I’ve been on the road a bit, to far too many film fests, panels, talks, salons, and even a lifestyle fest (OutsideFest). While on these trips, which also consisted of many behind the scenes chats with smart folks in the industry, I learned a lot. But even at the best events, I kept finding myself thinking that we’re asking the wrong questions, and therefore, we think we’re getting closer to answers, but we’re actually going off course in the forest. We’re telling ourselves a story that things are getting better, we’re finding our way, but as I’ve said elsewhere, we’re using the wrong map. Or maybe we’re letting certain “big picture” questions distract us from the things we should be focusing on now, and the stories we should be telling. What do I mean?
I’ve joined many public and private conversations where the first question was somehow related to AI and its impact on film. Because of this, the entire conversation started to center on the pros and cons of AI, to the exclusion of all other topics. Of course, AI is a big topic, and I’m not saying we should avoid it. In fact, if some folks are to be believed, it is an existential threat. I believe the impacts will be much more profound than I tend to hear about in these film conversations as well. Too many people say AI can never replace human creativity, for example, but I would bet against that notion. In all of human history, we’ve come up with maybe seven story types (some say as many as 36). I’m willing to bet that if AI can potentially solve cancer, it can come up with a few story types we’ve never imagined. And wouldn’t that be a good thing? (and these new story directions would be built upon what we’ve built, and just point to new directions we can explore further, btw.)
When I was stuck in the latest version of this conversation, in a room full of media executives, I pointed out that I was more sure that they would lose their jobs soon to the rise of the creator economy and its direct, genuine connections to fans, than to AI robots in the next three years. Savvy creators are launching new film fests, new studios (being managed by refugees from Hollywood), and are leap-frogging the indie filmmakers who have never bothered to embrace participatory culture. That’s already changed the industry in ways most of the industry doesn’t even notice while prancing around la Croisette.
The AI debate also takes us away from all of the other things threatening media as we know it. Like an administration hell-bent on ruining public media, journalism and things like truth. Don’t look here, look over there at the agentic AI coming for your job. Don’t focus on what’s really impacting the industry – media consolidation, clueless (white male) executives running the show, a move to the lowest common denominator content to attract eyeballs and advertising, the lack of requirements for public service offerings from what have become public utilities (everything from Netflix to social media), and so forth.
Or I get asked – how do we save public media? Well, I know I’ll get some hate mail and actual calls taking me to task for this, but public media hasn’t tried too hard to save itself. It hasn’t evolved or looked hard for new models, either. Maybe we need to be asking instead – how do we build the media for the public good that we need today (and not even use the words public media)?
In other places, people are cutting DEI programs, and even removing references to anything resembling the terms. People are asking – how do we save diverse media? Should we boycott brands who abandon these values? Get philanthropy to fill the gap (along with all of the other gaps)? But I look at this as an opportunity. Given the fact that our society is already diverse and growing more so, and these audiences are hungry for content, brands and activities that reflect this reality - and are angry they aren’t getting it, what brands will survive the next ten years putting their heads up their asses and denying this reality? What streamers and studios will exist who aren’t serving these audiences? What new art will be made and taken directly to these audiences, bypassing the gatekeepers? What businesses will launch to fill this gap? Where can we apply little bits of seed capital to build the next brand – in products, entertainment or otherwise – that fills these gaps and becomes the next Amazon or Patagonia (just to keep it in the colonized jungles). Golden. Opportunities.
I could go on with examples, but here’s my point – we’re letting other people define the scope of our questions. We’re in very uncertain times, so it’s normal to have a lot of questions. But if we keep reacting to the shiny things in front of us, or the big threats, we’re losing sight of the actual big picture. We need new questions, and we need a completely different set of answers than what we’re getting.
During one of my trips, I was lucky enough to join the Redford Center’s retreat at MountainFilm, Telluride. They had Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, the head of the Environmental Grantmakers Association, as a guest speaker and tutor to all of us. She said many brilliant things, but my favorite was “we are living in a narrative coup.” She was referring to the re-ordering of reality coming from the US administration around the environment and sustainability, but also to almost anything we’re facing now. And her point was at least two-fold – that reality has been hijacked, and the real narrative is different than what we’re being told, and that we need artists to rewrite the narrative.
As I got home, and was writing this post, my friend Sandy Herz posted this piece, which argues for the same idea (kinda). As she says – “We need to make vivid that a future of abundance is achievable. […] We need to “flood the zone” with these stories. The age of thinking one film or article will move the needle is long gone.”
And we’d better do this now, and in a much more concerted fashion, because that’s what’s being done by the hard right, just now. As the WSJ reported yesterday (that should be a gifted, free link), Leonard Leo of Federalist Society fame (and now Trump hatred notoriety), has amassed a $1.6 Billion dollar war-chest “to make America’s culture more conservative.” Worth quoting in full, his plan isn’t small:
“You can make investments in politics and public policy, but ultimately you’re going to be a lot more successful at that game if social and cultural institutions have the right sort of frame of reference, in terms of what life ought to be like in our country,” Leo said. That will take a new generation of conservative movie makers and like-minded production studios.
Leo is seeding the effort, alongside similarly aimed projects, with millions of dollars flowing through dozens of nonprofit groups and for-profit companies,”
David Axelrod, a former top adviser to President Obama, called it “gilded guerrilla warfare.”
Teneo, one of the groups funded by Leo’s billion-dollar windfall, is a networking club of several hundred conservatives in politics and American corporations, recruited before they hit 40. “We believe that history is not shaped by isolated ‘great men’ or impersonal historical forces. Instead, we believe the heroes of history are well-positioned people working together toward the same goal,” according to a paper explaining its vision.
Teneo has recently recruited roughly 100 members who work in movies, podcasts and entertainment financing, according to a person familiar with the matter. “Out of respect for the privacy of those engaged in the Teneo network, we don’t comment on what happens at events or who participates,” Teneo CEO Amanda Covo said. “But we’re excited about what appears to be many new successful ventures focused on high-quality family entertainment.”
They’ve recruited major Hollywood players, and well-placed younger “creator” voices to draw a new map (ahem… much like the old map), thinking long-term about how to change the narrative and change culture. And they’re already succeeding, with films like Pinball being ranked as one of the top movies of 2023 by no less than Richard Brody (note that we’re just noticing this connection two years later; note further that yes, one can like a film but not its politics). Importantly, Leo is thinking big: “Leo’s network purposefully invests in studios rather than individual movies. Past films with a conservative point of view—“The Passion of the Christ” and “Thank You for Smoking”—grabbed attention but didn’t do much to change Hollywood. Leo and allies are betting that investing in people and movie studios will cement a conservative strain in entertainment culture for years.”
That’s what I call evil-genius thinking. And we don’t do it on the left. We talk to one another sotto voce, and debate what we should do. We ask the wrong questions, instead of building the new narratives. We invest little grants of $20K here and $50K there in single movies that won’t get picked up for distribution, and then spend $150K running an “impact campaign” to bring them to the few thousand people who already care about the issue. We need to think more like Mr. Leo and step back, look at the bigger picture and build for the long term. That means investing in slates, or entire studios, focused on new narratives, not just single projects. It means trusting artists – with much bigger investments – to help us shape these narratives. It means thinking much bigger, again (like when we founded ITVS, for example). Let’s start asking new questions, find new answers and tell new narratives.
|
|
|
Göteborg Film Festival Presents The 2025 Nostradamus Report: The Reality/Resistance report reflects an industry that’s shifting away from resisting reality toward building a resilient resistance. Three key themes are: (1) “The deconstruction of liberal democracy is no longer a distant concern…. Actively defending editorial independence and remaining alert to the risks of self-censorship and co-optation, will be vital in the years to come.” ; (2) “Hollywood’s symbolic role as global tastemaker is weakening.” ; (3) Perhaps most importantly, “Reconnecting with local audiences is just as much about legitimacy as it is about survival…. Advocacy isn’t extra work, it is the work.”Check out the report here (25-30min read) or read their summary. (GSH)
The Film Industry in 2030 - my panel at WebSummit Vancouver: I spoke on a brief panel at WebSummit Vancouver this past week, along with Dana Harris-Bridson (editor in chief of Indiewire), Tod Plotkin (ceo of Green Buzz Agency), and moderated by David Bloom of Forbes, on the Film Industry in 2030. We essentially tried to predict the very near future in just 18 minutes - which was a little tough. They've posted the video here - but it's only up for about 90 days, so if you have any interest, watch it before mid-August, 2025. (BN)
Brian (me) on the Movies, Inc: Business of Film Podcast: I recently joined Sara McFarlane and Charlotte Howley the hosts of the Movies Inc: Business of Film podcast. My chat with them is the first episode of their new season, and as they described it, we chatted about: "the relevance of film festivals in the current market, the rise of branded content and the importance of values alignment between brand, filmmaker, and the film being made, and why every filmmaker needs to budget for self distribution." Check out the episode on Spotify here, or Apple Podcasts here. (BN)
Discount for Online Workshop with Fernanda Rossi & The D-Word : First Impressions: How To Create Your Documentary Fundraising Materials is a six-week online course with writer/director and international speaker Fernanda Rossi. This is an opportunity to learn and hone specific techniques to capture the essence of your documentary and the attention of funders, distributors and audiences. Fernanda will provide easy step-by-step procedures to create your materials, including practical exercises and plenty of before/after samples so you don’t need to guess any more how to put your best foot forward. Through a mix of self-paced recordings, live sessions on Zoom, and virtual group office hours with Fernanda, the course will include modules on logline, synopsis, treatment, director’s statement, stylistic approach and pitch deck. The online course kicks off on June 16. We are offering a special discount! While normally priced at $299, Sub-Genre readers can get 20% off the regular price by using Promo Code SUBGENRE2025 when registering. Learn more here. (BN)
|
|
|
Book Launch Announcement: “Radical Reality: Documentary Storytelling and the Global Fight for Social Justice” (Oxford University Press), co-authored by Caty Borum (Executive Director, Center for Media & Social Impact) and David Conrad-Pérez (Research Director, Center for Media & Social Impact) is out now! Based on years of research and interviews with documentary storytellers, impact producers, and human rights activists around the world, the book explores how documentary storytellers are driving movements for justice, truth, and human rights — and the challenges they face in increasingly challenging political and economic climates worldwide. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and insight, Radical Reality examines how nonfiction media is shaping the way we understand and engage with the world’s most urgent issues, offering paths forward. Grab your copy here and use code AUFLY30 for 30% off. (GSH)
|
|
|
|
Brand Funded Entertainment
|
|
|
Why B2B Brands Are Embracing Story - and a New Movie: We (Sub-Genre) have been working with Story + Strategy for the past year on some exciting new projects with our client, Transmission Agency, the world's largest B2B agency, all focused on quality brand storytelling. Now, the news is hitting the streets a bit, and you can read all about what we're doing and why in this interview with me, Ricky Abbott, president at Transmission, and Marc Battaglia of Story + Strategy in the BrandStorytelling newsletter. We chat about how B2B brands can become more entertaining. And on top of that, we also announced a new film produced by Transmission Agency - Who Is Watson - directed by Celia Aniskovitch, and produced by Bows + Arrows - which is premiering at Cannes Lions at the Transmission Le Speakeasy event. It's a great story about how IBM made the decision to have Watson on Jeopardy, and it shows how B2B companies can tell great stories. I made a non-brand film with Bows + Arrows (The Outside Story, back in covid times), and Celia is a rising star filmmaker. We'll be bringing this one to more festivals and events, and then screens, soon. (BN)
For Brands Entering Substack & Discord, There’s No Shortcut To Success: What Substack and Discord have in common? They’re both a new kind of social platform built not on viral posts but on very small, very loyal communities. In a Social Media Week panel moderated by ADWEEK, Discord’s Sales VP Adam Bauer and Substack’s head of lifestyle partnerships Christina Loff talk about how brands can capitalize on their platforms. Their message: There is no shortcut to success in these environments. These communities are small by design, are highly engaged, and brands must be prepared to cultivate conversations, rather than control them if they want to make an impact. “If [brands] do, the loyalty and engagement you’ll find is unlike anything on traditional social platforms (Bauer).” A few notes. (1) Discord and Substack communities are really, really, really small. Nearly all Discord servers are micro-groups of 5-20 individuals. “It’s basically a virtual living room where friends hang out over voice, video, or chat (Bauer).” Similarly, big TikTok influencers head to Substack to create more intentional audiences, “paywall the personal… [and] get more real with superfans in a space they control (Loff).” (2) A great example of a brand doing it right is luxury company The RealReal which launched on Substack and hired a real fashion writer to create editorial content that resembles the kind being created by heavyweights like Laura Reilly’s Magasin or Emilia Petrarca’s Shop Rat. (3) Neither Discord or Substack prioritize traditional advertising. Discord only launched its “rewarded ad” format in 2024 (it gives users a value exchange for engagement) and Substack is ad-free… meaning if brands want to reach niche audiences, they’ll have to work for it in unique and meaningful ways. Head to Mark Stenberg’s piece for AdWeek for more detail. (GSH)
|
|
|
Hypernormalization: Systems are crumbling, but daily life continues.
I recently spoke on a panel at the WebSummit: Vancouver and met The Guardian journalist Adrienne Matei, and she mentioned an article she recently wrote for their newsletter on something I think many of us can relate to - the strange dissonance of having a world on fire, but we somehow keep going through life as if things are normal. Or as she quotes digital anthropologist Rahaf Harfoush: “It’s reading an article about childhood hunger and genocide, only to scroll down to a carefree listicle highlighting the best-dressed celebrities or a whimsical quiz about: ‘What Pop-Tart are you?’” The term was first applied to explain the civilian reaction to Soviet Russia, but it applies well to the US (and some other places) today. And, of course, filmmaker Adam Curtis has referenced this phenomenon in his videos. and is quoted in the piece as well. Read her take here for more. (BN)
My Absence: Those of you who have bothered to make it this far might have noticed this is my first post since May 8th, which is almost a month. I've been trying to write a post every two weeks, which was down from weekly, but I've been on the road nonstop and have been too busy to respond to emails, much less write a newsletter. Apologies. I'll try to keep up, but never fear - the newsletter remains free, so you aren't wasting any SubStack subscription money. (BN)
(GSH) = posts written by Sub-Genre's Gabriel Schillinger-Hyman as opposed to me (BN).
|
|
|
|
|
