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 every filmmaker wondering if there’s still a place for their voice and a path for their 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.
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.
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 leveraging 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!
