I think one of the reasons we don't make more comedies is America has priced itself out of the film business. The only films that make sense to shoot in the still United for now States are budgeted $2M and down. It is too risky a business to not chase the 30% savings other countries' pursuit of the film business provides. But comedy always starts locally. You lose something when you can't be specific to the locale and the people in the region.
Could we build a lab for comedy talent to make long form films for super cheap? Can we skip Hollywood aesthetics and make some super silly stuff outside the coastal cities? Aren't some people already doing it on that YouTube thing I keep hearing so much about?
Some of the best comedies require almost no major production budget though. Almost all of John Hughes written or directed movies were pretty simple movies to make all things considered. I mean, they might cost more than $2 million but why is it either the budgets need to be $2 or 200 million and not $25?
Great article. You nailed something at the very end: disagreements. If everyone involved in a project, understands the difference between subjective and objective story elements and they are somewhat emotionally regulated, then having creative differences and disagreements are the best way to improve your project. But in almost every development deal I was involved in, disagreements were viewed as a fundamental flaw or a direct attack. Remove that triggered culture and restore it with a more combative but collaborative culture and the great films will return.
Outstanding read. If I’m being honest, I’d never heard of The Materialists before reading this. I’m guessing that’s a good thing. I think that studios are too interested in getting their message across instead of making good movies. You said it began around 2016, and we all know what happened then. Coincidence? 🤷♂️
I miss when at least once a summer it seemed like there was a major comedy whether it was Dodgeball or Tropic Thunder or 21 Jump Street. Do these not get made because Hollywood won’t make a semi big budget comedy instead swinging for fences with Superhero movies? Or does it have to do with them not translating as well in foreign markets?
A lot of execs don’t really live in the artistic realm imo. They have business degrees and know how to cut costs and jump on a profit trend. But they don’t have any sense of what makes original art any good.
I'm a little bit more sanguine about Materialists (and also enjoyed the movie a bit more). I completely agree that its not at all on the level of the Allen/Nichols/Brooks/Ephron/Reiner magic -- BUT -- just like with comedy, very little romantic films have been produced as of late either. At least this was a high-profile (and decent opening, middling box office) counter-point. Woody Allen's first two movies aren't the quality of Annie Hall or Manhattan either. Sometimes an artist needs time and effort to develop. Which is to say, I saw "Materialists" in the same vein as "Sinners" (a far better/more successful film) in a return to more auteurist, mature cinema that reaches for quality, and part of a positive trend.
I do think there is a correlation (if not causation) with Hollywood being taken over by the tech industry. Netflix is a tech company. Amazon, Apple et al are as tech as it gets. The legacy studios are trying to reinvent themselves as tech companies as well. And sure, they hire Hollywood execs but at the end of the day, tech companies value the quality of the entertainment far less than engagement numbers, data, ad revenue etc. I think that is a huge driving factor in the decline of quality entertainment.
This is interesting because I just made a push to get City of Lakers out to the market, and ::crickets::.
I'm not hearing how producers passed on the script; nobody is even looking at the script. That's a shock, since a family sports comedy with a recognizable theme seems to be at least curious. I guess that describes our entire American zeitgeist today: curiosity is dead.
The diminishing number of talented writers who can create funny material are reluctant to do business with the Hollywood establishment for many reasons.
Although the independent film development, financing, and production process is challenging, this is the best path for outstanding comedy writers.
Hopefully, Roy Price and Ted Hope will start new production companies outside of Los Angeles!
Very interesting and persuasive analysis! It provides a funny demolishing perspective on the silly New York Times article that was just published about how straight white novelists might succeed in getting themselves published again: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/arts/straight-white-male-novelists.html
Compared to your professional, quantitative and qualitative insights into what makes a movie good and attractive to audiences, it's simply absurd to read the New York Times bleating (in complete bad faith, by the way) about, "Novels that honestly explore young straight white men, and their inner and outer conflicts with our era’s changing ideas about masculinity, gender, sex and power, will endure."
The unreadable novels being published might benefit from a mortar barrage of notes, or perhaps they and their "changing ideas about masculinity, gender, sex and power" should just be consigned to the nearest shredder.
I think one of the reasons we don't make more comedies is America has priced itself out of the film business. The only films that make sense to shoot in the still United for now States are budgeted $2M and down. It is too risky a business to not chase the 30% savings other countries' pursuit of the film business provides. But comedy always starts locally. You lose something when you can't be specific to the locale and the people in the region.
Could we build a lab for comedy talent to make long form films for super cheap? Can we skip Hollywood aesthetics and make some super silly stuff outside the coastal cities? Aren't some people already doing it on that YouTube thing I keep hearing so much about?
YouTube is a good lab indeed…
Hundreds of Beavers is an interesting example of lower budget.
But I don’t know why there wouldn’t be opportunities in $10M to $20M?
One of Them Days is worth noting both for its development process and its success as a mid-level budgeted comedy.
go look at Druski. Bigger than Bob Hope ever imagined.
Some of the best comedies require almost no major production budget though. Almost all of John Hughes written or directed movies were pretty simple movies to make all things considered. I mean, they might cost more than $2 million but why is it either the budgets need to be $2 or 200 million and not $25?
Hollywood left the audiences. Viewers have been forced to seek other amusements in gaming and streaming.
So true. https://open.substack.com/pub/pricepoint/p/how-hollywood-lost-touch-with-the?r=lp73&utm_medium=ios
Loved this one, Roy. My biggest complaint about Price Point is the infrequency of the posts, but I'll take what I can get!
Ha. Thanks yeah I should do more. Trying to learn banjo though.
That’s a very good reason.
I want to see you do a jam sesh with Steve Martin.
Great article. You nailed something at the very end: disagreements. If everyone involved in a project, understands the difference between subjective and objective story elements and they are somewhat emotionally regulated, then having creative differences and disagreements are the best way to improve your project. But in almost every development deal I was involved in, disagreements were viewed as a fundamental flaw or a direct attack. Remove that triggered culture and restore it with a more combative but collaborative culture and the great films will return.
Outstanding read. If I’m being honest, I’d never heard of The Materialists before reading this. I’m guessing that’s a good thing. I think that studios are too interested in getting their message across instead of making good movies. You said it began around 2016, and we all know what happened then. Coincidence? 🤷♂️
Very insightful. Thank you for sharing!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I miss when at least once a summer it seemed like there was a major comedy whether it was Dodgeball or Tropic Thunder or 21 Jump Street. Do these not get made because Hollywood won’t make a semi big budget comedy instead swinging for fences with Superhero movies? Or does it have to do with them not translating as well in foreign markets?
It’s not the foreign markets. That’s a red herring. You can budget around that.
I think a lot of execs right now just aren’t comedy people. That’s a big part of it.
A lot of execs don’t really live in the artistic realm imo. They have business degrees and know how to cut costs and jump on a profit trend. But they don’t have any sense of what makes original art any good.
I'm a little bit more sanguine about Materialists (and also enjoyed the movie a bit more). I completely agree that its not at all on the level of the Allen/Nichols/Brooks/Ephron/Reiner magic -- BUT -- just like with comedy, very little romantic films have been produced as of late either. At least this was a high-profile (and decent opening, middling box office) counter-point. Woody Allen's first two movies aren't the quality of Annie Hall or Manhattan either. Sometimes an artist needs time and effort to develop. Which is to say, I saw "Materialists" in the same vein as "Sinners" (a far better/more successful film) in a return to more auteurist, mature cinema that reaches for quality, and part of a positive trend.
I do think there is a correlation (if not causation) with Hollywood being taken over by the tech industry. Netflix is a tech company. Amazon, Apple et al are as tech as it gets. The legacy studios are trying to reinvent themselves as tech companies as well. And sure, they hire Hollywood execs but at the end of the day, tech companies value the quality of the entertainment far less than engagement numbers, data, ad revenue etc. I think that is a huge driving factor in the decline of quality entertainment.
https://umlautproductions.substack.com/p/show-business-without-the-show
Oh. No comedies.
This is interesting because I just made a push to get City of Lakers out to the market, and ::crickets::.
I'm not hearing how producers passed on the script; nobody is even looking at the script. That's a shock, since a family sports comedy with a recognizable theme seems to be at least curious. I guess that describes our entire American zeitgeist today: curiosity is dead.
Excellent analysis.
Authentic comedies are hard to write.
The diminishing number of talented writers who can create funny material are reluctant to do business with the Hollywood establishment for many reasons.
Although the independent film development, financing, and production process is challenging, this is the best path for outstanding comedy writers.
Hopefully, Roy Price and Ted Hope will start new production companies outside of Los Angeles!
Very interesting and persuasive analysis! It provides a funny demolishing perspective on the silly New York Times article that was just published about how straight white novelists might succeed in getting themselves published again: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/03/arts/straight-white-male-novelists.html
Compared to your professional, quantitative and qualitative insights into what makes a movie good and attractive to audiences, it's simply absurd to read the New York Times bleating (in complete bad faith, by the way) about, "Novels that honestly explore young straight white men, and their inner and outer conflicts with our era’s changing ideas about masculinity, gender, sex and power, will endure."
The unreadable novels being published might benefit from a mortar barrage of notes, or perhaps they and their "changing ideas about masculinity, gender, sex and power" should just be consigned to the nearest shredder.
Saw that article. Thought it was absurd that they didn’t have a single number in it. That should be against the rules!