Sweat Equity Podcast: "This Company is Taking Down Hollywood With Creators"

Hosts: Alex Garcia & Brian Blum
Guest: Simon Kim (Founder, Creator Camp & Camp Studios)
Date: December 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this creative, insightful episode, Alex Garcia and Simon Kim (joined briefly by Brian Blum) explore the tectonic shifts happening in Hollywood and the rise of "Internet cinema" led by digital creators. Simon shares the ambitious vision behind Creator Camp and Camp Studios: bridging the gap for creators from DIY bedroom videos to cinematic, feature-length productions. The discussion covers the decentralization of Hollywood, storytelling craft for creators, the business and logistics behind indie films, and how brands are starting to get involved in longform cinematic storytelling.

Main Themes & Purposes

• The decentralization and disruption of the Hollywood studio system by online creators.
• The business model and challenges of bringing creator-led films to theaters.
• The evolution from "parasocial capital" to "narrative capital" for creators.
• Practical storytelling frameworks for video creators shifting from short form to long form.
• Building creative community, worldbuilding with physical spaces, and fostering diehard affinity via narrative.
• Case study: Making and launching a creator-led movie in under 100 days.
• Predictions: The future of brands making movies—and why storytelling is the future of marketing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Restructuring of Hollywood

[01:00–06:58]

• Decentralization Trend:
  Simon compares Hollywood's resistance to disruption with other industries already fragmented by tech (e.g., banking).

  “Hollywood's the last one to go... instead of one big Warner Brothers, there’ll be thousands of these micro studios where it’s just a group of creatives making feature films.” — Simon [01:58]

• Indie Opportunity:
  Individual creators and small groups will control more IP, as production and distribution costs drop.
• Monopolized Theaters:
  Big studios block indie films with long demands on theaters, stifling competition.

  "Disney can go to the small art house theater and be like, 'We're playing Moana 3. Here are our demands'... That small theater needs Moana 3 to survive." — Simon [04:36]

• Theatrical Market Challenges:
  Hard for indie films to prove “social media views = ticket sales.”

2. From Parasocial to Narrative Capital

[07:13–11:46]

• Parasocial Capital: Monetizing audience relationship via products/courses (e.g., MrBeast’s Feastables).
• Narrative Capital: Building lasting IP through storytelling—e.g., Harry Potter's generational resonance.

  “Harry Potter is just a story that someone came up with… She [J.K. Rowling] never mentions herself, but she told a great story and that can scale way beyond what her personal brand could.” — Simon [10:00]

• Creator Shift:
  The next evolution for successful creators is to move beyond the personal connection and create stories that live independently.

3. Crafting Compelling Narratives as a Creator

[13:23–23:51]

• Shortform to Longform:
  Many top shortform creators started with long narratives; storytelling skill is transferable in both directions.
• Make People Care:

  “You need to make people care about the characters because then whatever the characters do, they’ll end up paying attention.” — Simon quoting advice from Baron [14:32]

• Meta-Narrative:
  Effective stories tap into the deeper journey (e.g., "a bunch of 20-year-olds in an old building trying to change Hollywood").
• Emotional Editing Approach:
  Simon’s process: Gather footage, edit intuitively to music that fits the emotional tone, refine by feeling rather than rigid structure.

4. Engaging Content: Movement, Pacing, Sets

[23:51–30:45]

• Beyond the Talking Head:
  Creators can boost retention by changing location, angles, and using their environment as part of the story.
• Worldbuilding with Space:
  Investing in creative spaces (e.g., Simon’s old school building, Alex’s gym studio) isn’t just for utility—it’s narrative and brand.

  “That investment isn’t purely just a space investment now. It’s like the content.” — Simon [26:41]

• Storytelling inside the Studio:
  Recurring locations make the content feel like a show or universe, fostering affinity—just like "Yes Theory" or brand examples like BPN.

5. Brand Case Studies & the Future: Brands Making Movies

[32:18–38:39]

• BPN’s ‘Surrender’ Movie:
  Alex shares how Bear Performance Nutrition created a high-production sports doc, sold out theaters, and built cult-like loyalty.

  “A brand like BPN has so much affinity because they have hundreds and hundreds of short films and movies around the brand… There’s no convincing factor. I was converted.” — Alex [34:49]

• Red Bull Model:
  Red Bull sees itself as a media company, not just an energy drink brand.

  "We're not an energy drink, we're a marketing conglomerate...Our movies are going to be the process in the showing of you getting those wings." — Alex [37:15]

• Narrative as the Ultimate Brand Moat:
  As AI levels the playing field, storytelling is what sets brands apart and drives diehard affinity.

  “The differentiating factor is going to be storytelling...the best brands need to invest in telling their brand story at the highest level, because that's going to be one of the only moats in the future.” — Simon [36:41]

6. Creator Camp Playbook: Making a Movie in 100 Days

[42:12–48:30]

• Creator Camp Origins:
  Started as a series of events for like-minded creators, leading to in-person connections and community.
• Baron’s Film:
  • Baron, a well-known digital creator, wrote and produced a feature film in 100 days with a $100K budget (supporting nine short films made concurrently).
  • Writing, scoring, and filming were all expedited—music scored “live” during scripting.
  • Nontraditional process; no final script, shooting with friends, focus on story/emotion over “perfection.”
• Results:
  • Premiered to a sold-out 150,000 ticket festival in Austin.
  • US theater tour and global expansion planned; creators built demand maps to pitch to cinemas.
  • Goal: $5–10 million in revenue, demonstrating the viability of creator-led films.

  “That was like part of all those short films we had. Baron sold out like 150k of tickets, people flying in from Austin, which was insane.” — Simon [46:27]

7. Vision for 2026: The Internet Cinema Movement

[48:30–50:54]

• 2030 Goal:
  Camp Studios aims to be the center of the “Internet cinema” movement—empowering creators, hosting film festivals, and building out a creative agency for brands.
• Sustainability:
  Looking for recurring revenue models through agency work (e.g., brand launches for Spotify, Notion) to fund bigger, riskier films.

  "How nice would it be if it was just a side project? We're like, okay, you know, we don't need to risk everything on it." — Simon [50:25]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Hollywood’s the last one to go... instead of one big Warner Brothers, there’ll be thousands of micro studios.” — Simon [01:58]
• “You need to make people care about the characters because then whatever the characters do, they’ll end up paying attention.” — Baron (quoted by Simon) [14:32]
• “Harry Potter is just a story... she told a great story and that can scale way beyond her personal brand.” — Simon [10:00]
• “YouTube is the next film festival now.” — Simon [12:43]
• “A brand like BPN... There’s no convincing factor. I was converted.” — Alex [34:49]
• “The best brands need to invest in telling their brand story at the highest level, because that's going to be one of the only like moats in the future.” — Simon [36:41]
• “That investment isn’t purely just a space investment now. It’s like the content.” — Simon [26:41]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:56] – Hollywood’s Resistance to Disruption
• [03:12] – How Simon Would Save Hollywood
• [07:13] – Parasocial vs Narrative Capital
• [11:46] – How to Shift From Brand Deals to Narrative Content
• [14:11] – Frameworks for Narrative Storytelling
• [23:51] – Making Content Visually Engaging/Motion in Sets
• [32:18] – BPN and Brand Movie Example
• [37:00] – Red Bull & Brand Storytelling Moats
• [42:12] – How Creator Camp Built a Movie in 100 Days
• [46:36] – Theater Tour, Selling Out, Business Model
• [48:30] – 2026 Vision for Camp Studios
• [50:54] – Building Sustainable Revenue for Creative Projects

Takeaways for Creators & Marketers

• The next era of cinema may be decentralized, led by “many mini-Disneys”—creator-owned studios producing and distributing their own stories.
• The most lasting brand relationships (for creators and companies alike) are built through compelling, scalable narrative—not just personal connection or product launches.
• Strong storytelling—anchored in character and emotional resonance—is the essential skill for creators as platform algorithms and audience expectations evolve.
• Both creators and brands should invest in crafting meaningful spaces, communities, and inside jokes/worldbuilding—this deepens audience affinity.
• The roles of creator and marketer are blurring: future brands will win by behaving more like production companies, making movies, and investing in cinema-quality storytelling.

Where to Find More

• Simon Kim: @sim0nkim on Instagram/YouTube
• Creator Camp: creatorcamp.co / 2sleepypeople.com (for tour dates and movie pins)
• Alex Garcia: @alexgarcia on socials
• If the tour comes to your city, “drop a pin” and join the movement.

Listen if: You want a modern roadmap for creator-led cinema; you’re thinking about building narrative affinity for your brand; or you want inspiration for how big, ambitious projects can be pulled off—fast—by scrappy, passionate creative teams.