Famous Internet Stars Are Breaking Into Hollywood
We are sailing uncharted territory in the land of film and celebrities in the land of the movie making business. It has been two decades since the advent of the 'reality star' broke into the Hollywood enclave - to many raised eyebrows. And now a new trend has emerged - the social media celebrity. Coming to a theater or TV screen near you!
Will these be the stars on screen in thirty years - our next leading men and women, here to stick around? Probably not. But they do provide quite a bit of opportunity for the right brand partnerships - now. In this blog, Hollywood Branded looks at the growing trend of social media influencers transitioning to social media actors in Hollywood film and TV shows.
The Social Media Star
These individuals are no different than you - except that they have figured out how to make the social universe crowd to their sites and stay glued to every post they make. They are the TRUE 'girl or guy next door' - needing no TV platform to launch them to teh stratosphere of popularity. They can do it themselves. And their popularity is so mega, that movie studios want to cash in on their social awareness, and have begun casting them in starring roles. With the stipulation of course that they help market their movie.
Take a look at our blog on how much to spend on social influencer marketing.
Cameron Dallas – Social Media Heartthrob
Cameron Dallas, hero to millions of teenage girls worldwide, owes his fame and fortune to the social media platform Vine, and is about to add a Netflix original series to his resume.
The streaming giant recently tapped the digital celebrity for a new reality series in the works. Not much has been released about the upcoming series, but it will be about Dallas' life both on and off the screen as well as his journey to "catapult his fame to the next level."
Not only is he starring in the series, he will also be an executive producer on the show and is joined by Magical Elves and Brillstein Entertainment, both big names in the Hollywood world.
This isn't the first time Dallas has had experience with "real" acting work - earlier this year he starred in Expelled, a comedy released by 20th Century Fox.
Miranda Sings Joins The Trend
Cameron Dallas isn't the only digital influencer to be getting his own Netflix series, however. Colleen Ballinger-Evans, aka 'Miranda Sings,' will be joining him with her own scripted series. The comedy is entitled "Haters Back Off" based on her slapstick and ridiculous online alter-ego.
Like Dallas, Ballinger-Evans has millions of followers across her social media platforms - giving both of their shows a built in audience which puts them ahead of the game as far as viewership is concerned.
Logan Paul – How Vine Is Leading To His Acting Dream
He may not be a traditional success story for an actor, but that doesn’t take away the fame of “Vine-star” Logan Paul. Originally posting silly 6 second videos that became more elaborate and scripted – and popular – the teenager from Westlake, Ohio, rode to Internet fame with over 11 billion followers across all social media. And his brother Jake Logan is hot on his trail.
However, his real dream is to become an actor. And while Vine made him famous, he has his sights set on bigger-screen roles… that last for longer than 6 seconds.
Currently, Paul has starred in young adult dystopian society film called The Thinning with fellow social media star Peyton List. Most recentaly he produced and filmed Airplane Mode which is a overwhelming over the top comedy filled to the brim with social influencers. And it probably won’t be long before we see more of him on the big screen.
So What Does This Mean For Hollywood?
While some people in Hollywood have criticized this new generation of stars, it's undeniable how much star power they have - as well as a loyal audience that will undoubtedly pay to go see them on the big screen. It's an important trend to pay attention to... and get your brand involved with. These celebrities can cost high 5 figures to mid six figures PLUS to partner with for a single social post - and TV and feature film may offer a more affordable entry point with ability to reach that same demographic. Check out our other blog on social media stars in Hollywood here.
Are you interested in learning more on how your brand can work with social media influencers?Download our infographic that provides case studies, rates and strategies for success when creating a social media influencer program.
