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Share<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Vegas, baby! The Ankler <\/strong>is heading back to <\/span>NAB Show<\/a><\/strong> for a second year in a row \u2014 and doubling down on conversations with the smartest people in the industry. <\/span><\/p>\n From April 18\u201322, we\u2019re partnering again with the industry\u2019s biggest media and tech gathering to break down the <\/span>Business of Media and Entertainment<\/a> <\/span><\/strong>as it\u2019s actually evolving: faster, riskier and increasingly driven by new formats, new audiences and new power players.<\/span><\/p>\n This curated series will bring together top creators, executives and innovators to tackle the forces reshaping the industry \u2014 from the AI disruption of Hollywood\u2019s creative ecosystem to the rise of the creator economy, shifting audience behavior and the changing economics of production.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll be rolling out more programming in the coming weeks \u2014 including top speakers from leading AI studios, prediction markets and beyond \u2014 so keep an eye on the <\/span>Business of Media and Entertainment hub<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n But first up, we\u2019re announcing two panels about what\u2019s actually working in Hollywood:<\/p>\n The Scary-Smart Business of Horror<\/a><\/strong> A good scare has become one of the entertainment economy\u2019s most reliable engines. With disciplined budgets, built-in fandoms and global box office upside, horror consistently outperforms. From theatrical releases to streaming-first originals and creator-driven IP, the genre is artistically flexible and financially durable \u2014 and one of the last truly communal experiences for Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. Join YouTube creator <\/span>Mark Fischbach<\/strong>, aka <\/span>Markiplier<\/a><\/strong>, whose independent feature <\/span>Iron Lung<\/em> earned more than $50 million at the global box office, Atomic Monster president <\/span>Michael Clear<\/a><\/strong> and screenwriter <\/span>Akela Cooper<\/a> <\/span><\/strong>(<\/span>M3GAN<\/em>, <\/span>Malignant<\/em>) for a conversation moderated by <\/span>Like & Subscribe<\/a>\u2019s <\/span>Natalie Jarvey<\/strong> about why horror travels so effectively across platforms and borders, how studios and independents are building sustainable genre pipelines and why the next wave of breakout franchises may emerge from unexpected sources.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Inside the Microdrama Boom<\/a><\/strong> Short-form serialized storytelling is having a major moment. Microdramas, social-native series and creator-led narratives are capturing massive audiences with low-cost, rapid production cycles and direct-to-fan distribution. What was once dismissed as niche or experimental is now attracting major platform investment. Moderated by Jarvey, this panel of microdrama creators and executives \u2014 including one of the format\u2019s top stars and producers, <\/span>Kasey Esser<\/a><\/strong>, and Dhar Mann Studios\u2019 head of vertical content, <\/span>Erin McFarlane<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 examines how format innovation, fandom dynamics and algorithmic discovery are reshaping the economics of scripted storytelling and what traditional studios can learn from these agile models.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n For sponsorship opportunities, contact <\/span>Lynne@theankler.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n