DEAN DEVLIN: "OUR SHOWS HAVE A REAL FUNCTION IN THE LIVES OF OUR FANS"

As Electric Entertainment celebrates its 25th anniversary, Dean Devlin, CEO of Electric Entertainment, reflects on the milestones that shaped the independent studio, from “The Librarian” franchise to the rapid growth of its AVOD/FAST service, ElectricNOW.

What have been the defining moments and core values that have shaped the company since its origin?

"I think making the first 'The Librarian' movie for TNT was a defining moment for Electric Entertainment, as it was our first production. That set the course for our company to build its library of entertainment. However, I believe our core values have been reflected in upbeat and optimistic escapist entertainment. While genre entertainment is often looked down upon as a 'lesser' art form, in times of great difficulty, such as worldwide pandemic, political division, and economic uncertainty, the need to 'escape' has never been greater. Our shows have a real function in the lives of our fans."

How would you define Electric Entertainment's role in the evolving media landscape?

"As an independent mini-studio, we've always had to fight and scrape by to get things made. I believe it's our ability to adapt to an ever-changing entertainment environment that has defined us as a type of speed boat that can swiftly alter course when the larger cruise liner ships have difficulty."

Since launching ElectricNOW in 2001 and expanding its catalog to over 3,000 hours, what have been the most significant challenges and achievements in building your AVOD/FAST platform?

"Without a major studio behind us, we didn't have the machinery to promote us and create awareness. So our audience was built almost entirely organically. We didn't know if our fans would find us. It's been one of the greatest gifts to have such an incredibly loyal and supportive fan community who embraced ElectricNOW and helped us grow so quickly."

How do your ElectricNOW Originals reflect your strategy for growth and audience engagement?

"Our first two original shows, the 3D animated sci-fi comedy 'Sloane and The Cosmic Schlep' and the half-hour comedy series 'The Poly Couple', both came to us organically. We saw something that we loved, something truly unique, and we thought our fans would really enjoy it. I'm eager to see if these shows are well-received by our audience. We're optimistic."

What distinguishes your approach to international sales and partnerships?

"Our shows tend to have incredible support communities that grow around them. It's unique to the kind of shows we make. The fans have a genuine sense of ownership, and they put in a significant amount of effort to promote the shows online and do considerable legwork to get the word out. That trend is observed in countries worldwide. It becomes a valuable asset for our foreign buyers. Our shows tend to be franchises. So when, for instance, the new version of 'The Librarians' debuts, all the episodes of the old series increase in viewership and in value. That's why our projects distinguish themselves beyond just another piece of content."

ElectricCon marks your first official fan convention. What motivated this initiative, and how do you envision it impacting fan engagement and your series’ ecosystem?

"It was actually the idea of Creation Entertainment, who have a long history of throwing fan conventions. However, it's mostly either for an entire genre or for a specific show. I believe this was the first time a convention was held for the body of work of a production company. It was a remarkable event. The most surprising thing about it was that more than half of the people who showed up had flown in from overseas. We had fans from Spain, the UK, Singapore, all over the planet. It was surprisingly emotional, and the fans really bonded with each other. I don't think the convention creates fan engagement, I think the convention is the result of an incredibly engaged community of fans."