Most creator projects still live (and die) online. Creator Camp wants to change that.
The Austin-based creator collective distribution arm, Camp Studios, signed a three-picture theatrical deal with Attend Theatrical Marketplace, the Fithian Group company that connects filmmakers directly with movie theaters, streamlining the process of booking and releasing films.
The first title, rom-com “Two Sleepy People,” opens November 14 in 20 markets. It’s directed by Baron Ryan, who co-wrote it with Caroline Grossman; they both star. (More here.) The premise is very TikTok-adjacent: Two distant co-workers wake up every morning as strangers, but every night they’re married.
The real bet is if creators already know their audience, why can’t that audience show up to a cinema?
Creator Camp says its network of 300 digital-native filmmakers accounts for over 3B annual views. They’ve already been pressure-testing theatrical demand: the film premiered at Creator Camp’s flagship Austin event, where 1,000 attendees generated $150,000 in ticket sales. A four-city micro-tour followed in Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, averaging $10,429 per screen.
Attend is led by NATO veterans Jackie Brenneman, John Fithian, and Patrick Corcoran, with the ambition to use data and AI to directly match films with theaters and audiences.
So, in theory: Attend wants to make theatrical distribution transactional and demand-based; Creator Camp has creators who can actually deliver audiences.
“Today’s filmmakers grew up online and they understand their audiences because they engage with them constantly, which has allowed them to build massive, loyal communities,” said Creator Camp founder and CEO Max Reisinger. “That direct connection solves a huge challenge in theatrical distribution. Instead of relying on outdated models that guess who will show up, our creators can bring fans to theaters they’ve already cultivated online, turning digital engagement into real-world box office success.”
Brenneman sees it as smart math. “Movie theaters are vital places for community. When the movies are there, so are audiences. In partnership with the innovative approach of Creator Camp, we can build on the enthusiastic followers of filmmakers online, connect them directly to theaters, and with Attend create demand-driven theatrical releases.”
For all the existential dread around the theatrical business, it’s a forward-looking model that relies on conversion and community.
That’s a little different from “finding an audience”; it’s believing that the audience is already here; you just need to point them at a screen. It suggests that the future of filmmaking might not be “online vs theatrical”; it could be online to theatrical, when the community wants it.
“Two Sleepy People” opens November 14; more markets are contingent on demand signals. Tickets and theater requests at twosleepypeople.com.
