Superstar couples are nothing new. You look in the NBA, and you see the elite want to play on the same team. It’s a formula that may not at all times be ripe for fulfillment (see the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets), but it is one that has been for years in the film industry. Going back a decade, we had a comedy group that included Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, James Franco, and others take over Hollywood. Martin Scorsese worked extensively with a handful of people, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Christopher Nolan likes Michael Caine, Christian Bale, and Ken Watanabe. The list goes on and on. In the end, it is who you work with, and not what you do.
Being in the film industry for almost a decade has taught me one thing; it sucks to work with people you do not like. Working with people you spend time with outside of work, with individuals who can really see your vision, leads to success. In a sense, choosing who you work with has improved, which has resulted in some great work. We have some of the funniest, deepest, successful, and critically acclaimed work from these groups. Quentin Tarantino revolutionized this concept, assembling a group of individuals he likes on a personal level. The film may not be a big budget or tent pole, but the chemistry is there. It’s rare for an apple to be picked wrong or bad. Not that everybody loves cameras, but as actors, creators, and personnel, the product comes out just right. Old Hollywood is full of tales of fierce rivalries, actors/directors/producers walking off sets, and horrendous couples. It does not work anymore.
Last month, we had the opportunity to talk to renowned producer Adi Shankar. The man behind ‘Dredd’, ‘Lone Survivor’ and ‘The Grey’ covered quite a lot of ground, but one thing stood out; collective. The idea of not just working with friends, but people who hold and shape your vision. That’s what we’re going to see take over Hollywood over the next 5-10 years. Consumers are getting tired of massive budget after big budget. They want content, not star power, and in a sense they’ve gotten behind the scenes. Producers and writers are not any longer in the shadows. We thank the internet for that, and it is not going away.
As we shrink all the way down to the better movies, in addition to the content, the facts are still the same. There is a need for quality. Does it come in the form of conscious work, or good chemistry. The rise of Netflix, and the death of franchises, will ultimately lead to a restructuring. What is important collectively breathes strongly, giving us more laughter, sighs, and cries. Make this superstar couple the future, because we all win.
