MV3 NFT collection from ‘Stranger Things’ writer signs with UTA – The Hollywood Reporter

UTA has signed three NFT artists and the NFT collection MV3, created by Stranger Things writer Jessie Nickson-Lopez, as part of the agency’s continued push to represent clients and projects in the Web3 space.

Joining the agency’s roster of Web3 clients are visual artists Emonee LaRussa, who was selected as one of three artists to create NFTs for the Grammys; Vinnie Hager, who published the NFT collection Letters last year; and Andrew Wang, founder of Web3 art studio Devotion.

The agency will also represent the MV3 NFT collection from Metav3rse, a digital publication that provides readers with updates on NFT news across various social media platforms. The collection – created by Nickson-Lopez, Roberto Nickson and Torey Kohara – features various characters from the fictional world of Eluna City and sold out after its initial public launch.

Like other NFT collections with strong fanbases, such as Bored Apes, the MV3 collection is expected to expand its IP into film, television, video games, books, events and more. MV3 NFT holders will have the opportunity to have a say in future stories related to the MV3 characters.

“Just as with the emergence of YouTube as a new platform, many years ago, we see the emergence of NFTs, specifically, but also more broadly, Web3, as an area that will create a whole new group of important creators,” Lesley Silverman , told the head of UTA’s Web3 division The Hollywood Reporter.

NFT sales have fallen in recent months, with NFT marketplace OpenSea seeing a 70 percent drop in sales between May and June, and blue-chip gatherings such as Bored Ape Yacht Club seeing floor prices drop 33 percent over a similar time frame, according to data reported by Bloomberg.

But Silverman says she sees this as a time to “build.”

“I haven’t seen a decline in the number of traditional, or Web2, brands looking to get into the space,” says Silverman. “The brands that are smart and savvy are going to see this adjustment in the market as an opportunity to catch up to gain momentum.”

To meet this demand, UTA has also added three new agents to the Web3 team: Caroline Hooven, a former senior brand project manager at Thrive Market; Erlan Nyssanov, former associate for startup business development at Amazon Web Services and analyst at Evercore; and Griffin Lasker, co-founder of Internet Friends DAO and a former employee of UTA’s entertainment and cultural marketing and venture divisions.

The agents, who report to Silverman, will help identify talent and key partnerships.

“We’re seeing an increase in deal flow for access to these cryptonative creators, and I think a lot of the reason for that is the interest in authentically entering the space. So if a brand wants to enter, they’re looking to partner with a creator native to the space,” Silverman said. “You’re going to see a lot more of that in the coming months.”