As a seasoned gamer with a keen eye for emerging talent in the film industry, I find it fascinating to witness the rise of creators like Curry Barker and others who have harnessed the power of YouTube to catapult their careers. It’s not just about breaking into Hollywood anymore; it’s about bypassing the traditional routes and creating a direct connection with your audience.
After relocating to Los Angeles a couple of years back, Curry Barker believed that showcasing his short films on the festival circuit would be the key to his success as a director. However, he quickly found out that simply uploading his films onto YouTube was drawing attention instead. His 2023 horror short titled “The Chair” led him to secure Hollywood representation and a chance to direct a $1 million movie called “Obsession“. In August, he shared the $800 feature film he wrote, directed, and acted in, named “Milk & Serial“. This production took off online, garnering 1 million views.
Barker mentions that it significantly increased the number of meetings I was having,” he explains, noting that he met almost all studios and top horror producers in town.
Barker, renowned for his comedic YouTube videos, is among the emerging generation of filmmakers who refined their skills on YouTube before venturing into Hollywood. This platform offers them an opportunity to express their creativity freely, without studio constraints, and also helps them establish a personal connection with their viewers.
In 2023, comedy YouTubers Danny and Michael Philippou turned heads when their horror movie “Talk to Me,” produced by A24 on a budget of $4.5 million, earned an impressive global box office total of $92.8 million. Veteran producer Samantha Jennings oversaw the indie project, commenting that the twin brothers have a unique knack for grasping their audience’s preferences. “They can almost predict who’s in the third row, what they’re wearing, when they’re focused, and what makes them laugh,” says Jennings, who is also producing their next film for A24, titled “Bring Her Back.
Over a decade ago, Australian comedian Michael Shanks gained a following on YouTube with a comedy channel dedicated to video game spoofs. As he was working behind the scenes, he crafted Time Trap, a time-twisting short that he believed deserved more than just being uploaded to YouTube. However, when a Star Wars parody he shared became popular, Shanks leveraged this popularity to attract attention to his cherished project, showcasing both his wit and visual effects skills.
The day after, I began receiving calls from individuals in Los Angeles, including agencies and production companies,” Shanks stated, being represented by WME. “These contacts led me to meetings.” One of these meetings was with Dave Franco, who expressed interest in reading his horror script titled “Together“. He eventually joined the project as an actor, working alongside Alison Brie. At present, the film is in post-production, with Strays producer Picturestart among its financiers.
James Harris, the producer behind the hit film “47 Meters Down” starring Mandy Moore, finds YouTube an excellent source for undiscovered talent. As he puts it, “The potential in horror is substantial.” This is how he stumbled upon Barker, a collaborator on the upcoming project “Obsession”. Harris predicts that if the 25-year-old director succeeds in producing a million-dollar movie, he could be poised to move on to bigger budget films such as $5 million and even $10 million projects.
The tale was published in the October 23 edition of The Hollywood Reporter’s magazine. To stay updated, consider subscribing here.
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2024-10-28 19:54