Atomic-Backed Jumpcut: Data-Driven Diversity in Film

A New Approach to Inclusive Storytelling: Introducing Jumpcut

Kartik Hosanagar, the founder of Jumpcut, is a professor at the Wharton School. However, approximately a decade ago, he pursued a different creative endeavor – writing a screenplay. The script, set in India, attracted some initial interest from producers, but ultimately lacked the financial backing needed for production by a debut Indian filmmaker.

The Growing Demand for Diversity in Film

Currently, films showcasing diverse representation are experiencing increased success. Chloé Zhao recently made history as the first woman of color to win the Academy Award for Best Director. Similarly, Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” achieved a milestone as the first non-English language film to win Best Picture. Despite this progress, a McKinsey & Company report indicates that Hollywood potentially loses $10 billion annually due to a lack of diversity within the industry.

Hosanagar posed a critical question: “How can investments be confidently made in underrepresented voices and narratives?” He observed that while awareness of the issue exists, concrete action is limited due to uncertainty in identifying viable projects. This realization was the catalyst for Jumpcut, a company that uniquely combines his two decades of expertise in data science and entrepreneurship with his personal passions.

Leveraging Data Science to De-Risk Media Projects

As Faculty Lead for the AI for Business program at Wharton, Hosanagar has a proven track record as a successful entrepreneur. He previously founded Yodle, which was acquired by web.com for $340 million in 2016. His current venture aims to directly address Hollywood’s lack of diversity by utilizing data science to mitigate the risks associated with projects from underrepresented creators.

“Our core vision is to usher in a more inclusive era of global content creation,” Hosanagar stated in an interview with TechCrunch.

Jumpcut Launches and Secures Initial Projects

Development on Jumpcut began in 2019, and the company is now officially launching as a data science-driven studio dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices in film. The studio already has 12 television and film projects in development. These projects are being created in collaboration with industry veterans such as 36-time Academy Award nominee Lawrence Bender (“Pulp Fiction,” “Good Will Hunting”), Emmy Award-winning producer Shelby Stone (“Bessie,” “The Chi”), and showrunner Scott Rosenbaum (“Chuck,” “The Shield”).

A Y Combinator-Inspired Model for Talent Discovery

Jumpcut’s approach mirrors that of Y Combinator, connecting emerging talent with established buyers and producers. The company employs an algorithm to analyze hundreds of thousands of videos from platforms like YouTube, Reddit, and Wattpad, identifying promising creators.

The algorithm prioritizes creators who consistently attract new audiences and demonstrate increasing engagement. The Jumpcut team, supported by advisors and experts from Netflix, BuzzFeed, CBS, Sony, and WarnerMedia, then determines the most appropriate connections to facilitate.

Identifying Hidden Talent Through Algorithmic Analysis

Hosanagar highlighted the case of Anna Hopkins, an actress known for her roles in shows like “The Expanse” and “Shadowhunters,” as an example of the algorithm’s effectiveness. Despite her acting experience, Hopkins also aspires to be a writer.

“Our algorithm detected her short films, recognizing the strong emotional responses they evoked in viewers – comments expressing feelings of warmth and empathy,” Hosanagar explained. Surprisingly, Jumpcut discovered Hopkins independently, without any prior knowledge of her script submissions to television networks.

Data-Driven Validation of Creative Concepts

Creators identified by Jumpcut have the opportunity to A/B test their ideas with audiences exceeding 100,000 potential viewers. This process provides data-backed evidence to potential funders, demonstrating the commercial viability of these concepts.

“We aim to bypass the traditional Hollywood agency system, which often requires creators to have established connections,” Hosanagar emphasized. “We are automating the discovery process, identifying talented storytellers who are already resonating with audiences, rather than relying on agencies to find them.”

The Jumpcut Collective: An Incubator for Emerging Artists

Creators with ideas that perform well in audience testing are invited to participate in the Jumpcut Collective, a six-week incubator program designed to refine concepts and prepare them for pitch meetings. Jumpcut then facilitates connections with producing partners and potential buyers.

To date, Jumpcut has conducted three incubator programs. Nine or ten of the twelve projects currently in development originated from the incubator. One project is currently being developed in collaboration with Disney’s Asia Pacific Division.

Funding and Team

Jumpcut has secured seed funding from Atomic, who are the sole investors in this round, though the specific amount remains undisclosed.

Hosanagar is joined by Dilip Rajan, a former product manager at BuzzFeed and his former student, and Winnie Kemp, a former SVP of Originals at Super Deluxe and CBS. The majority of the funding will be allocated to payroll, supporting engineers, data scientists, product managers, and development executives who oversee the incubator program.