A new web-based content company, Illuminati Entertainment, has launched this week to offer a fresh approach to pop culture entertainment and education.
Seeking to revolutionize the entertainment industry, Illuminati will leverage proved platforms such as Twitter, Patreon and YouTube to build an incubator for creators to test and develop new ideas, and give fans the opportunity to sample a growing pool of comics, animation, games and other content. The company is also working with experts in film, comics and toys to support and mentor upcoming talent.
“The name is obviously a little tongue-in-cheek…” said CCO Mike Gagnon. “But, the whole idea is born of the fact that most content creators have gotten used to the idea of working in a system that takes advantage of them, in the hopes of success. I’d like to change that.”
“Entertainment has become rife with shady practices that take advantage of desperate artists, looking for a break and 360° deals that steal profits from talent.” Gagnon said in a recent interview. “We’ve invested research time and skills into developing a whole new system that respects artists and teaches them how to successfully publish their work. We never take any money from artist sales, in fact, we never have access to their funds, we don’t share user data and we don’t take away any rights to intellectual property.”
Illuminati’s website offers no term contracts for membership, as well as a community for fans and creators to connect. Income is generated from membership fees, meaning that all revenue from content goes straight to the artists creating it. Consumers are offered a mix of free and premium content, so that fans can sample different creators’ works and choose who to support with purchases.
Creator members submit content for consideration, with approved projects receiving support and promotion from Illuminati. Creators can also access a library of learning modules and tutorials on successful self-publishing and career building.
“We don’t just say ‘Thanks, this is great!’, then publish something, keep most of the money and pay the talent pennies, like the major labels do,” Gagnon added. “We support and foster our members, teach them how to be successful and mentor them on the business of creating content. We provide our members with a set of tools that they can use over and over to build a successful career.”
Illuminati Ent. is expected to launch a line of webcomics and novels this summer, with a line of video games and audio content (music, podcasts, etc.) to follow. The company is also building a web-based distribution network for film and animation as well as 3D-printed toys.
Join the Illuminati and learn more at www.my-Illuminati.com.
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