the upcoming fifth and final season of Prime Video’s The Boys, developed and executive produced by Supernatural creator Eric Kripke. He is repped by UTA, Industry Entertainment and Fuller Law.

deadline

[guster-animations]

Kamen Rider Gavv Episode 22 Production Blog

the idea of miscommunications not being the main driving plot point for 10 episodes is so unprecedented in this franchise that it caused the most widespread, unanimous shock that i’ve ever seen in a fandom

taken from this website

TOKU TRANSLATION MASTERPOST HERE

Looking at the Next Episode

“the truth is bitter”— these are the words engraved on Hanto’s ring. Bandai chose those words meaning “the truth is sometimes bittersweet” since Hanto is a reporter by trade and not prone to sweeten things. This came full circle in the subtitle of episode 22.

Director Tasaki spoke highly of Shoma and Hanto’s performances in the scene where Hanto hears Shoma out. His careful direction became a lesson for the two cast members, too. (Director Tasaki’s “No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger” will start airing soon too, so please watch that after the next episode of “Gavv”!)

And… Picking up from that wild final moment, the next two episodes, 23 and 24, will be directed by Satoshi Morota. He carefully captured Shoma, Hanto, and Sachika’s interconnecting thoughts. Sachika will be active now as well, so please look forward to that. The moment when she shut Hanto out in episode 22 was great. I think that kind of scene is unique to Junko Komura. I want Sachika to be Shoma’s Sun…

Valentine’s Day is soon, but… Valentine’s Day for Gavv seems to concern a bitter push. Oh, you don’t need more bitterness? Um… ice cream is also delicious in the winter.

(Written by Naomi Takebe)

The Episode in Short

Thank you for watching episode 22!

And thank you for the one year of “Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger”! It’s sad that Boon can’t be next to us anymore, but things will only get more exciting in “Gavv” from now on!

This was the first and last arc directed by Ryuta Tasaki. Starting next week, a new program will start which Director Tasaki is serving as the pilot director for, but if it were one week off, we would have had “Super Tasaki Time” (one hour of non-stop Tasaki action).

The previously mentioned Director Tasaki filmed the episodes which went from Shoma’s identity being revealed to the (temporary?) conclusion of the surge in emotional drama.

With You, Who Has a Mouth on Your Stomach

Vram, the third Kamen Rider, has arrived, and with the entrance of the mysterious being Bitter Gavv, “Gavv’s” network of relationships becomes further intertwined. The personal relationship between Hanto, who had a particular grudge against Granutes, and Shoma, who he now knows the identity of, becomes the focal point.

Because of Bitter Gavv’s attacks, Hanto and Rakia, who don’t quite get along yet, have also formed a connection. It feels like the passionate Hanto and the ever-tired Rakia have completely opposite personalities… haha.

It’s not only about Kamen Riders; Sachika’s presence in this episode was also striking.

Sachika has no preexisting prejudice, and she holds a thoughtful kindness that lets her trust in Shoma. I was deeply moved by Miyabe’s acting, which showed a side of the character that’s different from her normal brightness!

There might be people who were surprised to see a gyaru-related heroine in the Reiwa era when the show first started broadcasting, but this open-minded kindness is the true worth of a new-generation gyaru heroine.

Thus, Hanto is moved by Sachika’s words and tries to find Shoma. It’s a very long two-person scene that took up 3 pages in the script! It became a huge highlight moment for Chinen and Hino.

“A place with beautiful scenery” was written in the script, and it’s a very important scene where the two of them share their true thoughts, so we carried out a thorough search for a good location and chose the upper floor of a building with a sweeping view of the city. (Unfortunately, there was poor weather, but the landscape is still very good)

Komura’s script for this two-person scene that reaches three pages is also wonderful, but it became an even more impressive scene with shots at many different angles and impressive direction that uses the reflections in the windows.

Episode 22 was one that required even more set locations than usual. It’s precisely because Director Tasaki has been the pilot director (the director who works with the cast members from the very start) for countless Riders and Sentais that I think he fostered these two’s growth in their performance!

It was a serious and emotional scene, but the director accurately explained his theory, and I thought it was just like him when I watched it! (As expected of a legendary director…)

They carefully studied Director Tasaki’s monitor from behind him.

Since that was a somewhat serious conversation, I’ll post an off-camera photo of Chinen with the octopus. He’s going strong, with a strong sense of service when he faces the camera, haha.

Make the Bitterness Go Away!

Following the previous episode, Dark Shoma and Bitter Gavv’s insatiable quest for food (snacks) continues. He attacks a truck and the back area of a supermarket. His exploits are even more daring than last time.

Unlike Shoma, he seems to have snacks that can produce Gochizos and snacks that can’t, and so he focuses intently on continuing to search. Seems like karintō cookies weren’t right either…

Chinen played Dark Shoma with all of his might this episode. Chinen’s specialty is making food look delicious as he eats them, so it was a challenge to eat more wildly this time. When he was asked, “How is Dark Shoma?”, he answered, “He’s fun!”. He’s doing many kinds of acting that he couldn’t usually do, and having even more fun than normal.

He ate all that food, and in the end, this week’s success snack was “black candy”! The VRCan Spicy Gochizo has a design that looks like a dark VRCan Gochizo. There weren’t many things used in this episode, but it’s interesting to see what powers they will use.

To the 22nd episode’s last fight! Shoma and Hanto’s double transformation! It’s like in episode 12, after their identities were revealed, but it’s still exciting to have a double transformation at a important turning point in the story!

Team play with CaKing Gavv and Donut Form Valen! Gavv puts cream into the donut and makes it fly around. This episode was another one full of fun snack direction.

The action with the donuts used as footholds was also amazing! The suit actors Nawata and Kaji were suspended in the air, and the donuts were added afterwards with CG, but it’s incredible action with mid-air movement.

Bitter Gavv is more accustomed to battles since the first match in the last episode, and he doesn’t want to lose either! He captures a Gochizo thrown with the Gochispeeder, and feeds it into the Bitter GavvBlade. If I were a Gochizo, I wouldn’t be able to handle it, either, haha.

A Kamen Rider’s weapon attacks are determined in advance so we can make specifications for their toys, but it’s the director and action director’s job to decide how they’ll effectively show it being used!

Gavv and Valen defeated Bitter Gavv with their finishing attacks, but Shoma falls into peril and Hanto only saves him by a hair’s breadth!

Naturally, Chinen was hung by a wire in this scene that was then erased in post-production. I was nervous when I watched the filming, and I thought, “Isn’t that scary…?”, but Chinen boldly faced it in filming!

Shoma’s memories finally resurface from the depths of his mind. The bitterness spoken of in this episode’s subtitle, “The Truth Is Bittersweet”, will finally come to light in the next episode.

Don’t miss out on it!

[No author listed, but probably written by Ryohei Takahashi]

[nalyra-dreaming]

so rolin and mark will work on another show for amc, a steinbeck adaptation. i hope it doesn't mean a drop in quality in the next seasons. i'm excited about the promotion but seeing people already starting bitching about amc doing "all this promo for a white guy while they did nothing for black characters" is exhausting. sigh, they'll never stop.

…. ah yes because The Vampire Lestat coming up is so… unanticipated. 🙄

May I remind people of the “Street of Immortality“?! Months of teasers and trailers? The offsite?!

*sighs*

This was always set to come and I am not surprised people go that route, unfortunately.

Rolin Jones and Mark Johnson though…

Rolin Jones‘ Gold Derby video comments of “he does not know how much more he has in him“ is interesting in this context, definitely.

It will be very interesting to see where IWTV goes from here and if both will also stay on IWTV (in addition to the new series).

[nyaagolor]

What are your thoughts on Apollo Justice (the character)?

OH BOY. OHHHHHH BOY. I have a fever and some free time lfg.

So honestly, I think part of the reason I love Apollo so much is because he runs parallel to Phoenix but also counter to him at the same time. I always saw Simon and Athena as the successors-- in terms of ideology and job and all that other stuff-- to the Phoenix-Edgeworth dynamic and status rather than Apollo and Klavier. Athena and Simon, to me, feel like extensions of the arcs of Phoenix and Edgeworth + the vibes of the original trilogy. Apollo and Klavier ( who I will not talk about bc we will be here all day)? They're the antithesis.

Apollo Justice The Game directly foils the original trilogy in so many ways, but I think even on a more base thematic level it runs counter to a lot of the ideas that we take for granted about the original trilogy, and because Apollo sits at the center of this, the things I love about the game are encapsulated in why I like him. There are a ton of themes in the ace attorney trilogy-- support networks, faith, trust, the truth-- and Apollo is defined by their limits, their failures, and their absence. He is let down, kicked around, defined by abandonment and betrayal and distrust. Apollo is defined by everything that Phoenix is not, and bc of how the timeline goes we don't really get any retribution for that, just a steady march forward, and I think that gives me a lot to think about with his character

Phoenix's arc right from Turnabout Sisters is about the building of a support network, and the ways that developing this support is integral for when things go wrong. We contrast Phoenix with Godot, Maya with Dahlia, and see how people left to stew in their resentment can chase vengeance to dark places (wow I wonder who also does this after the death of a dear friend leading to a crusade of misplaced revenge that almost leads someone they care about being killed.). With Apollo we get to stand on the precipice of resolution, but the important part is we don't get it. Apollo's life falls off the rails, and he's the one left to pick up the pieces.

We see through him how our trust can be betrayed by people of good and bad intentions, and the lingering consequences that has on one's ability to not only trust the people around them but themselves. And yeah!! That's why I adore him so much-- he's tested not by the possibility of failure like Phoenix often is, but climbing up from the reality of it. It's less "how do we make our way out of this mess before it goes nuclear" and more "things are already destroyed-- where do we go from here?". It has more of an element of recovery than prevention to me, and I think that's a fascinating avenue to explore in stories like these. Apollo pushes the envelope of the themes of the narrative and the characters-- he is the epitome of what it looks like when things fall apart, and it gives him and the trilogy characters something to reconcile

A lot of people have complained that Apollo barely feels like the protagonist in his own game, but that's honestly a huge part of the reason why I love him so much. He's defined by the spaces between, the limits and failures of things we had up to this point taken to be true, and left with a pretty limited degree of autonomy through it all. He's pushed around and puppeteered by people who mean well and those who don't, and I feel like a major theme of AA4 that I love but don't often see talked about is "what does it mean to have autonomy-- and by extension, control? What does it mean to take it back? What does it mean to lose it, and what does it mean when you'd do anything to keep it." Most of what I said is only partially resolved bc AA4 is... a game. A technically finished game. but!! Because it eviscerates our expectations of the franchise so thoroughly AND leaves open so many avenues, it makes Apollo and the rest of his crew some of my favorite characters because there's so much you can think about and do with them!!

also he's like. An insect to me. <3

[reading-writing-revolution]

Here’s the To-Do List "You don’t have to be a senator or a CEO to fight back. Here’s how individual Americans—yes, even in Peoria, IL2—can throw wrenches into these authoritarian takeovers: Vote in Every Election, especially the local ones – Local elections decide everything from your schools and roads to policing, housing, and how your community prepares for economic shifts. Governors, mayors, city councils, and state reps set the stage for how we actually live day-to-day. Pressure Politicians Relentlessly – Call, email, protest, demand action against BRICS influence. It’s going to get tedious, you’re going to want to quit. They’re counting on that! Take turns with your neighbors, do a round-robin calling circle with church members. Whatever you do, don’t quit until we have what we want. Make it impossible for them to ignore us. Buy Local, Bank Smart – Starve the Techbroligarchy and BRICS+ out of your wallet. Shop from independent businesses, use local credit unions, and stop feeding corporate overlords. Wean yourself off Amazon (I know, hard!), learn what stores remain in your town that are independantly owned. Don’t shop or eat at chains or franchises (even though franchases are owned by locals, they are supporting the corporate overlords). We must get back to when small independant business people ran most of our local stores. Secure Your Digital Life – Don’t be a data farm for the tech lords. Use encrypted messaging, limit social media tracking, and stop making it easy for them to own you. Build Community Strength – Strong local economies, mutual aid networks, and self-reliant communities are harder to break. Get involved, show up, support your neighbors (Even the MAGAs! Their stupi naivity isn’t going to save them now, and we need them on our side.) Call Out Disinfo & Foreign Influence – Every time you see pro-authoritarian, BRICS-sympathizing propaganda, shut it down. Truth is the best disinfectant. Don’t fall for the aggitators who say this was never a great country and it’s not worth fighting for. They’re working for the enemy, whether they know it or not.

Who’s Really Behind the Coup? - by Lady Libertie

[starsreality]

do u have some ways/explanations I could logically become rich and wealthy? I wanna be a billionaire but I just can’t imagine doing that without being unethical…

I was just thinking of this question a few days ago and consulted with ChatGPT, so I have the answers ready and loaded!

Ways to become super ultra rich without having to resort to unethical or immoral methods/practices:

› Entrepreneurship: Start your own business in a growing industry. Identify a gap in the market, create a product or service that meets a need, and scale it. Focus on innovation and customer satisfaction.

› Investing: Educate yourself on investing in stocks, real estate, or other assets. Consider long-term investment strategies, such as index funds or rental properties, which can compound wealth over time.

› Build a Personal Brand: Create a strong online presence in your field. Share knowledge through blogs, podcasts, or social media, and leverage your brand for consulting, speaking engagements, or product endorsements.

› Develop Valuable Skills: Acquire skills in high-demand fields like technology, finance, or healthcare. Expertise can lead to high-paying job opportunities or freelance work.

› Networking: Build relationships with influential people in your industry. Networking can lead to collaborations, partnerships, and opportunities that can significantly boost your wealth.

› Innovate and Create: Focus on research and development in emerging fields, such as renewable energy, biotechnology, or artificial intelligence. Invent new products or improve existing ones.

› Real Estate Development: Invest in real estate, starting with rental properties or flipping houses. Learn the market and focus on areas with potential growth.

› Passive Income Streams: Create sources of passive income, such as writing books, creating online courses, or investing in dividend-paying stocks.

› Franchise Ownership: Consider investing in a reputable franchise. This can provide a proven business model and brand recognition while allowing you to operate your own business.

› Philanthropy and Ethical Investing: Invest in socially responsible businesses or initiatives. This can lead to both financial returns and positive societal impact, enhancing your reputation and network.

Ways to “stumble” into wealth without (directly) hoarding wealth:

› Inheriting Wealth: Unexpectedly inheriting wealth from a distant unknown relative or family friend.

› Winning the Lottery: Not a very sustainable source of income but it works.

› Discovering Hidden Talents: Uncovering a unique skill or talent that becomes highly valued—like writing a bestselling book or creating viral content.

› Investing Early: Accidentally investing in a promising startup or stock that later skyrockets in value.

› Networking: Making a valuable connection at a social event that leads to a lucrative job or business opportunity.

› Crowdfunding Success: Launching a project that resonates with a broad audience, leading to substantial financial backing.

› Accidental Invention: Creating a product by chance that fills a market need, like a popular app or gadget.

[mccraecook99]

David Zaslav Vs. The Warner Bros. Mob

Ever since Warner Bros. Discovery has merged two years ago,David Zaslav’s horrible cost-cutting decisions and anti-animation views has badly impacted and severely hurt the company(not Warner Bros.,but Warner Bros. Discovery) since he managed to shut down Rooster Teeth,burlugeoned Cartoon Network’s reputation and legacy by shutting down it’s original headquarters building in Burbank last year,is now deleting many of CN’s most notable shows off Max(except for Powerpuff Girls and Courage),made CN less mainstream and gave some of it’s hours to Adult Swim,shut down it’s online website,and CN now airing few and farther between shows produced by CNS and WBA,imported shows(both original and preschool),shows produced by Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe,and reruns of past shows,threw a few projects/shows that were made or shelved (such as a few CN shows such as Infinity Train,Close Enough,and Victor and Valentino,Coyote Vs. ACME,Scoob:Holiday Haunt,Bye Bye Bunny,and The Cartoon Cartoons Program)in the WBD vaults and cancelled a lot of films and shows in production such as DC’s Batgirl,the Scooby-Doo Hex Girls Movie,Pibby:Apocolypse,and the DC animated Batman Beyond movie,has the company engage in tax write-offs and did a number of layoffs,doubled down on WB Games,mistreating animation and famous IP’s like Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo,making CN and WB having weak anniversaries with CN’s 30th anniversary in 2022 and WB’s 100th Anniversary in 2023, made Cartoonito a one-hour block on CN now,purged a lot of shows off HBO Max back in Augest 2022,and other shakeups and decisions he’s made at the company.

Now,worse with Warner Bros. Discovery no longer renewing its deal with Sesame Workshop for any more new seasons of Sesame Street on HBO and Max and the long-running kids series is finding a new home now(at least it still had PBS) and Max now attempting to remove not only more CN shows off it’s service,but almost the rest of the animated shows off it’s service next year and 2026(such as classic Looney Tunes shorts,Tom & Jerry,Scooby-Doo,South Park,The Flintstones,Powerpuff Girls,and more),making Max more like Minimum than ever,my hatred for Zaslav has reached full infinity now that I decided to finally do this drawing.

Now,in this animated colored pic,here is David Zaslav,now in fear and holding his bag of money,now being chased by an angry mob of WB characters,who are now enraged at Zaslav for ruining the company’s reputation,ruining both Max as a streaming service and Cartoon Network as a channel, and nearly hurting and harming Warner Bros. as a studio and entertainment company that is meant to entertain the world since 2023,not be anti-art and cancel film projects(and the company isn’t the studio who does storytelling since other studios like Universal,Disney,MGM,Sony,20th Century Studios,A24,Netflix,and Paramount have done films and television as well). I hope Zaslav pays for what he had done and deserves to be beaten down and punished by the mob for good.

Also,to save Max and put a lot of cartoons on this streaming service,please support,sign,and share my petition to make it an animation heaven again and make Zaslav reconsider.

https://www.change.org/p/get-wbd-to-relaunch-cn-website-and-put-a-lot-of-cartoons-back-on-max-formally-on-hbo-max/dashboard?source_location=user_profile_started

at least The Day The World Blew Up:A Looney Tunes Movie is safe now with Ketchup Entertainment distributing it to theaters next year in February,DC is starting a new universe with James Gunn starting with 2025’s Superman launching it next year,I praise WB Animation/Cartoon Network Studios President,Sam Register for still being respectful to animation, and Bill Damaschke is bringing back Warner Animation Group,now as WB Pictures Animation on the big screen starting with an CG animation adaptation of Dr. Suess’ The Cat In The Hat releasing in 2026. Also,WB will have new plans for the Looney Tunes franchise in 2028,I hope more CN classics and originals will get complete series DVD releases in the future(including ones being brought out of the WBD vault like Infinity Train and Victor and Valentino)like they’re having with Regular Show next year in February,and Scooby-Doo is rebooting itself with Go Go Mystery Machine next year.

I hope by next year,I just wish David Zaslav would finally step down as CEO and leave the company for good,I can’t stand him running it anymore and making anymore bad decisions,since Disney CEO,Bob Iger is stepping down in 2026 and having a successor take his place.

[namitomoon]

Honestly, I think the fact Yugioh isn't popular at all with kids in the West compared to Pokémon needs to be studied.

Most people would (rightfully) blame how overcomplicated the game became compared to the early DM/GX days with all the new meta. But I think part of the blame relies on the way Konami handled the anime too. Both the broadcasting and the core.

I read on the Wiki that Yugioh DM, GX and 5Ds were dubbed by 4Kids and broadcasted it on Saturday morning blocks. When cable and with it the Saturday morning cartoon blocks faded away, 4Kids Entertainment (and their succesor, 4K Media) were very slow in adapting to the new reality. They moved to Nicktoons, then Hulu and then for free on Pluto TV.

Compare this to Pokémon franchise which was pretty much taken away from 4Kids and handled much better by TPC, staying solidly on the same network and then switched to the much more massive and GLOBAL Netflix.

Yugioh has the dubious "honor" of being one of the few remaining anime that still gets localized and dubbed following the heavy censored 4Kids handbooks and I think I finally figured the reason: Konami (who directly handles the dubbing and localization of Yugioh through Konami Cross Media NY, which is basically the remnant of 4Kids) is DESPERATE to build a younger gen Z/Alpha audience on the West.

The average Yugioh player in the West is in their mid 20s who was hooked with the original DM and GX (and maybe also 5Ds). Konami is fine with it but they really wish their game was as popular among kids as the Pokémon TCG is. There's always the fear of the mature audience simply leaving the game because they have bigger responsibilites with work, families, etc. Heck, that's the biggest reason why they didn't bother bringing the physical Rush Duels cards.

Which is why they focus heavily on targetting their shows towards kids. They could perfectly make more loyal-to-the-original teenage/mature focused dubs and broadcast them on Adult Swim or Crunchyroll. But because of their desperation in building a new audience, they instead make kiddified dubs so SEVENS is shown on Disney XD of all places.

[sneakyswag]

Wait, wait, wait - Marino and Beta have children?! What are their names?

You know I was actually thinking about this for a while. In my au of @bruggle ‘s au, since the Mother Elf was created and Weil was killed by Brook I think, correct me if I’m wrong, there’s peace and the only Mavericks out there are now those who genuinely choose to be. I decided that since all of this is happening, I could cross over the Battle Network franchise with the MMX/MMZ one. Although Mega Man Zero itself doesn’t happen here, meaning Weil and stuff since he’s dead, leaving them in a sort of state of “peace”. Not really, since there’s still Mavericks around, but not the virus. It’s safer and stuff, but Marino decides to keep working.

Let me explain.

It goes back to Beta’s powers. They have side effects. Such as exhaustion, pain, soreness, etc. Beta is powered up with Bassnium or Fortenium. It allows his whole body to run and function. Bassnium mixes with plasma, thus creating a chemical reaction great enough to produce Beta’s powers, but since Bassnium was discovered by Dr. Wily all those years ago, it wasn’t really shared to the public. Bassnium in those days is scarce, and Bass and Kalinka, when they were building Beta, knew this. So they installed a regen system for the Bassnium, using the very energy the Bassnium produces so Beta can function, so it can regenerate the Bassnium in his body so he can use his powers adequately. It hurts. A lot. Because it’s his body using the only source of energy it has, which is scarce, to regenerate Beta’s powers basically.

When Beta has his first fallout mission, coming to the med bay unconscious, Lifesaver notices this and issues another energy source to be installed into him. It partly works, providing Beta with a stable energy source to function, except it doesn’t help his powers work. The Bassnium still needs to regenerate for the powers to work, but now it doesn’t hurt as bad and take as much energy. It merely causes soreness in Beta’s hands, arms, or shoulders depending. Okay, so, the Bassnium only needs to regenerate when Beta uses his powers, so when he uses them, he has to spend at least a few hours to a few days letting the Bassnium regenerate adequately. Sure, he can still use his powers every day, but that’ll mean constant regeneration and soreness, which is something he deals with a lot.

Until he gets a regulator system. It allows the Bassnium to flow freely throughout his regeneration process, making it take way less and not hurt at all, helping him achieve S-rank. But he was only able to do that after years in the Hunters and after getting the regulator. Marino made Hunter-Commander around the same time, and commands her own unit. Beta and Marino got married some time after that and would go on missions together. Not constantly, since there’s a policy for married couples working together in HQ, but with the number of Mavericks going down, the number in Maverick Hunters also went down, so Beta and Marino working together was sometimes a necessity. Sure, it strained a few things, but they end up making up in the end because they love each other so much.

One day during a mission, a delusional Maverick, one with multiple programming errors, committed really bad arson on an apartment complex. It was the first case in a while which was actually pretty bad. There, Beta, Marino, Cinnamon, Massimo and Axl help people escape. Those that are alive, anyway. Marino and Beta eventually find Lan and Hub, which are babies. Their parents, Yuichiro and Haruka? Dead. Beta falls in love with the babies instantly. Marino is actually worried about what’s going to happen, so she takes a big step and suggests taking them in.

They talk about it, knowing that since they’re both working, they either have to hire a babysitter, or one of them has to stay home. Beta decides to stay home, knowing that Marino has the upper hand in terms of money due to being in a higher position. He doesn’t mind at all though, he was sort of tired of fighting anyway. And uh, well he’s a wife man. He knows his wife loves her job even if it is a little stressful sometimes. So anyway Beta stays home, taking care of Lan and Hub.

I originally got the idea of Hub being killed in the fire, but decided against it.

Yes, I crossed Battle Network with MMX/MMZ. Since there’s no more Maverick Virus, Net Navis started being produced and turned into Reploids by their order. Some would stay Navis, others would be turned into Reploids by their choice. Navis are basically just ai, so whichever one wanted to be turned into a Reploid, could do so.

Hub ends up dying from that heart disease, HBD, and is revived as a Net Navi, who is later turned into a Reploid.

Beta and Marino, of course, are devastated. The poor baby, whom they loved and cherished and raised as best they could, even if for a little while, died. A dead relative or friend is irreplaceable. It hit them both hard, but especially Marino. She turned her emotions off for a bit, but seeing baby Lan… she realized she still needed to be a mother. She lost one child, but she certainly can’t lose the other (I mean like not having a relationship with the child ykykyk). Beta was constantly crying when Hub passed. It got better, because he knew he needed to be strong. For his child, and his wife.

Hub being a Reploid is an option. Maybe in a better version of this au, he’d just be an amputee and not have HBD, but to explain what I had in mind these few months, let’s say he’s a Navi turned Reploid.

So yeah. I dunno. I liked the idea in my head, but I don’t know what you guys think?

[rarephotovintage]

Coca-Cola on the Move: A Journey Through Time

In the early 1900s, Coca-Cola was still a rising brand, but its delivery trucks were already making an impact. A 1900 photograph captures a Coca-Cola delivery truck with three young boys sitting on its side, symbolizing the brand’s early distribution efforts. By 1910, Coca-Cola’s operations had become more structured, as seen in an image of two men standing beside a delivery truck, reflecting the company’s growing scale and logistical advancements.

By the 1920s and early 1930s, Coca-Cola had built a nationwide delivery network. In 1921, drivers proudly posed beside their Coca-Cola trucks outside a bottling plant, showcasing the brand’s expanding fleet. A 1931 photograph of a Ford Model AA delivery truck, branded with the name Crawford Johnson & Co., highlights the importance of regional bottlers in Coca-Cola’s franchise system, which played a key role in its rapid growth.

As vehicle technology improved, so did Coca-Cola’s fleet of delivery trucks. A 1931 panel truck in El Paso, Texas, illustrates the shift toward more efficient distribution vehicles. Around the same time, a 1936 Model 704 Coca-Cola delivery truck, featured in a sales booklet by The White Motor Company, demonstrates how the brand’s logistics were recognized as an industry standard. These advancements allowed Coca-Cola to reach more consumers than ever before.

By the 1950s, Coca-Cola trucks had become a global symbol of refreshment. A 1953 image of a Coca-Cola truck crossing Westminster Bridge, with Big Ben and the Parliament buildings in the background, showcases the brand’s deep-rooted presence in British culture. Meanwhile, a 1957 photograph of Coca-Cola being loaded onto the Endeavor, the New Zealand Antarctic supply ship, underscores the company’s ability to distribute its products to even the most remote locations on Earth.

Coca-Cola’s influence stretched across continents, making its way into diverse cultures and landscapes. A 1950s Coca-Cola truck in Egypt, parked beside a historic statue, represents the brand’s expansion into the Middle East. In Scotland, a 1953 image of a Coca-Cola truck beneath Edinburgh Castle highlights the beverage’s widespread popularity in Europe. From local deliveries to international distribution, Coca-Cola delivery trucks have not only transported soda but have also carried the brand’s legacy across generations and borders.

[brekkie-e]

Something I have been thinking about is the fact that so much of my issue with elements of Veilgaurd is it's just. Not the sequel I wanted, and in my opinion not the better sequel of many potential options.

The thing about that, though, is that is a bit of a universal truth through the Dragon Age franchise. Dragon Age 2 may be a love-able chaotic and messy game. But it's a very poor sequel to Origins. It was a soft reboot. It removed the best parts of Origins. It took the story in a very specific direction. It was always building to the next point. The beginning and end of Dragon Age 2 is always setting up it's sequel.

Which brings us to Inquisition. I would say it's not as bad of a reset as DA2 was because the previous game atleast clued you in something big was on the horizon. Cassandra needed Hawke to fix something. But Inquisition still pivoted hard. If you were able to accept the narrative reboot and get invested in Hawke, you don't want the Inquisitor. You want to know what the hell is happening with the Kirkwall crew. Hawke seems the person naturally in position to be the hero again, given they were the one Cassandra was seeking. Where the hell is Anders? He began the whole thing, and we're NEVER going to talk about him again? We are deciding the fate of the mage and templar war, but he never makes an appearance? He's not the leader of the rebel mages or an advisor to Fiona or a side quest in the Witchwood where you find him hiding. It all feels off when you take a step back and ask yourself was there a better story in there somewhere? Was there a way to tie the narratives together more tightly? Because there was! Sit with it for five minutes, and you can think of a dozen ways to make the first three games flow together in more satisfying ways.

So Veilgaurd feeling like it lost out on being all that it could be because they aren't pulling in the vast network of qualified people from the Inquisition and Solas's own army is kind of a familiar ache. The game is good. I am enjoying it a lot. I don't love all of it. But I also didn't love the fact that the root of every problem in DA2 was blood magic to a comedic comic book villian degree, or that the pacing of Zevran's romance is all off in DAO. I'm never happy with a Dragon Age game. But letting go of the idea of what the story could have been and accepting what it is- that's just part of the experience I think? The question always remains whether you can accept the changes.

For me, personally, the jury is still out. But Im beginning to lean towards yes. I can get behind it. Enough of it has the bones of what draws me into this series. Am I going to ignore certain lore tweaks and possibly entire plot points in my headcanons and fic with aggression and hostility? Yes. Yes, I will. But I ALREADY do that with Dragon Age. So all this nonsense just feels familiar in the end.

[crazykuroneko]

Mark Johnson Builds Anne Rice Universe for AMC Networks

The interesting points from this are:

And that Talamasca show hasn't been ordered to series yet. But the fact they're running a PR on Mark and the franchise should be a good sign

[warningsine]

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/magazine/elsbeth-cbs-review-good-wife-good-fight.html

The most-watched streaming series of 2023, it turns out, was “Suits.” All your faves — the conceptually and emotionally difficult ones, the family-trauma dramedies, the zombie soaps and franchise space operas — were as dust in comparison with a bouncy basic-cable legal procedural. If Gen Z viewers are looking at the buffet of TV content and choosing old-school blue-sky procedurals over “Succession” or “The Mandalorian,” what becomes of the world all these streamers and premium-cable networks worked so hard to build?

CBS might have the answer, and her name is Elsbeth Tascioni. This defense attorney, played by Carrie Preston, was a beloved guest character on “The Good Wife” and its sequel/spinoff, “The Good Fight,” both created by the network veterans Robert and Michelle King. Tascioni is, in the parlance of today’s internet, a “weird little guy.” Outfitted in blaring patterns and carrying numerous quilted tote bags at all times, she is both hard to miss and easy to overlook. She appeared in just under 20 episodes across both series but delighted fans as one of the strangest and funniest running gags in two series already filled to the brim with running gags and high-wattage guest stars. Where Julianna Margulies on “The Good Wife” is all elegance and eroticism, Elsbeth is kooky and oddly mannered. Where Christine Baranski on “The Good Fight” is all gravitas and moral outrage, Elsbeth is non sequiturs and slapstick — a whimsical agent of chaos, an odd bird among all those silken and self-serious lawyers.

Now she has her own show, “Elsbeth.” The previous entries in the Kings’ trilogy took place in Chicago, but “Elsbeth” sends Tascioni to take Manhattan, Muppet-style. Without any of her former co-stars to contextualize her, she begins as a fish out of water. She has been tasked with observing a police precinct after a series of wrongful arrests and other violations (and, secretly, with collecting evidence for a corruption case). She wriggles her way into ongoing investigations, stymying police detectives and, almost always, proving them to be arrogant dummies. She is, in other words, an annoyance. Nearly everyone she meets reacts the same way: Who is this strange woman, and what is she doing here? Viewers might ask the same. Why would anybody greenlight a spinoff about a minor character who appeared in a smattering of episodes of two moderately successful series over a period of 14 years? Who is this strange woman, and what is she doing here?

The answer is that Elsbeth Tascioni, and the oddball detective procedural in which she now lives, exist because Robert and Michelle King know what they’re doing. They have always been particularly self-conscious creators of network procedurals, working in a kind of uncanny valley: The shows are immersive, dramatic crowd-pleasers, but they are also playful, ironic, even occasionally postmodern in their building out of intellectual property. “Elsbeth” isn’t just a spinoff; it’s a spinoff about spinoffs.

From the perspective of what we can now call the “Good Wife” Televisual Universe, the very existence of “Elsbeth” is a pretty funny joke. It is a canny management of the industry’s obsession with reused intellectual property, but it is also a satisfying mockery of it, a rogue spinoff that has become self-aware. Elsbeth isn’t just a fish out of water in Manhattan. She’s a fish out of water on her own show.

This estrangement is embedded in the visual language of the show. Subway ads for the series featured a shot of uniformed police officers, a burly polyester wall, with Preston seemingly poking her head in from out of frame, wearing a pink overcoat, a crocheted scarf and a foam Statue of Liberty crown. This is Elsbeth, they announced: Nobody knows who she is, but she certainly doesn’t belong here. Scenes in the show itself are often blocked as though a passing tourist has happened upon the filming of a “Law & Order” episode, butted her way into the scene and ended up solving the murder. At the start of the third episode, we see a row of bystanders behind caution tape on a dark Manhattan street, their bodies a gray woolen barrier — until we spot a soft pom-pom bobbing up and down behind them, straining for a view. That’s Elsbeth, who must crouch and sneak through a forest of legs to get to her crime scene. There’s a series of shots, repeated in several episodes, in which a central-casting homicide detective is interviewing an eyewitness; the camera moves back and forth, capturing the interviewee at a lower angle and the commanding cop at a higher one, until the diminutive Elsbeth invariably scoots her way into the cop’s frame, taking it over from beneath. They never see her coming.

The core joke of “Elsbeth” is its own wobbly preposterousness, the way its protagonist is at odds not only with the other characters but also with the show that’s nominally built around her. In ways both too cute and really quite ingenious, Elsbeth Tascioni keeps disrupting a boilerplate CBS police procedural already in progress. The characters themselves notice this: The first three episodes have been layered with double entendres, reaching a boiling point in an episode revolving around a “Real Housewives”-style reality series. Elsbeth tells a producer: “I don’t think I’d do well on television.” Later, the producer lashes out at her: “You have no idea how hard it is to make good TV, Miss Tascioni, and you never will.” One detective questions not just the character but the show: “Elsbeth? What kind of name is that?” In a particularly sharp moment, the guest star Jane Krakowski simply stops the action to tell Elsbeth: “You I don’t get at all. I don’t get who you are or what you actually do.”

These lines are both nervous tics and statements of blithe confidence. They are also one droll reason for why the show works: It’s in a constant, comical state of existential crisis.

A hallmark of the Kings’ series is their mischievous messing with established formats; they play with genre in order to destabilize it, asking us to rethink concepts like justice or the binary of good and evil. With “Elsbeth,” they may aim to mount an unassuming critique of TV-cop propaganda. (Elsbeth is almost always right, while the police are almost always blinded by cockiness and self-assurance, having never once questioned their own purpose.) But it strikes me that you could just as easily see this as a show that’s interested less in the police than in the industry that keeps making shows about them.

The Kings have already made self-referential shows about lawyers and cops and priests and senators, dramas and satires and erotic thrillers about the lofty and corrupt institutions that structure our world. Is television itself not an institution worthy of such critical minds? When “The Good Wife” ended, several critics called it the last great network drama — a designation that, in retrospect, says as much about the networks as it does about the drama. Elsbeth does not belong in a CBS procedural; she is a time traveler from an antique land before the boom of Peak TV, before our current era of algorithmic austerity. Thus far, her show is a relatively simple one, but the Kings do not have a reputation for keeping things simple. What if they made a show about their own institution, a self-referential tale about an industry that holds itself in such low regard that it imagines its product could be made by artificial intelligence rather than writers and showrunners? An industry that mourns the loss of “The Good Wife” but would never greenlight it today? That show might focus on a figure dressed in bright colors, gazing in wonder at aspects of the world that other characters never stop to notice, carrying overstuffed tote bags filled with new ideas to a place that scorns color and wonderment and ideas. Nobody would ever see her coming.