Hi everyone and a happy Sunday to you.
As I was reading the trades today I saw something that is very telling to me.Top YouTube content creators will host their own upfronts at the end of the month. Traditionally, only the top channels and studios (and in most recent year streamers) produce lavish events to lure coveted ad dollars to their platforms.
We've seen how entertainment eyeballs (and then dollars) have shifted to streaming and creator-led content. But this is the first I’ve heard of an upfront solely for content creators.
This shift has me asking, is there a way for indie filmmakers to leverage content creator talent to get funding, distribution or otherwise? Just my two cents. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/mrbeast-youtube...
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Hi Ayanna Anene - this is a fascinating evolution and ad dollars will certainly follow eyeballs. My gut is that it all depends on the content itself. An influencer focused on fashion, say, has a focused audience in a lane that certain sponsors can try to build a campaign around. When it comes to indie filmmaking, generally speaking, there is always one important quetsion... can they act? For every Charlie D'Amelio and King Bach, who are making the transiiton in appropriate roles and bring their followings along for the ride, there are many who are awesome at what they do but may diminish a narrative production if they can't bring that talent to the screen. So IMHO the short answer is yes but finding influencers who can take on the challenges of building a character and performance can be the challenge.
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An example from back in the early teens is the rise of the web series, initially shown at WebFests. Many of them these days are doing well on YouTube and other streaming channels. The LA WebFest is May 1-2 here in Hollywood. Do check it out. https://www.lawebfest.net/
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Ayanna Anene, I think you’re absolutely right to ask how indie filmmakers might tap into that momentum.
There’s huge potential in collaborating with creators who already have a built-in audience and a strong personal brand. Whether it’s co-producing content, leveraging their platforms for distribution, or creating companion content that supports a larger indie film release, there’s a lot of room for strategic partnerships. And as the lines continue to blur between traditional film and digital-first content, I could absolutely see creators becoming major allies in both funding and expanding reach.
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I like your vision of the possibilities, Ashley.
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This is a very significant development in the industry, to see ideas and general talent portrayed. So much turn of events including vast developments with tech savvy software and more, it will be exciting to see the future with this. Thanks for the posting Ayanna Anene!
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Ashley Renee Smith content creators also have large followings on their platforms (e.g., YouTube, Instagram, etc.) that indie filmmakers make be able to avail themselves of in collaborating with creators around the promotion and publicity of their films, especially if they are trying to reach a fanbase that are naturally followers of the creator
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I agree, it will be exciting to see and be part of shaping the evolution of the entertainment /
industry Eon C. Rambally
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that’s really insightful Ashley Renee Smith I am curious to learn in this space
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Is what you're asking like a joint venture? An independent filmmaker could partner with a popular creator to raise for a film. Then the creator could either have a stake and earn credit by attracting brand partners and assisting in the selling of the project.