The Crypto Conversation

Best of 2020 - Cryptopia the movie - Bitcoin, Blockchains & the Future of the Internet


Listen Later

We’re revisiting some of the best Crypto Conversation podcast episodes of 2020. In this episode, we talk with Torsten Hoffmann a documentary filmmaker. His new film Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains and the Future of the Internet is now available online. 

Why you should listen:

After writing a research paper on alternative currencies as part of his MBA at Oxford University, Torsten was intrigued by Bitcoin. In 2014 he started working on Bitcoin: The End of Money As We Know it, his first documentary. Hoffmann’s award-winning first film looks at Bitcoin in the context of the history of money. His new film, Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains and the Future of the Internet is a bigger budget, ambitious follow up that takes a 360 wide-angle approach to the technology that may define Web 3.0.

“Since the release of the first film, the industry has grown by a factor of 100. Bitcoin has been called one of the most disruptive technologies of our time. However, media coverage is often misinformed and the general public is still confused about the technology and its implications,” says Hoffmann. “Can this technology, designed to operate independent of trust and within a decentralized network, really provide a robust alternative? Or are cryptocurrencies just as unfairly distributed, easily manipulated, and dangerous as our current systems? That was my starting point.”

Key takeaway:

Filmed over two years Torsten says the new documentary has three arcs. "First we look at Bitcoin, then we look at the ecosystem, public / private blockchains and ICOs, and then we look forward at the potential of blockchain to unlock Web 3.0."

He interviewed some of the ecosystem’s biggest brains and biggest egos including Andreas Antonopoulos, Roger Ver, Charlie Lee, Samson Mow, Craig Wright, Preethi Kasireddy, and Wences Casares.

While the film has a global feel, with filming taking place on four continents in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Tokyo, London, Berlin, Switzerland, and Melbourne, Hoffmann says the highlight of the filming schedule was being granted access to the Xapo vault located in a top secret location buried deep in the Swiss mountains.

Founded by Bitcoin entrepreneur Wences Casares, the Xapo vault is a decommissioned military bunker dug into the mountainside in a remote part of Switzerland. Its exact location is secret, and access is protected by a complex series of security measures.

“The bunker scene was a highlight and we are the only film crew to be allowed inside. Allegedly up to 10% of all Bitcoin private keys are stored in the Xapo vault. It was a James Bond style adventure to get clearance and film inside the bunker,” said Hoffmann.

Supporting links:

Cryptopia Film

Torsten on Twitter

Andy on Twitter 

Brave New Coin on Twitter

Brave New Coin

Leverj

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Crypto ConversationBy Brave New Coin

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

38 ratings


More shows like The Crypto Conversation

View all
We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network by The Investor's Podcast Network

We Study Billionaires - The Investor’s Podcast Network

3,366 Listeners

Unchained by Laura Shin

Unchained

1,206 Listeners

CRYPTO 101 by Bryce Paul & Brendan Viehman

CRYPTO 101

47 Listeners

The Peter McCormack Show by Peter McCormack

The Peter McCormack Show

2,161 Listeners

The Pomp Podcast by Anthony Pompliano

The Pomp Podcast

1,834 Listeners

The Breakdown by Blockworks

The Breakdown

741 Listeners

Thinking Crypto News & Interviews by Tony Edward

Thinking Crypto News & Interviews

240 Listeners

On The Brink with Castle Island by Castle Island Ventures

On The Brink with Castle Island

287 Listeners

Bitcoin News Alerts | Daily BTC News by Justin Verrengia

Bitcoin News Alerts | Daily BTC News

601 Listeners

The Wolf Of All Streets by Scott Melker

The Wolf Of All Streets

227 Listeners

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg by All-In Podcast, LLC

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg

9,189 Listeners

Empire by Blockworks

Empire

164 Listeners

Coin Stories by Natalie Brunell

Coin Stories

416 Listeners

Raoul Pal: The Journey Man by Real Vision Podcast Network

Raoul Pal: The Journey Man

133 Listeners

web3 with a16z crypto by a16z crypto, Sonal Chokshi, Chris Dixon

web3 with a16z crypto

61 Listeners