The success of Curry Barker and Kane Parsons’ debut studio films Obsession (2025) and Backrooms (2026), and their past careers on YouTube have led to many predicting a new era of self-made directors who make a name for themselves beginning on social media.
With sophisticated editing software’s and the internet at our fingertips, filmmaking has become more accessible than ever, with social media emerging as a proven forum to build a portfolio. This is evident in the debut films of YouTubers, Kane Parsons and Curry Barker, which both released earlier this month: Backrooms and Obsession, respectively.
Both directors’ first ventures into major motion pictures are horror. Obsession follows a young man who makes a wish with a magical “one wish willow” in the hopes that his crush will fall in love with him, only to find that what he wished for might not be as sweet as he thought. Backrooms similarly follows a man who seemingly finds an endless and random collection of rooms and corridors. While excited at the prospect at first, there’s something sinister in the rooms that lies in wait.
At first glance, the most apparent thing about these directors is their age, being 20 and 26 respectively, which are uncommon ages to head a motion picture.
The idea of a “young” director in this sense is not unheard of. In fact, it was far more common during the Golden Age of cinema to see young visionaries heading their first feature. The most famous example of this would be Orson Welles, who wrote, directed, produced, and starred in Citizen Kane at only 25-years-old.
However, young directors in Hollywood today are few and far between. Damien Chazelle was seen as the “young guy” during the success of his back-to-back films, Whiplash and La La Land, though they were made in his late twenties and early thirties.
The youth and vision of these directors, coupled with their first films gaining commercial success, has led them to be seen as almost the blueprint for the modern, self-made filmmakers.
At 14-years-old, Parsons began his web series “The Backrooms” in 2022 on YouTube. A found footage style animated series, he created a vivid world with deep lore and thorough storytelling from his childhood bedroom.
As creator, writer, director, composer, and animator of this web series, Parsons’ talent and work was recognized by A24. Not only was he trusted to direct a film at 20, but he was given the freedom to explore his own creation with a full budget, cast and crew, all from posting videos from his bedroom.
Barker began his internet career directing, writing, producing, and starring in his own sketch comedy shorts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. His channel, that’s a bad idea, produced many viral sketches over the last three years, which attracted an audience who liked his style of content.
Much like Parsons, Barker’s rise built up over years, while making and posting content that may or may not gain recognition. They both had the freedom to flesh out their styles and find their audience on a platform that offers the freedom only social media can provide.
Barker’s independent film, Milk and Serial (2024), got the attention of Blumhouse Productions, who gave him a $750k budget to bring Obsession to life. In comparison, Milk and Serial was made for a total of $800.
Both Parsons and Barker are young directors who show an immense amount of promise, and their debuts will surely guide their style and public perception as their careers progress.
Their youth and creativity reflect an entire generation who grew up with access to social media both as a form of entertainment and a way of life. The countless hours spent on the internet perfecting their craft will inform a new era of filmgoers and future filmmakers.
Tags
“Self-made” filmmaking, Backrooms, Curry Barker, Kane Parsons, Obsession, Young directors, YouTube
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