Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay’s journey via the leisure business has been nothing in need of wonderful. Over the previous twenty years, the Brooklyn resident has navigated a profession crammed with daring strikes and sudden turns—from main media networks to groundbreaking new ventures. He spent a decade at TV One, driving promoting income throughout nationwide linear, digital, VOD, app, direct response, and paid programming platforms. Earlier than that, he spent eight years at Viacom Media Networks as Vice President of Consumer Technique, holding key roles at MTV, Comedy Central, Spike TV, and extra.
However in 2020, Lindsay’s profession took an thrilling new route when award-winning movie producer and entrepreneur Cleveland O’Neal III approached him with a game-changing alternative: serving to to revive Moviefone, the iconic ’90s dial-in leisure platform that as soon as formed how audiences found movies and purchased tickets. O’Neal—finest recognized for his syndicated speak present, Made in Hollywood—acquired Moviefone out of chapter for $1 million and tapped Lindsay to assist reimagine it as the final word film discovery hub. Now poised for a significant comeback, Moviefone is being rebranded as a go-to information for showtimes, streaming, opinions, and extra—and it’s proudly the one Black-owned film service of its type.
Lindsay sat down with NewsOne to speak about his dynamic profession, the evolution of Moviefone, and what’s subsequent within the platform’s bold revival.
NewsOne (NO): Mr. Lindsay, it’s a pleasure to talk with you as we speak. Your resume is extremely spectacular, with key roles at TV One, MTV, and now as President and COO of Moviefone. However I couldn’t assist however discover—you additionally had a short stint in performing. Inform us about that!
Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay (RL): Yeah! I imply, I don’t even know if it was transient. I used to be performing in all probability for 15 years, however, , like lots of people, it’s important to [juggle] a job and also you’re auditioning and attempting to see what’s what. I did the cleaning soap operas, commercials— and sadly, by no means received that large break, so to talk. It was nonetheless loads of enjoyable. I nonetheless do it every now and then, however I simply do it for enjoyable, which is good. It’s good to have one thing you’re keen on, however not have any stress to generate profits at it.
NO: What was your favourite challenge to work on throughout that point?
Essentially the most thrilling factor I did was this movie known as Chilly Ft. The rationale it was so thrilling is as a result of I had solely been in New York for about six months or so once I booked it, and I had a brief interval the place I booked, like, three completely different initiatives. Chilly Ft was the largest of the three. I used to be a lead within the movie. That was in all probability essentially the most thrilling factor on the earth at that time. That was additionally when—I imply, that is going to sound actually outdated—when folks would nonetheless learn precise magazines. Selection would checklist all of the castings and my identify confirmed up 3 times in a really brief interval.
That’s in all probability the largest factor that I did, nevertheless it didn’t make me essentially the most cash. You realize, the humorous factor is, the commercials made me essentially the most cash. I did a Miller Real Draft industrial that paid fairly effectively over time. I did a Lowes industrial and another stuff. These had been loads of enjoyable since you get handled like a film star, even when it’s only for a few days—it was loads of enjoyable.
NO: With all of this unimaginable expertise beneath your belt, you’ve now develop into a driving drive behind Moviefone’s revival. How did you and Cleveland O’Neal III meet?
I’ve recognized the proprietor, Cleveland, for about 25 years. [We] have by no means labored collectively formally, however all the time form of bounced concepts off one another. I’ve all the time had loads of respect for him. He’s a type of entrepreneurs who actually has achieved it on his personal. He began out making after-school specials—that’s actually what they had been— the primary of which was known as, What About Your Associates? It ended up profitable an Picture Award. It was the primary Black after-school particular. And on the time when he did it, not solely did he get to make it, however he really received to personal the IP. So, he began to construct a library. He shot this film known as Phat Seashore, which he did on his personal as effectively. It was a type of issues the place he in all probability might have signed a deal, however he didn’t. He wished to proceed to do issues on his personal as a result of he’s an entrepreneur.
Finally, he began a present known as Made in Hollywood, which has been on the air now for about 20 years. I used to be a correspondent for the present for in all probability 10 years or so, which I additionally actually loved. [I] received to sit down down with loads of A-list actors, administrators, producers. I simply cherished it as a fan and as a artistic particular person, however by no means thought, he and I had been going to work collectively within the capability we at the moment are.
NO: So, how did the 2 of you first begin speaking about bringing Moviefone again?
I imply, it’s loopy! I bear in mind over time, we stored in contact, periodically. And 5 years in the past, Cleveland known as me and stated, ‘Oh guess what? I simply purchased Moviefone. I am going, ‘What? Just like the Moviefone that everyone knows?’ I couldn’t imagine it. I imply, to start with, a Black man proudly owning an entity like that? It’s simply not quite common.
A number of corporations had been [buying] Moviefone, together with the massive boys just like the NBCUniversals and people guys of the world. Cleveland and his crew thought they may have a shot. There have been quite a lot of folks in it, after which the pandemic hit. And what occurred within the pandemic? The inventory market tanked—a lot of uncertainty. So, they immediately bowed out and [Cleveland] ended up being the profitable bid.
NO: What are you and Cleveland’s imaginative and prescient for Moviefone’s function in as we speak’s crowded media panorama?
Properly, we nonetheless promote tickets, however now we even have all this content material that folks come to us for. They arrive to observe trailers. They arrive to observe interviews. It’s not nearly theatrical movies, proper? You consider how a lot content material now’s in streaming. If you go to moviefone.com, should you sort in a movie or a present, now, it’ll inform you precisely the place it’s enjoying. If it’s in theaters, clearly that’ll pop up, but when it’s streaming or digital, it’ll inform you the place it’s enjoying. It’ll even inform you if it has a price, too! The purpose, now, is de facto extra to be a discovery device, particularly as a result of there’s a lot content material on the market.
NO: I hear you’re additionally launching a TV present and an app as effectively for the platform.
Sure! We’re launching a brand new present known as Moviefone TV within the fall, and that’s an enormous a part of the technique. One, as a result of every little thing form of lives on the Moviefone studio stage. Moviefone Studios produces content material for Made in Hollywood, for Moviefone TV, for moviefone.com, the app, clearly, and for social. However that is going to be a weekly present that could be very a lot a lean-back expertise. We inform you what’s enjoying, what’s scorching, what to anticipate on the field workplace, and so on. However then there’s all that content material that we will push out over all the opposite channels. It’s additionally a option to market the identify. Imagine it or not, there’s an entire technology of people that don’t find out about Moviefone.
In as we speak’s world, individuals are so used to doing every little thing on their telephones, like shopping for film tickets, generally they’re watching on their telephones. So, we’re in all probability about 60% cellular now [thanks to the forthcoming app.] We expect as soon as we launch, we’ll be extra like 90% cellular. Proper now, it’s simply in beta.
NO: That’s wonderful. Wanting again in your journey with Moviefone and your broader profession in leisure, what are some key classes or insights you’ve picked up alongside the way in which which have caught with you?
There are lots of people who wish to be on this area, proper? It appears actually horny. It may be loads of enjoyable, nevertheless it will also be an actual slog. There are many alternatives for issues to go effectively and in addition to not. I feel the largest factor is to remain true to your self and know what your model is about. Additionally being prepared to wager on your self.
An amazing instance for me and any person I like, is Cathy Hughes. Ms. Hughes wager on herself. All people was counting her out as a younger Black lady to do what she did. However that’s as a result of she wager on herself. There are many individuals who paint contained in the traces and observe all the principles and issues don’t work out anyway. So, if nothing else, no less than, take a shot and see the place you land.
NO: That was fantastically stated. To wrap issues up—what’s the final film you watched that received you excited or left a giant impression?
The very last thing I noticed was Sinners. I imply, I hadn’t seen something prefer it shortly. One, it was fairly authentic. It’s fantastically shot and I care about stuff like that. The cinematography, the music was unimaginable.
I additionally thought Michael B. Jordan was actually good. There’s one thing about him generally that’s magnetic. However this was completely different. Each time he was on display, you simply needed to look forward to what was gonna occur subsequent. I’m gonna watch it once more as a result of I’m positive I didn’t take all of it in.
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