It’s a tough time in Hollywood, with TV shows being canceled, shoots moving to cheaper locales, and jobs lost to industry consolidation. Meanwhile, the independent creator economy is booming.
G&B Digital Management, a 10-year-old talent management firm, has been hosting free classes, called “Flipping the Script,” aimed at helping Hollywood workers capitalize on new opportunities. G&B founder and CEO, Kyle Hjelmeseth, has put them on in Los Angeles and New York. About 40 people attended a recent event in New York, including film and TV producers and directors.
During the class, Hjelmeseth and G&B’s education director, Joey Gagliardi, gave a high-level overview of the creator economy and practical steps people can follow to take advantage of it.
One big takeaway: the new and old entertainment worlds have more similarities than you might think, and even people used to being part of big crews and behind the scenes have transferable skills.
“You’ve already been trained for all of this,” Gagliardi told the New York class. “Because nobody runs a ship tighter than a producer.”
Check out slides from the presentation deck they used for “Flipping the Script.”
G&B Digital Management encourages Hollywood pros to chart their path
G&B sees creators falling into three main types
One type is lifestyle creators who are known for taking people behind the scenes of their lives.
A second type is industry insiders or educators
G&B says a lot of Hollywood pros who are used to working behind the scenes are well-suited to this approach because it enables them to showcase their professional expertise.
A third type is entertainers
These people perform as characters in monologues, comedy bits, skits, and series.
Do you want to be on camera or off?
G&B says your first big decision is to figure out if you want to be on camera or not. Those on camera tend to be actors, hosts, and performers building personal brands online. Their personality is central to the content, and they use storytelling to connect directly to their audiences.
The off-camera path
G&B lays out ways writers, directors, producers, photographers, videographers, and editors can apply their skills to the creator economy, doing things like translating creative concepts to digital series for themselves or other creators.
Hollywood and the creator economy aren’t that different
Many Hollywood terms and skills have their counterparts in the creator economy.
Start with a strong profile
Ask yourself when creating a digital profile: If someone landed on your profile today, would they know who you are, what you do, and why they should follow you?
Consistency is key
G&B stresses that posting regularly and with a consistent tone is important for attracting brand sponsors as well as fans. A creator who does this well is Bonnie Barton, whose home decor account flashesofstyle has a different color palette for each season.
Pairing food and fun
Another is Brandon Gouveia, a chef known for his fun and accessible recipes.
Put your pets to work
For people who don’t want to be on camera, a pet can be a worthy substitute.
Have a strong hook
G&B recommends coming up with a good hook to grab people while they’re scrolling — a cold open, if you will.
Be human
Carson (Crustbycarson) and Ashby Florence are examples of popular creators who have gained big followings by being natural and unpolished.
Don’t reinvent the wheel
Stick with an easily repeatable format and a couple of consistent phrases that people know you for.
Be real and consistent for a winning formula
Carson is an accountant by day who often starts his posts with a quippy intro before sharing his pastimes.
His account is brand-friendly
His account sticks with a few themes — traveling, working out, cooking — making it well-suited to brand sponsors.
Posting shouldn’t be a chore: Work it into your daily life
Other dos: Respond to comments and messages, and build your posting activity into your schedule.
Don’t oversell or chase trends
Stay yourself if you’re doing a product-focused post. Don’t change your tone of voice or be too salesy, G&B says.
Figure out who your audience is, and share your life with them
G&B says being consistent will also teach platforms’ algorithms what you’re about, so they can recommend you to potential future followers.
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