The Medium is the Mutation (Pt. 2): Monetization and Mutation

Every delivery method of entertainment implies a path to monetization, and that path shapes the creative act. When revenue comes from ticket sales, you invest in the stage. When it comes from ad dollars, you write to the break. When it comes from algorithms, you write for clicks.

Monetization models are not neutral—they drive budgets, which in turn determine production value, which in turn create audience expectations. Eventually, the product’s very aesthetic logic comes to reflect its revenue logic. Sometimes this leads to aesthetic success. Sometimes it leads to aesthetic stagnation. Hollywood’s current output—largely IP-driven mega-films backed by private equity or corporate media conglomerates—reflects this perfectly. Each film is less a standalone work than it is a financial instrument: a known quantity engineered for maximum global box office, merchandise potential, and theme park synergy. They are expensive commercials for themselves. But they are not really films.

But technology is not inherently the enemy of art. Tomorrow we will look at one of the great artistic achievements of our day which has always been pushed forward by technology and mode of delivery.