It‘s no exaggeration to say that since the heady days of the early 2000s, the rise of social media has forever changed the businesses of music, television, film and funny videos of animals wearing people clothes. Whereas in the past artists had to deal with the pesky vetting of an agent or publisher, now anyone can share their work with the world. You can’t swing a dead LOLcat these days without hitting some sort of “user-generated content,” which is both a blessing and a curse. Although the Internet affords writers and artists an unprecedented level of creative freedom and exposure, the best voices are often drowned out by the vast multitudes also vying for the world’s attention.
So what does it take to be a successful filmmaker/comedian/musician/cute animal photographer in the Age of Social Media? To answer that question, I’ve decided to talk with people who are using the Internet to achieve that most impossible of dreams – doing what they love to do on their own terms. First up: Mike Stoklasa of Red Letter Media.
Mike, along with friends Jay Bauman and Rich Evans, founded the online filmmaking collective at the dawn of the 21st Century. They produce programs like the semi-weekly movie review show “Half in the Bag,” a roundtable discussion of VHS-era camp classics called “Best of the Worst,” as well as various other projects and full-length films. Ever since Stoklasa’s epic deconstruction of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” (as alter-ego Harry Plinkett) became a YouTube hit, Red Letter Media has made fans of movie buffs and smartasses the world over.
Christian Larson: You said in an interview with the website Jitterbug Fantasia that you “made [your] first film in 5th grade and haven’t stopped since.” At what point did you realize the internet could be a good way to get your work seen, and how has Red Letter Media changed from there as the internet has evolved?
Red Letter Media: In the early days of the internet, I found it was a good way to meet other filmmakers and see their work. There wasn’t a lot of video happening online so we used to trade VHS tapes back and forth through the mail – yes, THAT long ago. It wasn’t until YouTube that everything changed. I never really said, “this internet thing could be useful for X, Y and Z,” but rather just evolved along with it. I put shorts online, music videos, etc., but after the Plinkett reviews became popular we transitioned into more series-based videos and review shows. In the end, though, I think Jay and I just enjoy making whatever we are interested in and have fun making. When it stops being fun, that’s when we’ll stop doing it.
How financially self-sufficient has Red Letter Media become as it has become more popular? What methods have you used to get there?
If financially self-sufficient means breaking even then we’re very self-sufficient! It’s pretty expensive doing what we do and there is a lot of overhead. Some people make internet videos of themselves talking in front of a white wall with the camera’s onboard microphone and do just fine doing that, but Jay and I have a filmmaking background so we like to put more effort into what we do and it can be expensive. We bring in money from ads, selling merch, or auctioning off props and stuff, but it usually ends up going back into new productions and slowly expanding what we do.
What would your contingency plan have been if RLM hadn’t taken off the way it did? Could you have been content working for The Man?
I’ve always enjoyed working for myself and doing things on my own, so despite any of Red Letter Media’s success I’m sure I’d still be doing the same thing I am now, just with no one watching. I have a film degree, but I never did an internship or really pursued a specific avenue in any field. After I graduated, the first thing I did was make a feature film starring talking fruits and vegetables that no one wanted to watch. Then I went on to shoot concerts, music videos, weddings, etc. For some reason I just wanted to work on my own even if it meant making little to no money. But eventually Jay and I started our own video production company because it seemed like a good way to transition our enjoyment of making videos into making a living. We’re just really lucky now to have an audience that enjoys watching the stuff we make.
With so many people out there producing content, it’s important to have a unique voice that separates you from the crowd. What do you think makes Red Letter Media different than other people out there who are making movie reviews or comedy videos?
I think it goes back to the Plinkett reviews. I made the initial Star Trek: Generations review just for fun – I wasn’t trying to copy something I saw or try to create a viral video or anything like that. Generally that’s what Jay and I have always done – just make things that we’ve wanted to make. That’s probably what people seem to enjoy is the fact that we don’t have a gimmick or anything like that.
One of the advantages of being an artist in these futuristic times is that all you need is an internet connection to share your work with the public. Do you enjoy being based in Milwaukee, as opposed to having to pound the pavement in New York or LA?
Yeah, the internet has made the world a smaller place and enabled idiots like us to have an audience (along with a lot of other idiots too!). Before, you’d have to get your proverbial foot in the door, know someone important, or work your way to the top, but now you can bypass all of that! The fact that anyone can create content and put it online does create a sea of crap, but the good stuff will always rise to the top.
* * *
Red Letter Media’s latest release, Gorilla Interrupted/How Not to Make a Movie, is currently available on DVD and digital download.