Disney Courts Online Creators at Inaugural Los Angeles Showcase

The Walt Disney Company is intensifying its outreach to the creator economy, launching its debut "Created in L.A." summit at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre.

The two-day conference gathered more than 350 digital creators, tech innovators, and studio executives on Thursday evening. According to Variety, Digital, the event was conceived to build relationships and explore the commercial future of creator-led storytelling across entertainment platforms.

Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden addressed the opening session, directly inviting attendees to explore creative opportunities with the legacy media giant. "Maybe we can tell some stories together," Walden told the audience, signaling an interest in folding online creators into Disney's development pipeline.

## Bridging Studio IP and Digital Audiences

The initiative comes as traditional entertainment studios face persistent headwinds in capturing younger demographics, whose media diets lean heavily toward YouTube, TikTok, and user-generated video ecosystems.

Hollywood Tomorrow notes that major studios can no longer treat internet personalities merely as promotional megaphones. Establishing formal ties with digital natives offers legacy companies a direct bridge to engaged fanbases, while providing a pipeline for fresh on-screen talent and digital intellectual property.

The remainder of the two-day summit will explore the business mechanics underpinning online production, as Disney seeks to integrate independent digital storytellers into its broader film, television, and streaming footprint.