Jason Blum, Goalpost Pictures and how ‘Upgrade’ fits the microbudget genre model

The producer of 'Get Out' and 'The Purge' teamed up with local outfit Goalpost Pictures to make Sci-Fi thriller 'Upgrade' - and broke through in the US.
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Image: Upgrade production still from Madman – the car is plotting against them.

Producer Jason Blum is known as the Titan of Terror, the impresario of low-budget high-profit US horror like Get Out, Paranormal Activity and the Insidious series. His films are generally made in the skin-flinty US$3-5 million range and have grossed more than $3 billion globally, but with critical acclaim and Oscar wins for titles like Get Out and Whiplash he’s far more than a B-picture mogul and has fast become one of the most sought-after producers in Hollywood. He’s known for a microbudget model that empowers new directors and new ideas, but all within the safety of a genre net. To have Blum’s backing on an Australian film is a very big deal indeed.

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Rochelle Siemienowicz is the ArtsHub Group's Education and Career Editor. She was previously a journalist for Screenhub and is a writer, film critic and cultural commentator with a PhD in Australian cinema. She was the co-host of Australia's longest-running film podcast 'Hell is for Hyphenates' and has written a memoir, Fallen, published by Affirm Press. Her second book, Double Happiness, a novel, will be published by Midnight Sun in 2024. Instagram: @Rochelle_Rochelle Twitter: @Milan2Pinsk