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Who It's For

Ambitious studio and prodco founders in motion, animation, VFX, live action, experiential, and sound.

What You’ll Gain

Run a business that wins better clients with bigger budgets, thrives amid change, and produces its greatest work.

How It Works

Two lanes: Live 🅛 for real-time collaboration and accountability. On-Demand 🅞 for self-paced, DIY progress.

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.
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.
Garus Booth, Founder & ECD at The Booth
What Is Forum

Not another class. Not another Slack group.

Forum brings together the industry’s most ambitious studios and production companies — names like Versus, Polyester, MAKE, Spillt, Nocaut, Cream, and many more — winning bigger clients, commanding higher fees, and building stronger businesses together.

What holds your studio back? Punch through it.
Tired of Being an Order-Taker?

Join 200+ founders who have made the leap from vendor to expert. It all starts here.

Learn about Jumpstart®
Struggling to Break Into Brands?

Skip the middleman and earn your seat at the table.

Learn about Brand Direct™
Need More Killer Leads?

Generate high-quality warm leads at scale—without losing the human touch.

Learn about Lead Flow Generator™
Lost Yet Another Pitch?

Regain control of competitive pitches. Never again be the dreaded third bid.

Learn about Derail the Pitch™
Stuck in the Feast-or-Famine?

Replace the rollercoaster with steady, sustainable sales.

Learn about Saleskeeping®
Overwhelmed? In the Weeds?

Delegate the day-to-day to your team while you pilot your studio—profitably.

Learn about Studio Flight Deck™
On-Demand 🅞
$1.5K per quarter
DIY • Self-paced • Async

Best fit for studios under $1M/year or producing five-figure projects.
Includes:
Jumpstart® (previously $5K)
All accelerators (self-paced)
Replay Library & Playbooks
Async discussion & DMs
Join for Free
Live 🅛
$2.5K per quarter
Real-time collaboration with Joel & peers

Best fit for founders at $1M+/year or producing six- and seven-figure projects.
Includes On-Demand plus:
Live accelerators (including Jumpstart)
Weekly Roundtables with Joel, peers, and special guests
Office Hours with Joel
Circles peer-led small groups
Forum AI™ Copilots
Join for Free
Reserve 🅡
$12K per quarter
Invite-only • Joel’s private incubator

For founders who need an elite, non-equity partner to rapidly reach the next level.
Includes Live plus:
Direct 1:1 with Joel
Partner seats included
Priority access
Inquire
Join for Free

Investment: about 1% of your annual revenue, designed to unlock the other 99%. After you apply, join Joel's next Initiation Session to begin a 14-day free trial. Upgrade or downgrade quarterly as your needs change.

The Conversation
Jan 8
Entertainment Isn't Dying, It's Changing - Mitch Monson

Members-Only Roundtable

Nov 27
Race to the Top: Let's Design Your Studio's Next Offering

Members-Only Roundtable

Nov 20
How Custom GPTs Generate Repeat Business - Kyle at YOND

Members-Only Roundtable

FAQ
Who is Forum for?

Ambitious founders of studios & production companies in motion, animation, VFX, live action, experiential, and sound—typically team sizes of 2–40 with $300K–$10M+ in annual revenue. (Members include names like Already Been Chewed, BIEN, Cream, MAKE, Panoply, Polyester, Spillt, VERSUS, and many more.)

How do I join Forum?

1. Attend an upcoming Invitation Session
2. Complete the Start Here course to unlock your 14-day free trial
3. Choose your lane: On-Demand 🅞 or Live 🅛

What are the membership options?

Forum On-Demand 🅞, Forum Live 🅛, and Forum Reserve 🅡.

Free accounts have access to public resources, updates, and limited discussions.

What is the return on investment?

For creative leaders hungry to grow, the ROI is exceptional.

Jumpstart® helps studios raise prices and win bigger budgets. Lead Flow Generator™ elevates client relationships. Derail the Pitch™ boosts win ratios. Studio Flight Deck™ helps studios become consistently profitable.Forum pairs community with real-world accelerators… so founders transform.

Do you offer annual pricing?

Yes. Forum runs quarterly to match our accelerator rhythm, but annual pricing is available upon request.

What’s the difference between On-Demand and Live?

On-Demand:
Asynchronous access to all resources, accelerators, recordings, and Forum AI.

Live:
Everything in On-Demand plus live Accelerators, Roundtables, Office Hours, and direct access to Joel.

Is there a free tier?

Yes. Anyone can Join for Free to access limited discussions, Free Resources, the Fabulist podcast, and Weekly Memo updates.

Do you offer discounts?

Yes:
• Annual pricing
• Business partner seats
• International adjustments
• Forum Scholarships for deserving studios

What is Forum Reserve?

Reserve is Joel’s invite-only incubator for founders ready to move beyond work-for-hire and build IP, products, or new ventures—often with Joel participating as advisor, investor, or partner. Includes full Live benefits for you and your partners.

Can my leadership team join?

Yes. Give your team acces to Live 🅛 by purchasing additional seats at a generous discount.

What if I need to cancel?

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