The Emmy Built on ETH: Emily Yang aka pplpleasr on the Future of Storytelling
Emily Yang, aka pplpleasr, joins us to talk about her evolution from artist to Emmy-winning storyteller and the vision behind Shibuya’s “permissionless creativity” model. She shares how White Rabbit became the first crypto-native project to win an Emmy, and how crypto-enabled community participation can open new possibilities for funding, building, and co-creating original IP. We also discuss interactive storytelling, the tension between audience input and artistic vision, and the inspirations that shape Emily’s creative world.
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Show Notes
Four years ago, artist Emily Yang aka pplpleasr began a creative journey that would help break new ground at the intersection of art, technology, and community.
In this episode, we sit down with Emily — founder of Shibuya — to talk about her evolution from illustrator to Emmy-winning storyteller.
Emily shares how Shibuya is pioneering “permissionless creativity,” using crypto rails to fund, build, and co-create original IP with global communities. Her breakout project, White Rabbit, became the first crypto-native project to win an Emmy (Outstanding Innovation in Emerging Media), proving that grassroots storytelling can reach mainstream acclaim. We dive into:
- How White Rabbit crowdfunded alternate story endings
- What it means to turn audiences from passive viewers into active participants
- Why efficient capital formation is a game-changer for creatives
- Building outside traditional studio systems
- The creative tension between community input and artistic vision
Plus, Emily's biggest inspirations (Ghost in the Shell, Miyazaki, David Lynch, and more).
- 00:00 Behind the Fortune Magazine Cover
- 01:46 Founding Shibuya, and “Permissionless Creativity”
- 02:13 Winning an Emmy for White Rabbit., the First Crypto Project to Win an Emmy
- 03:14 What Is White Rabbit? (Interactive + NFT Model Explained)
- 05:53 From Passive Viewing to Interactive Storytelling
- 07:19 Opportunities for Creatives
- 08:27 Creative Inspirations (Miyazaki, Black Mirror)
- 09:25 Going With Your Gut, And the Advice Should Founders Ignore
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