Podcast Summary
From Dallas to Hollywood and Beyond: Dallas Sonnier's journey from Dallas to Hollywood led him to form his own production company and partner with Daily Wire, bringing Hollywood-level films to audiences without industry influence.
The success of independent film production companies, like Bonfire Legend's partnership with Daily Wire, relies on audience support for content that doesn't push a specific agenda. Dallas Sonnier, the producer of Daily Wire's first film, "Run Hide Fight," shares his journey from growing up in Dallas, Texas, with a passion for movies, to pursuing a career in Hollywood and eventually producing films outside of the industry's influence. Starting as an assistant for talent agents, Dallas learned the business and eventually became a manager and producer. His dedication and hard work led him to produce critically acclaimed films like "Bone Tomahawk," "Dragged Across Concrete," and "Brawl in Cell Block 99." By forming his own production company and partnering with Daily Wire, Dallas is able to bring Hollywood-level work to audiences unfiltered by the industry. If you want to continue seeing movies that don't preach a message or worldview, support conservative economies and independent film production companies.
Focusing on creating great movies without projecting a political message: Film producer Brandon Somerhalder emphasized the importance of online safety and security, especially for conservatives, and recommended using ExpressVPN to protect privacy and anonymity online.
Despite growing up in a conservative neighborhood and maintaining those views throughout his career, film producer Brandon Somerhalder focused on creating great movies without projecting a political message. He remained consistent in his beliefs while representing diverse talents, and when he started making movies, he produced content that resonated with him as a kid. However, Hollywood has seen a significant shift, with a widening gap between what filmmakers want to create and what audiences actually want to see. Brandon emphasized the importance of online safety and security, especially for conservatives, as they may not trust certain tech companies to handle their data fairly. He recommended using ExpressVPN to protect privacy and anonymity online.
The Importance of Online Security and Hollywood's Cultural Shift: ExpressVPN protects online activities with robust encryption. Hollywood caters to left-leaning critics, creating a gap with its audience. Movies should focus on compelling stories, not politics.
ExpressVPN offers robust data encryption to protect users' online activities from unwanted intrusions. The VPN is easy to set up and is an essential tool for those seeking privacy and security in the digital age. In the realm of entertainment, the movie industry has experienced a significant cultural shift, with Hollywood moving increasingly to the left and catering to left-leaning critics and award-givers. This has created a gap between the industry and its audience, leading to a lack of representation and celebration of certain types of movies. The corporatization of Hollywood, combined with the influence of social media and extreme voices on the left, has resulted in a Hollywood that is unrecognizable to many. The relationship between politics and film is complex, and while some overtly political films can be good, many seem to fall short. Instead, movies should focus on telling compelling stories that resonate with audiences, regardless of political affiliations.
Staying true to creative vision despite political divisiveness: Filmmakers should persevere and stay true to their values, even if it means taking risks and facing challenges in Hollywood, where political divisiveness can limit impact.
Politics in movies and art can be divisive and limit their ability to change hearts and minds if they become overtly partisan and one-sided. However, some filmmakers, like the speaker, refuse to back down from their creative vision and are willing to take risks and work independently to produce their work. For those in Hollywood who hold conservative views, the speaker advises staying true to themselves and seeking out like-minded individuals and opportunities, even if it means taking risks and potentially facing challenges. Ultimately, the speaker's message is one of perseverance and staying true to one's values, even in the face of adversity.
The struggle of creating a unified company with liberal and conservative content: Attempting to unite diverse perspectives in the entertainment industry can lead to controversy and conflict, emphasizing the need for alternative platforms for non-conformist creators.
In the entertainment industry, there are two paths: conformity in Hollywood with financial security but potential attacks, or going independent with the risk of constant criticism. Ben Shapiro, a conservative figure in the industry, shares his experience of trying to create a unified company with both liberal and conservative content, only to face division and controversy. Synestate, a company he led, aimed to house all types of movies under one umbrella, but the sides refused to collaborate. The experiment ended in conflict and controversy, leading Shapiro to take a break. This experience highlights the importance of understanding the potential consequences of expressing non-conformist views in the industry. It also emphasizes the need for building a strong and competitive alternative for those who wish to maintain their values and create content outside of the mainstream Hollywood system.
Mark Duplass' Budgeting Strategy for Independent Movies: Mark Duplass prioritizes making movies with sustainable budgets, based on foreign and domestic sales, actors' fees, and other factors, to protect investors' money and ensure creative freedom.
Independent movie producer Mark Duplass emphasizes the importance of making movies that make money and maintaining a sustainable budget. He shared his unique strategy of determining a movie's budget based on its value in foreign and domestic sales, actors' fees, and other factors. Duplass' approach contrasts with the traditional Hollywood model of spending large sums of money, even if it means losing investor capital if the film fails. He also mentioned his recent venture, Bonfire Legend, and his excitement for the movie industry's upcoming changes. Duplis's focus on efficient and effective movie making ensures that his investors' money is well-protected and that he can continue to produce movies with total creative freedom. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of having a clear marketing, distribution, and audience understanding plan to avoid losing money on independent movies.
Navigating Controversial Film Releases: Despite political undertones, filmmakers can persevere and find alternative release platforms when facing harsh criticism and biased reviews.
The film "Run Hide Fight" faced intense criticism from film critics due to perceived political undertones, despite being a well-made movie. The speakers, who met after connecting over their shared love for films, were surprised by the harsh response and believed it was driven by biases against certain political viewpoints. Despite this, they remained determined and eventually released the film through The Daily Wire, a conservative media outlet. The experience highlighted the challenges of navigating the film industry with controversial subject matter and the potential influence of personal biases on critical reception.
A deeply personal project about school shootings and media attention: The film 'Run, Hide, Fight' challenges the media's focus on school shooters and aims to keep schools and children safe, despite potential backlash from critics.
The film "Run, Hide, Fight" is a deeply personal project for its producer, who lost both parents to gun violence, and is a strong critique against the media attention given to school shooters. The film explores the subject matter of school shootings and the reactions to them, which the producer believes needs improvement to keep schools and children safe. Despite potential negative criticism from the media, the producer is committed to making the film independently and ensuring its message is delivered unaltered. The film is expected to receive mixed reviews from critics and high approval ratings from audiences. In the face of this growing divide between critical and audience reception, the conservative and mainstream communities should continue supporting films that challenge the status quo and provoke important conversations.
Entering an eight-year period of tribalism, seek conservative alternatives: During the next eight years, avoid liberal agendas and support conservative alternatives in industries like Hollywood. Seek out alternatives, create infrastructure, and secure life insurance coverage as an adult with dependents.
Despite the call for unity, the speaker believes we're entering an eight-year period of tribalism and that people who want to avoid content with a liberal agenda will need to support conservative alternatives in all industries, including Hollywood. The speaker, who is still involved in the industry but plans to leave, encourages those feeling unhappy or confused with their current situation to seek out alternatives and create infrastructure for themselves. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of securing life insurance as an adult with dependents. The speaker's personal experience and encouragement for others to take action, along with the convenience and cost savings offered by Policygenius, make it a valuable resource for securing life insurance coverage.
Conservatives under attack in entertainment industry: Conservatives must actively engage and support content creators sharing their values, boycott those who don't, and leverage technology to produce and distribute their own content.
Conservatives need to recognize that they are under attack in the entertainment industry and must engage with it differently if they want to see content that aligns with their values. The entertainment industry often sees conservatives as the enemy and is determined to push its narrative and destroy anything that doesn't fit its agenda. To fight back, conservatives can support companies that share their worldview and boycott those that don't. The changing technology landscape also presents opportunities for individuals to produce and distribute content without the need for a large movie studio or distribution system. The COVID-19 pandemic has further disrupted the traditional movie theater model, making it an opportune time for conservatives to seize control of the narrative and create their own content. It's no longer enough to be a passive consumer of entertainment; conservatives must actively engage and support those who share their values. The culture war is escalating, and it's important for conservatives to recognize that their actions now will determine the political landscape of the future.
Universal's shift in movie release windows impacts movie theaters: Universal's move to digital release windows levels the playing field for content creators, allowing for greater reach and success through high-quality, provocative movies.
The shift in movie release windows by Universal in March 2020 accelerated the decline of movie theaters, leaving insurmountable debt and fear among audiences. This trend, while unfortunate for traditional movie-goers, levels the playing field for content creators and allows for greater reach through digital platforms. The key to success lies in producing high-quality, provocative movies with great writing, acting, and producing. The Daily Wire's release of "Run Hide Fight" exemplifies this potential, reaching more viewers in one week than any of their previous films in their entire runs. This new landscape opens an opportunity for independent studios to compete with traditional Hollywood and offer alternative, non-woke content.
Customized mattresses for better sleep: Helix Sleep offers personalized mattresses, making it easier for customers to find their perfect fit and improve their sleep quality.
Helix Sleep offers customized mattresses based on individual preferences, making it easier for customers to get the best sleep possible without having to visit a mattress store. The company's ease of use, quality products, and awards from reputable sources make it a standout choice. In the entertainment industry, conservatives can compete with Hollywood by acknowledging and addressing the preferences of audiences, including their interest in violent or edgy content. Filmmakers like Ben Shapiro have found success in this space, but it's essential to maintain authenticity and provide high-quality productions. The key is to understand and cater to the changing preferences of younger audiences while still providing alternative options for those who prefer more traditional content.
Appealing to younger generations in Hollywood: By creating edgy, cool, and suspenseful content, Hollywood can bridge the cultural divide and forge connections with younger audiences, drawing inspiration from the BBS producers of the 1960s.
There's a significant untapped audience in Hollywood for edgy, cool, and suspenseful content, particularly among younger generations. The speakers believe that by appealing to this audience and creating movies that resonate with them, it's possible to bridge the cultural divide and forge connections that have been foreclosed from the other side. They draw inspiration from the BBS producers of the late 1960s who revolutionized Hollywood by producing movies that appealed to a younger audience disillusioned with the mainstream offerings at the time. The speakers also share their personal experiences working on the set of "Run Hide Fight," and the excitement they feel about making movies for an audience that is mostly conservative and excited for new content.
A movie production at a youth center with a personal connection to the producer: A decommissioned middle school transformed into a youth center became the set for a movie, 'Run Hide Fight,' which carries a message about active shooting response and honors the producer's parents' legacy.
The decommissioned middle school, turned into a youth center, served as an exciting backdrop for a movie production that was not only entertaining but also carried an important message. The producer, who felt a personal connection to the project due to his parents' legacy, made a film that celebrated their memory and pushed for active shooting response conversations. The movie, "Run Hide Fight," is now available exclusively on The Daily Wire, and the producer, Dallas Saulnier, shared his favorite movies and political views during the interview, which can be accessed by subscribing to The Daily Wire. The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special team, including Mathis Glover, Jeremy Boring, Austin Stevens, Pawel Waidowski, Nick Sheehan, Caitlin Maynard, Jim Nicholl, Mike Coromina, Fabiola Christina, and Cynthia Angulo, produced this episode.
