LOS ANGELES, April 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Entertainment talent discovery platform Holly™ launched today to redistribute the power in Hollywood and unlock opportunities for actors, filmmakers and other creatives. Academy Award-nominated actor, singer-songwriter and record producer Terrence Howard co-founded Holly with his wife, Mira Howard, to challenge decades-old Hollywood systems that favor industry insiders and those with deep connections.
Technology has disrupted legacy industries from retail to banking. The business side of entertainment, however, has remained largely untouched and is ripe for change. Today, actors and other artists in entertainment are beholden to third parties in the industry – especially talent agencies – for access to auditions, roles and creative jobs. Holly changes that by introducing a solution that democratizes the entertainment industry.
“Hollywood is in serious need of a shakeup, and Holly is the answer to a more collaborative environment where we partner with agencies, studios and other industry players to provide more access for talent and more diverse content for viewers,” said Co-Founder Terrence Howard. “Today’s audiences are looking for stories and voices they can relate to, but traditional Hollywood systems typically overlook the talent that can bring those projects to life. Holly is the platform that can facilitate this change across the industry. Holly is LinkedIn meets Instagram for talent, empowering a vibrant community to discover and elevate the best artists regardless of geography, background or socio-economic status.”
Prior to its launch, Holly was bootstrapped by the Howards. Starting today, the company will pursue an equity-based crowdfunding round, which aligns with its democratization ethos to provide equal opportunities for Hollywood talent. This financing will enable everyone across the industry ecosystem to invest directly in the company and share in the potential upside and success of the platform.
Holly Platform Features
To support its mission to level the playing field in Hollywood, Holly’s user-friendly platform is completely free to join for creative talent. Its technology allows actors and artists to upload their portfolios and demo reels, audition for projects and build community with other members of the entertainment industry. Industry executives and Hollywood insiders from studios, production companies and talent agencies can join Holly for a subscription fee to scout and discover talent and post casting calls. Ultimately, Holly will facilitate true collaboration between talent and the industry, instead of one group holding the majority of the power.
Looking to the future, Holly plans to expand its offerings to further facilitate partnerships between creative talent and industry executives. The company is working on several tentative features, including potential equity crowdfunding capabilities that will enable talent, fans and folks from the industry to invest directly into television and film projects and a marketplace designed to help talent find legal services, talent management, rights and identity management and more. Holly is also exploring the possibility of a web3 strategy that would include the ability for the industry to invest in emerging talent through smart contracts on the blockchain.
To learn more about Holly, including how to get involved, visit hollyentertainment.com.
About Holly
Holly is a Hollywood talent discovery platform with the goal of making the entertainment industry more equitable. Founded in 2021 by actor and industry veteran Terrence Howard, Holly allows actors and creators to showcase their skills on their own terms while providing industry executives a place to discover, source and support new talent. More details about the platform can be found at hollyentertainment.com.
Contact:
LaunchSquad for Holly
holly@launchsquad.com
