19 Apr Get to Know Yolanda Macias
Canon Club Advisory Board Member Yolanda Macias
Cinedigm | Chief Content Officer
IN THIS JOB Seven years. I joined Cinedigm as part of the Gaiam/Vivendi acquisition in 2014.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE I began my career in home entertainment distribution with The Walt Disney Company when the animated classics such as The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Pocahontas were shipping over 30M units of VHS! Following Disney, I worked for DIRECTV, launching both their Spanish language programming service and their Chinese language service, and overseeing their international programming initiatives. I then joined Universal Music Group to launch their home entertainment company, Vivendi Entertainment. At Vivendi, I established its digital distribution strategy and acquired rights from major content suppliers such as WWE, Shout!Factory and Hallmark, helping Vivendi build a profitable business that was sold to Gaiam.
HOMETOWN Los Angeles
LIVES NOW Los Angeles
ENJOYS, OUTSIDE OF WORK Hiking, biking, hot yoga sculpt and dance
CURRENT BINGE Ted Lasso, Yellowstone and all-day Bob Ross 😊
CONTACT ymacias@cinedigm.com
DEG: Do you have a personal philosophy when it comes to your work? If so, how does it translate into what you do?
YM: I approach work with an entrepreneurial spirit driven by creativity and innovation. I think it is important to develop talent to someday take the leadership reins and continue the workplace evolution. I support women and equality in the workforce with action.
DEG: What excites you about the future of our industry?
YM: I am excited about how one views and consumes movies and series in both an on-line and off-line experience powered by technology…. some are calling this the “metaverse.” It is exciting to be part of this dynamic evolution that reflects the intersection of content and connectivity.
DEG: How has the process of acquiring product for distribution changed as consumers’ content demands have ramped up and many new distribution platforms have launched during the last two years?
YM: The process has changed over the last 10 years as audiences exercise their needs to view content across multiple devices and platforms on their terms. If you backward engineer from the consumers’ needs, you have a good chance of acquiring or producing the right content. In the end it is simple – finding or creating compelling stories worth telling and bringing these to audiences in the way they wish to consume them.
DEG: What’s trending in either film or TV content that you’re excited about right now?
YM: I am excited about stories that are based on diverse thinking and representation of those of us who have been hidden or in the backdrop of most films and series. Examples include Passing, Bridgerton, CODA and 7 Days.
DEG: When we are able to safely return to what was once known as “normal” business operations, what will have changed about the way you and your team work?
YM: WFH has increased everyone’s workload. The flexibility is fantastic, but it also packs more Zoom calls into a single day. Work-day hours are no longer conventional. When and if we return to a normal business operation, as a society, we have embraced comfort, and workplace fashion will reflect this new style of comfort and individuality.
Learn more about DEG’s Canon Club here.