The Waiting Economy

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New week, new you, Future Party. How many of you stayed up and watched SNL’s 50th Anniversary Special? Have any favorite skits, performances, or surprises? We want to know… we could all use a laugh on Monday morning.

DAILY TOP TRENDS

Want To Make Some Money? Get In Line

Professional line standing — paying people to stand in line for you — has become a growing, lucrative industry, as seemingly every store, restaurant, show, etc., now has a line around the block for entry or to score tickets.

The Big Line: No one wants to be left out of the coolest happenings, but as the “cash-rich, time-poor” (as Insider’s Eve Upton-Clark so cleverly calls them) don’t have time to be everywhere at once, having an army of bodies at your disposal is a godsend. But that could radically re-organize the demographics of who can access the most in-demand events.

Between the Ropes: Would you pay to not have to physically wait in line? Because a lot of people already are.

• Line-standing services increased 18% on TaskRabbit last November and December (fueled by demand in major cities), with the average wage growing to $27/hour.

• Line standers are usually booked a few days in advance, though some last-minute, same-day requests do happen. Most jobs require arriving early in the morning to secure a prime spot or waiting outside in inclement weather.

• The demand for line standers has blown up so much that some have launched companies, like Skip The Line, with rosters of line-waiting professionals.

• Hilariously, that’s led to some lines being inundated with mercenary line standers, who’ve toyed with sabotage tactics and aggressive skipping to get further up the queue.

Last Minute: The rise of line-standing services raises some age-old questions: “What’s more valuable: time or money? And does having more money buy you more time?” Heady questions for something as simple as waiting for a new iPhone. But the demand to save time has launched a market of services, such as membership club LineLeap, online marketplace Appointment Trader, and rewards tied to Amex cards.

But there’s a flip side to the wait economy: to preserve the integrity of some events, a few places even actively bar any service that allows people to skip the line… leaving admission to those willing to endure boredom.

Fun Fact: For pro line standers, the richest gig is waiting to get into a Supreme Court hearing. Only 50 people are allowed in, so people sometimes line up for days to score entry. Now that’s a payday.

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AI Translates International Films

While Hollywood creatives are mostly anti-AI, international filmmakers are signaling that they’re more open to using the tech as a tool that can expand a movie’s reach — as long as it’s used ethically.

The Big Picture: While some are going all in with generating content in movies, most international filmmakers are using the tech to power the dubbing process of movies for different markets or clean things up in post-production. If AI use helps more people see indie films globally and puts money in the pockets of creators, it could lead to more acceptance of the controversial tech.

Behind the Scenes: International filmmakers believe that there’s a right way to use AI.

• Many are using the LA-based Flawless AI to adjust the lip movements of actors, so dubbed versions appear more natural. That allows for the original actor, or a voice actor speaking a different language, to record their dialogue over it.

• The tech has piqued the interest of several high-profile productions like Tom Tykwer’s Berlinale-opening The Light (the movie is being sold in German and dubbed in English).

• Additionally, XYZ Films (one of the biggest global indie producers/distributors) struck a deal with Flawless to release a slate of English-dubbed films in the US, including Sweden’s Watch the Skies, France’s Vincent Must Die, and South Korea’s Smugglers.

Closing Credits: Flawless signed a compliance agreement with the actors union SAG-AFTRA, which led the union’s chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, to recently point out the company as one that uses AI “to serve human creativity, not replace it.” That provides significant legitimacy, especially as Oscar frontrunners like Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist have come under fire for not disclosing that they used the AI firm Respeecher to enhance their lead performances until they were found out. That’s already led the Academy to discuss implementing disclosure rules for Oscar qualification.

Like the many productions that have started proudly stamping their films as “no-AI” productions, it’s possible that the only way for movies to gain acceptance from the creative community for responsibly using the tech is by being radically transparent about it.

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DEEP DIVES

• Read: NYT profiles SNL creator Lorne Michaels during the 50th anniversary weekend of the seminal comedy sketch show.

• Review: Vulture has a rundown of everything that went down at the SNL50 concert, including a duet by Andy Samberg and Lady Gaga.

• Listen: Book Review interviews filmmaker RaMell Ross about his first-person POV adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys.

56.7% of you voted No in Friday’s poll: Have you ever planned a trip based on a specific vibe you wanted to experience?

“I/we travel to experience our destination as well as revel in the adventure of the journey.”

“You have to let yourself be open for adventure to occur. Over-expectation is adventure’s assassin.”

“Went to New Zealand to experience The Lord of the Rings vibes.”

“Yes, and that’s why millions of people often visit the same place more than once, hoping to feel the same way they did the first time.”

“Doesn’t everyone? When I want to feel at peace, I go camping or fishing. When I want things LIT, I go to an amusement park or a major concert.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

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