DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with 19-year-old Harvard student Wesley Wang, who uploaded a short film called 'nothing, except everything' to YouTube and ended up getting a deal from Sony Pictures and producer Darren Aronofsky to write and direct a feature film based on the short. Wesley discusses how the short went viral on YouTube, attracting attention from Hollywood, and the process of pitching the idea to studios.
Wesley provides insights into the filmmaking process, including how he financed the $45,000 budget for the short through crowdfunding and teaching chess lessons. He also discusses the challenges of pitching to studios and the importance of confidence and relationships in the industry.
The hosts also interview Lucas Shaw from Bloomberg, who provides an expert perspective on the current state of Hollywood, the impact of streaming services, and the potential for YouTube creators to bridge the gap between digital and traditional entertainment. Shaw highlights the opportunities and challenges for creators in the evolving media landscape.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- YouTube and other digital platforms are providing new opportunities for filmmakers and creators to showcase their work and gain recognition from Hollywood studios, thanks to their ability to build audiences and prove the appeal of their content.
- Hollywood studios are increasingly looking to online platforms and digital creators as sources of new ideas, talent, and pre-existing intellectual property (IP) with built-in audiences, as a way to mitigate the high costs and risks associated with traditional film production.
- The rise of streaming services and the fragmentation of media consumption habits have created significant disruption and uncertainty in the traditional Hollywood model, leading studios to explore new avenues for content development and distribution.
- Low-budget, Internet-native productions can offer studios a more cost-effective and risk-averse approach to filmmaking, particularly in a landscape where expensive, high-budget films are struggling to recoup their investments.
- For YouTube creators and digital filmmakers, confidence, ambition, and the ability to build and maintain relationships within the industry are key to successfully transitioning into traditional Hollywood projects.
- The convergence of digital and traditional entertainment is gaining momentum, with successful examples like Wesley Wang's deal with Sony Pictures paving the way for more crossover opportunities between the two worlds.
- While the prospect of working with Hollywood studios is appealing for some creators, others may prefer to maintain their independence and focus on their established digital platforms and audiences.
- The future of entertainment is likely to be shaped by a blend of traditional and digital approaches, with the most successful creators and studios being those that can effectively navigate and leverage both worlds.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I'd say the easiest word to describe it would either be chaos or just anxiety.“ by Lucas Shaw
- “If you have proven that you've made something that's good or made something that has an audience, they want to work with you. And YouTube is, in a lot of ways, sort of what, at least in this way, what maybe MTV was 20 years ago, right?“ by Lucas Shaw
- “I think if you go, because I used to make films and think my film's gonna be here in quality, right? And then it ends up being here, and I'm like, okay, fine, my next film will be here. And then, only then, my film quality actually gets here. So that's the only way I think you could improve, because if you don't think your film's gonna succeed, then, like, why make it?“ by Wesley Wang
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Episode Information
The Colin and Samir Show
Colin and Samir
5/13/24
19-year-old Harvard economics student Wesley Wang will be writing and directing a film based on his short nothing, except everything., which he uploaded to YouTube in Sept. 2023. On this episode of the Colin and Samir Show, we talk to Wesley about how he got a deal with Sony Pictures and Darren Aronofsky. We also talk to Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw about the future of the entertainment industry, and where creators fit in.