The Royalties Module, the latest of Molten Cloud's three powerful modules, presents an exciting advancement in the realm of film and TV operations. For the first time, industry professionals have access to a holistic business solution, seamlessly integrating operations end-to-end. By integrating rights, royalties, and content management in one unified platform, Molten Cloud’s Royalties tool is able to offer a solution that goes above and beyond the capabilities of existing technologies.
To gain deeper insights into the development and functionalities of the Royalties Module, we sat down with Ethan Shvartzman, Molten Cloud's Head of Product. In this Q&A session, Ethan shares the journey behind the creation of this module, the challenges faced, and the transformative impact it promises for the media industry.
Ethan Shvartzman: There are a few key factors that contribute to the uniqueness of our Royalties Module. The first factor is the extensive experience of our team and the substantial feedback we've received from our users and the industry at large. This isn't our first attempt at handling royalties; as a team and as individuals, we have a wealth of hands-on experience in dealing with royalties for various customers and companies. We’ve had the privilege of leveraging this extensive experience and feedback to build a product that is not just a concept but deeply rooted in real-world application.
Another significant factor is the flexibility and adaptability of our product. From the outset, we knew that change is inevitable and constant, especially in the realm of royalties. The product is designed to evolve as the industry changes and grows, which we see happening rapidly with the emergence of FAST channels, AVOD, and other industry developments.
Lastly, the freshness of our product sets it apart. We built the Royalties Module from the ground up, using the latest technology and methodologies, free from the constraints of legacy systems. This approach has allowed us to create a product that is as modern and innovative as software can be.
Ethan Shvartzman: Great question! I would say it's as easy as you can get, and as close as you can get to a drag and drop interface. We have focused on creating a transparent and seamless user experience, eliminating any friction or conflict when using the product. As a team, one of our core goals is to take complex processes and make them as simple and elegant as possible. I believe this product achieves that today.
Ethan Shvartzman: Absolutely. This module was inspired by multiple sources. It's important to note that this isn't our first attempt at creating such a module, in the sense that I personally have been involved with building and implementing similar solutions at many other companies, including studios. When it came to developing the Molten Cloud Royalties module, we were very excited because we could leverage our past experiences. We knew what had worked well and what hadn't, allowing us to focus on building features that make sense for anyone dealing with royalties while avoiding previous pitfalls. It was invaluable to start with a clear understanding of what we were doing, rather than having to experiment to find what works.
Another significant benefit was leveraging the modern Molten platform, which includes robust infrastructure for contracts, titles, and more. This meant we weren't starting from scratch. We began with a platform that people already know, love, and use. Starting from this established base allowed us to approach the project with a fresh, clean perspective. That's the origin story of this module.
Ethan Shvartzman: Our success comes from listening to our customers and truly understanding what they need, what they want, and why they want it. Equally important is knowing what isn't necessary or wanted. This valuable customer feedback, combined with our past experience with similar systems, has been a tremendous asset. It has allowed us to focus on the essentials and ensure they are functioning exceptionally well. This foundation gave us a strong platform to build from.
Additionally, the timing of this module's release has been crucial. As business operations become increasingly complicated and data more fragmented, many see this as a challenge. However, at Molten, we view it as an opportunity. Our expertise lies in taking complex problems and solving them in simple, elegant ways. This approach is part of our DNA, making us the right team to tackle such issues. The fact that data is fragmented and processes are challenging is a problem we embrace wholeheartedly. It’s the right problem for the right team at the right time.
Ethan Shvartzman: As we discussed earlier, we're really focusing on your entire business as a 360-degree model. This means we're looking at everything from the moment you acquire content to the moment you distribute it and, ultimately, monetize it. The final stage of monetization, accounting, is crucial for generating revenue and maintaining a healthy business. We want to ensure that we support the entire process, from start to finish. This final step is essential, acting as the period at the end of your business sentence. It was vital for us to address this component and ensure we provide end-to-end support for your business.
Ethan Shvartzman: Some of the reasons I would personally choose Molten is because we approach business with a 360-degree perspective, thinking end-to-end about the entire business process. We don't focus on just one vertical, such as sales, distribution, or finance. Instead, we consider our value proposition across your whole business value chain. The benefit is that every decision we make and every feature we build is designed to support your entire business cohesively.
When you partner with Molten, you're not just getting a product for a specific task; you're getting a solution that supports your whole business. We look at your business as a unified entity rather than in fragmented parts. I believe this holistic approach is one of the biggest benefits we offer.
Moreover, Molten is a young company with a fresh product, which brings significant advantages. We are not burdened by legacy decisions and can leverage the latest technology. This allows us to think outside the box and solve problems in ways that older companies, constrained by their history, cannot.