Hollywood is changing, and not a moment too soon. With traditional entertainment platforms in upheaval and digital models facing down old-style distribution, TheWrap went on the hunt for the people who are creating new business models, challenging the status quo and digging new paths for content creators.

So here they are, in our first annual list of Innovators Who Are Changing Hollywood.

These 12 come from all walks of the entertainment industry -- from production, screenwriting, marketing, social media, finance, YouTube, agenting and talent in front of and behind the screen. Beyond this innovative dozen, there were some fascinating risers who we couldn't resist naming as honorable mentions.

Have a look, have a read, and let us know what you think.

Innovators are listed in alphabetical order.

Jason Blum: Founder, Blumhouse Productions

With each new micro-budget hit, Jason Blum is upending the way movies are made, emphasizing thrift in exchange for artistic freedom and greater profits.

He first caught Hollywood's attention in 2009 with "Paranormal Activity," which cost a mere $15,000 to produce and made an astounding $193.3 million globally. Then he proved that wasn't an anomaly with films like "Insidious" and this summer's "The Purge," which earned back their bargain-basement budgets tenfold thanks to fresh spins on familiar bogeymen like ghosts or home invaders.

"We can take risks that we wouldn't be allowed if these were traditional studio films," Blum told TheWrap, noting that actors, directors and producers on his films work for scale in return for getting a bigger cut of a picture's back-end.

His reward is a first-look distribution deal at Universal -- but he has no plans to mess with his formula for the sake of nicer craft services or a bigger trailer

Asked what he would do if offered $100 million to make any film he wanted, he replied, "I'd use it to make 35 movies."

Zach Braff: Actor/Writer/Director, Kickstarter Fundraiser

You remember Zach Braff. The goofy doctor-ish guy from "Scrubs," and the writer-director and star of a little indie movie called "Garden State," which in 2004 took the indie world's heart and made almost $27 million?

That guy started an internet feeding frenzy earlier this year when he decided to crowdfund a follow-up called "Wish I Was Here" at Kickstarter. He killed his goal of $2 million in a couple of days and ended up with $3.1 million -- along with a chorus of naysayers who protested that a Hollywood star had co-opted a tool for the unwashed masses.

We disagree. Totally. Making independent films like "Garden State" is a Sisyphean task in the current moviemaking system. And Braff is not in it for the money. He's in it for love. We salute his commitment to telling good stories using the power of social media.

And as he wrote on Twitter: "Haters gonna hate. The angry will only get angrier. I choose love." Amen.

Maha Dakhil: Agent, CAA

When TheWrap wrote about CAA back in March, Maha Dakhil was one of the names that continually came up as an agent bound to lead the next generation at Hollywood's largest talent shop.

To that point, she represents a bevy of rising directors with movies coming out this fall, including Lee Daniels ("The Butler"), Steve McQueen ("Twelve Years a Slave") and Denis Villeneuve ("Prisoners"). On the talent side, she works with Natalie Portman and some guy named Tom Cruise.

She also has fully embraced the increasing international nature of Hollywood, signing successful French directors like Michel Hazanavicius, who won an Oscar for "The Artist," and Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, whose "The Intouchables" is the second highest grossing film in French history.

Dakhil told TheWrap she is "focused on igniting creative exchanges with artists from different corners of the world. Packaging is more than putting pieces together, it's about bringing people together who are like-minded  and encouraging them to work together."

Oh, she also represents Gary Ross, who launched Hollywood's biggest new franchise — "The Hunger Games."

Are you the guy at the party cracking your friends up with celebrity impersonations?

Or maybe you're amazingly good at making playlists and people are always complimenting your taste in music.

Those are nifty skills to have, but not something that will let you earn a buck (unless you're SO good at celebrity impressions you get onto Saturday Night Live like Jimmy Fallon did).

Barring that, you could sign up for Fiverr. Fiverr is a site that lets you offer any skill you've got as "gigs" for a starting price of $5.

The first thing you'll notice is the clean and inviting design

Signing up is easy. They don't even use a full-on Captcha like most sites - just a simple random math problem.

If you have something you're really passionate about that you do for fun, chances are you can turn it into a gig on Fiverr. All you need is a talent and few pictures that get the idea across.

The talent wars in the tech industry are legendary.

Even though debate rages over whether the tech talent shortage is real or a myth in terms of raw numbers, tech companies know this: good programmers and good designers are definitely hard to find.

So they've gone to some pretty crazy lengths to find them.

A bicycle, an Iron Man 2 Deluxe Helmet and ... a cow

In 2011, New York company Amicus, which helps non-profits raise money, was looking to hire some programmers.

It offered a long list of perks, NextWeb reported: $2,000 in cash, a full-year supply of Counter Culture Coffee, a local gym membership, an iPad 2 (for prototyping), an Iron Man 2 Deluxe Helmet, an unlimited supply of your favorite beer, a fixed gear bicycle and a cow.

Yes, a cow.

The cow would be donated in the programmer's name to Heifer.org, which provides livestock to impoverished nations.

A paid-for vacation

It's trendy for companies these days to offer employees "unlimited vacation."

But Airbnb, a site that lets people rent out their spare rooms, goes it one step better. It pays for at least one vacation with an annual $2,000 travel stipend.

Bands, games and unlimited storage

File sharing site Dropbox is able to offer its employees a unique perk: All-you-can-eat storage in the cloud.  

For many a geek, unlimited storage is a very big deal.

But wait, there's more. Dropbox also lures them with free breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, a complete music studio equipped with drums, P.A., amplifiers, and a lot of gaming.

It offers "Starcraft, dedicated game rooms, DDR (yep, a real machine)" in addition to the usual ping pong  tournaments.

A stranger to cars these days would probably find a modern-day Ford or a VW Forecourt to be quite boring.

The new Ford ST looks good, and there are a few VWs that look quite smart, but they aren’t very interesting.

However, if you look through the history books, particularly at the pages marked ‘concept cars’, things do start to get interesting.

There have certainly been some ‘obscure’ designs over the years, and after much internet-trawling I’ve whittled them down to 10 of the quirkiest for your enjoyment.

1920s: Jaray Audi

I know it dates back to before his Chancellorship, but I can’t help but think of Hitler when I look at this design. Its looks are ridiculous, further proof that it certainly could have been based upon Hitler himself.

It was designed in 1920 by Paul Jaray, and was supposedly his favourite design. It was meant to promote aerodynamics, which I suppose is evidenced by the rounded edges, so although a little odd, these were something of a technological achievement.

Although this car was the laughing stock of Germany at the time, Audi has recently resurrected the so-called ‘ugly duckling’ to feature it in an ad campaign for the Audi A5.

1930s: Sinister

I'm aware that this is technically cheating but I thought this design needed a mention. This is what the generation of the future will be churning out once they escape from design school.

The Sinister is a design by Jason Holmes that's based upon a 1930s Ford but it is virtually all one student’s work. The ride height is insane, the wheel size is incomprehensible, the exhaust pipes are strange and visibility is nearly absent. Cheers to the guy who can persuade Ford to put it into production. 

1940s: Timbs Special

By the 1940s, car design had found its feet. In fact, it seemed to have found a lot more than that, and some incredible pieces of automotive history were created.

Art Deco was in full swing and Norman Timbs was influenced by the art of the period when he created the aptly named ‘Timbs Special’. This was considered to be one of the most unique motor vehicles created at the time and featured a Buick straight 8.

It was a staggering 17.5 feet long. It’s a pretty unconventional machine and yet looks utterly fantastic. Well done, Mr. Timbs. 

Forget the beach—nature lovers know that the best way to experience the great outdoors in the summer is to spend some quality time in the mountains.

If your idea of summer bliss involves hiking, biking, and swimming, these gorgeous resorts should be just the ticket. And if exotic scenery is a must, you’ll be happy to know that great mountain escapes can be found in tropical locales, too.

The Ahwahnee - Yosemite National Park, California

Nestled deep amongst the pine trees, cliffs, and canyons of Yosemite is the 123-room Ahwahnee Hotel. The impressive stone and wood structure was built in 1927 and is now considered a National Historic Landmark. Rooms with views of the Half Dome and El Capitan mountain peaks are filled with gorgeous dark wood and rich tapestries of Native American design. Highlights here include the Great Lounge with its 24-foot-high ceilings and a large stone fireplace. The grand dining room, flooded with natural light, is a must-see. This hotel is on the expensive side, and parking is limited, but the prime location and views are well-worth the price tag. A cool tidbit for movie lovers: parts of the Ahwahnee's interior, particularly its vivid red-and-black-framed elevators, were used as inspiration for the fictitious Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.

Mountain Lodge - Telluride, Colorado

Located in Mountain Village, Mountain Lodge at Telluride is a classic Colorado mountain getaway. This log-cabin style lodge offers spacious condo and cabin rentals for groups from two to 14 people. Most rooms have kitchens, gas fireplaces, and private balconies in addition to small touches like humidifiers to battle the dry Colorado air. One highlight of this hotel is the year-round outdoor pool and hot tub with sweeping mountain views. The hotel's cozy restaurant, aptly named "The View", has a huge fireplace and plenty of space to lounge and enjoy a local beer. Additional perks here include a small fitness center, steam rooms, and free Wi-Fi.

Hope Lake Lodge - Finger Lakes, New York

The 106-room Hope Lake Lodge is practically a town unto itself. Guests have free access to a pool and several whirlpools, and for a small extra fee they can splash at the attached water park. Outdoor activities in the area abound, as the property sits next to the highest point in the county — the ski resort — which is attached to a year-round adventure center for zip lining and snow tubing that makes it easy for kids to stay entertained. More adult activities include signature cocktails next to the lobby’s cozy fireplace and an array of spa treatments. The property has a Northwoods decor throughout, and many details were crafted by local artisans. The staff is made up of family members, students, and long-time locals, and the resort exudes a relaxed home-away-from-home vibe.

A century ago, the Rolls-Royce Ghost entered the Alpine Trial, a week-long endurance rally around Central Europe.

The car did spectacularly, finishing in the top four every day but one, and earning it a well-deserved reputation for reliability.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the feat, the luxury automaker gathered 47 vintage Ghosts, joined by their 21st century descendant, to recreate the rally.

On June 14, 150 participants from 12 countries took off from Vienna on an 1,800 mile trip that would include Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy.

On the gorgeous mountain passes and ocean roads, the classic cars make for a beautiful sight.

Here's a map of the route the cars followed in 1913.

The 2013 route took the cars through Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.

Before starting out on June 14, the cars lined up in Vienna's Stadtpark.

Imagine seeing masterpieces by van Gogh, entertaining your kids with activities, and strolling a hilltop garden with waterfalls and beautiful views at sunset.

Now imagine doing it all for free. That’s how your day could play out at the Getty Museum in L.A., where admission doesn’t cost a thing.

Enjoying what America has to offer can get expensive fast: in 2011, the U.S. travel industry made $813 billion, and some of America’s most popular cities are also its most expensive. Travelers of all budgets can appreciate a good deal, and with high gas prices and airline fees, it’s refreshing to know that there are still some venues like the Getty that give another meaning to the land of the free.

In our search for the top free attractions, we bypassed public parks and train stations to focus on experiences you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be free: a guided tour of Gothic-style Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah; an afternoon with cute baby animals at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo; and a behind-the-scenes look at a Harley-Davidson factory.

Money-saving strategies for New York, the priciest U.S. city for visitors according to Hotels.com, include taking advantage of free admission evenings at museums and timing your trip to July and August, when hotel prices drop. One of our favorite freebies year-round is a ride on the Staten Island Ferry for views of the Statue of Liberty and downtown Manhattan. When you’re done, you might pay your respects at the free National September 11 Memorial not far from the terminal.  

Tim Leffel, affordable-travel expert and author of the book Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune, points out that during the summer in particular, cities cater to both locals and tourists with “a packed schedule of freebies, from outdoor concerts to art walks, plays in the park to outdoor movie screenings.” Spoiler alert: we know where to find free ukulele and hula classes.

Find out just how far $0 can get you from coast to coast—and share your favorite free experiences in the comments below.

Smithsonian Museums, Washington, D.C.

The National Zoo, National Museum of Natural History, and National Air and Space Museum—which displays The Spirit of St. Louis—are the biggest crowd-pleasers among the 18 Smithsonian institutions in D.C., otherwise one of the country’s priciest cities.

Indeed, making knowledge accessible is key to the mission of the world’s largest museum and research complex. Affordable-travel expert Tim Leffel observed that the three museums he visited with his wife and daughter would have set them back more than $100 in most European capitals. And here's a bonus: you can download a free appabout the National Mall sites from the National Park Service.

New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park

Most national parks encourage you to tune in to nature; this one celebrates jazz in its birthplace, New Orleans. There’s live music at the visitor center in the French Quarter and the Old U.S. Mint six days a week, and a kids’ music workshop on Saturdays at Perseverance Hall in Louis Armstrong Park.

The visitor center also hosts free talks, video documentaries, and exhibits on local jazz history. You can pick up one of two self-guided audio tours, “Jazz Sites in New Orleans” or “Jazz Walk of Fame.”

The Getty Center, Los Angeles

Maximize your time at the Getty by visiting on a Friday or Saturday, when this sprawling hillside art complex is open late—allowing you to take in sunset views. The light-filled museum interiors display an impressive collection of European and American art including Vincent van Gogh’s famous Irises.

Debbie Dubrow of the family travel blog Delicious Baby recommends the Family Room’s interactive exhibits, giant illuminated manuscripts, and an art treasure hunt. “And whenever you need a break, just pop outside to the Getty’s fabulous gardens,” she says. While parking is admittedly expensive ($15), the Getty is also accessible by public transit.

As much as we love perusing the colorific streets of S.F., our real-deal happy place is a picturesque drive down the Northern California coast — tunes blasting, top down, friends in tow.

So, now that we’re officially in the thick of road-trip season, we thought to take a quick jaunt down Highway 1 and deliver our top must-see spots. After all, it's the journey that counts!

Need some pointers? Here, 10 seriously quirky havens that were just vying to be unearthed — from S.F. to Santa Cruz — with deets on everything from an adorable strawberry farm (Airstream included) to a haunted restaurant, all for your traveling pleasure. Now rev up that engine and let’s hit the road!

Point Montara Lighthouse

While this idyllic stop may not stray too far from S.F., we definitely recommend pulling over to ogle the Point Montara Lighthouse.

This blink-or-you'll-miss-it destination houses an adorable, functional (you can’t explore inside, though) lighthouse, a private beach, and overnight accommodations. It reminds us of a teensy fisherman’s retreat, with buoys and a blanket of fog acting as the ultimate marine accessories.

While we can’t vouch for the overnight stay, we do know that the sweeping views and steamed cappuccinos are enough to keep us coming back.

Point Montara Lighthouse, at 16th Street and Highway 1, Montara; 650-728-7177.

Moss Beach Distillery

We dig a good ghost story. So, for us, stumbling upon Moss Beach Distillery was like hitting a paranormal jackpot. The eerie restaurant is tucked a bit off Highway 1, but be sure to stop in for a drink and let the staff woo you with haunting tale of the “blue lady.” 

Apparently, she was the wife to the former restaurant owner way back when and had an extramarital affair with the in-house piano player. Scandal. Subsequently, they both disappeared mysteriously and haunt the premises (seriously, this place has been on everything from Unsolved Mysteries to A&E's They See Dead People).

If that’s not spooky enough, it’s perched within a stone’s throw of an Indian burial ground. One thing that’s hardly frightening? The amazing sunset views from the patio (the restaurant provides blankets if it’s chilly!) with a stiff drink in hand.

Moss Beach Distillery, 140 Beach Way (near Los Banos Avenue), Moss Beach; 650-728-5595

J V Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

After savoring the stunning views at Moss Beach Distillery, we recommend high-tailing it up the road, parking, and scoping out one of Northern California’s coolest wonders — the tide pools at J V Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.

Go when the tide is low and you will spot a plethora of inspiring wildlife — we’re talking starfish, neon-hued anemone, octopus, seals, and crabs.

A road trip wouldn’t be complete with out a little one-on-one nature time, right? The pools are sprinkled with all sorts of ecological gems. This is one stop you don’t want to pass.

J V Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, 200 Nevada Avenue (near Lake Street), Moss Beach; 650-728-3584.

Last week the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, which forbade the federal government from acknowledging same-sex marriages administered by individual states. 

As a result, LGBT families can finally be seen as equal to straight families in the eyes of the government, something that confers immense legal protections and tax features to the LGBT community. 

The ruling couldn't have come at a better time. Days later, New York City would be celebrating Pride events all weekend, culminating in a Pride Parade of 50 floats and 300 individual contingents down Fifth avenue and into Greenwich Village. 

That scheduled event — which took place earlier today — took on a whole new meaning following the DOMA hearing. Check out these pictures to see why. 

The LGBT Pride March took place earlier today in Manhattan

The parade had thousands of marchers and tons of floats from different LGBT groups.

A bunch of local companies sponsored floats.

Everyone from Justin Timberlake to Nicki Minaj came out for the 2013 BET Awards at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The show, hosted by Chris Tucker, featured performances by Mariah Carey, Chris Brown, Robin Thicke, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Ciara, R. Kelly and more.

Nicki Minaj won the Best Female Hip-Hop Artist for the fourth year in a row, Kendrick Lamar won Best New Artist and Best Male Hip-Hop Artist and Drake took home three awards but wasn't there to accept them because he was apparently afraid to run into nemesis Chris Brown.

But the most interesting aspect of the night was the red carpet, where music stars went all out in crazy, over-the-top outfits.

MTV Reality star Angela Simmons, here with rapper French Montana, hosted 106 & Park's red carpet pre-show.

Brandy and actor Bishop Don 'Magic' Juan were having plenty of fun before the awards ceremony.

Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose made one of their first red carpet appearances since welcoming baby boy Sebastian in February.

One of the most powerful crime-fighting tools in the world could be sitting in your pocket.

Smartphones can share evidence of crimes as soon as they happen.

Just a few months ago, Boston Marathon spectators provided invaluable photos and videos to help police investigate the April 15 bombing.

"Too often we talk about the 'bystander effect' — people watch things happen but don't get involved," Radford University criminal justice professor Tod Burke told Business Insider. "This is a way for people to be the eyes and ears of the police."

There are now crime-fighting apps that make helping cops even easier.

The Santa Cruz police department was one of the first police forces in America to adopt smartphone technology, creating a consumer-focused free mobile app in 2011. The NYPD soon followed suit early this year. Users of both apps can access the departments' social media pages; view important alerts, like the wanted list, and crime maps; leave tips; and look at photos and videos.

Law enforcement outside the U.S. also use apps to communicate with citizens. London police used an app called FaceWatch to try to identify people who committed crimes during the city's 2011 riots. That app let smartphone users view police photos and contact the police directly if they recognized a perp.

Apps like these can help police even if reports don't lead to an arrest or indictment.

"If a crime goes unreported, for all intents and purposes, it never occurred," says Burke, who's also a former cop.

Incident data creates more accurate crime maps. If a pattern emerges, police can dedicate more resources to certain areas.

"It's not about how many officers you have, it's what you do with them," Burke added.

Here are some of the more useful crime-fighting apps:

• iSpotACrime allows users to upload photos and videos, add voice comments, and pinpoint their locations through GPS. There's also a panic button for emergencies. Loud noises can deter criminals because the racket draws attention, increasing the chances they'll get caught. One catch: you must upload your local PD's email address to get past the welcome screen. Surprisingly, New York City doesn't have one.
• Tip Submit offers the same services as iSpotACrime but allows users to specify where they want the tips sent. For example, users can report a crime to federal and local agencies as well as schools within the network.
• iWitness acts a "virtual witness" to crimes. A blinking light signals that the app is armed. If you feel threatened, a simple touch of the screen does three things: your phone emits a steady light, audio and video recordings begin, and the app records your location. The GPS coordinators, along with recordings, go to a secure server local police can access. If the situation escalates, a second touch calls 911, alerts up to six previously set contacts via text message, and sounds a loud alarm.
• CrimePush has similar features: It direct-messages your location to the authorities, calls 911, notifies family and friends, and uploads crime reports. The app's creators provide a disclaimer: the app may not connect users directly to the police. Reports and emergency notifications will only go to agencies that have already integrated with the app.

While these apps all suggest they're making America a safer place, not everybody is a fan of crime-fighting apps. Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice Joel Caplan doesn't know if any evidence apps actually decrease crime, and he fears the apps may even give users a false sense of security.

"Do you want to be attacked and record the crime, or do you want to be safe? The better option is to get away from the threat and call emergency services," he said. With the uptick in "apple picking," or iPhone and other smartphone theft, flashing your device in public could also invite somebody to steal it.

But if someone does steal your iPhone, as the saying goes, there's an app for that.

Join the conversation about this story »

Almost seven months to the day after Superstorm Sandy submerged South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan, The Village Voice held its free 4 Knots Festival at the port this weekend. 

The music festival was a welcome sign in the area, which was hit hard by the storm. The piers and port were packed as thousands of people showed up for the festivities. 

It's been a slow road to recovery, festival organizer Stephen Dima told Business Insider.

"On the night of the storm, the Seaport was under nearly seven feet of water — none of us have ever seen that," said Dima, who has been organizing events at the seaport for a decade. "The infrastructure in the area was destroyed. Everything that was on the ground had to be removed, gutted and/or rebuilt."

The festival contained a healthy mix of music, from the hip-hop stylings of Fat Tony to the harsher tones of White Lung. But the headliner and main draw was Kurt Vile and the Violators.

Vile, a former forklift operator at the Philadelphia Brewing Company who recently released his latest album "Wakin On A Summer Daze" to major critical acclaim, is a fast-rising star. He and his band the Violators rocked the last set and made the day truly worthwhile. 

On our way down to the waterfront we spotted this amazing cab.

There were a lot of people, but also plenty of volunteers on crowd control.

The bike check was packed.

Our source on the ground at Tahir Square in Cairo, Egypt is telling us that Cairo police are reportedly encouraging protesters and saying they will protect the public from any Muslim Brotherhood government backlash.

Egyptians held a June 30, 2013 protest calling for the removal of the Muslim Brotherhood president Morsi.

This protest brought a promise from the military that if the "people's demands" were not met within 48 hours, they would step in to presumeably remove the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi from power.

The streets are still packed with people and Tahrir Square is overflowing with protesters. "It's unbelievable," Walid Ibrahim says from Tahrir Square where he's been camping out for three days. 

Ibrahim was our guide when we visited Egypt in early April and spent 18 days in Tahrir Square during the 2011 protests.

"I've seen people I haven't seen in two years [at the protest]." Ibrahim continued, "this regime is going down."

The expectation of the general Egyptian protesters in Tahir Square is that if the Brotherhood steps down, the Egyptian high court will preside over the country until a new election is conducted.

The Brotherhood's headquarters was reportedly overrun and looted, though Ibrahim says the the  structure is now well protected and the Brotherhood is shooting protesters with bird-shot loaded shotguns. 

Word on the street is Morsi and the Brotherhood are on their way out or risk arrest by the Egyptian military, but that doesn't mean people expect them to go peacefully. Protesters expect the Brotherhood to infiltrate public demonstrations and create chaos among protesters, a tactic we saw in April. 

To create chaos among protesters the Brotherhood will start skirmishes within groups that can escalate and spread. But as of Monday evening in Cairo, protesters say the scene is optimistic, excited and peaceful.

When we were in Egypt three months ago the situation was dire. People were fed up with the Muslim Brotherhood regime, frustrated by its similarities to Mubarak's rule and ready for another change.

 It looks like they may be getting that change sooner than expected.

Morsi "Get out!"

This is the headquarters for the Muslim Brotherhood in Cairo before yesterday's riots. The Brotherhood is responsible for law and order throughout Egypt.

Crime in Egypt has reached unprecedented highs following the uprising that toppled former president Mubarak from power.

Now that red-hot photo-sharing startup Snapchat has a valuation of $800 million and its two founders have banked $10 million apiece, a lawsuit by a guy claiming to be a third founder has become increasingly material.

To recap:

A 21 year-old named Frank Reginald Brown IV claims that Snapchat was his idea and that, back in 2011, he started the company in a dorm at Stanford along with fellow students Evan Spiegel and Robert Murphy.

Brown says he pitched the idea to Spiegel, who liked it. He says that the pair then recruited Murphy to build it. He says the three agreed to split the equity evenly. He says Spiegel became the CEO, Brown became the Chief Marketing Officer, and Murphy became the Chief Technology Officer. He says that he, Brown, helped design the product, draw the logo, pick the original name, file patents and taxes, and get the product on iTunes. He also says he moved into a house with Spiegel and Murphy for the summer after his junior year with the sole purpose of working on the app.

Then, Brown says, he got into an argument with Spiegel and Murphy. And, suddenly, they shut him out and took the app and company for themselves.

Two years later, Snapchat is one of the fastest-growing applications in history and is on course to be worth well more than a billion dollars. So there's a lot of money on the line.

This case has startling similarities to that involving the Winklevoss twins, Mark Zuckerberg, and the founding of Facebook.

The Winklevosses maintained that Zuckerberg stole their idea at Harvard after promising to develop it for them. Zuckerberg argued--and the evidence suggested--that he merely stalled the Winklevosses while developing a somewhat different idea. Regardless, after extensive litigation, Facebook and the Winklevosses settled the Winklevoss's claims for $65 million in private Facebook stock, which went on to be worth several multiples of that.

So this "dorm room chitchat," as a judge once described the Winklevoss claim, can eventually lead to the forking over of real money, even if no written contract is signed.

And, based on Brown's claims, it sounds as though his involvement in the early version of Snapchat was a lot more extensive than "chitchat."

Assuming Brown isn't completely full of it, Spiegel and Murphy's defense is likely to be that no contract was ever signed.

Even Brown admits that the agreement to split the company evenly was "oral." Oral contracts generally aren't binding. So even if everything Brown says is true, he might have a tough time winning his case.

But if what Brown says is true, the filing of this lawsuit will be only the beginning. Next will come document discovery, in which documents like emails will reviewed and produced. And these documents may support Brown's claims.

Also, even if an verbal agreement does not constitute a legally binding contract, that doesn't mean that Spiegel and Murphy didn't shaft Brown. 

As Brown tells it, for many months, he was a member of a three-person founder team that was working hard to develop his idea.

And then, one day, as Brown tells it, Spiegel and Murphy slammed the door in his face.

So Spiegel and Murphy, have some explaining to do.

When Brown's lawsuit first appeared, Spiegel and Murphy responded with a quote that sounds as if it was lifted straight off of howtosoundlikealawyer.com:

We are aware of the allegations, believe them to be utterly devoid of merit, and will vigorously defend ourselves against this frivolous suit.

Brown's claims may well be "frivolous," but declaring them so isn't a persuasive defense.

What would be persuasive defense would be a simple explanation of Spiegel and Murphy's side of the story.

Is Brown just making stuff up? Or is what Brown says basically true and did Spiegel and Murphy take advantage of his naivete and shaft him? Or is the truth somewhere in the middle?

For the sake of their reputations, if not their wallets, Spiegel and Murphy have some explaining to do. We're looking forward to hearing their side of the story.

The guy on the left is Frank Reginald Brown, IV. He says that, shortly after this picture was taken, the guys on the right--Bobby Murphy and Evan Spiegel--stole his idea and threw him out of his company.

Specifically, Mr. Brown says that Snapchat was his idea.

Brown says that, after coming up with the idea, he pitched it to fellow Stanford student Evan Spiegel, a friend of Brown's in Kimball Hall.

Gold prices have tumbled since their $1,900 peak in 2011. The yellow metal slumped into a bear market in April, and now prices are just above $1,200.

Investors have warned that the correction in gold prices has meant that miners are producing gold at cost or are losing money.

Last year, CNBC's Bob Pisani traveled to South Africa to show us how gold goes from particles to gold bars.

He followed AngloGold Ashanti's gold mining process from start to finish. Workers there pull up 5000 metric tons of earth per day, which yields as much as 1,700 ounces in gold.

Pisani also visited the Rand Refinery, which has refined nearly a third of the gold mined since 1920.

In light of the recent sell-off in gold, we decided to revisit Pisani's tour of the gold mine and see just how complicated and dangerous the process is.

Note: Simone Foxman wrote the original version of this feature.

Carletonville, South Africa, is home to the world's deepest mine. Called TuaTona, it stretches 2.4 mi into the earth.

Workers have to ride two elevators to get down to the bottom. The first elevator stretches 8,400 feet, making it one of the longest elevators in the world.

Without its cooling system, the mine would reach more than 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65.5 degrees Celsius).

In honor of Canada Day, we decided to take a look at one of the most storied law enforcement units in the world — the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, better known as "The Mounties."

Though widely known for the image of the flat brimmed trooper in the red coat on horseback, the Mounties are actually a nation-wide elite law enforcement unit, comparable to the American F.B.I.

They tackle a broad array of operations from anti-gangs to counter-terrorism.

The Mounties were officially formed in 1920, but their history stretches back much farther.

The Mounties were formed by merger of the Northwest Mounted Police and the Dominion Police.

Today, their mission includes fighting organized crime, terrorism, drugs, white collar crimes and "offences that threaten the integrity of Canada’s national borders."

Unlike the brutish Americans or Brits, Canadians are generally thought of as gentle people who cause little offense when traveling abroad.

Flightnetwork.com, a Canada-based booking engine, believes that Americans like to pass themselves off as Canadians when traveling abroad, doing what they call "flag-jacking."

So they spoke to a body language expert, Mark Bowden, and came up with some tips for how Americans can pretend to be Canadian when traveling abroad.

From the obvious donning of Maple Leaf gear to more subtle body language and gestures, we've compiled some of their tips — along with our own — here, in honor of Canada Day.

Wear Canada's maple leaf prominently.

Make sure the flag gear you're wearing is a bit dirty and worn. (A brand new flag is an immediate giveaway that you're "flag-jacking.")

And don't forget your Roots Canada gear.

Sure, Central Austin has some amazing places to eat smoked meat. But what about the areas outside the city limits?

Lucky for us, the towns near Austin boast some of the finest barbecue in the country. Here are Zagat readers’ four favorite places to go to for some BBQ grub outside of Austin, plus one favorite in town (no list would be complete without Franklin).

5. City Market

633 E. Davis St.

Food: 27
Decor: 15
Service: 19
Cost: $17

This “classic, old-time BBQ” spot in Luling is a “must-try” for its brisket, ribs and sausage served up by the pound on butcher paper and wolfed down at communal picnic tables; don’t expect much in the way of decor or service, but do “expect a line.”

4. Smitty’s Market

208 S. Commerce St.

Food: 27
Decor: 14
Service: 15
Cost: $18

A “mecca” for “BBQ aficionados,” this Lockhart butcher shop set in the original site of the Kreuz Market is cherished for its “superb” brisket, “thick pork chops” that “rock your socks” and links “to die for” (a good thing since “your arteries may never recover”); all comes served straight from the pit in an “old-time, fire-seared” setting abetted by a friendly staff and cold beer.

3. Franklin Barbecue

900 E. 11th St.

Food: 28
Decor: 11
Service: 19
Cost: $17

Originally a trailer, this brick-and-mortar BBQ upstart in East Austin is “giving the big names a run for their money” with some of the “finest brisket in the entire state of Texas” plus pulled pork and other “exceptional,” “simple smoked meats”; the modest space opens at 11 AM and closes whenever the eats run out, which is usually early.

It happens every year: Summer rolls around, and you make awesome plans for picnics, concerts, and cold drinks on a rooftop.

Then fall comes along, and you haven't done any of it.

We came up with a helpful list of 33 quintessential New York summer activities that make staying in the hot and sweaty city on the weekends not only tolerable, but positively enjoyable.

Bonus: All of these double as warm-weather date ideas.

Did we miss one of your favorite things to do in NYC in the summer? Add it in the comments!

Chow down at Brooklyn Flea's Smorgasburg, the weekly food festival that takes place on Saturday afternoons on the Williamsburg and DUMBO waterfronts.

Find out more about the Smorgasburg event here

Walk through the MoMA's new Rain Room. The installation of falling water pauses in areas where it detects a human body, so you can walk through (virtually) unscathed.

Find out more about the MoMA Rain Room here

Watch one of Bryant Park's Monday night movies for free. This summer, they have classics like 'Willy Wonka' and 'The Women' playing.

Find out more about Bryant Park's movie nights here

Bryce Harper will return to the field tonight for the first time in more than a month after a trip to the disabled list.

Harper's bat and glove will be welcome additions as the Nationals have fallen to 6.5 games behind the Braves in the NL East.

But while Harper is immensely talented, that's only part of the reason he is the most unique character in baseball.

He plays every play with maximum effort even if it puts himself at risk

His cocky style gets him in trouble with umpires, like the time he got ejected for throwing his hands up

He once told a bunch of kids to 'be as sexy as you can'

The comment comes at the 1:00 mark of this video...