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Creative business is an art. Let’s master it.

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Forum™
Join the circle where the best get better.
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Who It's For

Ambitious studios/prodcos in motion, animation, live action, sound, and experiential.

What You’ll Gain

Creative excellence meets business fluency—inside a circle built for founders.

How It Works

A private circle of founders. Weekly live events. Industry-savvy courses. Candid conversations that push you farther.

What is Forum

Where great studios become legendary.

Creative founders elevate their craft, lead teams they love, and earn what they deserve—without selling out or burning out.

Benefits — What's Inside Forum
Become a Member
Talk That Transforms

Curated conversations with top founders. Ask sharper questions. Get pushed further than you’d ever go alone.

Studio Growth, Unscripted

Your front-row seat to the real-time breakthroughs that grow a creative business, from positioning to pricing and beyond.

Fix What’s Holding You Back

Churn, chaos, clarity. Industry-specific accelerator courses to tackle what’s blocking your growth—so you can studio on purpose.

Missed It? Master It.

Miss a session? No problem. The Forum Replay Library puts every insight in your back pocket.

It's a support system, a gathering place, a playground for idea exchange. You'll be greeted with unfiltered, unbiased, and unwavering camaraderie.
Ricardo Roberts | Co-Founder and Executive Producer at BIEN
It's like having a board of directors made up of the brightest minds in the industry. Truly a priceless resource.
Eric Singer | Partner at Coupe Studios
Last night when I posted there were immediate responses from everyone all over the world, including you. Before I asked anyone for help, everyone just gave it.
Amanda Russell | Co-Founder & Creative Director at Cream Studio
In Forum, the Jumpstart Experience was the compass we needed to find our own path and take Animagic to the next level.
David Calderon | Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director at Animagic
Accelerator Courses (led by Joel Pilger and guest experts)
Jumpstart® Foundations

Break the $1M ceiling by leaping from the order-taker to the expert. Learn the mindsets of top studios that lead to better clients and bigger budgets.

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NEW: Lead Flow Generator™ with Ryan Summers

Attract high-quality leads, without losing the human touch. Build a system that fills your pipeline consistently and authentically.

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Brand Direct™ with Kevin Rapp

Win brand clients that stick (and spend). Speak their language, sell outcomes, and build long-term, high-value relationships.

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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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Saleskeeping® with Carolyn Hill

Replace sales chaos with sales consistency. Learn the repeatable system that makes biz dev feel as natural as bookkeeping.

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Studio Flight Deck™

Pilot your projects with confidence. Build systems that empower your team, control your cash, and eliminate chaos.

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Lite
Stay Connected.
USD $0 quarterly.
Keep your finger on the pulse of your peers and the industry.
Limited discussions
Select roundtables
Replay Library
All Accelerators
Biweekly Office Hours
Quarterly Reviews + Planning
Apply Now
Forum 150
The Inner Circle.
USD $995 quarterly.
Get full access to everything: peer discussions, accelerators, roundtables, replays, and office hours with Joel. Built for the 150 most ambitious studios.
Discussions and DMs
Weekly live roundtables
Replay Library
All Accelerators
Biweekly Office Hours
Quarterly Reviews + Planning
Apply Now
Teams
Multiply the Impact.
USD $2,995 quarterly.
Bring your leadership team into the fold. Includes everything in Forum 150, plus seats for your senior team.
Discussions and DMs
Weekly live roundtables
Replay Library
All Accelerators
Biweekly Office Hours
Quarterly Review + Planning
Apply Now
Upcoming events
Jul 31
Cut the Creep – Mastering the Art of “That’s Not Included”

TBD. More details soon.

Jul 24
We Pitched Against Each Other. Who Won... and Why

At a NYC dinner, 3 founders realized they pitched the same project—now they’ll reveal their decks, strategy, who won, and lessons learned in this can’t-miss Forum roundtable.

Jul 11
Let's Develop Entry-Level Talent with Gunner School

Struggling to hire junior talent? Learn how Gunner built a studio-run school to train emerging artists—so you can grow your own pipeline without sacrificing quality.

FAQ
How do I join Forum?

Click “Become a Member” and apply. If accepted, you’ll join Joel for an Initiation Session and start a 21-day free trial. If a Forum 150 seat is open, you’re in—otherwise, you will be moved into Lite membership until a seat opens.

What’s the difference between Lite, Forum 150, and Teams?

Lite is free and includes limited access to conversations and one roundtable per quarter.

Forum 150 unlocks full community access: all Accelerators, Weekly Roundtables, our Replay Library (including the Private Podcast), Office Hours with Joel, and more. Capped at 150 members to maintain intimacy and exclusivity.

Teams includes Forum 150 plus access for your leadership team and VIP-level support.

If I downgrade to Lite, can I come back to Forum 150 later?

If you downgrade, you’ll be moved to Lite at the end of the waitlist. Since you can only rejoin when a seat becomes available, the wait may be long, plus you’ll rejoin at current pricing.

Are discounts available?

Yes. Annual plans receive a discount. Studios outside the US, Canada, EU, and APAC may qualify for additional discounts due to currency differences.

What types of studios are members in Forum?

Among the Forum 150 are independent studios and production companies spanning motion, animation, VFX, live action, experiential, sound, and music. Team sizes range from 2–40 with annual revenue of USD $300K—$20M+.

What is Forum Reserve?

Forum Reserve is Joel Pilger’s 1-on-1 advisory practice for qualified studios. By invitation only.