Is non-fiction the next big entertainment boom? We only need to take a peek at the latest offering on any streamer to see that the answer is yes. The question that matters most to the entertainment industry, however, is why? We asked Brandon Blake of Blake & Wang P.A to weigh in on the matter.
Stress Relief
It doesn’t matter whether it’s reading a book or watching content on the couch, in times of stress and trouble, science tells us humans will turn to darker topics- think crime and horror. Why? Primarily because they are (surprisingly) soothing to the troubled psyche. They present us with a clear bad guy, a clear ‘bad thing’, and a logical path through trying to process it or solve the mystery. This applies even with true-crime stories where there is no neat resolution, but the inquisitive journey is satisfying.
Couple this with the already-acknowledged rise and rise of reality TV, and it’s obvious why (loosely) non-fiction docu-dramas have hit their boom point. Likewise, being able to ‘escape’ the confines of four walls and explore lives different from our own offers cheap, accessible escapism- look at the Tiger King boom early in the global health crisis. It fills a primal human need for connection and escape at a time when neither is easy.
No longer ‘boring’
In the hunt to provide ever-new content to voracious streaming services, there’s no surprise that formats that are cheaper to film and easy to post-process are well received on the production side, either. Interviewees don’t come with star-studded salaries, and there’s no vFx post-processing to eat up the budget.
But that alone would not have sparked the rise of the non-scripted and then docu-drama formats without demand. As filmmaking has evolved from the stuffy academic documentary format of the 90s to equal parts entertainment and truth docu-drama, the non-fiction genre has learned that it’s the ability to tell a story well that keeps viewers hooked.
We’re in a boom period for non-fiction formats, as public interest and streaming content demand crash into each other. If you have an indie documentary you’re looking to bring to life, there’s never been a better time to pitch it. Why not consider a skilled entertainment attorney to help you leverage the right industry connections?
