DIY Studio System
There was an article in The Hollywood Reporter about YouTubers building their own studios. It got me thinking about the past, present, and future of the cinema production biz.
What if the next big flick isn't made on a Hollywood backlot, but in a trick-shot arena in Texas?
Or inside a pastel-pink high school hallway in Burbank? Or hidden in a former airport hangar in Austin?
What if this is the model for the future of filmmaking?
This post isn't a eulogy. It's a reframe for filmmakers wondering if there's still a place for your voice and a path for your career. The traditional studio system may be faltering, but creator-led studios are rising.
Creators Taking Over the Lot
Let me tell you a story about a dining room that once doubled as a restaurant set. Dhar Mann started small, shooting short inspirational videos in his apartment. Today, he runs a 100,000+ square foot campus in Burbank with professional-grade sets, a fleet of cars, and nearly 200 staff. He shoots multiple videos a day, using gear and talent pulled straight from traditional film and TV.
Then there's Alan Chikin Chow, another Burbank-based creator whose show Alan's Universe now looks and feels like a Disney Channel Original Movie. His early content? Eight-minute, low-stakes sketches. His current studio? A fully tricked-out production hub, staffed by veterans from Nickelodeon and beyond.
My favorite example might be Corridor Digital in L.A. These guys started as film school buddies making parody videos and VFX experiments. Now they're running a full-scale production company with multiple series, a merch operation, and some of the most sophisticated independent VFX work on the planet. Their "React" series breaks down Hollywood blockbusters with the same technical expertise you'd find at ILM. They've built their own mini-Skywalker Ranch for the YouTube generation.
Hollywood Outside Hollywood
You're driving through Birmingham, Alabama, and tucked between barbecue joints and churches is a full-blown studio. That's where Kinigra Deon is creating a new home for Southern storytelling, hiring local talent and proving you don't need a zip code that starts with 9 to make something real.
Or head to Greenville, North Carolina, where MrBeast has turned the town into his own media empire. His videos reach more people than most TV networks, and he's building a team and infrastructure to match.
And in Frisco, Texas? Dude Perfect has built a family-friendly content compound that would make any production designer swoon. Think soundstages, sports arenas, gaming hubs, and even a hidden slide. They're not just making content; they're redefining what a studio lot can be.
Rhett and Link have transformed Good Mythical Morning from a talk show filmed in their garage into Mythical Entertainment – a full multimedia company. Their studio spans multiple soundstages, hosts live audiences, and produces everything from scripted series to branded content. They've got writers' rooms, post-production suites, and a merch empire that rivals traditional media companies. Talk about building your own network from scratch.
The Power of Niche
You don't even need a massive operation to compete. Take Meat Canyon, the horror-comedy animator working out of what looks like a standard home setup. His twisted takes on beloved characters have earned him millions of subscribers and enough Patreon support to fund long-form projects. One guy, one computer, creating content that's more memorable than half the animated movies that cost $100 million to make.
That's the beauty of the creator economy. Your "studio" can be whatever serves your vision best.
Ownership and Vision = Power
You don't need permission to create anymore. And you don't need to wait for a greenlight. Robert Rodriguez, legendary director of Sin City and Spy Kids, just launched Brass Knuckle Films in Austin. It's not just a studio; it's a movement.
Rodriguez is letting fans invest directly in his films. Not donate. Invest. Real profit sharing. Real creative input. One lucky fan even gets their idea made into a full feature. He's making $10–$30 million action flicks with local crews, shooting in Austin, and giving Hollywood a run for its money.
Eli Roth is carving an adjacent path. Known for horror films like Hostel and Cabin Fever, Roth is expanding his portfolio by developing genre-focused production models outside the traditional studio setup. His focus on building horror as a sustainable niche—not just through features but branded experiences and multimedia storytelling—signals a growing trend of creators building cult fandoms.
Echoes of Indie OGs
To understand where we're headed, it helps to know where we came from.
Filmmakers like Roger Corman, Lloyd Kaufman of TROMA, and Charles Band of Full Moon Features laid the groundwork decades ago. These were the kings of low-budget, high-ingenuity filmmaking. Corman launched countless careers, including those of James Cameron and Francis Ford Coppola. TROMA built an empire on gonzo genre films and unapologetic independence. Band still keeps the direct-to-video dream alive through wild creativity and sheer willpower.
They didn't just make movies, they made systems. Repeatable, scalable, DIY ecosystems that served fans first. Studios without the overhead, stars without the limelight. And their legacy echoes in the creator-led movement of the moment.
Lessons for Us
All these studios started small. Every creator began with a camera, an idea, and a willingness to work. They didn't wait for the system to change. They built something new. And so can you.
What does this mean for scribblers, directors, aspiring producers, and wanna be crewmembers?
— You can build your own platform, even from a one-bedroom apartment.
— You can attract talent, funding, and fans without ever setting foot in L.A.
— You can keep ownership and creative control of your stories.
— You can be part of a generation that's crafting the next version of the studio system.
Ye olde Hollywood is in flux. But don't mistake change for collapse. This is another cyclical rebirth. The audience is global, and the tools are more accessible than ever. The new giants of media are being built by people who used to shoot in their kitchens.
So if you're a scribbler, filmmaker, or cinematic storyteller, don't wait for someone else to call the main gate and give you a pass to get on the lot. Create your own studio. Build your own set. Find your audience. Tell your story. And always be scribbling!
