Charles Rivkin, Chairman & CEO, Motion Picture Association

Willy welcomes Charles Rivkin. He is the Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). He leads the MPA’s global mission to advance and support the film, television, and streaming content industry. The MPA’s members currently include Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros. Drawing on almost 30 years of experience as a media executive and a leading U.S. diplomat, he advocates for policies that drive investment in film and television production, protect creative content, and open markets. He champions the economic and cultural power of film and television to communities around the world. The episode begins with Charles talking about his father’s career as a US ambassador to Luxembourg and Senegal and his godfather, a US ambassador to France. Charles believes that public service is the highest calling, and the influence of his relatives encouraged him to serve in the State for 18 years. With a deep love for singing, Charles never thought of doing it professionally, but the hobby gave him a chance to travel around the world. “I love being surrounded by creative people, and that’s one of the reasons I pursued a career in the entertainment industry,” he says. He decided to get an MBA because he was always fascinated by his grandfather’s clothing business. “When you give somebody employment, you change their lives,” he says. He loves the idea of being a CEO, contributing to his community, and making a difference on the international stage. With his background in economics, he combined it with his love for entertainment. He thinks that media is an enormous source of power and cultural exchange and can be a source of good when used properly. The MPA is already 100 years old and represents the six largest companies in the world. He talks about working with Jim Henson and selling his company, his desire to play in a “creative world”, and how they preserved his legacy by monetizing his assets. He got involved in politics in 2003 as Barack Obama’s US Ambassador to France, having the chance to know him before his presidency. He shares about doing film showings in the residence as he thought that films were a unionizing force and a reflection of American society. He challenged his French counterparts to create movies about sensitive topics and uses the medium to break stereotypes. Charles shares his experience being the first ambassador to jump out of an airplane with the US Army Golden Knights on the 60th anniversary of D-Day, overcoming his fear of heights. Referencing Top Gun, he has flown on an F-18 with a passionate and talented naval pilot. The first thing he did as he moved into the MPA was to bring Netflix on board. He clarifies that the MPA is not just about film but also includes TV and streaming. With the billions of dollars that Amazon and Apple spend on creating potentially award-winning content, he believes these giants will join the association soon. As gaming is also catching up, MPA is working together with Apple and Amazon to fight piracy, the one commonality they can agree on, and make entertainment a diverse and flexible force. “The walls are blurring,” he says. Doing trade deals with USMCA in Canada also enforces intellectual property protection online and brings content to markets that were unreachable in the past. He has a positive outlook towards reopening theaters, as Top Gun Maverick raked in a billion at the box office, and other smaller productions like Everything Everywhere All At Once made millions as well. “Moviegoing begets moviegoing.
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