Guardian Columnist Dave Schilling Joins LA's Influencer Rush

Los Angeles writer Dave Schilling says he has started filming Instagram Reels, the short vertical videos that now dominate the platform, because ignoring the format is no longer an option for anyone trying to make a living from writing, according to a Guardian opinion column published Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026.

For residents of Los Angeles, the shift is already visible on sidewalks and in restaurant lines. Schilling describes influencers filming at "hidden gem" restaurants across the city as a routine part of daily life, not a novelty.

Why is everyone in Los Angeles suddenly making Reels?

Schilling writes that he began posting because "the global creative industry revolves around video content on social media," leaving even someone who does not want to be on camera with few alternatives for staying visible professionally. He frames it as a choice between competing in what he calls the attention economy or losing ground to creators who already have.

What does Dave Schilling say changed about making content?

Schilling contrasts today's tools with older, bulkier equipment, noting that he now records with a small clip-on microphone instead of the large handheld mics he remembers from earlier in his career. He says the editing app CapCut has made producing a video fast enough that almost anything can become one.

"I feel what gen Z might refer to as cringe whenever I open up CapCut and try to cobble together a coherent thesis while my head floats in front of a green screen," Schilling writes.

He adds that the low bar for quality is part of the point. A Reel, he says, does not need to be good — it needs to be "tasty enough for the Pac-Man monster that is the algorithm."

Who is cashing in on the shift?

Schilling writes that the ease of posting is exactly why so many people are doing it, and he says some of them are getting rich from it. He points to influencers built around niche topics, including carb-conscious diet content, as examples of creators who have turned narrow subject matter into an audience.

What tools are creators using to keep up?

The shift Schilling describes is also visible in the apps built around it. Short-form challenge formats, such as Smorgi Challenge (https://smorgiapps.com/smorgi/?utm_source=htt&utm_medium=inline&utm_campaign=influencers-have-taken-over-my-city-if-you-cant-beat-em-join-em-dave-schilling), give new creators a ready-made structure instead of starting from a blank screen. On the audio side, where Schilling's clip-on microphone complaint lives, some creators clean up rough recordings with voice tools such as ElevenLabs (https://try.elevenlabs.io/w95mzlppyxor) before a Reel ever gets posted.

What should Angelenos expect next?

Schilling does not frame his decision as enthusiasm. He calls the new routine something he does not enjoy, but describes it as a condition of staying employed in a creative field centered on Los Angeles. For residents, that likely means more cameras on more sidewalks, more restaurant lines turned into backdrops, and more neighbors — writers, parents, commuters — treating minor daily frustrations as potential video material, whether they wanted the job of creator or not.

Read the full column at The Guardian.