What if the next wave of film production wasn’t controlled by studios but directed by audiences?
This is the vision behind Shibuya, a new streaming and crowdfunding platform spearheaded by digital artist Emily Yang, known as pplpleasr online.
Having raised $6.9 million in seed funding in 2022 from investors including a16z and Variant Fund, Shibuya is officially launching its “Season One” slate, offering an alternative path for creators and fans to collaborate on storytelling.
Shibuya’s model challenges the traditional studio system by merging streaming with crowdfunding.
Each film in Season One acts as a pilot episode, inviting viewers not only to watch but also to vote with their wallets on which stories should continue.
Donations go directly to filmmakers, with refunds available if funding targets aren’t met.
This direct involvement aims to empower creators and foster a community-driven approach to entertainment.
Yang explained,
“We built Shibuya to disrupt the traditional studio system and put power back into the hands of creators and fans. With the launch of Season One, we’re spotlighting bold, original work and inviting fans to decide what comes next.”
Though the platform currently accepts traditional currency, blockchain technology is set to be integrated soon, aligning with the founders’ long-term ambition of supporting blockchain-powered filmmaking.
Coinbase’s Base chain was a sponsor of the recent launch event, signalling ongoing ties to crypto ecosystems despite the lack of immediate on-site cryptocurrency transactions.
Season One features five short films, blending live action and animation, all under 30 minutes.
The projects showcase digital-native directors who bring fresh perspectives to storytelling.
The short-film streaming platform has launched, empowering fans to vote on which pilots are developed into full series, and it currently showcases five projects.
Among them is Elle Mills, a Canadian creator who transitioned from YouTube vlogging to filmmaking, and Ben Christensen, known for viral TikTok content.
Highlights include “Ultrasound,” a drama mini-series directed by Julian Lamadrid that follows a New York punk rock band with episodes filmed in a single continuous take—a style gaining popularity on platforms like Netflix.
“Diaboli” is an animated medieval series exploring dark themes of demons and possession, appealing to fans of shows like Netflix’s “Love, Death and Robots” and “Castlevania.”
Other shorts like “Don’t Forget About Me” by Elle Mills tell heartfelt coming-of-age stories, while “The Funny Thing About Losing Socks” reimagines a popular TikTok skit into a sci-fi journey to another dimension.
“Spiritual 100” adds a satirical twist, pitting 100 contestants against each other on a reality game show seeking the most “spiritual” competitor.
Shibuya’s approach was tested in 2022 with the sci-fi anime “White Rabbit,” a story about an AI girl named Mirai.
This project raised $1.2 million in under 30 minutes through community crowdfunding, validating the model’s potential.
Alongside this, Yang also sold high-value “Producer Pass” NFTs for Cannes, priced between $14,000 and $19,600 in ETH, further tying creative funding to blockchain.
However, the question remains whether such enthusiasm endures after the peak of the NFT craze and amid ongoing challenges in traditional filmmaking hubs like Los Angeles, where production has slowed considerably.
Shibuya’s seed round featured heavyweight backers beyond just venture capital.
NBA star Kevin Durant’s Thirty Five Ventures and media personality Paris Hilton’s 11:11 Media joined early investors a16z, Variant Fund, and Joe Tsai’s Blue Pool Capital.
Their involvement reflects a growing interest in reshaping how media is created and funded outside of Hollywood’s established channels.
The platform’s focus on creator ownership and fan participation represents a shift from passive consumption toward a more interactive entertainment economy.
This model may prove a viable way to nurture new talent and stories that might otherwise struggle to find support in traditional markets.
By allowing fans to fund episodes they want to see next, Shibuya offers a fresh route for experimental and independent works to thrive.
Its Season One collection is an early example of how this emerging ecosystem might operate, combining new creative voices with innovative financing methods.
As Emily Yang puts it,
“We actually want artists to take risks and stay independent, which feels super aligned with where media is heading.”
While it’s still early days, Shibuya’s launch points to a growing appetite for letting audiences play a more active role in how stories are made and supported.
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