I’ve been around this industry long enough to see the landscape flip upside down. And right now if you’re a graphic novelist, filmmaker, animator, or unscripted TV producer this is the most wide-open moment you will ever get. You don’t need a gatekeeper. You don’t need representation. You don’t need anyone’s permission. You can make your thing and take it straight to your people.
1. First I Had To Unlearn The Old Religion Of “Validation”
For years I believed success had to come stamped with approval from Hollywood or the New York publishing world or the music industry. I chased it. A lot of us did. But the truth is you don’t need any of that anymore. The only question that matters is what you want most.
Are you trying to send a message
Tell a story you’ve been carrying around
Make a comfortable living
Get famous
None of those answers are wrong. They just shape the path. And once I got honest about that everything else got clearer.
2. Hollywood Isn’t The Dream Anymore. It’s A Shrinking Office Building.
Look at what’s happening. Tens of thousands laid off. Studios merging. Departments disappearing. Everybody clutching the same “safe bets” which means only famous people with built-in audiences or IP with giant followings get greenlit. They want a sure thing. And they don’t want to spend the money growing one from scratch.
But that’s not bad news. I realized for all those talented people in the industry who lost their jobs, and those who have been struggling to get into the industry for years, it could be potentially the best thing that could’ve happened. This is because it forces you to stop waiting for Hollywood and start building your own momentum. Hollywood notices once you already have heat. Not before.
3. The Real Win Is Building Something You’d Do For Free
People get tripped up thinking they’re supposed to hit the dream overnight. It doesn’t work like that. But it also doesn’t take as long as it used to. If you choose a project you truly care about you’ll stick with it long enough to see traction. And you don’t need millions of fans.
4. The 1000 True Fans Rule Changed My Whole Approach
A thousand real fans can fund your entire creative life. That’s it.
Ten bucks a month from a thousand people is one hundred and twelve thousand dollars a year. Double it. Triple it. Whatever’s right for your lane. Some folks do great with 500 fans. Some with 300. There are billions of people on this planet. There are people out here waiting to love exactly what you make.
5. Use The Tools We Already Have In Our Hands
You don’t have to spend money you don’t have.
Free or cheap tools right now
subscription platforms
AI filmmaking and voice tools
your iPhone for shooting
artists on Upwork or Fiverr if you need help
free music creation tools
And if you don’t rock with AI that’s fine. You can still do everything manually. But either way the tech is right here.
And here’s the thing nobody wants to admit. What general audiences love and what “professionals” think is good are two totally different things. That’s why a cat video can blow past a hundred-million-dollar movie. Focus on the story not the prestige.
6. Serve The Audience Not The Industry
Your peers aren’t buying your work. The industry isn’t paying your bills. Your audience is. Make the thing you want to make the way they want to receive it.
Do you need a team?
Not at first.
Most manager and publicist tasks can be handled by a VA (Virtual Assistant) with good experience. You can use sites like Qwoted to pitch yourself to the media. I’ve done it. It works.
And trust me once you’re successful, all the agents managers and studios you used to chase will suddenly chase you!
7. You Still Have To Do The Work Though
If you can’t afford help you have to trade time instead of money. That might mean fewer Netflix binges and more nights actually building your project. Money and managers aren’t the real block for most people. The block is waiting.
8. How I’d Grow An Audience Today
Post a lot.
See what takes off naturally.
Then put a little ad spend behind the posts that already hit.
Instagram Facebook TikTok YouTube all of them work. You just have to show up consistently.
9. Actors This Part Is For You
Don’t wait for auditions. Make the roles you wish you were booking. Use your phone. Shoot a 10-second or 30-second scene that you wish someone would cast you in. Write it yourself or have someone write it. Do a monologue. Build characters. Let people see your range.
Casting directors check Instagram. They check TikTok. They check YouTube. If two actors are equally talented they’re going with the one who has an audience. Not a fake one. A real one. That’s just how it works now.
And AI isn’t a threat to actors. It’s more opportunity. Many AI filmmakers want real performances they can map onto their characters. People need real voices. You can even license yours.
10. Want To Work In Scripted Or Unscripted TV
Don’t pitch. Make a lo-fi version.
If it’s a talk show do it on Zoom.
If it’s unscripted grab an iPhone and start documenting.
If you need editors the same folks who cut the big shows take freelance gigs too.
If you’re a traditional crew member there’s money flowing to creators who need your skills. Sites like YTJobs and Upwork have steady work. And brands are always hunting for people with production experience.
11. Don’t Be Scared Of 2026. The Shift Is Already Here.
You don’t need a giant following to make a living. You don’t need Hollywood’s blessing. You don’t need traditional validation at all. You need honesty about what you want consistency in showing up and the willingness to build something with the tools already in your hands.
And if you’re not entrepreneurial find someone who is. Pay them or give them a percentage. If you don’t want to do either you’ll have to learn it yourself.
But either way you can build your own path right now. And honestly it’s never been more possible.
