What happens when cutting-edge technology meets the art of storytelling? In this illuminating Q&A, Cineverse Chief Strategy Officer and President Erick Opeka and CTAM President and CEO Vicki Lins delve into how the company is reshaping content distribution and audience engagement.
Cineverse, responsible for powering over 70,000 premium films, series and podcasts, operates at the intersection of innovation and entertainment. Opeka shares insights on industry trends, the role of AI, and their unique approach to identifying and nurturing breakout properties like “Terrifier.”
Key themes in streaming industry developments:
- Fan-focused platforms: The rise of fan-targeted streaming platforms and the explosive growth of FAST services.
- AI-powered innovation: How Cineverse’s cineSearch transforms content discovery into a conversational experience.
- Data-driven decision-making: Leveraging analytics to identify emerging trends and develop cultural phenomena like “Terrifier.”
- Evolving distribution models: The shift toward creator-centric partnerships and navigating traditional and digital platforms.
Dive into conversation highlights below to uncover how Cineverse is driving innovation in the entertainment industry:
Conversation highlights

Vicki: Could you tell us a bit about Cineverse and how it fits into the entertainment landscape?
Erick: If you want to understand what we do as a company, there are three key areas we focus on:
- Entertainment Studio: We’re a full-service entertainment studio, distributing films theatrically and across all traditional release windows.
- Streaming Channels: We own and operate a variety of streaming channels under multiple business models, focusing on enthusiast-driven channels that cater to passionate fan communities.
- Technology: We’ve developed a next-generation platform for seamless content distribution, management, analysis, and financial reporting. This platform powers our operations and other companies, enabling the future of entertainment.
Vicki: Given the current trends in the streaming industry and the shift towards fan-targeted content platforms, what opportunities do you see for your platform in this evolving landscape?
Erick: It’s undeniable that the industry has shifted to a streaming-first focus, driven by the rise of studio platforms.
- One major trend is the growth of FAST services. For example, Samsung TV Plus has achieved audience numbers rivaling major cable providers, Netflix, and Roku. We’ve been active in the FAST space since 2018 and have watched it grow from a niche business into one that competes with the biggest players.
- Another is the impact of AI across the entertainment industry. At Cineverse, we’re leveraging AI to enhance business processes and solve challenges like search and discovery. While AI often gets attention for its big-picture implications, we use it to improve everyday operations and create innovative tools.
- Finally, the move toward fan-targeted content is transforming the industry. While “niche” might imply small-scale, many enthusiast audiences—like those for anime or specific genres—are massive on a global scale, sometimes with 50 to 70 million fans.
Vicki: How is your AI-powered search and discovery tool, cineSearch, improving the user experience, and where do you see it heading?
Erick: With cineSearch, we’re addressing one of the biggest consumer frustrations: finding something to watch. Studies show that people spend an average of 12 to 13 minutes per session searching for content and often give up. cineSearch uses generative AI to make content discovery conversational, asking questions like “What are you in the mood for?” and “What don’t you like?”
This approach mimics the experience of talking to an informed video store employee, but on a much larger scale. By using advanced metadata and computer vision, cineSearch offers a tailored and intuitive way to connect people with content they’ll love.
Vicki: How does cineSearch differ from traditional algorithms that recommend content based on viewing history or popular trends?
Erick: Most existing algorithms rely on two methods:
- Cold Start: Recommending what’s popular with similar viewers. This can be helpful but isn’t personalized.
- Warm Start: Using your watch history to predict preferences. However, this approach is flawed because most households don’t use individual profiles consistently.
Additionally, algorithms often pigeonhole users based on past behaviors, missing opportunities to introduce new and diverse content.
But cineSearch uses natural language processing to engage users in a conversation about their mood and interests. By combining emotional cues with deeper metadata analysis, it creates a richer, more dynamic experience.
- For example, we use AI to analyze visual and thematic elements of films, offering recommendations that align with explicit preferences and subtle emotional contexts. It’s like having a supercharged video store clerk who knows your tastes better than you do.
Vicki: How are you using data to drive decision-making in all of that experimentation?
Erick: That’s really one of the key benefits of this new ecosystem we find ourselves in—and part of the reason we built our own platform. We view data not as a divining rod that points in one direction but as part of a complete whole. I don’t think we’re at a place in media where algorithms can purely make programming decisions, determine which scripts to produce, or decide what content to acquire. However, data can inform models and ideas that need human rationality behind them.
For us, data serves as guideposts, helping us see if we’re moving in the right direction. But we’re not so beholden to data that we lose sight of the bigger picture.
Vicki: How do you discover emerging trends? And how does data factor into identifying those?
Erick: For us, it’s about identifying what fans are engaging with and loving, then applying data to spot rising trends. For instance, we acquired a platform called Bloody Disgusting—a fan-based brand in the horror community. The team behind it lives and breathes that genre, so they combine their deep expertise with data to spot opportunities.
They identified “Terrifier” as a property with breakout potential, saying, “This could be the next Freddy Krueger.” The data showed off-the-charts engagement—comments, likes, views—and when we aggregated those signals, it was clear this property had far more engagement than expected for its size.
Vicki: What exactly in the data made you believe “Terrifier” would break through?
Erick: Engagement is the key. It’s about exceeding baseline expectation for comments, likes, views, and other markers. We created models that assigned scores, enabling us to compare properties. Anytime we posted about “Terrifier”—a TikTok, an article, or a review—the engagement was off the charts.
We partnered with the creators, who lacked the resources we could provide. It worked out—“Terrifier” has become a cultural phenomenon. Using data, experience, and intuition, we’ve built a nine-figure annual revenue franchise that spans animatronics, costumes, books, games, and more.
Vicki: Do you think the traditional distribution model is becoming outdated?
Erick: Creators have always held power, but it waxes and wanes. Historically, artists like Chaplin and Pickford formed United Artists to control their distribution, but balancing business with creativity is challenging.
Today, creators have more leverage than ever. They can build large followings before relying on traditional media. However, strong partnerships are still crucial—navigating traditional distribution, licensing, and streaming platforms is complex.
The future is symbiotic partnerships—companies respecting creators and helping them thrive. Nimble companies like ours or others like A24 and Neon excel at this.
Vicki: And now that you’ve achieved this, what’s next?
Erick: The resources and leverage from success fuel further creativity. With the right tools and data, we’re focusing on identifying and nurturing more breakout properties while ensuring creators have the support they need. This is just the beginning.
Listen to the full podcast episode on CTAM’s Thinking Out Loud.
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