Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay’s journey via the leisure business has been nothing wanting wonderful. Over the previous 20 years, the Brooklyn resident has navigated a profession full of 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 Shopper Technique, holding key roles at MTV, Comedy Central, Spike TV, and extra.
However in 2020, Lindsay’s profession took an thrilling new path when award-winning movie producer and entrepreneur Cleveland O’Neal III approached him with a game-changing alternative: serving to to revive Moviefone, the long-lasting 90s leisure platform that after outlined how folks found films. O’Neal—finest identified for his syndicated discuss 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, critiques, and extra—and it’s proudly the one Black-owned film service of its variety.
Lindsay sat down with NewsOne to speak about his dynamic profession, the evolution of Moviefone, and what’s subsequent within the platform’s formidable revival.
NewsOne (NO): Mr. Lindsay, it’s a pleasure to talk with you right now. 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 a superb 15 years, however, , like lots of people, you need to [juggle] a job and also you’re auditioning and making an attempt to see what’s what. I did the cleaning soap operas, commercials— and sadly, by no means obtained that large break, so to talk. It was nonetheless quite a lot 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 strain to earn a living at it.
NO: What was your favourite challenge to work on throughout that point?
Probably the most thrilling factor I did was this movie referred to as “Chilly Toes.” 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 tasks.“Chilly Toes” was the most important of the three. I used to be a lead within the movie. That was in all probability essentially the most thrilling factor on the planet 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 listing all of the castings and my title confirmed up 3 times in a really quick interval.
That’s in all probability the most important factor that I did, however it didn’t make me essentially the most cash. , 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 quite a lot of enjoyable since you get handled like a film star, even when it’s only for a few days—it was quite a lot of enjoyable.
NO: With all of this unimaginable expertise beneath your belt, you’ve now change into a driving power behind Moviefone’s revival. How did you and Cleveland O’Neal III meet?
I’ve identified the proprietor, Cleveland, for about 25 years. [We] have by no means labored collectively formally, however at all times sort of bounced concepts off one another. I’ve at all times had quite a lot of respect for him. He’s a type of entrepreneurs who actually has finished it on his personal. He began out making after-school specials—that’s actually what they had been— the primary of which was referred to as, “What About Your Buddies?”. It ended up successful 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 obtained to personal the IP. So, he began to construct a library. He shot this film referred to as “Phat Seaside,” which he did on his personal as effectively. It was a type of issues the place he in all probability may have signed a deal, however he didn’t. He needed to proceed to do issues on his personal as a result of he’s an entrepreneur.
Finally, he began a present referred to 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] obtained to sit down down with quite a lot of A-list actors, administrators, producers. I simply cherished it as a fan and as a inventive particular person, however by no means thought, he and I had been going to work collectively within the capability we are actually.
NO: So, how did the 2 of you first begin speaking about bringing Moviefone again?
I imply, it’s loopy! I bear in mind through the years, we saved in contact, periodically. And 5 years in the past, Cleveland referred to as me and mentioned, ‘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 firms 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 various folks in it, after which the pandemic hit. And what occurred within the pandemic? The inventory market tanked—numerous uncertainty. So, they immediately bowed out and [Cleveland] ended up being the successful bid.
NO: What are you and Cleveland’s imaginative and prescient for Moviefone’s function in right now’s crowded media panorama?
Nicely, we nonetheless promote tickets, however now we even have all this content material that individuals come to us for. They arrive to observe trailers. They arrive to observe interviews. And in contrast to when each firms began, it’s not nearly theatrical movies, proper? You concentrate on how a lot content material now’s in streaming. If you go to moviefone.com, if you happen to kind in a movie or a present, now, it’s going to inform you precisely the place it’s taking part in. 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 taking part in. It’ll even inform you if it has a value, too! The purpose, now, is actually extra to be a discovery instrument, 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 referred to as “Moviefone TV” within the fall, and that’s an enormous a part of the technique. One, as a result of every thing sort 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 may be very a lot a lean-back expertise. We inform you what’s taking part in, what’s scorching, what to anticipate on the field workplace, and so forth. However then there’s all that content material that we will push out over all the opposite channels. It’s additionally a strategy to market the title. Consider it or not, there’s an entire technology of people that don’t find out about Moviefone.
In right now’s world, individuals are so used to doing every thing on their telephones, like shopping for film tickets, typically 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 house, proper? It appears actually attractive. It may be quite a lot of enjoyable, however it can be an actual slog. There are many alternatives for issues to go effectively and likewise to not. I believe the most important factor is to remain true to your self and know what your model is about. Additionally being prepared to wager on your self.
An important instance for me and any person I love, is Cathy Hughes. Miss Hughes wager on herself. All people was counting her out as a younger Black girl 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 foundations and issues don’t work out anyway. So, if nothing else, at the least, take a shot and see the place you land.
NO: That was superbly mentioned. To wrap issues up—what’s the final film you watched that obtained you excited or left an enormous 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 superbly 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 on the whole that’s magnetic. However this was completely different. Each time he was on display screen, you simply needed to anticipate what was gonna occur subsequent. I’m gonna watch it once more as a result of I’m certain I didn’t take all of it in.
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