The Reading Garden: 3/14/25
Welcome to the Reading Garden, where every Friday we spotlight three must-read articles that we’re paying attention to, and break down what they mean for legacy media.
Let’s get into it.
1. YouTube documentary channels TV producers should know about
The first of a new weekly series, this post is designed to inspire producers to explore what’s possible beyond the world of professionally produced entertainment. And yes, we know, there’s no shortage of sites that highlight successful YouTube creators, but the difference here is that Jen Topping curates and dissects her picks through the eyes of legacy media (just like our OG: Approved series – yes, that was a shameless plug).
The docs Jen features cover a wide range of subjects, from scam exposés to pop culture portraits, but they all demonstrate the vast opportunities available for producers curious to leverage YouTube.
2. Lessons From Sean Baker: on being a Creator vs. a Creative
It was pretty spectacular to see Sean and his $6 million film Anora take over the Oscars a few weeks ago, but can we learn something deeper about the creator economy from this? Stacey Parks says: absolutely.
The word “creator” can often be seen with skepticism in Hollywood, but all it really means is making our own stuff with whatever budget and resources we can gather ourselves. You guessed it: that’s Sean Baker. Remember when he filmed Tangerine with an iPhone?
We’re entering an era where high quality with fewer resources is becoming the new norm, and those who embrace the concept of high quality/low cost movies and series will stand to benefit, especially considering the direct to consumer marketplace we find ourselves in.
3. Getting Started as a Creator: Facing Fear, Embracing Risk
Jon Stahl strikes again with this analysis of how risk aversion and fear are plaguing legacy media. It’s a well-known issue, but this piece looks at it from the inside out, through the eyes of the creatives trapped in the self reinforcing fear cycle stemming from executives above.
Drawing on the “more with less” concept from the previous article, this post encourages creatives to start small, leverage available tools, and embrace constraints to just go for it rather than waiting around for gatekeepers to open doors. Lucky for them, today’s landscape makes that more than feasible.
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