Join Weaam Williams, Sharif Bennett, and Justin Trevor Winters in a special episode of "The Future of NFTs!" as they explore "Crypto Cinema: Unlocking Web3’s Film Potential."

The hosts discuss the unique opportunities NFTs present for filmmakers, directors, and artists in the realm of Web3, examining innovative funding models, decentralized platforms, and the transformative impact of NFTs on content creation and ownership. Tune in for insights into how NFTs are reshaping the film industry and empowering filmmakers to connect directly with their audiences. Whether you're a filmmaker or an industry enthusiast, this episode offers a compelling exploration of the transformative power of NFTs in shaping the future of filmmaking.

Crypto Cinema: Unlocking Web3’s Film Potential

Participants:

• Nadja Bester (Co-founder of AdLunam)

• Weaam Williams (screenwriter, director & actress)

• Sharif Bennett (CEO of CineBlock)

• Justin Trevor Winters (CEO of Vetrified Labs)

Hey, Web3 World. This is your host, Nadja Bester, AdLunam cofounder, and one very lucky lady to be back in your ear today, spending the next hour with you all for the first episode of season 3 of the future of NFTs. To our loyal audience members, welcome back. I've missed you guys. I know I'm late to the party as far as Christmas and New Year's wishes go, whether this is Gregorian or Lunar New Year. But I hope that the holiday season treated you well and that you're ready for a very exciting 2024 up ahead, especially in the web3 space. And if you are joining us for the first time today, welcome to the show. We record this live on Twitter Spaces every Tuesday at 1 PM UTC.

But if you miss out, you can always catch up with your favorite episodes on our Spotify channel. And, the future of NFTs is sponsored by AdLunam, which is a web3 fundraising accelerator and an investment ecosystem. We work with early stage startups to achieve institutional and retail fundraising success, and our Engage to Earn IDO Launchpad aims to democratize crypto investment. And speaking of, I'm very happy to deliver a few exciting announcements today. It has been a while since we spoke. This week, the AdLunam 02IDO accelerator has officially opened to the 1st cohort of projects. So if you're listening to this and working on a promising Web3 startups, do reach out to us. You can do this through our website at adlunam.cc or through any of our social media channels.

And then we're also super pleased to have been or not announced, at least nominated for best real world application in the AIBC Eurasia Awards 2024. Our amazing team has worked absolute wonders to support startups and to grow their aluminum brand during this never ending bear market of 2022 to 2023. So I'd like to take this opportunity to give them all a massive shout out for this amazing recognition. And then finally, if you are a fan of the Future of NFTs, you are in for a treat because come April 2024, we are, drum roll, launching the Future of NFTs book during Token2049 in Dubai. So definitely watch the space. It's going to be an exciting year for the podcast and, of course, for the overall future of NFTs. Now on to today, you are tuning into CryptoCinema unlocking web3's film potential. And in this show today, we're going to be discussing the emerging new vertical of film3.

So if you're not quite sure what that means, stay tuned because after this hour, you'll certainly walk away with a wealth of knowledge. So with me on the show are 3 industry experts with extensive backgrounds in international filmmaking, emerging technologies like Web3 and AI, and the hard earned experience of doing business, especially in film, in a rapidly changing world. So Weaam Williams, cofounder of African Film DAO, Justin Trevor Winters, CEO of Verified Labs, and Sharif Bennett, cofounder of CineBlock. Welcome, guys. I'm gonna give you a moment to unmute and check that your sound is working. But, before I do that, you have all had such illustrious careers so far that I can literally spend half the episode just going through your bios. But I'd love to get into the meat of things. Simultaneously, I'd also like for the audience to have a thorough background of your, thorough understanding rather of your background and your expertise.

So let's do a quick round robin introduction as we check your sound. In one sentence, what is your professional background? Weaam, welcome. Let's start with you.

Hello, Nadja. Thanks for having me here. So I'm a screenwriter. I'm also a director and an actor. I'm a full time filmmaker, and I'm the founder of the African Film DAO and Holocene Films, which is a Web3 film agency.

Yeah. I just wanna add, Weaam is extremely modest, but her work has been featured all over the world. She's won film fest Will Awards. She is an incredible, incredible professional in the filmmaking space and now, of course, also in the web3 space. Very happy to have you here, Weaam. And I was thinking earlier, I think you're the first fellow South African that I've ever had on the podcast, so this is amazing. Extra double welcome to you today. Justin happy to have you here with us.

Can you also give us a one liner about your incredible background?

Yes. Good morning from, dark Los Angeles. It's 5 AM, here, but super happy to be joining you. I am a professor at Loyola Marymount University, top 5 film school. I teach screenwriting and producing with a focus on technology, artificial intelligence. And I'm also the CEO and cofounder of Verified Labs, which is an agency, and, we basically connect brands and talent to opportunities in this illustrious beautiful space that we call web3 and film3. So that's us.

Justin, thank you so much for waking up so early. It's 8 PM here, and I was complaining about that, but I think, you've put things into perspective for me. I'm very grateful that it's 8 PM here. Sharif, happy to speak be speaking to you again. I think it's been a while since we spoke. Yeah. Please let us know what is your background and what does Cineplex do.

Hi, everybody. Can you hear me? Just okay. Awesome. Well, hello, everyone. Good morning, afternoon, evening, depending on where in the world you are. My name is Sharif Bennett. I am a, cofounder and Chief Evangelist Officer for CineBlock. CineBlock is essentially it's really two things.

It is an equity crowdfunding platform that allows content creators to, offer up equity, in any of their content. And at the same time, we are also an NFT, platform that allows content creators to monetize their work via NFTs. We sort of view ourselves as an ecosystem where a content creator can come and really, monetize, their work. It's been quite the journey, and let me just say I am happy to be here and happy to speak on this panel. Thank you.

Wow. It just makes me realize how much I've missed hosting the show because the wealth of people and just absolutely incredible people that we get on here, Very happy to have you guys join us today and very thankful that the audience gets to spend this time with you and get the insights that you have collected over your many years of experience both in filmmaking and also now in web3. So I wanna kick us off kind of by laying the groundwork for a proper definition. What exactly do we mean when we use the term film3? So, Weaam, Sharif, Justin, if you could each start off by giving us your definition of web3, perhaps specifically in the context of filmmaking and content creation, and then tell us what makes it distinct from previous digital transformations in the industry. Because obviously, filmmaking has been keeping with the times and very often set the trends in terms of filmmaking space but also encompasses the filmmaking space. So, Justin, can we start with you? What is your definition of web3 in the context of filmmaking and content creation and how is it different and distinct from previous, digital transformations?

Yeah. Definitely. I think it's just looking at, filmmaking and content creation from an independent, viewpoint. So not so much going in with traditional, distribution models. Right? So for us, a lot of it is just basically creating and looking at lots of different ways to get our content out there, in front of people. So, like, we started one of my business partners, is John Heder. A lot of people know him as Napoleon Dynamite. And we really just started by looking at the space in terms of creators and wanting to create content.

And so our first project was, Order of the Tigons, which is a cool little project. If you've seen Napoleon Dynamite, then you know the Liger. This was, the Tigon, which is a tiger and a lion, mix.

I think we've lost Justin's sound. Maybe just give him a minute or so to reconnect, or otherwise, we'll continue and let him come in when he's back. Okay. So maybe we'll get back to Justin. Sharif, can you pick up from where Justin left off? From your perspective, what is the definition of web3 in the context of filmmaking and content creation? Now I'm not sure if I've lost everyone or everyone has lost me. Weaam, if you can hear me. Sharif, I can hear you coming through now? Perfect.

Yes? Okay. Awesome. What I think helps, is to take a step back and say, alright. What is web1? Right? So web 1.0 is this idea of

Sharif, if I can stop you for a second, there's a very metallic sounding background. So it's actually not possible to hear the actual words that you're forming. Maybe if you can go to a different yeah. Still nothing.

Okay. Hold on, one

second. Alright. In the meantime, do you want to take the question, and then I think we'll go back to the to the guys.

Yes.

Okay. So I think, well, I don't think I feel that, Film3 is really an extension of Web3 in the film industry. So if we think of web3 as a decentralized Internet, film3 would be exactly that. You know, if we're looking at, the way films are made, traditionally, they funded, either through loans or through investment, or through film grants. And so when we look at the decentralized way of making a film, we're looking at the utilization of a doll, for example, the utilization of audience involvement and crowdfunding, with, the sale of NFTs, etcetera. And, for me, film3, presents filmmakers with more opportunities in terms of distribution and in terms of audience engagement. And what I really like about it is that intimacy, and the ability to reach, smaller audiences, you know, while one is making a film. And I don't think the it's, rocket science really because it's just a new way of doing crowdfunding.

And a lot of it is also based on having a community around your project, and an ecosystem where there's an understanding of web3. And it allows more players to have equity in in the actual project.

Beautifully put. So, Sharif, if you can hear us and if we can hear you, I think this is the perfect point for you to pick up, because you know all about crowdfunding and the new models of crowdfunding.

Yes. Can you hear me now? Is that a little bit better?

Perfect. Yes.

Apologies. I am currently in New Jersey, and there is a snowstorm happening, so it could be the Internet going in and out, as a result. So all apologies, if that continues to persist. But just to build on Liam's earlier point, yes, it's essentially the intersection of film and community. Right? Where an individual, a content creator, is no longer reliant solely on the traditional film models of going to a big studio, asking for financing, and then getting distribution, right, through these traditional channels. It's fundamentally about that content creator saying, well, I can now finance, and share my work with people who have a definitive interest in it. So there's no longer this reliance from a financing and distribution model, and it allows, content creators to share, their content with fans and audiences alike. And fans and audiences now have the opportunity to financially benefit from this content creator's work.

So it's really about community involvement with film, all emerging, to create basically, an entirely new distribution and financing model. That's how I sort of view film3.

Well, I think that is an amazing introduction. So if you're just joining us, we will be getting into the weeds of film3 today. So if this is a topic that, catches your interest, do stay tuned for the next hour as we speak to 3 amazing industry experts about film3 as the next natural evolution of the filmmaking industry. But before we start going into detail, I wanna maintain this bird's eye vantage point just a little bit longer. Let's sketch for the audience a compelling reason why film3 is worth paying attention to. Now I've caught from your answers a lot of mention about democratization of access to funding in filmmaking and also the empowerment of the audience really bringing the audience into the process as opposed to it being this top down process. So I wanna know, how do you see this intersection of technology, particularly web3 and blockchain, transforming the film industry? Is it inevitable? Is it something that might happen? How do you look at it, Weaam, if we can start with you?

I do see, film3 as being a natural progression, in the film industry. We are seeing more and more that creators are wanting greater control and access to their IP. Actors are fighting for royalties. We are seeing, all of these conversations being had with streaming platforms. We saw the strike with the writers guild and the acting guild. And so I definitely think that in the industry, there's a hunger and there's a need for the democratization of the intellectual property, which are which is created by so many people. And so film3 really, presents an answer in terms of how, film royalties could be split, you know. If you utilize a smart contract, for example, with regards to distribution and the split of royalty, it becomes quite seamless.

So I do think it's a natural progression. I don't know how fast it's gonna happen, though. But it's great that the technology does exist and that we are working on those infrastructures, and that we are prepared for when, you know, this does become a mass movement.

Yeah. Couldn't have said a bit of myself. Sharif, would love to have your thoughts on this as well.

Yeah. Great answer. Great answer. I certainly believe that it is inevitable. Right? I think just like Weaam said, what we've seen over the past, you know, real 18 to 24 months is a real desire for transparency, which is what the blockchain, allows. And what people want is to see the very content it is that they like. I think we need to approach this also not just as people who are building technology, not just people who are directors of this content, but also think about what the fan wants. Right? And there's so many time but so many times someone can go see Ant-Man 15.

Right? And it's no disrespect to the Marvel Universe. It's incredible. They do great things, but there's a hunger to see new types of content, and for people to benefit from the new types of content that's out there. And I think that this groundswell, this push is gonna force a percentage of people to look for alternative methods to get their content out. Right? And what Web3 does, what blockchain does is it allows for that. It allows for a new distribution model. It allows for a new financing model. So I think, ultimately, we'll get there at some point.

It's just similar to what we answered. How soon is that adoption gonna happen? Because people also need to become familiar with this technology and what it actually means. And any tool that empowers people also comes with a natural sort of fear. Right? Like, wait. How do I actually do this? And so the people who create this technology have to offer it in a way that's simple yet effective.

Wow. That really sets the stage for our conversation today. Guys, thank you so much. I think that was a wonderful introduction to the topic. We are still waiting for Justin to, rejoin us, but in the meantime, we'll continue with the question. So, Weaam, I wanna go a little bit more into some of your work that you've done. Your film Two Hues is recognized as Africa's first film3 project. So can you explain what made it a film3 project and what impact has it had to leverage these web3 technologies for the form as opposed to all of the other work that you've done previously where this was not part of the method that you used to create or to distribute or promote?

Okay. Well, you know that saying necessity is the mother of invention. And that's really what happened with me in 2 years. I made the short film, and it did really well in the festival circuit. Won a few awards. And then I went back to the donor who funded the screenplay for the feature film, and I couldn't get funding. And, I found it impossible to deal with the bureaucratic structures we currently have in South Africa because there just is no transparency when it comes to film funding. It's a lot of, you know, kickbacks happening behind the scenes.

And I can't endorse that system. So, you know, Nadja, you know, my husband and partner at the African Film DAO, he said, well, why don't you release your film as an NFT? And we did that, and we sold a few NFTs. Although, I admittedly, the NFT project or the NFT sale for the film in itself wasn't really successful. I have a big community in South Africa that supports my work. And they are kind of people who buy tickets to come and see a film screening. And I realized that many people didn't know how to purchase an NFT. Most people, you know, in the industry that I'm connected to, doesn't know what a digital wallet is. And so we started a process of education, actually.

And, when I launched my film as an NFT, there were so many other filmmakers reaching out to me saying, hey. I would like to do this too. How can I do this? And that's how we formed the African Film DAO. So literally born out of the film, and my trial and error with this project, you know, the African Film DAO was born out of that, and it's a community of filmmakers. And we recently did a showcase in Los Angeles where we showcased work from African filmmakers to, industry players in LA. So it started out as an NFT film, but it became a bigger, broader project involving an entire ecosystem.

I love how you started off by saying, you know, necessity is the mother of invention because it made me think of when we talk about all these different web3 technologies, so much of it is new and exciting and, you know, it's worth exploring and having fun with. But, ultimately, the projects that are sustainable are thing are ideas that really speak to necessary, solutions that we have within society as opposed to, you know, the latest project, just for the sake of it, and then it doesn't have a very sustainable long term shelf life. So, yeah, I think that's a very good way to look at these technologies. Yes. It's fun. Yes. It's exciting. But at the same time, it has to make sense.

And even when it makes sense, there's still a lot of learnings to be had. As you said, a lot of people don't understand how it works. They don't even understand how to create an or how to, sorry, purchase an NFT, because even the concept of a digital wallet is completely foreign to them. But, Sharif, you are working at this intersection of content creators on the one side and then the general populace on the other. So I wanna know, Web3, of course, is this collection of emerging technologies, and film3 inextricably linked to the latest development in these cutting edge technologies. Now we all know that AI is leading the tech conversation these days because everyone and their grandmother's best friend, the ChatGPT. As Weaam mentioned, the Writers Guild of America in 2023 had a 148 day strike about generative AI. And if you are a Hollywood/ Bollywood/ Nollywood hater, it's never been easier to use generative AI to make your own silver screen hit.

So I wanna know, the key technologies that are driving film3, blockchain, NFTs, virtual reality, AI, what are you seeing in terms of their impact on storytelling and audience engagement, and what is the adoption by creators in using these technologies to reach and speak to their audience in new ways?

Yeah. Great question. Great question. So as far as trends that we see emerging, AI is absolutely one that I think has massive amounts of potential. What it'll help do is speed potentially help do is speed up the filmmaking process, itself. Right? Which means that audiences have a shorter time in terms of digesting content. I think one of the things that, as a fan, that can be really challenging is the wait time in between, like, a film or even a sequel coming out or something that you like coming out of trailer. What AI can do is sort of reduce that time, in terms of that content creation and get it to that audience quicker.

So I think that has massive potential. And when we talk about blockchain, what that can help do, as far as a new technology, is for those fans, followers, investors who want to take part in this content creation. What it does is it allows for, a transparent medium, which can allow that investor to knowingly take part, in that content creation as they have their IP, credited and registered and more easily, tracked along the blockchain. So it has the potential to facilitate that that investor content creator relationship, and move it forward and move it in a very, easy and safe, fashion. There was a second part to your question that you asked, and I wanna make sure I address it. Could you repeat that part?

Yes. I think I was just asking, what the impact is on storytelling and audience engagement, but I think you answered that unless you want to, expand on it perhaps a little bit.

Yeah. Once again, I think it all fuels that audience engagement. Right? Like, just everyone take a step back and think about your favorite, film, your favorite content creator in any form. Right? Whether it's a musical group, whether it's a director, producer. If you have the opportunity to invest in their next project, would you do it? Right? And I think we're gonna come to that eventually where content creators are gonna say, you know what? I no longer need that mainstream studio. I no longer need to follow this traditional path because I have a built in audience already, just like Weaam was saying herself with her own film. And what's gonna happen is that content creators are gonna leverage their existing audiences. I think that's one of the things that was so big about web 2.0, a building up of all these followers and fans.

What content creators will be able to do is leverage that fan base and say, okay. I'm gonna be able to raise x amount of dollars from all of these fans. That'll create this groundswell. I'll now be able to finance this project, and I'll no longer need the studio to green light it. I'll do the filming and get the funding myself and then distribute it how it is I want and how my fans want to see it. And I think that's a trend that can really, really take shape over the course of the next few years.

Yeah. Definitely a very exciting time to be pretty much in any industry at the moment. I think we're in a period of great transition, and very few of us actually can predict exactly what's going to happen. They are predictions. They are speculations, but, the future is open season for anyone to kind of shape and send into a different dimension, really. Because I think when we talk about these technologies, the future is going to be so different than the past. And if you've been tuning in for the last 30 minutes of this conversation, there's certainly a lot to be excited about, even if you don't work in the film industry, even if you're just a consumer, you know, an audience member watching film. I think there's going to be incredible changes in the next few years.

So, Weaam, you have extensive experience as a filmmaker and an activist in South Africa. So I'd love to know what potential do you see in blockchain and in NFTs for empowering creators in the film industry, especially in marginalized communities where they don't have access to the same, amount and type of funding resources and, you know, growth resources as other markets and other segments of society?

Yeah. That's a good question. So just to round off, on my film to use, even though the NFT, project wasn't, really a success, it was a trial and error. It did open up, other opportunities for me in terms of, investment from people who are interested in investing in tech. And just, a broader conversation with, partners in the US, for example, who I would never ever have met if I hadn't undertaken to release my film as an NFT or, work in web3. So I definitely see the opportunity in terms of collaboration, and creating a new ecosystem. And this is where I see blockchain really changing the game for African filmmakers and filmmakers from historically disadvantaged communities. My passion in this space is about advocating for the medium of cinema to be more accessible to more people.

Traditionally, film is a white male dominated industry. And so, as the African film doll and as a filmmaker and activist myself, that being able to access this medium. And I see what we're doing now with the African Film DAO is that we are leveraging opportunities, using technology. And because we have this technology available to us, we can open it up to a broader community of filmmakers. This does require some training. It does require a bit of onboarding, etcetera. But because we're already developing the tech, we now have partners, in the US that we are working with very closely. Hollywood Landau, for example, to look at ways in which we can empower African filmmakers.

Absolutely amazing. Yeah. I love the work that you're doing. And every time I speak to you, I just feel incredibly inspired for the future of film, as well as using web3 for these use cases, which unlike some parts of the web3 industry where there's not so much of a use case, but just the hype, I think, the work that you guys are doing definitely speaks to a very, very important need within the content creation industry generally and more specifically, the film industry. So, Sharif, CineBlock, the aim of the company is to redefine film finance, investing, monetization. Now these are amazing ideas. You've spoken about why it's so important to give back to content creators instead of these top down approaches that we are used to in pretty much every industry. But I'd like to know what are some of the biggest obstacles in terms of a more widespread adoption of these new models?

Yeah. I think Weaam hit it right on the head when she said, there's an education component to this. Right? And so people from an adoption standpoint, what has to happen is that the technology has to be presented in a fashion that I think is easily digestible for the content creator as well as any potential investor. Right? It can't be seen as this you don't wanna give people a 500 page textbook and say, hey. Here. Read this and go invest. Right? That's daunting. Right? That's intimidating, which is what we in the community don't want.

Right? So I think from an adoption standpoint, it has to be simple, and it has to be easy and straightforward, you know. But anytime you're dealing with these these changes, there's a natural learning curve that needs to take place. Like, we take certain things for granted here, especially in the west, you know, where I was raised. Right? If we take a step back and look at modern day sort of capitalism, right, we take it for granted. And this idea of just owning property, we take it for granted. If I were to travel back in time a 1000 years and went to feudal Europe and went and went and went on to land and there were serfs working on land, And I explained to them, like, hey. You know, you can own this land. It isn't a king who owns this land.

The first thing they'd look at me and say they'd say, Sharif, you're crazy. Only a king can own land, and only a king can bequeath land to a lord, and then I work on that lord's property. So what it takes is this intersection of technology and new frameworks of thinking that empower people to say, like, okay. We can move forward. And that's what capitalism did, essentially. It said, no. We can break it down so that, ideally, everyone can own property. Right? It just took thousands of years for that system to implement.

So what's happening now in web3 is it's gonna take some time, but people are gonna have to challenge themselves in terms of their frameworks of understanding how IP is disseminated. Right? And in order to fuel that, it has to be through technologies that that once again, I'd say are simple, right, and easy to use. And that content creator has to put work out there that people enjoy and want to see. So it's fundamentally about community and technology just sort of merging together. So the number one obstacle to adoption to me is really just about education.

If you are just joining us, you are listening to the future of NFTs where we are discussing the world of film3, the future of cinema with amazing guests, on the show today. So, Sharif, you were just talking about this concept of property ownership being completely foreign to our ancestors. And fast forward to today, here we are. We have NFTs. I mean, we have completely new models of ownership that, as you rightly say, most people don't understand because they find it too far complex. I was laughing when you said about reading the 500 page manual because I think in web3, that's exactly what we've done. A project raises funds and say, if you want to know more about the project, read the white paper. And then perhaps the white paper is not 500 pages long, but it still puts the onus on the retail investor or on the audience member, on the consumer to go out and find that information for themselves, which, of course, as all of us know, because at some point all of us were new to the space, it's not so easy.

So, there's the education, let's say, the technical or industry or technology of specific education, but I think then there's also the larger picture that you touched on, this idea of frameworks of thought, of mindset. So I wanna know from the 2 of you and if Justin is going to be able to join us before the end of the hour, how will those mindsets change? Because, ultimately, what I'm hearing from you guys is film3 is so much about empowerment of the content creator, empowerment of the audience member, which, of course, is incredibly positive things to have happened. But at the same time, we understand from being in the industry, working with these technologies, that most people cannot appreciate the solutions that technology brings because they might not necessarily understand the problems that the technology is solving. So what are your thoughts on how these frameworks of thought, as Sharif says, can be transformed in order to get more people to adopt these technologies? Weaam, can we start with you?

I think it's really use case and utility. You know? And if we prove to people that there's something they can gain from this, and that we can service them in some way, we will get people to adopt the tick. I'll give you an example. With the African film DAO, when we launched a free NFT, We got a couple of people, who got the NFT, and that's a membership NFT. And then we put out a call for projects saying, you can pitch your project to Hollywood distributors, but to do so, you need to get an NFT. And then we got, about 40 or 50 more people to download an NFT simply because they wanted to submit a project, for us to review. So once we start implementing, the utility, for, you know, and people can see the value in that, then then we're winning. And I don't think we're gonna reach 100 of millions instantaneously.

And I think that's part of decentralization is that we're working with smaller groups of people who will then spiral into medium sized groups of people and then into bigger groups of people because that is generally the ethos of decentralization. But, just on behalf of the African Film DAO, like, we have some influential, film industry players who have downloaded our NFT. And, these people are, you know, distributors, in Africa, a film curator from quite a big film festival. So, these people are not in web3. It’s curiosity and utility which led them there. And I think if we continue to offer value in the areas where where we see the problems and offer these solutions to communities as tangible solutions, we're definitely gonna get people to buy into it.

Absolutely love that answer. I think at the end of the day, everything comes down to value. And if there's no sustainable value, well, there's no going to be no sustainable community or adopters of the tech. Sharif, very keen to have your thoughts on this as well.

Yeah. 100%. To build on what was previously stated, it becomes I think what could help change it is fandom. Right? So one of the things that we at CineBlock did was we also have what we call, like, our sister site, which is NiFTy Cinema, which has to do with, minting NFTs. So one of the things that we're able to do with the first film that we've tokenized is move into this concept of what we like to call Phygitals. Right? And to highlight that, what it really means is what we think is that films are an ecosystem. Right? When you when you make a film, there there's so many props that are involved. Right? And oftentimes, what happens is that you have, you shoot a film, and then you've got all these props, and they just go in a suitcase, and then that suitcase goes in storage, and then that storage unit stays there for 4 years.

Well, what if we have the ability to, sell some of those props that come from that film? Right? And then we're able to then, for example, use that NFT as a tracker for ownership and IP of that film so that the person who then says, hey. I wanna have Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from StarWars, is not only mailed then the actual prop from that movie, but then has an NFT that, corresponds with it and clearly identifies who the owner is, and is able to correctly, transfer, and log all of the ownership. Right? So I think a lot of it too is about the use case, and as well as fandom. Right? We, as content creators, as platform providers, need to give the fans what it is they want. If we give fans what it is they want, it will create this groundswell to further that adoption. And that's where I think a lot of these technologies can go and what it is they can do. So for me, it's all about getting fans what they want. That's how I view it.

And that's an amazing philosophy to start and end with, and I think not enough businesses have internalized that kind of philosophy. So here's to the future. Weaam, speaking of the African Film DAO and the other local initiatives that you've been involved with, do you think that these new web3 and film3 platforms, do you think that this will contribute to the growth and the cultivation of African cinema in this new digital age, or do you think it's something that only really people that are already in the space, will start adopting. How do you see that split between newcomers into the space, as well as professionals, long standing professionals having to adopt the technology?

I definitely see people adopting the technology. I mean, like I said earlier, we have a distributor who got an NFT, a film festival curator, and they're from the web2 space. A number of filmmakers who are not in the web3 space, they have our access NFT simply because they wanted opportunities. And what we did earlier this year with the Hack Festival was a perfect example of the convergence of blockchain technology where, the African film DAO worked together with Hollywood Landau and, showcased the work of 16 African filmmakers, to industry players in Los Angeles. And we're now looking at distribution, for those films. Those are opportunities that would not have normally been offered, to these filmmakers. And, you know, and they came about as a collaborative effort between the 2 DAOs. So, this this is just, you know, our first step.

And we're planning to make bigger, bolder steps. And I definitely see the African Film DAO and blockchain technology and the collaborations we're doing with various people around the world contributing, to the growth of African cinema.

Well, I'm definitely all there for that. Sharif, on the other side of the fence, Weaam, representing, let's say, the independent creators, you are the platform that support these independent filmmakers and content creations, content creators, in navigating very complex territories of digital distribution and monetization. How exactly does CineBlock do this, and what are some of the glass ceilings that filmmakers can break through using these new models that are really not accessible to them in the web2 space?

Yeah. Great question. Great question. So what we do as a platform is we're essentially a portal. Right? An equity crowd, funding portal that's gonna that allows for content creators to offer up equity in any of the projects it is that they want. Right? They can offer up how much equity they want. And what it does is it allows them to crowdsource, right, in fashion similar to, say, a Kickstarter and Indiegogo. But what it'll do is it will allow fans to not just contribute to works it is that they wanna see and maybe get, like, a free t shirt or a coffee mug.

But actually say, like, hey. Wait. I own equity in this. I wait. I can potentially own equity in this. I wanna be involved. And then so what it essentially does is turn stakeholders. I love this.

It turns stakeholders into shareholders. Right? That's a fundamental shift that happens as a result of this new paradigm. Right? Where fans are now investors. Like, this is this becomes a really big sort of source and component for how it can fuel, this next wave of investment. Right? And so content creators will be able to monetize their fans, in new ways possible and reach, people in areas that they may never have been able to do it. So if you've got fans in other countries, if you've got fans in other regions of the world, they too can participate in your project. Right? And benefit financially from your project. So it creates a whole new wave of community.

Right? And I think that's fundamentally what web3 is about. Right? And really sort of create this groundswell that says, this is the content that we want. We're gonna back it, and we're gonna push it out there. We don't care what these major sort of studios say. Hopefully, I answered your question there, and I just didn't ramble.

No. Absolutely. I don't think it's possible for you to just ramble because everything you say makes complete and 100% sense and is such a value add. Thank you so much for all of your insights. Guys, we're coming to the end of the hour. So just to remind you, if you do have any questions for our guests, feel free to either tweet them to us or alternatively send a direct message to the AdLunam Inc. Twitter handle. So, Weaam, maybe a final question before we wrap up and get into the QnA because I see there's already a whole bunch of questions from the audience. I wanna talk a little bit about the relationship between film3, these technologies that are possible with film3, and the emotive experience, between filmmaker and audience.

Your work as a screenwriter and a filmmaker very often explores powerful themes like identity, mental health, social issues. So do you envision that leveraging web3 technologies can tell these stories more effectively, so that there's, let's say, a more intimate connection between the audience and the creatives from

The traditional way of doing things or making a film. From the traditional way of doing things or making a film. Is that level of audience engagement, you know? Example, this Twitter space where we are able to speak to each other, about our ideas, our thoughts, and our work, and have people listen in. Last year, I did a series of, discussions on Beam, with regards to the 2 use project and it was hosted by Tess Finn. And that was really intimate, getting people to tune in, to our live stream and we'd, talk about issues around, women in film, mental health, etcetera, all, connected to the 2 use film. So I think, web3 does allow for great audience engagement. I mean, if we look at the data, the numbers on the streaming platforms are declining, you know. Amazon has left Africa.

And social media has a big, part to play in this. Many people would rather be on their phone, going through Twitter and LinkedIn than actually watching Netflix. And that's just the reality, of our time. And I think web3 offers a more intimate experience into the lives and worlds of creators. It allows for more access. And it doesn't put, artists and creators, on a pedestal as we do in a traditional kind of Hollywood, very glamorous industry. It's that real world connection between, artists and the audience and the potentially growing fan base.

Yeah. What a wonderful note to end an incredible discussion. Thank you guys so much for all of the insights that you gave the audience today. I see there's a lot of questions, so I'm gonna jump right into them so we can get through as many as possible. Sharif, from Utaku, as Chief Evangelist Officer at CineBlock Films, what strategies do you employ to promote and engage audiences with independent films, particularly in a competitive market?

So from a strategy standpoint, right, it's tough out here. Right? One of the things I always say to people is people who are gonna benefit from web3 immediately. Right? The first people to really, really benefit from web3 are people who've built and actively participate in an existing community already. Right? So if you've got a following, if you've got fans, understanding that turning them from fans into investors is key. Right? And what web 2.0 did was it allowed people to build this fandom up, whether it was on Facebook, whether it was on Instagram, TikTok, etcetera. And so from a strategy standpoint, the people who are gonna benefit earliest from web3 are the people who say, okay. I understand this. I need to turn a percentage of these people who follow me into investors.

Right? And so if you've got and if you can do that to save from 3 to 5%, then you've potentially got something right there. Right? So that's the first thing I always tell people is let's sit down and let's go over what your existing community looks like, and then let's start leveraging that existing community it is that you already have. And if you don't have one, that's fine too. But if you have one, let's explore that first and foremost.

Utaku, I hope that answers your question, for Weaam from Snow, what inspired your journey into screenwriting, directing, and acting, and how do you navigate challenges of wearing multiple hats in the film industry?

Okay. Screenwriting. So writing has always been second nature to me. I'm a storyteller by heart. And I started writing when I was at high school. I got my short stories published. I had my stories published at university. And then, I'm also a published author, in terms of short story and poetry.

So screenwriting was a natural progression for me. But I've always had a performative element to the work I do. And I feel like writing and performance are very, very interlinked. These 2 really complement each other. When it comes to directing, I can't always direct myself. I often have a co-director, and, also, I'm not always directing the projects that I am acting in. So, when I'm directing, I'm directing. If it's a project which I wrote, and I'm performing in, I will hire a co-director, a strong co-director.

And the reason why I say co-director is because once I've written it, it's very difficult for me to just hand over 100% directorship, to someone else. I do become quite attached, to my projects, but I do allow the director to take, you know, to take the helm, in terms of that role. But I also do direct projects where I'm not the writer or I I'm not performing in. I hope that makes sense.

Thanks, Weaam. Sherry, from Ismullah, what measures does CineBlock take to ensure compliance with regular regulatory standards in the cryptocurrency space?

Great question. So CineBlock is, an SEC approved, vehicle. Right? And will also be FINRA approved. So it's there is an element of KYC. So what'll happen is that anytime someone looks to build a campaign, there's a level of know your customer, analysis that is gonna take place for any potential investor. Right? Because we wanna ensure that there's no money laundering that's taking place, that there are no actual bots there taking place, etcetera, etcetera. And what they're gonna get is a securitized asset that is, either, invested in via traditional fiat currency or in a cryptocurrency. And what we'll be able to do is, is turn that, if that investor wants, is then turn that, investment into a crypto of their choice, and it's gonna be held in a stablecoin.

And that stablecoin is then pegged to the US dollar. Right? So there's a lot of things that is that we have that ensure a level of transparency as well as, compliance built into the system, already.

Great. And then I think the next question is for the both of you. I'd love to have your differing, experiences and perspectives From JP, what does the filming fraternity think of transitioning the filmmaking engine onto the blockchain?

So, you know, at the gatekeepers there are a lot of gatekeepers in the South African film industry. And initially, you know, some of the ideas we had were quite ridiculed, you know. And it's ridiculed because it challenges the traditional way things are done. It challenges bureaucracy, and it allows creators a lot more freedom and opportunity, and also opportunity to finance. So, I have encountered a degree of stubbornness, from a certain fraternity of people. But on the other hand, you know, they are minority. And, the filmmakers themselves are the actual industry. And, when I look at the fraternity of filmmakers who I know, more in my network, there there's a there's a real, curiosity with regards to the blockchain technology and what we can offer them with the African film DAO.

So I do believe that that the industry is gonna grow. And I've said this at a live event that, you know, we built the African film DAO. The gates are open. There's a seat for everyone at the table, and there's a seat for the gatekeepers too. So when they're ready to join us, they’re welcome.

Lovely answer, Sharif. I think you are going to be closing us off today. So in your experience, what is the perspective and perception of the filming fraternity in terms of this brave new world of blockchain and film3?

Yeah. I mean, it's absolutely a mixed bag. Right? You will get pushback from people, in part because it's such a new platform. It's such a new space to be diving in. And the reality is that it provides a lot of creativity, but a lot more accountability and responsibility on the part of the content creator who's running campaigns. Right? And so some of the pushback from some people is, like, hey. I just don't wanna do this. And I'm like, that's fine.

If you don't wanna do this, then what it means is that you're still gonna be fundamentally reliant upon the old system. And if the old system didn't help you, right, if the old system didn't help you finance, if the old system didn't help you get your work out there to communities, Why wouldn't you try something new? Right? But then at the same time, you get people who do embrace it. Anytime you have a new technology, there's gonna be people who are hesitant to adopt. I'm sure when the telephone first came out, people were like, this is this is scary. Right? or when cars first came out and people were no longer, taking horse and carriages, I'm sure some people like, wait. This is scary. You mean myself, I have to drive this? I have to learn how to drive stick shift? I'm not gonna do this. I'm gonna stay with this horse and carriage, and that's fine for some people.

But for those who are willing to take the leap forward, I think it presents, an unmatched and really potential out there to do something to fundamentally change and transform the way communities exist. Right? And then have not just content creators, but the people who are in their community financially benefit from this new platform. So once again, it's a mixed bag. And some people some people are against it, but I there's a lot I get a lot more positivity than I do negativity.

Well, that is, absolutely wonderful note to end the show on. Sharif, while I have you, where is the best place for folks to stay connected with you and also, stay up to date with what CineBlock is doing?

Sure. You can follow us, on our sign up on our website, cineblock.info. You can follow me on LinkedIn. I'm always posting things on LinkedIn. Follow us on, IG, CineBlock Films. We're easy to find. Right? We're out there. We're we are easy to find.

Or just shoot me a message. Sharif Bennett. I am easy to find.

Okay Guys, if you found any value in what Sharif was saying today, I feel like I should have had a notebook to make notes. Definitely stay in touch with him and with the incredible work that CineBlock is doing. And then, Weaam, over to you. Where can we where can the audience stay connected with you and also with the very many different things that you do?

Uh-huh. Okay. Well, if you wanna join the African Film DAO and, become a member, it's open to everyone. Although it is for the promotion of African film, it is not only there for African filmmakers to join. So we'd love for you to join and get our access NFT. And that you can get at africanfilmdao.xyz. And then with regards to me, you can follow me on Twitter. You can follow me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

It's Weamm Williams, everywhere. Thanks.

Yeah. Weaam and Sharif. And also, Justin, I know that we unfortunately lost you due to tech issues, but thank you all so much for joining us today and just for the incredible insights. I think it's always so nice to hear about a new vertical from people who are absolute experts in it, but then also speak about the subject, in a sobering manner. It's not all great, and it's not all terrible. It's like all things, it's evolving, and it's going to take time. But then we have all of these amazing people making sure that what is, or what does ultimately come to fruition, have been developed with a, you know, specific framework of thinking in mind, to quote Sherry. And then to the audience, thank you so much for joining in today.

Episode 1 of season 3, absolutely amazing to be back. I really missed it. Missed you guys as well. And I will catch you again next week for another episode of the Future of NFTs. Cheers, guys. Have a wonderful I don't even know what day it is, Tuesday. Have a wonderful Tuesday.

See you next week. Bye.