Jon Stewart Reveals How Streamers Are Changing Writers’ Rooms
Jon Stewart recently made an appearance on the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend where the two show business veterans discussed how streamers are changing the Hollywood model. Much of their discussion centered around how writers’ rooms have changed in that new model. They also touched on the reasons behind that change, and the difficulty in working with tech companies.
Shrinking Writer’s Rooms
According to Jon Stewart, streamers like Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video are shrinking writers’ rooms, making them as small as possible. By reducing the number of writers on a show, they can save money, a clear win from a purely logistical standpoint. However, the established comedian believes that they’re trading financial efficiency at the expense of creativity.
Jon Stewart compared the way streamers approach writers’ rooms to content factories, looking to create episodes or movies with as few resources as possible. By prioritizing efficiency over creativity, he argues that they’re being run like tech businesses pumping out new products, rather than as an artistic process. He described the process as stifling and claimed, “I can’t function like that.”
Tech Companies To Blame?
As for who’s responsible for this new method, Jon Stewart points directly at the tech companies running these streamers. He compared the shrinking writer rooms to Elon Musk taking over Twitter and drastically reducing the workforce.
The Silicon Valley mindset came up frequently in the conversation, putting a premium on efficiency and functionality that doesn’t fit with creative work.
Inefficient Hollywood Model
While it’s clear Jon Stewart isn’t a fan of the streamer approach, he was also quick to point out that the old Hollywood model was incredibly inefficient.
To illustrate the inefficiency he pointed out that each individual needs multiple agents and lawyers involved in the process to get anything started. However, the new model may be an overcorrection, alienating creatives like Stewart and O’Brien.
The pair discussed how the new model has impacted writers in Hollywood, eliminating the ability to improve and devastating the job market. Jon Stewart pointed out that smaller rooms used by streamers left no room for mentoring and creative growth.
Conan added that in his experience both new and established writers were struggling to find work due to the reduction in available jobs on any given show.
Streamers Going One Way
Another problem Jon Stewart brought up with streamers is their emphasis on the auteur theory. The auteur theory is that a singular creative vision should be responsible for film and television, which seems to lend itself to a small creative team executing that vision.
However, writers’ rooms have traditionally been more collaborative, serving as a breeding ground for creative ideas from numerous creators.
Jon Stewart Censored?
The comedian also discussed his own experience on his Apple TV show The Problem With Jon Stewart, accusing the streamer of censoring the show.
He claims that they wouldn’t let him discuss AI problems, and shot down his interview with Federal Trade Commission chair Linda Khan. Notably, he interviewed Khan on The Daily Show, which he currently hosts.
There’s no denying that Hollywood is in a transitional stage, with major changes in both film and television. Jon Stewart’s analysis of how streamers have changed production methods is critical to understanding those changes. Hearing two prominent voices in the business discussing these problems so openly is incredibly insightful.
Source: Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
