What Lessons Should Hollywood Learn From Barbenheimer?

1. Empower Directors

Auteurs are directors who have a strong artistic vision and control over their projects. Well, we will never get any more auteurs entering the Hollywood space if studios continue to trample over the unique voices who come to work in this town.

Giving directors more creative freedom can lead to innovative and compelling films that resonate with audiences.

Sure, there are constraints like budget and time, but empowering a director to see their vision through gives us a final product that can feel fully realized and welcoming to an audience.

2. Embrace Originality

While Barbie is based on intellectual property and Oppenheimer is a biopic, they both ooze originality that comes from directors with a distinct points of view and missions.

They are original films that stand out due to their unique storytelling, visual style, and thematic exploration. Hollywood should be more willing to take risks on original ideas and encourage filmmakers to express their creative visions.

Even if those ideas are based on IP or famous people, let storytellers come in and bring originality to the screen.

3. Story and Character Matter

We covered Nolan's words about the essence of film last week, but they're worth reiterating here. Story is "the essence of what the film is,'" and it's what the audience wants most.

Successful films tend to prioritize strong storytelling and well-developed characters over big-budget special effects. Hollywood should remember the importance of compelling narratives that connect emotionally with audiences.

We love Barbie because she's talking to a generation about what it means to be a woman in this world. We loved Oppenheimer because it's about opening Pandora's Box and dealing with the regret and consequences of those actions.

These stories are powerful and moving.

Balance Art and Commerce

Look, corporate CEOs only care about money. We need to get over that because it is never going to change. But the balance of art and commerce is what has sustained Hollywood for over 100 years.

Barbie is based on a Mattel toy, the movie was made to sell more toys and merch, but out of that money mission came a story by a filmmaker that is funny, unflinching, and wholly original. While artistic integrity is crucial, Hollywood can find a balance between artistic expression and commercial viability. Films can be successful without compromising creativity.

Nolan could have delivered a straightforward biopic, but, instead, he jumps in time, uses different aspect ratios, and has portions of the story in black and white.

Still, commerce came for each movie because we let the art shine as well.

Nurture Talent

It's hard to picture, but there was a time when Christopher Nolan was just an indie filmmaker trying to make a name for himself. He came off Following and did Memento, then was thrust into the Batman universe. We watched him grow from there on, taking bigger budgets and telling bigger stories.

Greta Gerwig started as an actress and writer, then stepped into the directing chair with the indie-hit Lady Bird, and then parlayed that into Little Women,  and, now, Barbie.

By believing in and nurturing their careers, we saw them grow and built different generations of filmmakers.

We do not do that enough anymore. Hollywood should invest in nurturing new and emerging talent. Auteurs often start with smaller, independent projects before gaining recognition. Supporting and mentoring new talent can lead to the discovery of fresh voices that can create successful films in the future.