Director and Producer James Wan on YouTube Filmmakers: ‘You Don’t Even Need to Be in the System Anymore to Get Something Made’

By Isabelle Farina

Isabelle Farina

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The phenomenon of YouTube breakout stars-turned-feature filmmakers is nothing new for director, writer and producer James Wan. He’s been scouting this kind of talent at his own production studio Atomic Monster for decades.

“The very first movie that we made at Atomic Monster was ‘Lights Out,’” Wan recalls. “David Sandberg, when he made ‘Lights Out,’ was one of these internet people. He made a short film that went viral on YouTube.”

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