According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Oscar-nominated documentarian shared that the era of institutional control was coming to an end.

"It's done. They're buying each other, they're collapsing. It's all changed," DuVernay said. "They're selling studio lots. The idea of going to Sundance and getting a three-picture deal from Harvey Weinstein? He's in prison."

Instead of being financed by the major media companies, DuVernay suggested crowdfunding through different "kinds of apps and sites" as an alternative.

"Everything has changed," said DuVernay.

The question she attempted to answer was, "What can we build now that's new, that serves more kinds of people and kinds of stories?"

These comments come amid commercial success for low-budget independent releases in 2026.

Curry Barker's $522 million hit "Obsession" and Kane Parker's $400 million psychological horror "Backrooms" were two of 2026's most successful films.

But these films were not products of established film companies. They were from small indie creators.

Shooting on relatively small budgets, selling directly to audiences, and sidestepping the usual Hollywood studios allowed them to produce very successful cinema.

They are not the only ones stepping away from traditional media.

Reporting from Politico in August 2026 revealed a large physical exodus from the 30 Mile Zone around Los Angeles' studios. Film companies are moving operations to Illinois, Georgia, and New York.

Financial incentives to leave California have driven many successful filmmakers away from the Golden State.