A24 might sound vaguely familiar to those who watch a lot of movies but are not immersed in the film world. This seemingly random combination of letters and numbers is actually a film and television production company, founded by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges in 2012. They have produced some extremely successful films, such as Midsommar, Hereditary, and Priscillia; but they are also behind some less popular and more artsy films like The Lighthouse and Boys State. In total, A24 has a very diverse catalogue full of talented actors, directors and writers.  

A24 holds a special place in my heart because this company is how I got into movies in the first place. I have always loved watching movies—who doesn’t? —but this company is what inspired me to become interested in the artistry of filmmaking. My sister and I watched Good Time, which is an A24 movie, written and directed by Benny and Josh Safdie. This was the first movie that moved me and impacted me on a deeper level—of course, I’ve cried to The Notebook like every other teenage girl, but there was something special about what the Safdie brothers were able to do in less than two hours of running time. In other words, I definitely had a good time while I was watching! Good Time is about a brother duo that robs a bank. In this movie, one of the brothers, Nick, is developmentally challenged. Due to Nick taking longer to complete some tasks and getting confused, the operation is slowed down. This creates a unique type of suspense and anticipation. The typical emotions that a viewer feels while watching a suspenseful movie were somehow amplified, and yet, I was still laughing in the scariest moments. This new type of movie was incredibly intriguing, and I searched for more media like it.  

Therefore, I pivoted to films that the Safdie brothers had directed, written, or acted in, films Robert Pattinson has been involved in; but mostly, I delved deeper into the production company of this movie—A24. This led me to films like Mid90’s, written and directed by Jonah Hill; Eighth Grade, written and directed by Bo Burnham; and Lady Bird, written and directed by Greta Gerwig. These became some of my favorite movies; I can watch them over and over again. I slowly found my favorite actors and filmmakers. I looked back to the previous century to see how the industry has evolved from movies like Taxi Driver, A Clockwork Orange, and even Titanic to establishing film companies like A24. 

A24 hasn’t only made major contributions to my own passion for movies, but also to the film industry in total. They produce a wide variety of movies and shows that have a broad audience. They build upon the ideas of previous films, but they offer innovative ideas as well. This company influenced me, and maybe you will find that they will influence you too!