Been thinking about this stuff a LOT. I will offer a flicker of hope. My buddies made a film called NOVOCAINE which I just got back from a screening of. It's incredibly entertaining, was probably made on a budget, and Paramount seems to be getting behind it.
Hitting it on the head, Colby! This reminds me how I was recently reading “Oscar Wars” by Michael Schulman and the chapter about the late 60’s-70’s describes Hollywood almost exactly the same way that many articles describe the current status quo (just replace “television” with “streaming”). And you’re right, it ended up being an opportunity for new voices and independent film to become the “mainstream.”
Absolutely a comparable “the old ways do not work let’s quit pretending they do” moment! And if we can just keep pushing through some new ways of doing things I really do think we can revitalize The Biz! People want movies, we just have to be smart about how we’re making them.
The funny thing about when people say Hollywood is dying -- which has been like 50 years of saying this now, is that writers and directors, cast and crew won't actually look for other careers. They say it's dying and they stay working in film haha. That's about as much water as a headline like that holds. There's never been more TV than right now. A movie like Oppenheimer making a billion dollars is a testament of its own -- a talk heavy, science heavy, half black and white movie making a killing. I work in film (Canada) and I don't feel this sentiment at all. This is getting a bit tired. But I agree, it's up to us. Good movies keep people in theaters. Good series keep streamers alive. I'm excited to see what comes next.
Yeah I think Oppenheimer is a good example of an artist doing things differently — original storytelling from an artist with an extreme passion for releasing on a particular format. I think it’s a sign of what does work and will continue to work! I think one way of working can “die” without the industry dying entirely, and that’s hopefully the point I’m making here. I’m not leaving anytime soon either.
The implosion of Hollywood is a job killer and LA is becoming a ghost town quickly all around me. But I have more and more friends making guerrilla films around town without permits and saying they have never felt more free to make something they are really ENJOYING making. They all pray someone will buy them or that they can distribute on their own on YouTube or some platform backed by creators not corporations. It’s going to suck for a while, but if we all survive it will be the 70s and 80s indie renaissance all over again.
Been thinking about this stuff a LOT. I will offer a flicker of hope. My buddies made a film called NOVOCAINE which I just got back from a screening of. It's incredibly entertaining, was probably made on a budget, and Paramount seems to be getting behind it.
Yes! Keep the budgets low and you can afford to take big swings! This is why Blumhouse has been the biggest success story of the past two decades.
I’m in.
I'm going over my "Who's Colby's A-Lister?" bulletin board and taking down everyone who was in Red One.
HA! “Actors innocent” is always my policy as far as bad movies are concerned
Hitting it on the head, Colby! This reminds me how I was recently reading “Oscar Wars” by Michael Schulman and the chapter about the late 60’s-70’s describes Hollywood almost exactly the same way that many articles describe the current status quo (just replace “television” with “streaming”). And you’re right, it ended up being an opportunity for new voices and independent film to become the “mainstream.”
Absolutely a comparable “the old ways do not work let’s quit pretending they do” moment! And if we can just keep pushing through some new ways of doing things I really do think we can revitalize The Biz! People want movies, we just have to be smart about how we’re making them.
LFG!!!!!
The funny thing about when people say Hollywood is dying -- which has been like 50 years of saying this now, is that writers and directors, cast and crew won't actually look for other careers. They say it's dying and they stay working in film haha. That's about as much water as a headline like that holds. There's never been more TV than right now. A movie like Oppenheimer making a billion dollars is a testament of its own -- a talk heavy, science heavy, half black and white movie making a killing. I work in film (Canada) and I don't feel this sentiment at all. This is getting a bit tired. But I agree, it's up to us. Good movies keep people in theaters. Good series keep streamers alive. I'm excited to see what comes next.
Yeah I think Oppenheimer is a good example of an artist doing things differently — original storytelling from an artist with an extreme passion for releasing on a particular format. I think it’s a sign of what does work and will continue to work! I think one way of working can “die” without the industry dying entirely, and that’s hopefully the point I’m making here. I’m not leaving anytime soon either.
The implosion of Hollywood is a job killer and LA is becoming a ghost town quickly all around me. But I have more and more friends making guerrilla films around town without permits and saying they have never felt more free to make something they are really ENJOYING making. They all pray someone will buy them or that they can distribute on their own on YouTube or some platform backed by creators not corporations. It’s going to suck for a while, but if we all survive it will be the 70s and 80s indie renaissance all over again.