We recently connected with JENNIFER MANGAN and have shared our conversation below.
Hi JENNIFER, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Taking a risk can seem particularly scary, like diving off a high-dive for the first time. Heart pounding, you question whether you should even do it. The answer: of course you should! Seize the moment, and wonderful things will happen.
I took a huge risk when I asked my now-partner Michael Fisk to join me in forming The Business of Creating Institute. BofC grew out of a completely different project, you’ll be intrigued to know, and now we are over 5 years and 32 panels in.
Michael and I originally met when I took a required marketing course at UCLA Extension, and he was one of the guest speakers. I didn’t yet know the reason, but I knew I needed to meet him and him me. We exchanged information. A year later, I emailed him to be a judge for the Women In Film Mini-Upfronts (a red-carpet event showcasing trailers and ripomatics for projects in various stages of development that were seeking distribution, which I had co-founded and was producing). We found a time to chat (so he could get further details)—little did he know that, while we were chatting and I was trying to sound professional with the then-EVP of International Marketing for Sony, I was stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery, traffic whizzing by and the AAA guy asking me to “sign here”! Comedy like that practically writes itself, but it just goes to show—if you have a solid project and a desire to empower others, like-minded people will come on-board to help. So take the risk!
In the 2 years we worked together on the Mini-Upfronts, Michael and I noticed some of the entries were fabulous, but a lot of folks did not know how to properly create trailers or subsequent marketing materials. As such, we produced what we thought would be a one-off panel discussion and practical how-to on creating such materials. The response was overwhelming! Over 120 people attended our “intimate” event held at Oprah Winfrey’s OWN offices, proving that this kind of practical information was needed and eagerly awaited by those willing to put in the work and succeed.
We then received a slew of emails, asking when the next panel was going to be and to be put on our mailing list asap. So…we created a mailing list, pulled out our proverbial rolodex for potential panelists, and The Business of Creating Institute was born.
Michael: I was so honored when Jennifer called me out of the blue and remembered that I was a guest lecturer in her UCLA class taught by Ken Markman. It’s the same amazing class I attended as a student early on in my career (I won’t reveal how many years ago!). I learned so much from Ken, and I still keep in touch with some of the students I sat next to. After I graduated from his class, years later he asked me to come back, but this time as a guest speaker.
When Jennifer asked me to watch a bunch of trailers, I was like “Sure”. I do that already for a living! LOL! But it was Jennifer’s enthusiasm for helping our creative industry become stronger and better by encouraging more diverse stories to be told and seen that captivated me most. I remember staying up late at night after work to watch and rank the trailers and ripomatics. I took it very seriously because I know how much time and effort creators put into their projects. Also, it also takes a lot of courage to put a piece of creative out in the world to be critiqued. They deserve the attention.
Afterwards we realized how some trailers needed work in how they were structured and “sold” the projects. So that is how our first panel titled “CREATING TRAILERS: That Sell Your Project” was founded. Then it organically grew from there to where we even create panels that attendees recommend and request.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
The Business of Creating Institute exists to educate and to empower underserved individuals and communities in the Entertainment industry. Hollywood has traditionally been closed-door about the practicalities of navigating the business side of Entertainment, from how to market and sell your project to actual profits made. As the Wizard states in The Wizard of Oz, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.” The Business of Creating Institute not only opens that door, it gives people a front-and-center “look behind the curtain”.
The Business of Creating Institute produces free panels with top executives. The Business of Creating Institute provides unprecedented access to seasoned Entertainment executives via dynamic and interactive panels that provide practical advice, action steps, and specific resources for content creators and other professionals within the Entertainment Industry. Panelists provide information on up-to-the-minute trends and practical action steps for creating, financing, marketing, selling and distributing top-quality Entertainment projects. In addition to the detailed discussion topics within the panel, attendees are able and encouraged to ask specific questions regarding their own projects during the Q & A portion of the event. We foster an educational atmosphere of camaraderie wherein the attendees and panelists are encouraged to network with each other after the event. Panels are free and open to the public, but an rsvp is required.
The Business of Creating Institute welcomes everyone who wants to learn, but focuses on current industry professionals who already have foundational knowledge. These professionals are eager to learn both practical business information and up-to-the minute current trends in Entertainment that will help them succeed in an industry notorious for being close-mouthed about such information.
While other companies offer educational panels, they are costly and usually with lower ranking assistants and similar-level professionals or with retired executives. The Business of Creating Institute is unique in that we freely offer curated panels with 4-5 current top executives and top professionals from all areas of the Entertainment Industry to discuss various topics relating to the business side of creating and succeeding within Entertainment.
The Business of Creating Institute is a labor of love co-founded by writer/producer Jennifer Mangan and Entertainment Marketing executive Michael Fisk. Jennifer and Michael have over thirty years experience between them, both from the creative and from the studio sides of Entertainment. Jennifer graduated with Distinction from UCLA Extension in Business and Management in Entertainment and has produced over 50 live events. She currently has a tv series in development. Michael has spearheaded over 500 marketing campaigns for studios like Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, NBC Universal, Warner Bros. and most recently for MGM. His favorite marketing campaigns that he worked on include the James Bond franchises (having worked on the last 6); Spider-Man, the Damien Chazelle films Whiplash and La La Land, and even the guilty pleasure movie Superbad.
How The Business of Creating Institute is unique, according to some of our repeat attendees and panelists:
”..the kind of stuff you don’t get anywhere else. It’s been a tremendous, supportive foundation of information and insight. This is the kind of stuff you don’t learn in film school.” —Billy Moon, Still Photographer
“The panels are incredibly well-organized, with carefully curated subjects and guests, and hosted in a very inclusive environment so the participants are active in the conversation and comfortable asking lots of interesting questions. It was a pleasure working with Jennifer and Michael.” —Yvette Zhuang, SVP Int’l Production and Distribution, Miramax
“The Business of Creating offers a unique, tantalizing glimpse into the very machinations that make the Entertainment Industry work! Michael and Jennifer’s current-executives and current-creators packed panels ride the rail between creative and business, ensuring that the audience is getting up-to-date information which only Industry-insiders know.” —Randy Greenberg, Emmy-nominated Executive Producer “THE MEG” “THE MEG 2” “A TALE DARK AND GRIMM” and “COWBOYS & ALIENS”
The panels are valuable to me because as an underrepresented…filmmaker, I feel as though I’m finally invited to the party and have a front row seat at the table with industry vets that I admire and respect. The panels are also valuable because the content is so rich and covers many vital areas in the industry. I feel as though I’m in my own customized Film School. I adore the panels. They’re absolutely galvanizing. I’ve been able to implement the advice imparted on me by taking risks that I’ve never been able to do before. Don’t change a thing!—T. Tenille, Actress/Writer
They are knowledgeable and willing to share what they know in an easy to understand way. They also go in depth with what they are sharing. It was jam packed with useful info to help move a project forward.
M. Jacobs, CEO of Castle Dale Films
The valuable insight you guys provide is incredible. You offer independent filmmakers resources and professional knowledge we couldn’t otherwise get so concisely. Your panels offer me insight into the BUSINESS side of the process. I have an ongoing list of action items and steps I can take with all of my projects. Definitely something I need to create top quality projects! The information you guys provide and the speakers I’ve been able to get sound advice from are out of this world. Your panels have been beyond helpful to me in helping me navigate the business. I take copious notes on everything you talk about!—C. Quiles, Producer/Writer
These panels are Master Classes for me…I’m learning from humans who are successful at what they do. They are working writers and producers. They have been exactly where I am now. The panels are encouraging. They’re like a zinnia…taking me from one step to another step, to another level. I’m learning where to go, but I also have access to professionals that I can ask questions. For this, I am grateful.—W. E. Green, Writer
They provide extremely valuable insight from top professionals which save me countless hours, dollars, and headaches! The panel connected the dots for me and showed me how to do it! They provided practical information that kick started the project for me. Incredible professional insight with a huge knowledge base and advice I can use now! It was outstanding!—R. Marchant, Executive Producer
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The Business of Creating Institute’s motto is Educate, Empower, Succeed!
The more we can help and guide each other, the better off we all are. Some things we’ve learned on our journey:
1. While there are plenty of sharks out there, there also are a lot of really wonderful people out there who are happy to help and eager to empower others. You need to let them know that the opportunity exists, however. Sometimes that means reaching out to a friend or friend of a friend, but sometimes that also means cold-contacting someone you really want to have involved. You never know, they might say, “Yes!”
This is why, at each of our panels, we encourage attendees to introduce themselves to each other and make those critical connections. Because the person “sitting” next to you may be the one helping you finance, produce or manage your next project.
2. Always ask and be politely direct in what you need. If they say, “Yes,” fantastic! If they say, “No,” you’re in the same position as before you asked, and now you know their answer. No harm, no foul. You also never know—they may say, “No, I can’t, but my colleague can.”
3. Rejection is rarely, if ever, personal. Let it sting for five minutes, then move forward.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. People can’t help you if they don’t know you need it.
4. You may not directly realize it, but you are making a huge difference for people you may not even know. Michael and I have received such positive feedback from both panelists and attendees. It has been truly heart-warming and humbling to read.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
As The Business of Creating Institute has grown, Michael and I have realized that each event we produce will have its own individual challenges, different than before. It’s been a learning-curve for sure! Finding and cultivating relationships is key—whether it’s for securing panelists, a location, working with sponsors…such a variety of aspects to any business. Relationships and a certain amount of bull-headed stubbornness/refusal to quit are key!
During the pandemic, obviously, we were unable to produce live, in-person events. What could have been the end of us, instead, became a whole new streaming opportunity via our partnership with the Writers Guild Foundation. Not only did we survive the switch from in-person to streaming, we were able to expand our base to the entire USA and gain a world-wide audience with attendees signing in from South Africa, New Zealand, the U.K., France, Brazil, and more. We successfully produced 11 panels during the pandemic and created a YouTube channel for our recorded panels. As we return to in-person events, we plan to use a hybrid format of in-person and live-streaming, along with recording for later access via our YouTube channel. In this way, we plan to continue including our attendees from other parts of the US and around the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.businessofcreating.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessofcreating/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessOfCreating
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13675082/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@businessofcreating8265