Listen: Stephen Curry’s Right-Hand Man in Hollywood Talks Their Content Strategy
By Andrew Wallenstein
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Even a sharpshooter like Stephen Curry needs a wingman off the court.
That would be Jeron Smith, who runs Unanimous Media, the production company the Golden State Warriors star is launching with Sony Pictures Entertainment to create TV shows and films. In this week’s episode of the Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” Smith discusses Curry’s content strategy and how they are translating the athlete’s personal brand to entertainment.
As Smith explains, Curry’s Hollywood goal is to provide inspiration for many this fans. “When you’re touching and reaching as many people as possible, there’s no more effective way to do it than media,” said the former Nike brand manager and White House digital strategist during the Obama administration.
Smith delves into the three core subjects — sports, family and faith — that inform Unanimous’ approach to programming. The last category presents some interesting challenges, but don’t expect Curry to be anything but authentic about his beliefs. “Steph is who he is, he doesn’t shy away away from who he is,” said Smith. “That’s what makes him so amazing.”
He credits Curry with being a quick study when it comes to assessing whether a potential project is right for Unanimous. Even during the season, Smith was wowed to discover that the All-Star guard finds time away from the games to offer notes. “He read the script extremely quickly and his critical-thought process against the script was impressive,” he said.
“Strictly Business” is Variety‘s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of entertainment. Listen to the podcast below for the full interview, or check out previous “ Strictly Business” episodes featuring comedian/actor/producer Kevin Hart, ICM Partners agent Esther Newberg, and HBO chairman/CEO Richard Plepler. A new episode debuts each Tuesday and can be downloaded on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and SoundCloud.
