Follow the money (it's moving)
Plus: Sundance events, Disney battles Google, marketing stunts pay off, January deadlines
Happy Thursday, friends.The countdown to Sundance is officially on.
We’ll share a full rundown of everything we have planned in Park City next week — including programming with our partners ShotDeck, GreenSlate, Switchboard, Theorem Media, Angle on Producers, and this year’s Solidarity House.
For now, mark your calendars for two Portrait panels at the United Airlines Lodge:
The Real Path to Audiences Now: Beyond Sales Agents and Streamers
From Headline to Hollywood: Turning Real Stories into IP Gold
Park City or not, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in.
Roll of Honor
Premieres, Awards, and More. See Portrait members behind this week’s work here.
What to Watch This Weekend
Bold, Blistering Docs
Shuffle. “Benjamin Flaherty’s blistering, intimate takedown of the loopholes and leeches turning the already delicate recovery industry into an exploitation mill” (AV Club). In theaters Friday.
Deepfaking Sam Altman. “If a well-trained AI can capture the essence of a subject, as Sam Altman has argued, then an LLM trained on Altman should basically be him, right?” (THR). In theaters Friday.
Doing Battle with the Past
Sheepdog. “A soldier finds out that his own war is far from over in [this] stirring drama” (Collider). In theaters Friday.
Sound of Falling. “It’s an astonishing work, twining together the lives of four generations of families with an intricacy and intimacy that feels like an act of psychic transmission” (Vulture). In theaters Friday.
Campy and Delightful
A Private Life. “There’s a deliciously overripe, almost campy quality to much of Private Life that’s expertly balanced by the intense focus of [Jodie] Foster’s performance” (Variety). In theaters Friday.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. “It’s a total delight from start to finish. We haven’t had this much fun in Westeros for a long time – maybe ever” (BBC). Premieres Sunday on HBO.
What We’re Reading: Follow the Money
IP vs. AI: Can Disney afford all-out war with Google over AI dispute?
Marketing Supreme: Marty Supreme surpasses One Battle After Another at box office
Podcast Pivot: Netflix makes aggressive podcast push with Pete Davidson
The $80M House of Cards Reckoning: Mr. Spacey goes to court
Avatar: Fire and Cash: Zoe Saldaña becomes highest-grossing actor of all time
On the Circuit: Hello and Goodbye
It’s a big brand after all: Asad Ayaz named Disney’s first-ever Chief Marketing & Brand Officer
South Bye, Sydney: SXSW announces first wave of 2026 film and TV lineup… and SXSW Sydney is canceled
Humans only: Bandcamp bans AI music
Window of Opportunity 🔎
Closing Soon: January Deadlines
Have an opportunity to share? Post it on the app or fill out our form.
From Page to Proof Writers Program (1/15 deadline)
Nantucket Screenplay Competition (1/15 regular deadline)
Jewish Story Partners Grants (1/16 deadline)
LEF Moving Image Fund (1/16 deadline)
Points North Fellowship (1/21 early bird deadline)
Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab (1/21 deadline)
NYFA Artist Fellowship (1/27 deadline)
Switchboard Shorts Grant (2/1 deadline)
Almanack Episodic Lab (2/6 nomination deadline)
Stowe Story Labs Writer Retreats (1/31 early bird deadline)
MacDowell Fellowship (2/10 deadline)
Austin Screenplay Competition (3/25 early deadline + discount)
Select Jobs/Gigs Roundup
Have a job to share? Share it on the app or fill out our form.
Head of Creator Studio, Fox Entertainment
Creative Director, MrBeast
Motion Designer / Video Editor, Variety
Digital Journalist, ABC News
Concept Development Editor, Warner Bros. Discovery
Producer, Meet the Press
Art Director – Franchise Creative, Disney Digital Entertainment
Production Manager, Amazon MGM Studios
End Credits: Portrait Post of the Week
Until next week, friends. See you on Portrait.
Portrait is a vetted network and professional platform for creative careers. Apply to join or nominate a friend.