Nathan Fielder Negotiated a ‘Kill Switch’ on ‘You Can See Everything,’ Says Lance Oppenheim: ‘If We Didn’t Find Something, We Could Just Throw It All Away’ — SkimNews
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- Nathan Fielder negotiated a 'kill switch' provision with A24 before filming 'You Can See Everything,' allowing him and Lance Oppenheim to scrap the project if no compelling narrative emerged, which A24 approved.
- Lance Oppenheim said the kill switch changed the creative process, giving them full freedom to explore the documentary without pressure, calling it the first time he operated purely out of curiosity.
- Nathan Fielder told A24 he didn’t know the documentary’s angle but felt something was 'tickling in my brain,' insisting on the ability to deliver nothing if the project didn’t work out.
- A24 agreed to fund the early filming of 'You Can See Everything' without requiring deliverables, accepting the risk that Fielder and Oppenheim might abandon the project entirely.
- Lance Oppenheim noted the provision was especially crucial with only 34 days left before Elizabeth Holmes was set to begin her prison sentence, heightening the uncertainty of access and outcome.
Why it matters: Documentary filmmakers rarely get unconditional creative leeway, but A24’s willingness to fund a project with no guaranteed return shifts leverage toward artists in high-risk storytelling. This provision lowered the stakes for Fielder and Oppenheim, enabling deeper access and risk-taking just weeks before Holmes’ incarceration.
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