Russ: If you pay your favorite creator 'per thing' on Patreon... well, not for long.
Nadia: I'm Nadia.
Russ: And I'm Russ.
Nadia: And you're listening to Feed Drop for Tuesday, September 29th.
Russ: Coming up, we're tracking a few big moves in the podcast world.
Nadia: Patreon is making a huge change to how creators get paid, and a lot of people are not happy.
Russ: We'll also say a sad farewell to a TV principal who became a surprising podcast regular.
Nadia: And a film deal out of Spain could be a sign of where the next wave of podcast IP is coming from.
Nadia: Okay, let's start with Patreon. They've just announced they're officially getting rid of their 'per-creation' membership option.
Russ: Whoa, hold on. So if I paid a webcomic artist, say, a dollar every time they posted a new comic... what happens now?
Nadia: Now, your only option is a flat monthly fee. They're forcing everyone off that legacy plan and onto a monthly-only structure by the end of the year.
Russ: That feels like a rug pull. What's their reasoning? That plan is perfect for creators who don't release on a predictable schedule.
Nadia: [dry] The corporate line is that it 'streamlines' the platform and that monthly billing is more 'predictable and effective.'
Russ: Predictable for Patreon's revenue, you mean. So is this just bad for creators, full stop?
Nadia: For some, absolutely. Creators with an irregular schedule will have to rethink their whole model. But for most podcasters, who are already weekly or bi-weekly, it just simplifies the ask. One less decision for a potential patron to make.
Russ: So the bottom line is, if your favorite creator was on this plan, expect a new pitch. And maybe, a more regular release schedule.
Nadia: Exactly. Speaking of having a plan, this episode is sponsored by The Podglomerate.
Russ: Right, they say 'more downloads start with a plan.'
Nadia: And The Podglomerate's free Ultimate Guide to Podcast Marketing covers all the tactics and tools you need to build that plan. You can find it on their website.
Russ: Now for a name from my Saturday mornings. Dennis Haskins, who played Principal Belding on 'Saved by the Bell,' has died at 75.
Nadia: [sad] Yeah, his longtime agent confirmed the news to Variety. He was just an absolute fixture of 90s television.
Russ: Definitely. But Nadia, why is this a Feed Drop story?
Nadia: Because he was quietly a prolific podcast guest. He really leaned into his fame and used the medium to connect with new fans. He was on everything from Marc Maron's 'WTF' years ago to countless 90s nostalgia shows.
Russ: He was even on 'Zack to the Future,' the rewatch podcast Mark-Paul Gosselaar—Zack Morris himself—was doing. He reprised the role of Belding. It was surreal and kind of wonderful.
Nadia: It's a great example of how TV stars from that era found a second act in audio, just by embracing the characters that made them famous.
Russ: [sighs] He really seemed to love being Mr. Belding. It's a sad day for the Bayside High community. Rest in peace.
Nadia: It really is. And it shows how podcasting becomes part of the permanent record for these public figures.
Nadia: Alright, our last story today is a deal out of the San Sebastian Film Festival that looks like it has nothing to do with podcasting... but it does.
Russ: Okay, I'm listening. But I'm skeptical. A film festival?
Nadia: According to Variety, David Matamoros of Doce Entertainment in Spain... he co-produced that huge Netflix horror movie 'The Platform'...
Russ: The one with the prison pit where they lower the food! Yeah, that movie was nuts.
Nadia: That's the one. Well, he's just boarded a new project, an adaptation of a Chilean cult novel called 'Dog Legs.'
Russ: A Spanish producer adapting a Chilean novel into a film. Nadia, I'm still not hearing the word 'podcast'. What are we doing here?
Nadia: Because you're thinking about the product, not the pipeline! This is exactly the kind of IP development the podcast industry is watching like a hawk. A high-concept, internationally known producer grabs a cult literary property.
Russ: So... you're saying this book adaptation could end up as a podcast?
Nadia: I'm saying the film is step one. Step two or three is often an audio drama, a companion podcast, a spin-off... This is where the ideas are coming from. The global film circuit is a shopping mall for podcast IP.
Russ: Ah, I get it. So the story isn't about 'Dog Legs: The Podcast'. It's that if you want to know what scripted shows are coming in a few years, you need to watch the indie film deals being made right now.
Nadia: Now you get it. It's all about the source material.
Nadia: Alright, let's do a quick recap.
Russ: Patreon is killing its 'per-creation' payment option, pushing all creators to a monthly model.
Nadia: We paid tribute to Dennis Haskins, TV's Mr. Belding, and how he embraced the podcast world.
Russ: And a Spanish film deal for a Chilean novel shows us where the next big podcast ideas might be born.
Nadia: Before we go, what are you actually listening to this week, Russ?
Russ: I just burned through 'How to Steal a Lot of Money' from Blanchard House. It follows this British conman through his insane life. It's so well told, just super compelling.
Nadia: Nice. Blanchard House always does top-tier work. I'll add it to the list.
Nadia: And that's our show for Tuesday, September 29th.
Russ: Feed Drop will be back tomorrow, on our regular monthly—wait, daily—schedule. See you then.
This show is made with AI: the hosts’ voices are synthetic and the scripts are AI-assisted. Every story links to its original source.