Are feature films dead?

Between the addictive quick bits of entertainment on Tik-Tok, Instagram and YouTube, do kids even care about the movies anymore? Do ever-shortening attention spans spell the end of the full length movie — espeically in a theater? Filmmaker and ex-head of product for Netflix, Todd Yellin sits down for chat about the future of the movies.

For almost every generation up to this point, movies were the thing. Whether they were star-studded blockbusters or more intimate indie fare, heading to the cineplex was a weekly ritual.

But that time may have passed. With the rise of streaming, movies can be enjoyed from the comfort of home, or a new generation seems to find all the entertainment they need from a smartphone and an infinite supply of clips, memes, highlights and more.

In this fireside chat, we’ll sit down with Todd to discuss the state of movies, the new era he helped usher in at Netflix, and what it’s like trying to make a movie on your own in today’s market.

About the Speaker

Todd Yellin, as head of product, helped lead the charge to transform Netflix from a US DVD-by-mail service into a global entertainment company that revolutionized the way movies and TV shows are created, distributed and consumed. He was responsible for leveraging vast amounts of information and best-in-class user interfaces across numerous viewing devices to create an easy, compelling way for Netflix members to find something great to watch. Todd also oversaw member acquisition, studio technology and partnerships. He and his teams continually applied the latest in machine learning and AI technology to maximize the end-to-end Netflix experience for content creators and consumers.

At the end of 2022 he left Netflix, after 17 years to return to his writing and directing roots. He is currently an independent filmmaker, based in Northern California, working on his second feature film. Before joining Netflix in 2006, he wrote and directed Brother’s Shadow. He is also a former documentarian. For British TV, he filmed Tibetan refugees escaping over the Himalayas from China to India, and smuggled footage of political oppression out of Myanmar. Prior to his Asian adventures, Todd received an MFA in film production from USC.