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Forum

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The elite community for founders of the world’s top studios & production companies.

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Make the shift → from alone & uncertain to supported & confident.
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Who It's For

Founders in motion, animation, VFX, live action, experiential, sound & music building a Studio On Purpose™.

What You’ll Gain

Clarity, confidence, and a resilient business—better clients, pricing, ops, and repeatable growth.

How It Works

Two lanes: Live (roundtables, accelerators, circles, Forum AI™) or On-Demand (DIY, self-paced + replays).

Why Forum

Your peers. Your push. Your unfair advantage.

Alongside Joel Pilger, join the elite founders who share playbooks, pressure-test decisions, and turn momentum into measurable wins... week after week.

What's Inside
Apply to Join Forum
Fix What’s Stuck (Accelerators)

Industry-leading accelerators built for studios. Take them self-paced in On-Demand or join real-time cohorts in Live. Start with Jumpstart® (now included), then go deeper—Saleskeeping®, Brand Direct™, Studio Flight Deck™, Derail the Pitch™, and more.

Live with Joel + Peers + Special Guests

Weekly Roundtables and Office Hours deliver straight talk, real examples, and decisions—not theory. Bring pricing, pipeline, and positioning; leave with next steps. Plus: Forum AI™ tools (Live) to research, iterate, and act with confidence.

Circles (Live Only)

Small, peer-led groups (~10) where legends and peers push you further—focused themes, real accountability, and compounding connections. Application required.

Missed It? Binge It.

Every session lands in the Replay Library with a private podcast feed. Search, skim clips, and binge whenever, wherever.

It's a board of directors made up of the brightest minds in the industry. Truly a priceless resource.
Eric Singer, Partner at Coupe Studios
A support system and playground for ideas—unfiltered, unbiased camaraderie.
Ricardo Roberts, Co-Founder and EP at BIEN
Forum isn’t just a community — it’s a lifeline for founders who are serious about growing… and btw the real story is the momentum.
Ronny Young, Founder at OddBeast
If you have not done Jumpstart… it is the single most beneficial program I have ever done for my business.
Ed Rhine, Founder & ECD at Spillt
Applying Derail the Pitch, we doubled the client’s production budget… and completely flipped the relationship.
Christian Darais, Co-Founder at The Fold
We landed a $275K campaign by applying the language we gained in Brand Direct. The client literally told us that’s why we won.
Danny Robashkin, Founder at MAKE
This is your cheat code for being just as exceptional at the business side as you are at the creative side… and who doesn’t want to be invited into the cockpit?
Garus Booth, Founder & ECD at The Booth
Accelerator Courses
Jumpstart® Foundations

Your journey from order-taker to expert begins here. Master the foundational mindsets behind top studios: focus, positioning, qualifying, pricing, leading.

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Saleskeeping®

Replace the feast-or-famine cycle with sales consistency. Learn the simple system that makes biz dev feel as natural as bookkeeping. Co-led by Carolyn Hill.

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Brand Direct™

Skip the middleman and claim your seat at the table with brands.. Speak their language and sell outcomes to build long-term, high-value accounts. Co-led by Kevin Rapp.

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Studio Flight Deck™

Delegate day-to-day to your team while you pilot your studio with confidence. Control your costs, monitor your projects, and keep an eye on your cash runway.

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Derail the Pitch™

Stop pitching like a peasant. Take control of the pitch process—and never again be the dreaded third bid.

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NEW: Lead Flow Generator™

Attract high-quality leads, without losing the human touch. Run a system that fills your pipeline consistently and authentically. Co-led by Ryan Summers.

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On-Demand
$995/quarter
DIY • Self-paced • Async
What's included:
All accelerators self-paced (incl. Jumpstart®)
Replay Library +  podcast
Async discussion & DMs
Apply Now
Live
$1995/quarter
Fastest Results — Live with Joel • Weekly collaboration • Circles
Includes everything in On-Demand plus:
Quarterly Live Accelerator
Weekly Roundtables with Joel, peers, and special guests
Office Hours with Joel
Circles
Forum AI™
Apply Now
Reserve
Starts at $12K/quarter
Joel’s 1:1 incubator for strategic growth • Invite-only
Everything in Live plus:
1:1 strategy sessions with Joel
Seats for partners
Limited availability
Apply Now
Upcoming events
Aug 28
Confessions of a Buyer: How to Make Us Interested

Tired of cold outreach that goes nowhere? Join Joel Pilger and Chris Whitten for a roundtable on warm outreach that actually works—real talk, scripts, and strategies to get your creative noticed.

Aug 21
The Magnetic Moment: One Founder Live In the Hot Seat

More event details soon.

Aug 14
How to Lead Clients (While Figuring It Out Yourself)

Studios are being asked to lead, not just execute. Join Jeremy Dimmock and (tentatively) Nuno Ferreira for a candid roundtable on stepping up when clients expect direction—not just deliverables.

FAQ
How do I join Forum?

1. Apply to Join Forum
2. Attend an Initiation Session with Joel
3. Complete the 7-day Quick Win Sprint
4. Unlock your 14-day Forum Live trial
5. Choose your lane: On-Demand or Live

What are the membership options?

On-Demand ($995/quarter): Self-paced accelerators (incl. Jumpstart®), Replay Library + private podcast, Forum AI™, and async discussions/DMs.

Live ($1995/quarter): Everything in On-Demand plus Weekly Roundtables with Joel & special guests, Office Hours with Joel, a Quarterly Live Accelerator, and peer-led Circles.

Reserve (from $12K/quarter, invite-only): Joel’s 1:1 strategic advisory; includes Live benefits plus seats for senior partners.

Why is membership so inexpensive?

The ROI is absurd for serious founders. A simple +5% price lift on a $100K project nets $5,000; redirecting a pair of scope creep asks saves $2K–$10K in margin; landing one brand-direct client can add $50–250K+ in revenue. We price to keep access open (especially for smaller and international studios) while still delivering outsized returns.

Can I switch plans?

Yes—upgrade or downgrade between On-Demand and Live any time (changes start next billing cycle). Circles require a brief application; occasional waitlists are normal.

Is there a free tier?

The free Lite tier has been retired. Free accounts can still access our Free Resources space.

Do you offer discounts?

Yes—there are three. We offer annual pricing, discounted additional partner seats for the same studio, and international adjustments for founders outside the US, Canada, UK, EU, and Australia. Note this on your application (or DM us) and we’ll confirm what applies.

Who is Forum for?

Ambitious founders of studios & production companies in motion, animation, VFX, live action, experiential, and sound—typically 2–40+ people, ~$300K–$20M+ revenue. (Members include names like BIEN, Cream, MAKE, Panoply, Polyester, Spillt, VERSUS, and many more.)

What is Forum Reserve?

Reserve is Joel’s invite-only incubator for founders ready to go beyond work-for-hire and co-create ventures—IP, products, influence plays—often with Joel participating as an investor, advisor, or partner. It includes Forum Live benefits for you and your partners.

Can my leadership team join?

Yes. Reserve includes seats for senior partners. For Live, purchase additional memberships as needed (discounts apply).

What if I need to cancel?

Cancel any time; your access continues through the end of your current term.