280: Hollywood on the Blockchain — Riaz Mehta’s Vision for Creator-Led Media with Ritestream

Web3 with Sam Kamani

Riaz Mehta, founder of Ritestream, joins Sam to talk about disrupting Netflix with a decentralized, fan-funded streaming platform. He explains how Ritestream empowers creators, shares revenue with viewers, and uses NFTs and tokens to bring transparency to film financing — plus the role AI will play in reshaping media.

Key Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Intro: Riaz Mehta shares how Ritestream is reinventing film funding and streaming

• [00:02:00] Journey into Web3: From early Bitcoin exposure to a Vitalik meetup in 2017

• [00:04:00] Why Ritestream: Solving funding gaps and ownership problems in media

• [00:06:00] Fan-Powered Entertainment: Letting users co-fund and benefit from movie success

• [00:08:00] Web3 vs Web2: Transparency, on-chain revenue, and smart contracts as game changers

• [00:12:00] Business Model: Launchpad fees, ad-driven revenue sharing, and token buybacks

• [00:17:00] Content Trends: Action, comedy, and crypto-native audiences on Ritestream Plus

• [00:19:00] Decentralized Curation: DAOs will decide what gets made and what gets streamed

• [00:20:00] Industry Blindspots: Why Hollywood still doesn’t get Web3

• [00:24:00] UX Matters: Reducing friction for viewers while rewarding those who opt in

• [00:25:00] Kryptonite TV: Web3’s Shark Tank, funded and launched on Ritestream

• [00:27:00] Founder Advice: Focus on real value, ignore noise, and understand timing

• [00:30:00] AI’s Impact: Lowering production costs, generating talent, and transforming workflows

• [00:31:00] Value Accrual: Future of media lies in distribution and on-chain data ownership

• [00:32:00] Final Ask: Community participation, fundraising, and checking out Kryptonite TV

Connect

https://www.ritestream.io/

https://x.com/ritestream_io

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritestream/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/riaz-mehta/

Disclaimer

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