Hollywood's on Fire. Let's Roast Marshmallows and Make a Plan
👋 Hi. I'm Dana Harris-Bridson, editor-in-chief of IndieWire. This is your introduction to IndieWire's new vertical, Future of Filmmaking, and a preview of its new weekly newsletter, In Development.
I don't want to repeat myself because (I think) our newsletter copy below does a good job of explaining what we're up to with Future of Filmmaking. And if it doesn't, or you've got other thoughts you'd like to share, I'm available on email (dana@indiewire.com). You can also call/text me at 323-435-7690.
More from IndieWire
What Does a '100 Percent Tariff' on Movies Made in 'Foreign Lands' Even Mean - and Can Trump Literally Do It?
So Now We Know Why 'Thunderbolts*' Has an Asterisk in Its Title
And! . Tales from the frontlines of what it means to create a career in Hollywood, once a week. I think you'll like it.
We introduce IndieWire's Future of Filmmaking
Why everyone must invent their own entertainment careers
You don't have to do it alone
Hollywood has always been a neurotic industry, but the current anxiety, uncertainty, and job losses are acute. (After President Trump's bizarroworld pronouncement of 100% tariffs on movies produced outside America, what's next? Don't answer that.) Employment in Hollywood has never been easy, but finding and keeping an entertainment job has become a Jenga-like enterprise.
If I were a publicist, my kindest spin might be, 'Challenging.' Or, 'There's never been a better time for creative solutions.' Or, 'No comment.'
However, I'm not a publicist. I'm a journalist who's covered the film and TV business, and independent film in particular, for a long time.
Our take is there is no secret to success in Hollywood. There are thousands of secrets, all of which refuse to conform to anything like a path. IndieWire believes that if we talk to people, hear their secrets and stories, and share their insights, everyone knows a little more and starts to feel a little less alone.
IndieWire created the Future of Filmmaking because while Hollywood (and the U.S.) may be under siege, storytelling matters as much as ever. Entertainment is stories, and stories let us relate, feel, and create change. And while IndieWire believes that the entertainment industry matters, the people who create it matter even more.
Much about Hollywood is unfair, but the great equalizer is even if you went to a top film school, or were lucky enough to have a mentor, you still must figure it out yourself.
That's the truth for agents, actors, production designers, riggers, directors, publicists, and first ADs. Even for the elite few who were born into it. Everyone.
We want Future of Filmmaking to be the resource that can support anyone who wants to write, direct, design, edit, crew, develop, act, produce, and represent.We think it will be particularly useful for:
Students and recent graduates
Early-career professionals
Curious outsiders
Anyone trying to find their way in movies, TV, and content creation
In addition to weekly newsletter In Development (please subscribe!), this is what you can expect from Future of Filmmaking.
Check out our landing page, where you'll find daily posts featuring real-world stories and practical advice from across the industry.
We're very proud to debut our new video franchise, 'What No One Tells You,' in which seasoned pros share lessons and insights direct to camera — starting with 'Dear White People' creator Justin Simien.
The success of our inaugural summit in November 2024 helped us confirm the year-round appetite for Future of Filmmaking. It featured a keynote chat with Sean Baker, a conversation with Pixar creator Mike Jones, and panels on indie distribution, AI, pitching, and more. It was awesome.
Our next Future of Filmmaking summit will be at Cannes Film Festival's The American Pavilion! We'll also bring back our Future of Filmmaking Summit in Los Angeles this fall. (More details soon.)
Hollywood will always be an uncertain industry, but we believe Future of Filmmaking can help people build sustainable careers with honest insights, practical tools, reality checks, and community building.
And we want to hear from you. Yes, you. Your ideas matter more than anything. Email me at dana@indiewire.com. (All correspondence confidential.)
IndieWire began in 1996, back when Hollywood acknowledged independent film as its sexy, shiny second cousin. Today, anyone who wants to be in the weird world of entertainment could do a lot worse than to think like a wily, creative, slightly delusional independent filmmaker.
Welcome to IndieWire's Future of Filmmaking.
Best of IndieWire
Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See
'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie
The 55 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rare Labubu sells for more than $150,000 at auction
A rare, first-generation Labubu figure has sold for $150,000 in Beijing at an auction held exclusively for the toys that have taken the world by storm. The 131-centimeter (51-inch) mint green figurine with a gremlin-like appearance, sharp teeth and puckish grin went for 1.08 million yuan ($150,325) at the Yongle International Auction house that normally specializes in selling jewelry and modern art. 'Congratulations to the online buyer on collecting the world's only such one,' said the auctioneer at an exhibition center in downtown Beijing on Tuesday afternoon. Labubus are currently the trendiest plush toys on the planet, created by Hong Kong-born illustrator Kasing Lung and retailed by the Chinese toy giant Pop Mart. In recent months, the bunny-bodied, elf-faced creatures — equal parts grotesque and adorable — have soared in popularity, sparking buying frenzies around the world, and in some cases, brawls among fans outside shops selling them. Even in China, where Pop Mart is based and most of its toys are made, people are struggling to get their hands on Labubus. A total of 48 Labubus were auctioned at the special event, billed as the 'World's First' auction of first generation collectible Labubus. A brown, 160-centimeter (63-inch) Labubu figure, sold for $114,086, the second highest hammer price at the event. The company said only 15 such figures exist around the world. Other figures went for more than $1,000 each. 'As a trendy toy in China, Labubu is now becoming a global artwork as it has truly sparked a craze around the world,' Zhao Xu, the founder of Yongle Auction, told state-owned outlet The Beijing News. Zhao said the company plans to hold monthly livestream auctions for Labubu and other trendy artworks. A pair of Minions-like Labubus sold at auction for 10,000 yuan ($1,391). Buyers at the auction also had to pay an additional 15% brokerage fee on top of the hammer prices. And it's not rare to see a price inflation of Labubus due to the crazy demand in China. For instance, a blind box from the latest Labubu 3.0 series, originally priced at around $81, has been selling for up to $278 on the second-hand market, state-owned outlet Cover News reported. Labubu's viral popularity has been a booster for Pop Mart. Annual results show that the Chinese company's global gross profit surged by over 125% last year, while its revenue in mainland China reached more than $1.09 billion, 34% higher than 2023.
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Jimmy Kimmel Calls Trump an ‘Arsonist With a Hose'
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night's highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. Fake News On Wednesday, Jimmy Kimmel, who's based in Los Angeles, mocked the idea that protests against immigration raids have turned the city into 'some kind of totalitarian hellscape' — a notion pushed by President Trump (and some cable news outlets) as he sent in Marines and the National Guard. 'He wants there to be a war going on here, and he doesn't care who gets hurt in it. There's no riot outside. We have more so-called 'unrest' here when one of our teams wins a championship.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'Not only is it not an apocalypse, they're having a Disney Pixar movie premiere right now, for 'Elio,' a movie about aliens. Don't tell Trump, he'll send the Green Berets in, too.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'You know, when we had the wildfires that devastated big chunks of our city, he did absolutely nothing. Now that we're in the middle of a nonemergency: 'Send in the National Guard!'' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'Putting out a fire you purposely start doesn't make you a firefighter, it makes you an arsonist with a hose.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'Yes, nothing calms down a situation like a military invasion.' — DESI LYDIC 'You know, I'm beginning to wonder if Trump is intentionally trying to escalate this situation because more chaos allows him to portray blue states as centers of crime, while positioning himself as the strongman that the country needs to rally around. No, that's silly. I'm sure he's just doing what's best for everyone.' — DESI LYDIC 'Now, as we speak, Trump has sent thousands of troops into downtown L.A. to quell what historians will remember as the Battle of That Video of a Burning Waymo Car They Kept Showing on Cable News.' — STEPHEN COLBERT 'And to those of you in the National Guard who have been thrust into this: When Donald Trump orders you to do something that you know is immoral, try to get your dad's podiatrist to write a note to say you have bone spurs.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'The president of the United States has been tougher on L.A. than on Russia. Remember that two-week deadline he gave Putin to sit down for peace talks with Ukraine? As of tomorrow, it's two weeks. But, by all means, send the Marines to The Grove.' — JIMMY KIMMEL 'Trump's terrible policy has generated a huge backlash, which he's responded to by overreacting, which is going to generate another backlash. We don't know how this is going to end, but at least we know it'll be a huge waste of money.' — DESI LYDIC 'I just want to say, thank God for President Trump and the heroes at ICE for protecting us from these bloodthirsty fruit stand vendors, spreading their dangerous pineapple chunks and mangos with a squirt of lime all over the city.' — JIMMY KIMMEL The Punchiest Punchlines (Meanwhile on Fox News Edition) Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump dances with soldiers at Fort Bragg as crowd erupts in patriotic 'USA' chants
President Donald Trump thrilled soldiers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina on Tuesday when he broke out his iconic dance moves. Trump gave a speech to attending soldiers commemorating the Army's 250th anniversary. After the speech, Trump began to acknowledge and thank the soldiers. Accompanying him walking out was his anthem, "Y.M.C.A." by Village People. Trump Warns Any Potential Protesters At His Military Parade Will Be 'Met With Very Big Force' As Trump began to walk the stage, the crowd cheered him on. Read On The Fox News App Trump began to do his viral dance, getting even louder cheers from the crowd. He turned to head off the stage and acknowledged the soldiers who were sitting behind the stage. President Trump Supporters Sing 'God Bless The Usa' On Flight Leaving Inauguration In Dc Trump then made a hugging motion with his arms and a gesture after to thank them. The crowd once again erupted, but this time, "USA" chants followed. The chants became more infectious as Trump continued to walk towards the exit of the stage. He stopped once more for the troops in front of the stage, pointing and raising his fist and saying, "thank you very much, thank you." As Trump continued walking, two soldiers in the crowd were doing his viral dance, which appeared to catch the president's attention. Trump turned and immediately began doing his dance as well. Trump continued on after clapping, pointing and thanking the soldiers as the cheers continued to article source: Trump dances with soldiers at Fort Bragg as crowd erupts in patriotic 'USA' chants
