Get Rich in Your Parents' Basement: The Future of Indie Filmmaking

I've found a great new online resource - Ted Gioia and his Honest Broker blog on Substack. He has the most intriguing headlines on his posts. I would highly recommend subscribing. It's from his post, 'Get Rich in Your Parent's Basement' that I am pontificating here.

Gioia says that indie creators are living through an era full of promise. This is a refreshing turn of events. The indie creative world is gaining momentum against the web’s dominant platforms. It’s a story of resilience, small wins, and growing optimism for a future that empowers creators rather than exploits them.

The power dynamics in the digital world are shifting. Dominant platforms are slowly losing their grip as freelancers, indie creators, and rule-breakers carve out new opportunities. It seems inevitable that this trend will continue, tilting the balance of power toward?creators.

Gioia believes that musicians, writers, and other creatives will enjoy a much fairer playing field over the next few years. Here are three reasons why:

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1. YouTube Outpaces Hollywood

Why wait for a green light from a film company when you can make high quality film on your cell phone in your parents' basement bedroom? And if you want the lowdown on how to max out your gear, consider the Hands-On Smartphone Filmmaking day at Raindance.

Believe it or not, YouTube now pays creators more than Netflix. The days of aspiring to Hollywood stardom may be fading when you can produce a hitmaking YouTube video with very limited resources.

Check out these stats from @SimonOwens:

"YouTube has paid out $70 billion to content creators in the last three years. That's an average of $23 billion a year. For context, Netflix is now spending around $13 billion on content and Disney is set to hit a $24 billion content spend this year.

Over the past three years, YouTube has paid out a staggering $70 billion to its creators—averaging $23 billion annually. Compare that to Netflix’s $13 billion annual content spend or Disney’s projected $24 billion. And YouTube’s figures only account for revenue?sharing, excluding sponsorships, merchandise, and subscriptions, which add even more to creators’ pockets.

Currently, YouTube offers creators 55% of ad revenue for regular videos and 45% for Shorts. In contrast, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter lag behind, either offering lower payouts or failing to share revenue transparently.

YouTube’s commitment to rewarding creators is why it will likely emerge as the winner in the streaming wars. Platforms that don’t adopt similar practices will struggle to attract and retain talent.

That’s why YouTube will win the streaming wars.

This creator-first model isn’t limited to video platforms. The music industry is poised for a similar shift. Major labels that cling to outdated royalty structures, paying artists a mere 10% or less, will soon be forced to adapt or face obsolescence.

The same transformation is underway in journalism and publishing, as evidenced by platforms like Substack.

2. Netflix’s Problem: Betting on Stupidity

Netflix is responding to YouTube’s rise by doubling down on “casual viewing” - content designed for viewers who aren’t paying attention. According to reports, Netflix executives often instruct filmmakers to have characters announce their actions aloud so distracted viewers can follow along.

According to N+1, the new formula in streaming is content for “casual viewing”—in other words, stuff people can play in the background while doing something else.

"Slipshod filmmaking works for the streaming model, since audiences at home are often barely paying attention. Several screenwriters who’ve worked for the streamer told me a common note from company executives is “have this character announce what they’re doing so that viewers who have this program on in the background can follow along.”

This approach might seem like a winning strategy, but history suggests otherwise. Content designed for passive consumption breeds disloyal audiences who will quickly abandon one platform for the next shiny distraction.

Netflix’s pivot to dumbed-down content mirrors past failures by companies like Buzzfeed and Upworthy. The music industry has suffered similarly by undervaluing artistry in favour of quick hits.

Ultimately, Netflix can’t outcompete TikTok or Instagram in the battle for low-attention audiences. Instead, it risks alienating viewers who crave quality storytelling. As Gila says: "And if it really comes down to a stupidity battle, Netflix will never beat Instagram and TikTok. Case closed."

3. Microsoft’s Bing Cosplay

In a bizarre twist, Microsoft appears to be impersonating Google. When users search for "Google" on Bing, they’re presented with a Google-style page complete with a colourful doodle and unbranded search bar.

According to PCWorld:

This morning, users are discovering that if they search for “Google” in the primary Bing interface, they’re shown a special Bing search page. Before you scroll down to the actual search results, you’re presented with an all-white page with a centered, unbranded search bar and a multicolored doodle above it that’s heavy on yellow, red, blue, and green.

This move highlights a deeper issue in Silicon Valley: the big players aren’t just scamming their users anymore - they’re targeting each other.

Microsoft’s shift toward AI-driven search was meant to challenge Google’s dominance. Instead, it now resorts to mimicry, further eroding trust in big tech’s innovation narrative.

Fade Out: The Road Ahead

The future of media belongs to indie voices and platforms that support them fairly. While the road ahead remains uncertain, the momentum is clear: creators are reclaiming control, and platforms unwilling to adapt will be left behind.

Whether it’s YouTube rewarding its creators, Substack empowering writers, or the music industry facing overdue reform, the signs point to a more equitable creative landscape.

Let’s hope the big players learn to share the stage — or risk losing it entirely.

BTW, four years ago I wrote about my own mother's basement bedroom from which I launched Raindance!

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