Content Is King with Lisa Tenner

What does it actually take to turn a bestselling novel into a streaming series? In Episode 3 of Sasq'et: The Story, Joe Woolworth and bestselling author Maxim Langstaff sit down with their first industry guest, entertainment veteran Lisa Tenner. With decades of experience spanning music, television, artist management, and production—including work with Sir George Martin, The Monkees, and major entertainment projects—Lisa offers a candid look behind the curtain of Hollywood development.  From audience building and content creation to cinematography, producers, agents, showrunners, and distribution, Lisa explains why the path from novel to screen is far more complex than most people realize—and why great content still sits at the center of everything. The conversation explores what makes Sasq'et uniquely suited for television, why audience growth matters, the realities of pitching projects in Hollywood, and the practical steps Joe and Max should focus on as they continue documenting their journey toward a streaming adaptation.  Whether you're a writer, filmmaker, content creator, producer, or simply fascinated by how movies and television shows get made, this episode offers an insider's perspective on what really happens behind the scenes. 00:00 – Welcome back to Sasq'et: The Story 01:00 – Introducing Lisa Tenner and her relationship with Max 02:00 – Why Sasq'et's bestseller status matters 03:45 – Lisa's background in music, television, and artist management 06:45 – The big question: What's the next step toward a streaming series? 07:30 – Why Sasq'et could become a five-season television series 09:00 – Building an audience before Hollywood arrives 10:00 – Promotions, community building, and growing awareness 11:00 – Why people love behind-the-scenes stories 13:00 – What Hollywood development actually looks like 15:00 – Why cinematography can make or break a project 17:00 – Lessons from great storytelling on screen 19:00 – How books become television projects 21:00 – Why Mallory works as a lead character 23:00 – The challenge of bringing stories to life 25:00 – Why YouTube matters more than ever 26:00 – Building an audience through education and transparency 28:00 – Learning from mistakes during the process 30:00 – Why audience questions should shape the show 30:45 – Is content still king? 32:00 – Why distribution matters as much as production 33:00 – Making audiences feel something 34:00 – Why Lisa chose to represent Sasq'et 35:00 – The business case for adapting the novel 36:00 – Final advice for creators, writers, and storytellers ------------------ Want to join the team? Level 1: Become a Reader If you haven’t read Sasq’et yet, pick up your copy at https://sasqetthebook.com. The stronger the readership, the stronger the case for adaptation. Level 2: Join the Expedition Join the newsletter at sasqetthebook.com and follow the journey between episodes. This should be framed as exclusive access. Level 3: Recruit the Next Guest This one is gold because it helps the show. Who should we talk to next? A producer? A showrunner? An actor? A streamer executive? Someone who’s turned a book into a series?  Leave a comment and help us build the roadmap. Level 4: Become a Scout This is where you join the Sasq'et research team. Know someone who should be helpful to talk with about making the streaming series? Make an introduction. Every connection moves the story forward. Level 5: Join the Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/SasqetTheStory ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★