John Wilson's Concrete Documentary Doubles as a Meta-Commentary on Pitching Unmarketable Ideas

In his latest documentary, John Wilson turns the camera on the struggle to sell a film titled 'The History of Concrete,' capturing his global travels and pitch meetings with skeptical executives. The film, now in theaters, also reflects on the state of documentary filmmaking, which Wilson criticizes for retelling familiar stories.

Wilson's film interweaves his global travels—including stops at concrete conventions in Las Vegas and New Orleans, ancient Italian structures, and gravesites—with recorded pitch meetings where executives visibly balk at the title. The documentary functions as both a literal exploration of its subject and a behind-the-scenes look at the difficulty of financing unconventional projects. Magnolia Pictures is distributing the film, which is currently playing in theaters. Wilson, previously known for his HBO series "How To," uses this project to critique the broader documentary landscape, arguing that the medium has grown stagnant by repeatedly revisiting established narratives rather than pursuing fresh, unexpected subjects.