LAMINA1

Welcome to the outskirts. A small glimpse into a very big world. From @nealstephenson, @WetaWorkshop and the team at @Lamina1official:

Dear Lamina1 Community, After nearly four years of building, Translaminal Inc is ceasing operations. Unfortunately, we face financing challenges that we have been unable to resolve, and the company simply does not have the resources to continue. This was certainly not the outcome we wanted, and we don’t take lightly the contributions and belief of all of you–the creators and builders who showed up for this platform. We still believe deeply in the future we proposed, one in which creators are empowered with greater control, alternative financing options, and more favorable economics that turn the status quo on its head. We still believe in a future in which fans meaningfully participate in the IPs they love and promote.  We carry with us the lessons we’ve learned from you and from a volatile and ever-changing market, and we will continue to fight for the future of entertainment we believe in. The work many of you did here, the ideas you shared with us, the projects, the relationships, and the proof points will outlast this chapter. We're taking all the appropriate steps to close the company, and we’re working with the Director of the Foundation to properly wind it down.. Note that the Lamina1 chain and our subnet nodes were operated by Avacloud under contract with the Lamina1 Foundation. Because we cannot continue funding the Avacloud contract, the chain activity will halt, and any contracts, tokens, or dApps running on the chain will also become inaccessible. Stay tuned.  Again, trust we are deeply saddened by this outcome, as the core team has sacrificed so much over the years to realize this vision. We sincerely  thank you for trusting our team with your time, your creativity, and your faith. We are truly grateful for every one of you and we hope to cross paths again.  Rebecca, Neal, & Team CEO & Co-Founder, Lamina1

Loryn Brantz’s Good Advice Cupcake dispute is a creator-rights warning for every animator. If a character carries your voice, personality, or authorship, lock down consent, credit, participation, and AI-use terms before it becomes someone else’s scalable IP.

Creative communities need more than chat and good intentions. Lamina1 Spaces adds a contribution ledger for offers, reviews, milestones, disputes, cash, equity, and activity history. The work becomes visible. The record becomes manageable.

The IP Stack - how to turn one story into multiple revenue streams before you ever land a distribution deal: Characters → merch. Lore → Patreon. Shorts → proof of concept. Feature → negotiating leverage. Own the stack. Own the leverage.

Fans want to participate. Most platforms only let them react. Lamina1 Spaces lets creators launch quests, collect ideas, or actual artwork, reward members with rep, and turn audience input into useful signal for future drops. Example: where should Owen go, next episode?

Community is more than a member count. Lamina1 Spaces surfaces teams, active members, reputation, project credit, and high-signal contributors in one directory. Creators can see who is showing up before the best people disappear into the feed.

Last year, Youtube consisted of 12.7% of total streaming time, beating Disney+(9.9%) and Netflix (8.4%) The 2026 Nostradamus report says film, TV, streaming, creator media, fandom, and games are collapsing into one audiovisual ecosystem It will be defined by fan participation

Australia’s ACTF and Screen Australia Kids IP Incubator has funded 3 digital-first projects launching on YouTube. Indie animators should study the shape: clear audience, shippable format, repeatable release plan, rights map, and proof of demand.

Deadline’s specialty box office report has a useful indie signal: Black Bear’s Tuner opened at about $102K on 4 screens, while Obsession jumped nearly 30% in weekend two to $58.5M domestic. For creators: audience proof, clean rights, and smart rollout strategy are leverage 👇

Animators, this is a real opportunity to study. ABEMA’s Project PRISMation is now accepting worldwide pilot proposals from creators and small teams. The ask is specific: original anime pilots around 5 to 10 minutes, with strong character appeal, a distinct world, and a future commercial expansion plan. Three projects will be selected for funding and support across casting, translation, promotion, licensing, ABEMA release, and festival/event appearances. Professional status is optional, but applicants need prior experience completing animation work and the ability to communicate in Japanese or English. The useful takeaway is the application shape. They are asking for both the film and the business path around it. If you are building original animation, start packaging your project that way now: pilot, audience, world, rights position, expansion lanes, and the next commercial step. Beautiful frames open the door. A clear ownership and expansion plan gives partners something to build around without swallowing the whole IP.

Indie animators: ANNY-curated shorts are now screening in Alamo Drafthouse preshows. Your short can prove demand through YouTube retention, signups, merch, crowdfunding, and community partners. That evidence gives you leverage when rights and next steps are on the table.

The traditional indie film path: make film → hire sales agent → festival circuit → hope for a deal. The new path: build audience → crowdfund → self-distribute or negotiate from leverage. The sales agent isn't gone. They're just no longer the only door.

Indie animators, this Strawberry Vampire story is worth studying. Emily Brundige put the pilot on YT and got 60,000 views in 48 hours, with only 2,000 subs. Then the audience helped crowdfund the next two animatic episodes. Choosing story>polish. Lesson in there.

Artists Equity's model in one line: build the studio around the IP, not around the deal. Most production companies are built to service deals. Artists Equity was built to own what it makes. The Netflix first-look deal is what that looks like when it works.