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Propellerhead's Aidan Tanner Got His Big Break When He Cold-Emailed Will Smith
Now here's his message for generative AI: Leave creativity to the artists
Aidan Tanner is a Canadian filmmaker, director and the founder of Propellerhead, an L.A.-based social content studio.
His career began with a cold email to Will Smith, leading to five years creating content and playing a key role in the launch of Smith’s media company. Blending cinematic craft with internet culture, he has also collaborated with Tom Cruise, Jessica Chastain, and Lupita Nyong’o. Aidan has powered social marketing campaigns for the latest installments of the Mission: Impossible franchise and Season 5 of Netflix’s Stranger Things.
We spent a few minutes with Aidan to learn more about his background, inspirations and how horror films sparked his passion for the craft.
Was there an “a-ha” moment in your life that made you realize what you wanted to do?
Looking back, my earliest “a-ha” moment was one I didn’t even realize at the time: receiving a Fisher-Price toy camcorder for Christmas at age five. It didn’t actually record, but let me look through the viewfinder to frame shots. I spent the next few weeks eagerly racing around the house framing up everything in sight. Noticing my enthusiasm, my parents bought me a real digital camera a couple years later, which let me start editing my own short films. Once I figured out how to edit, that became my first truly conscious “a-ha” moment.
What’s the best career advice you actually followed?
“Don’t focus on building the wall, just lay one perfect brick every day.”—Will Smith
Who do you look up to, professionally and personally?
I admire Christopher Nolan and his ability to communicate very nuanced stories on a large scale. I find him to be extremely intentional with his choices, and he seems to constantly challenge himself to push the spectacle of cinema to the next level. The subject matter of his films feels substantial and universal.
What’s a source of inspiration you return to constantly?
The Internet and social media. I feel like countless artists put their work online every day, experiment and break boundaries. I find myself saving hundreds of posts a month to come back to for inspiration.
Is there a creative tool more people should know?
With everything happening in the world of AI, we are in a place where people focus more on optimizing and productivity tools than on doing the work itself. Apple Notes is still one of the best productivity tools out there because of how simple and accessible it is.
What’s the best podcast for smarter thinking?
“Founders” goes into detail about the origin stories of some of the most renowned business and creative minds. “Scriptnotes” dives into the details and nuances of cinematic storytelling and screenwriting.
How did you first get interested in film?
As a kid, whenever my family rented horror movies from Blockbuster, I’d talk them into letting me watch alongside them. Even though they scared me, I figured out that watching the behind-the-scenes featurettes on those DVDs was the quickest way to conquer that fear. That’s when I realized filmmaking and directing were real possibilities.
What movie set do you wish you could visit in real life?
2001: A Space Odyssey. This film had some of the coolest practical sets, and they would have been so cool to see in person. Not to mention, it would’ve been a dream to watch Stanley Kubrick work.
You’ve got 2 minutes with the industry … What’s your hot take?
With generative AI creeping into filmmaking and the technology getting better and better, we are bound to see some very impressive, if not uncanny, results. That said, no matter how much these generative AI tools empower an artist and further democratize the craft, once an artist discloses their use, all validation will be stripped away from them immediately. I feel that most artists create their work to share it and receive feedback from an audience. Most of the positive feedback we’re seeing online right now about generative AI focuses on the technology’s advancement and the quality it has achieved, not the creativity, storytelling, or effort involved. It is hard to envision a world where an audience’s feedback on a film made primarily using generative AI is positive towards the artist and rewards their effort.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
