"Mainstream breakthrough potentially in sight": an upcoming series that may popularize poker
Unleashing the Poker Underworld:
Dustin Yannotti, driving force behind production studio Artisans on Fire, can't forget the first poker match he saw on TV. It was during his college years in the early 2000s, and while everyone else remembers Chris Moneymaker, it was Sammy Farha - the smoky-voiced pro - who left a lasting impression. "I recall that guy on screen was Sammy Farha. I thought, 'This dude is the coolest guy ever!'"
Last month, Yannotti tweeted a heartfelt plea to the poker community, stating: "Poker content needs a new narrative". The post went viral, gaining support from heavyweights like Garrett Adelstein, Daniel Negreanu, Maria Ho, Ryan Feldman, and Joe Ingram.
"We've been treading sewer water for 20 years"
According to Yannotti, most poker content panders to a narrow audience, neglecting the chance to expand it. "There are so many fascinating freaks, but nobody's telling their tales. We're taking steps backward. We need to stop focusing on the game and focus on the individuals instead."
He didn't just bark orders; Yannotti is presently working on a blockbuster documentary project. The footage was gathered during WSOP Paradise 2024 - featuring a smorgasbord of today's poker heavyweights. The end game is to produce a Drive to Survive-style show for poker, like Netflix did for Formula 1.
From Farha to Full Tilt: Yannotti's Sleazefest
After interning at Poker Royalty, Yannotti landed a full-time gig, later being recruited by PokerStars. A stint on the Isle of Man followed, then Dublin after the Full Tilt Poker acquisition – such was the moment he had the dubious honor of restructuring the pro team. "I canned 560 players and kept three: Tom Dwan, Gus Hansen, Viktor 'Isildur1' Blom".
Yannotti dubs this period "organized chaos," but it spawned the inception of his own studio in Las Vegas – Artisans on Fire.
Recently, Yannotti debuted another project - a series of vids about Alan Kitting. Lately, he's been a curious enigma in the poker community: psycho, lavish, fearless. "He was very secretive - didn't want to reveal too much," Yannotti lamented.
However, this enigma turned out to be gold. "We decided to keep the mystery - it only fuels interest. Plus, Alan understood that personal stories can reach a broader audience."
The series now boasts over 50,000 subscribers and nearly a million views monthly, with the mansion visit episode in Hampton causing a bigger stir than expected.
"Poker Needs Its Own 'Queen's Gambit'"
Yannotti thinks that poker deserves equally groundbreaking projects as The Queen's Gambit or Full Swing. "Those shows performed magic – attracted millions of fresh fans. Can’t poker do the same?"
This idea led to a documentary about WSOP Paradise 2024, shot in the Bahamas. Out of 12 hand-picked players, 11 gave the green light. Among them: Jesse Lonis, Alan Kitting, Faraz Jaka, Kristen Foxen, Phil Hellmuth, and Daniel Negreanu.
"We had a tiny crew, but we got a whopping 600 hours of footage. And what's most intriguing – poker gods seemed to save their most fascinating stories for us," says Yannotti.
Series about WSOP Paradise
The documentary ventures beyond just the table action. It's about the people, their triumphs, heartaches, and motivations. Such as Kristen Foxen, who came close to winning the Main Event in summer 2024, or Liv Boeree, who made a record deep run.
"I warned everyone: we'll stick with you through thick and thin,” Yannotti reveals. The only one who cracked a joke about it was Hellmuth: "Depends on how I self-destruct... but I'll still win, so let's roll!"
Of course, when Phil Hellmuth tanked from the Super Main Event, the cameras were still there.
The documentary's premiere is slated for summer – ahead of the WSOP 2025. "It'll be a digital release, but there's something else rather scandalous in the pipeline that I can't divulge yet," says Yannotti.
"Poker demands that its history be witnessed by the whole world," Yannotti concludes.
So, do you think this project will upend the poker media landscape? Or is a taboo-shattering artistic project the key ingredient needed for true greatness, not just another documentary among pals?
- Yannotti, during a recent tweet, exclaimed, "What? Poker content needs a new narrative!"
- Yannotti, in his new documentary project, aims to produce a Drive to Survive-style show for poker, similar to Netflix's Formula 1 series.
- Tom Dwan, Gus Hansen, and Viktor Blom were the only three players Yannotti kept when he restructured the pro team at Full Tilt Poker.
- The series about Alan Kitting, a peculiar figure in the poker community, now has over 50,000 subscribers and nearly a million views monthly.
- Yannotti thinks that poker deserves groundbreaking projects like The Queen's Gambit or Full Swing.
- Yannotti is working on a documentary about WSOP Paradise 2024, featuring 11 poker heavyweights, including Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth. The documentary delves into the personal lives and stories of the players, not just the table action.
