If I really enjoy a movie, series or music, I often actually want to send the actual creator some money to reward their creativity. May be just a dollar, may be ten.
But I can't.
I wish anime/manga/etc studios were transparent about their costs and profit. I want to see if my favorite show has so far made enough money to afford the next season or for the team to afford their next project.
Kickstarter/Patreon should have shown creators that people will support what they like and even if they have made enough money people will continue to buy/donate to creators they love.
I don't pay for movies or series of (I just don't). But when I like some music (bands, producers, or even a record label) I end up buying some physical records or merchandising. If you don't care about that, the most direct way is to go to Bandcamp and buy something on friday. People often want to put a price on their work, and not just "a dollar" like it's your spare change, but there are several options and websites to do it.