How YouTube creators are disrupting Hollywood more than AI
By
M.G. Siegler
A baker's-dozen of insight crammed into one ring.
Summary
A 20-year-old first-time director's film 'Backrooms', based on his YouTube short films, opened with $81M at the box office on a $10M budget, signaling a major disruption to Hollywood's traditional filmmaking model. The article argues that YouTube creators are bypassing the studio system, and while AI is often seen as the biggest threat to Hollywood, the real disruption is coming from independent creators leveraging digital platforms. The success of 'Backrooms' and similar projects like 'Obsession' demonstrate that the gates of filmmaking have been pried open by the internet, with AI potentially accelerating this shift further.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThis past weekend, a movie opened with $81M at the box office. A big number. But also one that Hollywood would undoubtedly expect for a marquee film in an early summer slot. But this movie cost just $10M to make. And was directed by a 20-year-old first-time director.
In that light, this isn't just a big number, it's a holy-shit-your-pants moment for Hollywood.
'Backrooms' and 'Obsession' have pried the filmmaking gates open, AI may blow the bloody doors off...
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