I broke into Hollywood almost fifteen years ago. I started as an intern, worked my way up to being an assistant, and then was able to make connections, sell a script, and become a writer. For years, I gave people advice based on my story, but I am beginning to realize that the way I did it is no longer the way. Sure, it can happen, but the new mailroom is not at an agency or working for a producer...and it may not even be in Hollywood. I recently read this amazing blog by Mitch Camarda, who argues in a recent deep dive for Open Gardens, that the ladder is being replaced by something much more dynamic, digital, and decentralized. The new Hollywood mailroom isn’t a physical room at all—it’s the Creator Economy.Let's dive in. The Death of the Traditional GatekeeperLike I said at the top, what used to happen was that you got a job in the mailroom and worked your way up. It was the only way to get close enough to the decision-makers to learn how the "business" actually worked. I know I learned more in my 3 months as an intern than I did in all of film school. Today, however, the gatekeepers have lost their monopoly on attention.The industry is undergoing massive consolidation. There are fewer mailrooms and fewer jobs to be able to move up into. Meanwhile, creators like MrBeast are building media empires with more reach and higher engagement than most cable networks.They...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday