At the height of the crypto boom, NFTs hit big in the entertainment sphere. Celebrities from Justin Bieber to Reese Witherspoon <\/span>flocked to them<\/span><\/a>, with PFP (profile pic) collections such as Bored Apes and World of Women landing endorsements from the likes of Paris Hilton and Madonna. And while the NFT market slump<\/a> has seen these high-profile Web3 evangelists suffering <\/span>huge<\/span><\/a> losses<\/span><\/a>, Hollywood, it seems, is not yet done with NFTs.<\/span><\/p>\n Since 2021, at least one major talent agency has been actively signing up Web3 and A.I. artists\u2014and continues to do so, never mind the crypto crash.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n William Morris Endeavor, which can claim a history that stretches as far back as the 19th century, predating the motion picture boom in Los Angeles, boasts a top-flight stable. Actors such as Matt Damon, Denzel Washington, and Felicity Jones fill its roster, as do musicians from Adele to Snoop Dogg.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But over the past two years, that list has expanded to include some 50 digital creatives such as Olive Allen, Krista Kim, Claire Silver, Si Parmeggiani, and Andre O\u2019Shea, in addition to the platform SuperRare and the gallery Bright Moments.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Si Parmeggiani, Serpentine<\/em> (2023). Courtesy of the artist.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The agency\u2019s Web3 push has been spearheaded by Chris Jacquemin, WME\u2019s partner and head of digital strategy, who said he had been <\/span>eyeing the sector since 2020<\/span><\/a> as an area of growth.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe sheer volume of new artists, artworks, and platforms is growing. Think about the impact that YouTube had on a generation of viewers\u2014it completely changed the business,\u201d he told Artnet News. \u201cI think we are seeing the beginning of something similar here. The volume of work we will be exposed to is just exploding.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s a bullish stance that <\/span>reflects in WME\u2019s roster of Web3 talents. Among them: SuperRare continues to dominate NFT trade, Kim remains a leading proponent of the metaverse<\/a>, and the anonymous Silver is fast-rising in the A.I. art arena<\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Courtesy of Krista Kim.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cTechnical creativity is certainly at the top of our list,\u201d Jacquemin explained of the factors determining which artists it signs. \u201cI\u2019d say a very close second is their community. It is the clearest indication of their ability to impact culture. Our goal is to help them scale that.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Such a pitch was attractive to Roope Rainisto, the Finnish A.I. artist whose name-making NFT collection, \u201cLife in West America<\/a>,\u201d moved at least $3.5 million in sales volume when it dropped in February. He signed with WME a few months ago.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAlthough I\u2019m currently known for being an A.I. artist, my ambitions are not limited to a particular niche,\u201d he told Artnet News. \u201cAs a European artist, having representation in the U.S. through WME opens doors, giving me access to people I would never otherwise get in contact with and who would never hear of me otherwise.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Roope Rainisto, The Farmer<\/em> NFT, part of the series \u201cReworld.\u201d Courtesy of the artist.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n WME\u2019s other goal is to onboard its existing Web2 clients, hence its signing of companies like Transient Labs, billed as an \u201cinnovation platform for Web3 creators.\u201d Jacquemin brings up successful PFP and POAP (Proof of Attendance Protocol) projects initiated by its more \u201ctraditional\u201d clients, such as former NBA player Scottie Pippen and producer DJ Griffin. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The agency is not the only one that has bet on the Web3 or digital space. United Talent Agency already represents blue-chip NFT collections <\/span>World of Women<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Bored Ape Yacht Club<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>Deadfellaz<\/span><\/a>, and in January, inked a deal with Proof, the creator of <\/span>Moonbirds<\/span><\/a>. Meanwhile, Creative Artists Agency has snapped up <\/span>Cool Cats<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Jenkins the Valet<\/span><\/a>, a Bored Ape derivative.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, what\u2019s being leveraged there is art as much as I.P.\u2014and the opportunities to deploy it across fields from sports to entertainment, while tapping an already existing community. According to Jacquemin, WME connects its artists to opportunities that \u201care typically more difficult for an individual to access,\u201d while acting as \u201ca filter for them so they can focus on their art.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Robbie Barrat, A.I. Generated Nude Portrait #7 Frame #275<\/em> (2018). Courtesy of SuperRare.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But what of the chilly crypto climate?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYes, things \u2018cooled off,\u2019 but it\u2019s still 70 times what it was just a couple of years ago,\u201d he said, further explaining how the NFT market\u2019s valuation went from $350 million in 2020 to <\/span>$41 billion in 2021<\/span><\/a> to about <\/span>$25 billion in 2022<\/span><\/a>. \u201cIt feels like we have shifted from a sprint to a marathon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Collectors today, in his opinion, have shifted toward \u201cfundamentals,\u201d homing in on works by \u201cartists who have created something truly innovative or captured an important moment in time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs new technologies continue to evolve and more collectors become interested in this space, there is great potential for even more creative innovation and a rise in demand for the notable artists making a name for themselves,\u201d he said. \u201cThis focused attention on the most original creators in the space will undoubtedly lead to an increased acceptance into the traditional art world.\u201d<\/p>\n He admitted surprise that \u201csome of the most vocal people in this space have cycled out of it,\u201d adding: \u201cOur focus has been on those who truly see this as a long-term commitment. 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