The Million-Dollar Comedy Concept - Itay Dom.

I am not money focused necessarily when it comes to that. Like I just feel like the comedy industry needs like a boost. I'm only familiar with you guys through the dating void and I've seen what you've done and I've also seen the live shows and I love it. New Zealand comedy it's not very well represented online and someone needs to bring it to the 21st century. The brand is the value cuz in my head I was like surely the the social media brand is what you want. You want the YouTube, Tik Tok, Instagram clips. That's what I would assume is the value. So, this is what we need now, okay? >> With a million dollars in cash >> and a helicopter. >> People come and

see me all the time trying to pitch me new business ideas. They have a full plan of how they want me to help. But you have to think about it from my perspective. I need to understand how it's going to scale. Where's the money? Or better yet, where's the opportunity? This isn't a podcast. This is a live pitch by Eet trying to pitch me on a new concept and a new show that he's trying to bring to life where he wants the attention seeker to come to the party to help him produce it. It's a great insight to what an investor like myself looks for in a pitch before I will commit to the funds and the resources to help this person achieve their goals

to ensure that there's something in it for me. So sit back and enjoy. >> All right, man. Welcome to the podcast, bro. >> Welcome. >> Yeah. Um, so I heard that you have a pitch for me. >> Yeah. So, like, hit me with it. What do you want from me? How much money is it going to cost you? >> Man, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. We were just talking to Mia. She was like, he's got money. >> Let's see. >> So, we're ready. Um, yeah. I was actually going to bring like charts and stuff, but then I was like, you know what? Let me let me speak from the heart about this, but Chad Gupt told me it was a bad

idea, >> but I'll still try it. It's um >> So, the pitch is this um I New Zealand comedy, right? It's not very well represented online. Yeah. And someone needs to bring it to the 21st century or even the 20th century or even the 19th century. But we're >> just bring it. >> Just bring someone bring it, man. >> Yeah. So, what I've been doing is I've been cooking my own brand for the past two years. It's called uh it's a show that I do. It's called Crowdleaser. Okay. >> And it's all about improvised comedy based on audience suggestions. >> Yeah. And there's heaps, this is where the charts would have come in handy, but there's heaps of like equivalents of that in the UK,

in the States, like stand up on the spot is a very big one. They have like a million subscribers on YouTube, like half a million on Instagram. Like all their reals go viral essentially. >> Yeah. >> And their business model is very simple really. It's uh you take >> famous comedians >> Yeah. who never really want to do their stand up on camera unless it's for themselves, right? So, you actually just give them prompts that they don't ever talk about. So, they don't care about it. They they they're like, "Oh, yeah, you could put put this online. This is not my material." >> Yeah. >> Comedians don't want to use their own material on someone else's platform. >> Yeah, makes sense. >> Right. >> You

don't want to give your own product away for free to someone else. >> Yeah. >> So, all it is is you give them suggestions that are random and then they riff on it. can be funny, not funny. It's always funny like something will happen. If it's not funny, even that's funny. Yeah. >> Does that make sense? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, you just do that and essentially you kind of leverage their own social media cuz they get the clips, they share it to create like this third party brand, which is the show. >> Yeah. >> Um, and I've been doing it for two years. I've done about eight shows. They've all sold out. >> I've had, >> this is the name drop moment.

>> Yeah. Uh, I've had like uh basically I've had like all the big comics like I've had like Guy Williams, Guy Montgomery, Ray Larry, Paxasi, >> Jenny Tian, I don't know if you know she like from we had the Tom Cashman come through Hong. So like a bunch of like international comics, they come in, they jumped on the show. >> Um, all the shows been great >> and I filmed them all on my phone. So So it's not really, you know what I mean? It's like I'm not putting this online. No. >> But the the the product is there like the show is like been refined over eight shows. So, like we know how to do it. >> Yeah. >> So, this is what we

need now. >> Okay. >> Need a million dollars in cash >> and a helicopter. >> Gosh, make some focus. >> Yeah. And I'll get you the product. Um, now so what it is is um because the only way to grow and I mean obviously you know this like the only way to grow is with social media. Yeah. >> Like you can't really do a live show if it doesn't have a digital footprint. >> Yeah. >> It doesn't really exist, right? So the the way to do it would be you do a show. I call in all the favors. I get like some big comics on. >> Yeah. >> Uh you have about eight comics. >> Yeah. >> They they each do about five minutes. So

it's a quick show. It's not crazy. It'll be easy to sell. Yeah. >> Especially if like you film it, you know, you >> just kind of advertise it like that. >> Yeah. >> And then in terms of the content, right, if you think about it, you got eight comics. If everyone just riffs even on like three or four topics, right? That's um that's like 32 >> clips just there, which is a clip a day. Yeah. >> For a month. >> Yeah. >> Um and you kind of just have to assume one of those will go a little bit viral. You'll get a little bit of traction. >> You shoot a couple of those shows. Every show is like essentially in my head like a month

worth of daily content. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, the produ the >> I mean, I shouldn't say this on camera, but like the comics don't need to get paid, >> you know what I mean? Like they'll just do it for the clips. >> They do it for the content cuz uh >> they don't they want it. That's that's the one thing we want. That's what everyone wants. >> So, all you have to do is you film it. It could be a two camera setup. It doesn't even have to be crazy. You just need like something that's kind of cutable. >> Yeah. >> Um, couple mics on the audience on the comic. That's all you need. Like, it's very low budget. I mean, I guess

the the most difficult thing would be to get an editor, but not like it's not hard to edit. It's just you need someone to edit it. Someone who kind of gets social media. Yeah. >> I think I'm at the right place. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, uh, Abel can do some stuff, you know. >> Yeah. >> And, um, yeah. So, that's kind of the show. That's, uh, that that's my idea. >> So, how does the show like Let's dig into this a little bit. Okay. So, where's where's the money? Yeah, the money is um >> tickets. >> The money is in the tickets. Yeah. You could charge at least 30 bucks for a comedy show. >> Yeah. >> Um you do a 100 seat venue,

that's three grand. >> Yeah. >> And where's the scalability of the money? >> So like >> Yeah. >> Three grand probably >> is not a lot. >> Well, it's not bad money like for a night's worth of work, but yeah, once you put seven people, eight people working that one night >> Yeah. then it's not enough. >> But if you did it low budget, you know, you just put your own cameras up, did some stuff, and you did it, you organized them. Yeah. Three grand's awesome. >> Absolutely. >> You say no to that. Three grand once a month for one show. You're having fun anyway. >> Yeah. >> Um but where how do you scale that three grand? Like how do you turn that three

grand into 30 and that 30k into 300? Where does that how does that play out with this idea? >> Uh bigger venues. Yeah, that's how we would uh Yeah. So the only real scalability outcome that we have is put more people into a venue for the show. Like that's the only real way to scale it. >> I think that's the only way to scale standup. Yeah. >> Um that when you Okay, let's just park that for a bit. Okay, cool. So we scale it. So what's the biggest venue you got in New Zealand? >> Well, in Oakuckland or >> probably something like Sky City. >> Yeah. How big is that? >> That's 700 seats. >> 700 seats. So then you're at like what? 21 grand

for the night kind of thing. 30 bucks. Yeah, >> you might increase the ticket price or something. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, you might be like 35k for the >> night. Okay. So, cool. Okay. Then for um if you were to bring someone in to do the content and market and do all those sorts of things, what's in it for that person? >> What's in it for us? >> Yeah, that's a good question. >> Yeah. >> What do I get? Do I get the 35 grand? >> Um you're going to have a lot of money to be honest. Um, I just I'm just really after the the clips, if that makes sense, which uh yeah, like I'm not really >> This is why that's why I

should not be pitching this, but like I am not money focused necessarily when it comes to that. Like I just feel like >> the comedy industry needs like a boost. Um I don't really I can't really do it myself. It's almost the thing. Yeah. >> Um so I'm just trying to bring everyone up. Um >> I think I think if yeah I think if there's an avenue for comics to do that more things will open up like like any other industry like like it will just elevate like money will come in because comedy is lucrative. >> Yeah. >> People do come to see comedy just like in New Zealand it's very like tithering on >> Yeah. >> or not not successful. >> Yeah. But um

there's definitely a market for it. Yeah. Market for it. Yeah. Um, so okay. So what you're essentially saying there is like actually what's in it for us as the production team and the marketing team is that well actually if you your primary focus isn't the money. So if as long as at first we took the money to cover our costs that's okay. Yeah. >> As long as everything's paid for. >> Yeah. >> And um and on your end you get the content to grow the brand because if the brand grows and there's lots of other stuff that happens, right? So, like there's some stuff to think about like um first of all like I'm always up for like cool [ __ ] like this. >> I think

that >> So, we're done. >> I mean, we can if you're going to agree to my next part. >> Um it's I think comedy is a great um it's very lucrative I think especially in digital content perspective. I think it's very lucrative. I think that's actually where your pitch needs to be refined because the the scalability is not in a bigger venue. >> Like >> I mean it could be if you got it to a point where it was a world tour level thing, you know, when you sold out >> a thousand venues across the world. Yeah, fine. Sure. >> You're making 100 million. Fine. Sure. I got it. >> Um but realistically that's um >> you know that is a huge deal to be

able to do that. You know, there have been those situations where someone like Matt Refe sells out the world tour in minutes, but 15 million followers. >> That's more like a like a startup unicorn kind of thing. You know what I mean? >> Yeah, exactly. It's very rare that most people get that level. And this doesn't mean you can't shoot for that, but like that's not the norm. >> I don't have those chicks on. >> Yeah. I mean, he's a whole other bull game, but he was also one of the first to do crow like put out crowdwork content >> like heavy heavy. Yeah. >> Yeah. And he did it and he and he caught a wave. >> Yeah. Major wave. >> Yeah. However, so

that is one way. Scale it that way. But actually the like for me >> the money the the the scalability isn't in the um the event, it's in the content. >> The content's the valuable piece because you can monetize content >> forever. >> Comedy doesn't get old. >> No, >> you can still go watch Eddie Murphy's old standup routines and [ __ ] crack. Absolutely. You know, and they're what, like 40 years old now? >> Yeah. The 80s. So, um, comedy never dies. >> It never gets old. Yeah. >> There's still there's like, um, still so many clips on social media that came out in Facebook days, like 2010 kind of days that are still resurfacing now. Tik Tok, still going viral, still going viral. >> So,

actually, I think the scalability, if this was to work, is that the content is the valuable thing. >> Yeah. >> There's obviously um the fact that YouTube would pay >> one that's one aspect. YouTube would pay ad revenue if you get it to the point where it does like the dating void that you know of ours that's something like that does you know >> um but then there's people licensing the content for different things >> okay >> or there are eventually you get it so big that every episode becomes a special >> you know and then you sell the special >> to different like TV networks or whatever that takes a little bit higher production again >> you know like they they um >> they

look at that production being it needs to be 6K it needs to be certain criteria blah blah to fit on TVs and whatnot but that's fine like you're not going to get to that from day one anyway. So, just deal with it when it comes to it. >> So, I actually think like your pitch should be like for me if I was to do it, >> I wouldn't really um bank on the ticket revenue paying costs. It might like >> or sorry, making us profit. It might make us save some money like pay the cost of production quite quickly. >> Yeah. >> But actually, we'll never like profit it. Uh it'll take years like >> of course >> you know you think about getting to

sky selling out Sky City uh you'd have to have a pretty big headline act quite quickly to get that sold out. Otherwise you have to turn you into the big headline act which just takes time. >> Of course >> it can be there but it just takes time. So it might take a year or so before you get to that point if you do it all right. And if you don't do it all right it might take three years. >> You know what I mean? I don't think that's the case. I think there is enough headline acts in New Zealand that you could probably fill it out with the right people. I think you could. Um but it will take some time for the show

concept. >> But actually when you scale up a an event like that the cost scale up too. >> That's true. >> They scale up massively. >> Yeah. Venue higher >> venue higher. The venue higher of a 100 person versus a sky city is like completely different. Right. >> So actually you end up with like pretty similar profit margins until you get to like >> selling out Spark Arena. >> Sure. >> Something like that. Or you're doing seven shows a week kind. >> Yeah. It's the multiple shows that really make you money. >> Really make you money. Right. Um, but actually I think the long-term play is owning the content. >> That's is owning the show. >> Absolutely. So is that So from a investor perspective

for you, would you then own the show? Is that kind of >> the idea? >> I don't need to own the whole show. >> I mean, like if you're going to give me the whole show, I wouldn't say no. But um, >> well, I'm trying to cuz I was just talking to Abdel about it. It's like, um, I'm only familiar with you guys through the day void and I've seen what you've done and I've also seen the live show. So, I've kind of I feel like I've seen the whole production pipeline. >> Yeah. >> And I love it. You know what I mean? That's why I reached out to Laura and everything. >> Yeah. >> Is the money but obviously the dating void I don't

know if you mind talking about it, but like the dating there is no money in the live show in terms of like you guys don't do tickets. >> No. >> But but the show is a product that then you guys sell. >> Yeah. >> Is that how that works? >> Yeah. There's two parts to that for us. um there is that the show um at some point in time hope the idea is that it's big enough that you can license it, you can sell the show or you have people wanting to sponsor the show. Yeah. You know, and we've had that already where we've had alcohol sponsors sponsor the show. Yeah. >> Because they can't advertise like normal brands can. So they advertise through us

placement and whatnot. So it gets monetized in that way. Okay. which means that we can like um we did start to sell tickets in the last two >> just to try to see what happened. Yeah. So we sold them out. Yeah. 80 50 bucks a ticket. >> Oh wow. >> Yeah. So it was fine. Yeah. I mean it cost us about we ran ads to do it and whatnot and it was cool. So we we were able to sell out. That was easy for us to do but all that really covered was the wages on the night. >> Yeah. >> Realistically that's all it covered. >> Yeah. >> Um >> the but then we got like 10 grand a sponsor and that's the profit. Nice

>> because that there's no extra work for that. It's just we're making content anyway. It's going to happen regardless, >> but now we're getting paid to do that content as well. >> So that's that's the first bit. The second bit would be the content itself just gets paid for being played, >> you know? So YouTube play pays you for it to be played. Longterm, like it would be great if say like >> TBNZ or Netflix or someone was like, "Hey, can we like run your show? Can we take it off YouTube and we'll have it? We'll buy the rights off you." Yeah, >> that's great because I mean wouldn't say no to Netflix coming to the door, you know, like the budgets that they have.

So that's probably like the longer term play. >> I see. >> Then as an event business itself, there is opportunity for it to scale. We do think it can scale. We tried once. We were going to take it to Australia. We didn't quite put the right effort in and we we we only sold 60 tickets a show, >> right? >> And we decided to pull it because there's a bunch of changes in our business. But I actually think we can do it. Take it to every city of the world. Yeah. It's really easy to be done now that we know how to one promote it and do it. So you could take it on a traveling show. >> Yeah, for sure. >> One of the

reasons we didn't do it is we don't have the team to do that. Like Laura was never going to go run around the world. She's got a partner here. She's not going to do that. >> Abdal probably would have, but he couldn't probably do it on his own. We need support and we didn't have the team. Yeah, probably. No, he just like >> he's young, right? He's young, new to it. Um Laura is a lot more experienced um in his his lead. So, we need someone strong like Laura um who was willing to be on the road for the whole year essentially >> cuz that if you can do it, you just don't stop. >> Yeah. >> You just don't stop. You just go city

to city to city and run every every week run three shows in the city. >> Gain momentum. Keep going, right? Just have a whole team that pushes it out. >> Yeah, man. >> So, I think that's something for Dating Void sponsorships and then selling the content. >> Okay. >> But the value to me is the asset, >> not the all that all that revenue. All it does, it gives me um the ammunition to go to someone else and say, "Do you want to buy my whole show off me?" >> Yeah. >> And someone comes along, I'll give you $3 million for the whole show. Yeah. >> I'm like, "Yeah, cool. It's yours. I don't own it anymore. You take over. Give me my money. I'm

out." >> I understand. >> So that's where for me >> uh and what you're pitching that's way more lucrative. >> Yeah. >> Because if I invest time over three to five years >> Yeah. >> and we build this thing and then someone comes along and like can we take the show 5 mil? >> Yeah. Fine. Take it. Yeah. >> Yeah. Take it. >> That's way better, right? Then all this other money is good, but you got to work for it. >> You got to work your ass off for it >> for sure. >> Once you've done the work and then someone comes along and goes, "Okay, here here's a couple mil. Can I have your show?" >> And that's that's the best, right? >> And

so that's where I would say the value for me is long-term is like going you're getting ownership in the show itself. >> Yeah. Um as well as having access to the revenue to pay costs as we go through. >> Yeah. >> And like it's always nice for all of us to make a little bit of profit on the side. >> Sure. But that you got to you got to understand when you first to do you're first doing that there's no profit being made. Mostly cost. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Mostly cost for like when especially when you first start going hard into it. It's probably yeah >> a year before you even you're probably losing money for a year. >> Yeah. >> Like I'd probably

lose money for a year, >> right? >> You know in terms of production. >> Sure. editors and Yeah. Yeah. >> I'd probably lose money for a year, which is fine. >> That's okay because if you believe in the idea, then you know that it could work long term. >> Yeah. >> The other way that I make money off Dating Void and something like this is that >> uh people know we do it. >> Yes. >> And then we sell that to other businesses who want to do it, right? Like not necessarily selling a comedy show, but selling social media services or >> Yeah. >> creative solutions and stuff like that. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So people know we do dating void and like >> the

type of demographic we work with, marketing managers, they're the type of people who are on dating void anyway. >> So they come into the show and they see they see us, oh man, you guys are so much fun. Like I'd love to work with you guys. So they bring their their business to us as well. Yeah. >> As a marketing manager. >> So we actually get we actually like >> the reason I've probably spent I don't know way too much money maybe 400 grand on dating void. >> Oh wow. >> And we probably generated 30 grand, >> right? Um uh but >> from that uh 400 grand I spent and then the 30 grand that I've generated in direct revenue, I've probably had >> three

or four clients come direct from it. Yeah. >> I mean that's probably 600k, something like that. You know what I mean? And if I continue to do it, that number will only get um the sponsorship number will only grow and then the revenue that comes in from it will only grow as well. >> Yeah. It also gives us the confidence to go to one of our big clients and be like, "Do you want to run a big show?" Like, "You could do something like this." You know, we can go to like one New Zealand and be like, "Hey, we should do a cool [ __ ] show." And we've done some big productions with them that they've >> um and been able to sell in those productions

and they've been confident because they're like, "Oh yeah, we've seen what you did with the David Boy." You know what I mean? So, if they see something with the comedy world, it's the same thing. Like, so there's lots of ways I do it. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That only helps me if I own the show as well. >> Yeah. >> You know, part owning the show. So that's actually the pitch that you're trying to sell actually to someone like me or any investor. >> Okay. >> You're going to them >> like there's promoting promoter investors who just want ticket sales. >> Yeah. >> That's a whole another business model. >> Yeah. >> Those but they don't want to do production. They just want to do

promotion of course fill the event >> for someone who you don't get to be like a marketing partner. You're actually asking them to be a business partner. And so the business is actually the show >> the show >> as as a as an asset, not a show as a show. Does that make sense? >> That makes sense. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that's what I' I'd first of all if I was to say to you >> Yeah. >> I'd want to and whatever that negotiation is, I'd want to own a portion of the show. >> Yep. >> I'd want to have access to the financials to pay all costs. So we're all like, you know, we all okay, we're all losing the same amount of

money. Let's put it that way. We're all losing the same amount. >> Yeah. But >> um up until the point where we're all breaking even and then ideally making a little profit off it. >> Sure. >> But we're all benefiting from the uplift. Like if your if your actual goal is to benefit from the uplift of the brand, well, I want that too, right? Because we both know that's the right thing. >> Of course. >> Yeah. So, that's kind of where I'd play. >> Um, >> when it comes to cost and deliverables and what we would have to do, it's actually quite a lot. >> Okay. >> Um, >> I was hoping you'd say it's nothing. >> Yeah, it it it seems like it's nothing.

>> Yeah. >> The Danny Boy taught us it is a lot >> because in my head I was like, we already got the cameras and uh Yeah. >> Yeah. It's It's funny. E like >> is it like human labor cost? >> Yeah, I I assumed it it's human labor and ad spend. >> Yeah. To fill the tickets. >> You might not need to always, but >> you don't want to you don't want to hope you sell all the tickets. You want to guarantee you do. Nothing worse than a half empty crowd, >> you know, especially in comedy worse. Listen. Um >> I can tell you I can tell some stories. Yeah, you can tell stories, I'm sure. Um, so what I actually didn't think it

would cost that much to produce Daddy Void. I was like, "This is easy. We'll just do it. Put up some stuff and we'll just we'll just turn up on the night, film some [ __ ] make some clips." I thought, "Easy." >> Probably what you're thinking like, "Yeah, put up some cameras, film it, and then just some editing, right? It's easy." >> And then um and then Laura like started to deliver it for me and I realized how much actually goes into the pre-production first of all. Yeah, >> there's actually a lot of effort going into it and you might put on like bring everyone together, >> but there's a lot that goes into like marketing and advertising that and like >> um managing all the relationships

and all the different people because that is something as a part of the crew would be part of as well and trying to make sure it all happens the way we need it to be. And there's like there's a bunch of content in the >> leading up to the event. That is true. >> Right. There's so much about it. Like that's a great story too like trying to build this together. That's even from a um it might not be the funny stuff, but it gets a whole another audience who watches you build it. >> Yeah. They're invested in the >> invested in it. >> Yeah. >> So, they actually end up realizing the scope starts to grow all of a sudden. You're not just filming

on the night. You're filming every other day about some content. >> Right. >> So, that's the first bit. Then on the night, um you would expect that like you take two cameras, you put them on, flick record, and then just just leave it. >> Yeah. But like you would you for a a venue for an event like that because you don't you can't say cut go again. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You have to have every camera man, every mic manic everything has to be taken. There has to be a production manager. >> Yeah. >> Because if you don't get the shot, you don't get a shot. You just lost it. >> You can't do that. >> You can't do it. You know, you have to

get it. Every there has to be redundant microphones, redundant cameras. You only need two camera angles, but you need a third just in case one camera's fair. The whole, you know, like >> there is times where this camera or one of these cameras, the the SD card in it after an interview just fails. >> I'll crack up. >> Like, >> it's okay. It's my camera, so it's fine. As long as it's got >> Yeah, hopefully one of them don't, but that just happens, right? So, you have to have redundancy and stuff and things like that. It's a little less >> in a podcast like this. Um, it's a little less important because we can just be like, let's just shoot it again thing, but you

can't get a hundred people back to the venue to do a whole thing. >> That's something about common. It's a moment. >> It's a moment. So, that actually ends up being like instead of just two cameras and a person pushing play, you all of a sudden they've blown out to six people on the night. Seven people on night running it running this whole production. Six, seven people working after hours >> for like they're probably there for four hours. >> Yeah. >> Good. Set up, done, pack down. Yeah. put everything back. Now son has like 30 hours worth of work kind of thing. So already there's like 1,500 bucks in wages, >> right, >> just gone just just on the night. >> Yeah. >> And then

now you've got three cameras, audio and everything. So now your post-production editing. I'm just doing some editing. It's now like, oh [ __ ] now I got a multi- camera timeline stuff. So it actually ends up blowing out a lot. Now that's not to say um you could do it cheaper. >> And if you wanted to just like [ __ ] let's just try. Yeah, >> just do something. Put on a vent. Don't go overboard. Just get it going. >> Yeah, you could wing it. If you miss some of the audio, [ __ ] who cares? He still had a good show. Whatever. But you could trial it. So, you don't have to start there. >> Yeah. >> And and you can sort of wing it. But actually, like, if you're

going to do this property and get someone like us to come in, why would you do it half ass? >> No, of course. >> You split it. So, >> you end up It ends up costing like >> anywhere from like 10 to 20 grand >> just to produce the event. >> Yeah. just in hard labor cost. >> Because that's a different thing in like your comic world or creator world is that so much of it's done in sweat >> equity like you know you do a lot of things to get a show going just with your time >> but you don't have to pay yourself a salary to do that you know you just do it. >> Yeah. >> You just post up your your

social media things. When it's us it's like like she doesn't get to sit there for free. Like I have to pay her to sit there and I have to pay the guys everywhere. I have to get the pay the guys just to >> um send emails. you know, like you don't pay yourself to send an email. You just hope the email gets you a gig or you know what I mean? Like, >> and that's the hardest thing when you get into this sort of arrangement. >> So, I'm saying those sorts of things cuz I think one for your pitch. >> Yeah. >> But also for anyone listening, like >> when you pitch stuff like that, when you're a smaller when you're a creator or a

solo business um person or comic or something, you uh you run like a freelancer >> and a freelancers can do what they have to do to get the job done. And that's awesome. I love that world because >> you're kind of your own world, your own boss, your own man. Do what you need to do. >> As soon as you go and go, "Okay, now let's bring in the company to do this." But >> the company's like, "All right, I just paid $90,000 of payroll tax yesterday." Like, you know, like there's there's other things that get involved. >> Yeah. >> Which all that's to say is, okay, cool. So now it's probably going to cost more than we thought it was. >> I But I

actually think there's a bigger upside than we thought it was, too. Mhm. >> So originally you thought, oh yeah, there's ticket sales and I'm saying, nah, there's way more in that long term. >> Yeah. >> And you were saying, oh yeah, a couple cameras. I'm saying, nah, there's way more than that. So they actually kind of balanced. >> Okay. >> So I think that like >> it might have sound quite negative what I just went through, but actually like >> Yeah. >> It's it's almost worth it. Like if that if it was just ticket sales, I would have said >> it's not worth it. >> It's not even that makes sense. Yeah. >> But actually, I think if you think about the business problem a

little bit differently, there's so much more in that business. Get it right. And actually like where I would where I'd really think the benefit for me is is someone like you it would be saying to you look it's your show. We own part of that show with you. But actually the the fastest money that's going to come from this is you getting a Netflix special. >> That's actually where the biggest money will come. Right. So that's the thing you really like our team really wants to be part of and we don't necessarily have to um uh own you or manage you but like there would be some clause or something to say if that happens within a time period and someone comes it's there is

a monetization for us in that equation you know what I mean like is it that we we are partners in the the specials we got your first we got at least your first special >> you know we help you produce it and there's a thing. So, there's like all those little things that like um make the deal work for everyone. >> If that's the case, um then I'm keen to have a chat properly about how do we actually roll it out. >> Yeah. >> We iron out what I get. >> Yeah. >> We iron out what it's actually going to cost and what it's going to look like. And then we iron out, okay, well, [ __ ] how do we do the first one? >> Yeah.

So if you think about the first one then so let's let's pretend probably not on camera going to organize those deals um because that's a lot more I have to think about it properly but we do that but now like let's think about the first show >> okay >> like sell me the dream on the first show who who >> that's the dream right >> um I think it was my maybe my nephew who just walked in um [ __ ] it out um I think the pitch me on the dream of that first show who are the people. How do you make it big? How do you make the first one a banger? >> Yeah. Um, well, I've already done it. >> Okay, cool. >> In

a in a um I got so locked into what you were saying for a second. I was like, "Oh, you pitching me a show cuz I'm keen, dude. Do you want to do it?" >> It's um so I've done it. The first one I had is I It was about two years ago in the comedy festival. So almost actually a year and a bit actually a year a bit ago, there was a comedy festival coming up. I was like there is no fun show in the festival like a show where comic can just have fun like let's bring it let's do the riffin show. So the way we do the show >> that's different than other shows I guess cuz you want to give it

your own little spin. All we have is we have a box on stage >> before the show we walk around people put their >> suggestions. It could be anything. It could be a story. It could be a picture. It could be a word >> and then comics pull out of that. So that's how we do it. That's the that's how people get really invested. people in the audience are really invested like, "Oh, is this my thing he's going to pull up next?" So, so that's kind of the the cool thing. And also there is that thing of like I guess the hook online is like someone holding a piece of paper. You're like, "What's on that piece of paper?" You know what I mean? So,

there is that thing of like what's going to happen? >> And I was like, "Okay, so we're going to do this show. This is the concept. Now, how we're going to make it an event?" Cuz like you said, it's um >> you need headliners, right? You need headliners. So, the I I did the show. I did two shows in the comic festival and yeah, I basically pulled every big comic I could I could think of, you know. I had um >> yeah, we had crazy lineups. We had like Guy Montgomery, Guy Williams, Ray Olir, David Coros, >> um Britney Stand, like some of the bigger comics. >> And it was like the one line. It was like a dream lineup. >> Yeah. >> And they

all came out. I mean, they smashed it. It was crazy. >> Yeah. Nice. >> In terms of uh Yeah. And like the >> in terms of like the show, it's like it's a high energy show. I don't know if you've been to comedy shows like some of them it's like meandering but like this is like a high level high octane like high stakes kind of show you know what I mean >> um so that's the show we did at Basin theater which I think is one of the better venues >> uh to do it in which is about a hundred seater >> you pack it in >> um and yeah that's that's I don't know if I answer your question to be honest >> you

did kind of >> I can give you more details >> you did you did kind of and I think probably where I'm going is um >> let's say we agree to all these terms Yeah. >> Straight away. >> Yeah. >> When when do we do the first one? How do we do it? What do we need to do? What are the what are the logistics of getting that first one done? Like I've just said, "Yep, cool. We've done." >> Okay. It's not too hard to be honest cuz I've done it. So, I know what goes into it. >> Um I know you get eight comics. I will book eight comics. Like, I will do all of that. So, I go in. Let's say you give

me a date. You're like, "Okay, August 1st we're doing the first show." >> Yeah. >> I Today I go I reach out to Yeah. >> I make a list top 16 comics I want. I reach to the top eight. >> Yeah. >> You know, he says, "No, I move to the next one." >> Cool. >> We lock in the We lock it in. >> Yep. >> I make a poster or they have a poster in place and stuff. >> Then I just basically just run some Facebook ads. Uh historically it has worked. Y >> like historically every show has sold out. >> Y >> So the the there is that. >> Cool. >> Um in terms of venue hire again, I've got >> already had

existing relationships with all the venues. Uh, I mean, I know you guys have existence relationships with Cobra Theater, which is also like another nice space. >> Um, I would say, yeah, Basement is a nice space. That place is a nice place. There's another guy, there's a comic called Kevin Passman. He's got like his own comedy club that he's kind of starting. It's not really up and running yet. They're still waiting for like a liquor license, but it's a very nice venue. >> So, like that's another option, and that could be like a lower cost kind of thing as well. >> Yeah. Cool. >> Um, so you book the Yeah. Yeah. So, you book the comics, book the venue, run the ads. I don't see it

not selling now, to be honest. >> Um, and then it's just locked in. And that's all it is. Like, it's >> I think comedy in terms of like a live event is pretty simple. Yeah. >> You don't really have to do with the comics. >> Yeah. >> Like they're just like, "Give me a time and a place and what it is and they'll just show up." >> Yeah. >> Um, that's pretty much it. >> Who do you think's the um comics that you'd pull for this one? >> For this one? >> You going to film it? >> Yeah. >> First filming one? >> Yeah. I will just if it's filmed. >> Yeah. Who would you want if like you could have anyone? >> What if

it because it's filmed? It's like a game changer almost because people are like, "Oh, I could have some clips." >> Um I mean, yeah, I will just reach out to the biggest best comics that I know that are good at riffing. So, you know, you pull up >> Guy Montgomery, Guy Williams, Paxi, like these are like the big head one. Um you pull like a bunch of improviser people like you try to get like a Bley Stan Ka Forester. >> Yeah. Um, you also I think what I've been trying to do is like I try to get social media people who are interested in comedy to do it because they already have a huge fan base online. >> So there's a few people that are

just getting in, but I'm like, you know, you chuck them on. You let them, you know. >> Um, off the top of my head, the new people coming in is like Theo Shakes, which you've met. I've watched the episode. >> Uh, yeah. Theo's good. Harrison Keefe is another guy coming in. >> There's a bunch of radio guys that are interested in it. Um Sean Hill, uh Dan, I forgot his last name. There's the Chris from the Hier Rocky Show. Like these are guys uh with a platform with social media and and they're dabbling into standup. Yeah. >> So you bring all those people in, you know? So you bring like uh people from different areas in as well, which is interesting. Like you you try

and get like >> um exposure on that level cuz I know there's the whole thing of like you're trying to leverage their social media for your social media, which of course like of course it makes perfect sense. >> Yeah. Um, so yes, so that's the first show. It's like a mix of like a couple radio, a couple big time comics, a couple social media guys. >> Yeah. >> Um, and then and and that's basically the show. And like I said, it's a >> I could be speaking out of out of pocket here, but like I don't think comics are interested in getting paid, especially if you're building something where they can see that it has potential in the future to actually benefit the community and

themselves as well. >> Yeah, I agree. I agree with that. And also like you know if you leverage a brand like ours as well, >> you're also saying some like >> I mean our Taz brand is probably bigger than most of the comics in New Zealand anyway. So >> you're saying look you don't just get clips, you actually get it boosted by us. Absolutely. As well. So there's a lot of good stuff out of it. So that's thing. Okay. So we pick a date, >> you book it all, we turn up and film. Yeah. >> We make a bunch of stuff. >> Yeah. >> We see how it goes. And then if it goes well, um, that's a pilot. >> That's a pilot. >> Um,

so why don't we say this then? Why don't we say >> we do that? >> Yeah. >> Um, Taz owns the content and can and have and all the comics who participate have free licensing of it. >> Yeah. >> For in perpetuity. They can use it as much as they want, >> of course. >> But we own the content. >> Okay. >> On the first time. >> Uhhuh. >> And we just keep it simple for the first one. Mhm. >> with the intention that the second one or anything on from that >> is based on a um a brand an asset ownership model where we share the ownership of the potential brand >> of like what the show is called or whatever. But before you

um >> you know before you get married you want to date a little bit you want to date a little bit with the so why don't we do this? Why don't we say that we agree to go um I'll come back with a date that works in our workflow and what we can actually commit to. Of course. >> And then we say and then you go, "Cool. Well, then I'll fill it. I I'll get the comics." >> Yeah. >> Together we fill it. >> Yeah. >> You know, we can help you do all that and the marketing. That's easy because that's what we do. >> Sure. >> We come and produce. >> Mhm. >> And then afterwards, we've got a bunch of content we can

roll out and see what happens. >> Yeah. >> Sound good? >> Of course. >> Hell yeah. And it's on camera. So now you're done, man. >> I guess you cut that out of the the final podcast. >> No, let's do it. >> Okay, man. >> Oh, dude. That's >> Yeah, we'll do it. Let's not make a big deal about it. Like >> I don't It might be [ __ ] >> Yeah, >> but it also might be [ __ ] cool ass. >> I think it'll be cool. >> Yeah, I I do too. I wouldn't do it otherwise, but like it I might do it once and then go, "Fuck, this is too expensive for me to do. >> Can't work out." >> But I have an idea that

like I I know it will go off and I know with you and the other comics you've sort of suggested pushing it as well, >> plus an ad platform, >> Yeah. >> you'd fill it. No worries. Like that's 100 seats. I mean, if I can [ __ ] fill the dating void. Yeah. >> Is a [ __ ] >> outrageous [ __ ] stupid joke. >> It's a fun show. >> It's fun, but you don't know that looking in from the outside. You just think, "What the [ __ ] is this?" >> Um, if I can fill that of something that people don't know. >> Yeah. With no name recognition. >> You can feel something that with people who do know. >> Absolutely. You know what I mean? So, so I'm not too

worried about that. And then the production side of it. Yeah. Like I just go to the team and I say, "Hey, who's keen to give this a hand?" And like We'll manage our hours and make sure we can fit it within the normal workload of the of the of the business. Um, but honestly like as a business like this is this is the stuff we love to do. Like we actually work as hard as we do so we can do this sort of stuff, >> right? >> Because this is the fun stuff. >> Yeah. >> Like look making content for our clients is like fine. >> But they know and we're pretty honest with them that like it's work. It's work. It's for your benefit

not for ours. The benefit to us is that you pay us so we can come and do this cool [ __ ] >> All right, that's it, man. You know, that's already been like 50 minutes. >> Has it really? Yeah. You've been talking a lot. >> I've been listening. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I had to question. It's like I'm like, "How do we scale this?" And you're like, "Oh, just do a bigger one." >> Well, to be honest, that's not scale. >> This guy is underprepared. Yeah. >> No, I honestly >> I was thinking on it from a digital footprint kind of thing. I was like, "No, surely the >> the brand is the value." But when you said how you scale it, I was like, "Oh,

does he mean like actual >> ticket revenue?" That's where I was confused cuz in my head, >> I was like, "Surely the the the social media brand is what you want. You want the YouTube, Tik Tok, Instagram clips. That's that's what I would assume is the value." And you brought up the um the license into a TV thing. >> Yeah. I remember years ago because TV and Z I mean TV in New Zealand is whatever but TV and Z plus occasionally like >> they kind of commission like those six part eight part comedy shows. >> Yeah. >> And uh in the >> excuse me in the past the um there was a improv show called Snort. I don't know if you're familiar with what that

is but it was like an improvised show every Friday basement theater sell out every >> Yeah. >> It's it had like the craziest cast like ever. >> Yeah. >> Um and um eventually like they kind of licensed it to a TV thing. Yeah. >> And um but they had to come in. It's like a nightmare to shoot because it's like it's improv and it's I mean whatever. It's like I think it's the most nightmare situation to try and shoot. Standup is incredibly simple. Like it's just a person >> um one mic. You know what I mean? Like improv you have all these different people have to be mic. It's it's crazy. So if you have something like that that's a product. Um I genuinely think

it's very sellable to a to a TV station who will just be like, "Oh yeah, like you already know what you're doing. Like we just got to film it a couple of times. >> I agree. I think actually even just doing this first one with you before we put it anywhere. >> Yeah. >> You just send it. >> You just send it in and be like, >> "You want to buy this?" >> [ __ ] If they gave us 10 grand, you just take >> That's what I'm saying. >> You just take 10 grand for I mean, if you're listening to Z, [ __ ] off. It's 100 grand. Um, but you know what I mean? Like you just try because you sell one, you'll sell a second one.

>> Yes. And because if we can then say to them, you can have the long form, >> but we have all the clips still. >> Yeah. >> We push it out. That clip drives you people watching the thing you just bought off us anyway. They want that. We want that. >> And then it means that the second one you can sell for more. >> So I think that is probably like the most viable thing. Comedy is something that all the traditional media understand. >> Yeah. >> They get it. >> Of course, >> you know, whereas like >> like say our content which might, you know, we might get 10 million views on a piece of content. No TV's going to buy it. >> No, >>

there's no way. They don't get it. They don't understand it. They don't know how to do anything with it. >> Yeah. >> But a comedy show, they know how to work with that. That's something that works inside their system, even if it is shot >> um in a way that's not quite, you know, the really slick >> Sure. Sure. >> typical comedy shows, they still don't mind these, like you said, the improv style or a bit more of a um >> I wouldn't say image is the right world word, but like not a full-on professional production. >> Not a one-hour standup social. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, I I agree. That's why for me owning the content um especially in this initial instance is where the

value is. Like I don't I I'll like I don't have to take ticket sales. Like I'm okay. All I'd want from ticket sales is if we ran ads to pay the ad spend. That's a hard cost. >> I' I'd front all the production team on the night >> if I can own the content. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> And and then that's a real isolated fair trade. Mhm. >> You guys still have licensing for all the short clips. You can use all the content. Like we I'm happy to go to all the comics and say, "Here's also all the raw footage if you want it as well to cut it your way." >> Oh, yeah. >> I just own the license for it. So, you

can't sell it. >> Yeah. >> Essentially, >> um you just do that because then that's that way >> we can sell it and if we do find some money. The only reason I would want to do that >> is I would try to shop it around because like I said, you sell it once, we can sell it twice. And then now you and I have got a real idea of how we grow this. >> Yeah. because um I think we're in the I think we're in the same mindset which is like >> if you sell it to a TV like that's nice of course cuz you get the money >> but it's not valuable cuz no one's going to see it essentially >> like the

the the online clips is what I really really want is what I really want. >> You only sell on the long form. >> Yes. >> You only sell on the long form. The special >> you keep everything else to promote it and whatever. You just can't you just won't be able to for a period of >> time post the long form anywhere. Yes. >> Kind of like um we work with 660 and so a lot of their like documentaries and things that they've done, they've sold to TV and Zed and whatever, they have only just recently got the rights back to them. >> I see. >> And because they had sold them for three years or whatever it was and so now we're like cutting

them off and putting them on to YouTube because now they can post it themselves. >> Okay. >> So if we were to do this, you'd sell it to TBNZ or whoever it might be. >> Yeah. >> Um you don't have access to use the long form for like three years. >> Yeah. But you don't sell them, you you would definitely retain the rights to do the shorts. >> Yeah. >> And there'll be like there'll be clauses to it that they would say like >> each clip can't be over a certain piece. You can only release x percentage of whatever. There'll be some clauses because they'll be like, well, you could just do 60 one minute clips and then everyone watches it in pieces. Yeah. >>

Um but >> you you know, you work with them to figure it out and make it work. And if they try to ask for too much, you just say, "Oh, it's not worth it. The clips are worth more than us than the 10k you're going to give us or whatever it might be. They won't pay you much initially, of course. TBNZ's got no money. Yeah, >> they're all broke. >> They do not. >> No, they're all broke. So 10 grand would probably be the most you get out of them for the first one. But that's fine. That's okay. 10K is like, cool. I covered my cost. >> Whatever. As long as you're not losing money almost for a >> unless you've got a proven model,

you can sell it. >> That's all you want. >> And if the clips start going viral, >> yes. >> Then you go to the other countries. >> You go to Australia and you say, "Hey, this clip's done 20 million views in your country." >> Sure. Does your network want to buy it? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Because at the moment only New Zealand's network will probably buy it because it's oh comics. >> But then once you have the data on your social media to say no no like 50% of our viewership's actually in Sydney. >> Sure. >> Well [ __ ] they might buy it now because it's something that they can prove. >> Yeah. >> But you just play that. But yeah. >> Cool man.

>> Awesome. >> Done. >> All done. >> Successful pitch. How do you feel? >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Man could not have gone worse for me. But the outcome was good. >> Nah, you did good. It's a great idea. I know when you um reached out and I said to Laura, [ __ ] let's just do it live on the podcast. It'll be fun anyway. >> Um and actually technically it works as some of the advertisement for the for the event itself, right? >> Um but I was like I've always said to the team like >> um comics um they are such a massive part of pop culture and of content in general. Always have been, always will be. Yeah, >> we are stupid not to um one

align ourselves with comics but also learn from them >> because comics like >> there's a there's a trick to I mean you would know but like comedy is like one of those um one of those art forms that are actually like one of the truest forms of entertainment. >> Yeah. >> Like they just are. It's like kind of like that and musicals and different things are like these true forms of art form that like you have to be [ __ ] on point to be successful in it. >> Oh yeah. To be successful in it. >> Yeah. >> Whereas like a content creator. >> Yeah. >> Like you don't have to be on point to be >> can get lucky. >> You can get lucky. Yeah. >>

You can't get lucky as a comic. >> No. Not uh not consistently. >> Yeah. Not consistently. You have one viral clip. >> That's right. It doesn't work. You got to keep keep showing up. >> Yeah. All right, man. Hey, pleasure. De's done. Appreciate it. Awesome. Go, man.