"Proof of craft" used to correlate with the trappings of production value.
- "Proof of craft" used to correlate with the trappings of production value.
- Something that looked high-quality probably was high quality.
- Producing that high quality is expensive.
- The only creators who would get the capital necessary would have had to have a proven track record for the financiers to take a bet on them.
- Things that look high-budget might now be low-quality.
- Creators can look like they've paid their dues without actually paying their dues.
- Similarly, vocabulary and writing skill used to be a marker of quality (a proof of intelligence).