Motion Picture Studio | Talent Payment Executive Search
Vice President Talent Payment
Motion Picture & Scripted Series
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Based Los Angeles, CA - USA
Search Firm Filcro Media Staffing, New York, NY - USA
Officer in Charge Tony Filson, New York, NY - USA
Groups Talent Payment & Production
Reporting to EVP Studio Finance
Client
One of Filcro Media Staffing's long standing clients noted for their history of Motion Picture and Television Production globally. Their production and post facilities are considered some the most prolific and advanced technologically in the industry. Filcro Media Staffing with extensive Talent Payment executive search experience as well as serving the client's production, post and technology environments on the East and West coasts was retained to lead this important search reporting to a senior studio financial executive seeing optimization of processes, reporting and revenue.
Client Situation
This publicly held company's Motion Picture Studio through years of constant consolidation, independence and being folded into and out of the parent company corporate umbrella, was seeking to optimize their long standing relationships with a multitude of unions representing the talented professionals performing in and producing their Motion Picture and Television content.
Some of the union contracts were segmented to Motion Picture, Scripted Series, Specials, Music Entertainment, and other content being produced. Leadership wanted to optimize their relationships and resources with the various unions by hiring a honed professional with extensive motion picture, television and music contractual exposure to implement their business goals with the creative community and their representation.
Executive Search Committee Member(s) Industry and Sector Inclusion
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Motion Picture - Performing Artists and Content Producers
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OTA, OTT, Cable and MSO Broadcasting - Scripted and Non-Scripted
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Artists & Content Production for Music Entertainment
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Producers of Content for External Production Partners and Clients
Filcro Media Staffing is Retained
The Filcro Media Staffing Officer in Charge of Search, Tony Filson, conducted the search from the East Coast and discuss the immediate and long-term goals of the Studio. The current staff in place would need to be augmented and once the VP was identified, Filcro Media Staffing would recruit a possible Director and Manager of Talent Payment if required.
The multitude of unions and the contracts involved would require a person with strong relationships in the industry but also strong business affairs acumen who understood the financial implications of negotiating with bargaining power across multiple entertainment platforms and genres.
Having recruited extensively for the client in the past in every area related to this search, the firm had a good grasp of the cultural nuance of the Studio as well as the sub-co's to assure that the proper experience would augmented by the proper mindset to bring all these business goals to fruition.
Challenges Facing the new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
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Working with each respective business affairs, creative content, finance and HR organization being incorporated into this plan.
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The ability to articulate to internal and external interests the positive aspects of everyone participating and getting buy-in.
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Training and or hiring new staff to optimize the talent payment process and negotiations from a position of strength for the betterment of the unions and the Studio.
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SAG-AFTRA offered particular challenges and this VP would have to be exceptionally well versed in staying abreast of changes and implementing policy to optimize the Studio's interests.
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With hybrid of Union and Non-Union environments in the parent company, advising management where these resources can be used to the Studio's advantage.
Filcro Media Staffing’s Recruitment Modality
Filcro Media Staffing's talent payment experience in the TV, Motion Picture, Music and Advertising industries would be used to optimize the rapid identification of key candidates to establish a search universe of possible candidates.
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Candidate were identified from East and West targets that had the talent payment leadership experience required in the entertainment industry.
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A number of business affairs environments / law firms / talent payment firms and co-production partners offered particular challenges to not have a conflict of interest when recruiting leadership. Filcro Media Staffing ultimately played a key role in making a target organization, very happy with the outcome of this search, that normally could have been an issue with current production slated for development.
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The initial universe of (75) possible candidates on the West Coast and (15) on the East Coast was brought down to a manageable roster of (23) exceptionally qualified candidates.
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With the EVP, Head of Production & Business Affairs and Tony Filson all participating, the profiles created by Filcro Media Staffing of each candidate were used in a video conference to eliminate and more importantly highlight those who established a positive consensus from everyone involved. FIlcro Media Staffing was also asked to have (2) internal candidates participate in the search, who not ultimately determined to be appropriate after the conference, based on the (8) candidates everyone wanted to move forward with.
The Successful Vice President of Talent Payment Recruited
Of the (8) remaining candidates, (3) were eliminated due to the aggressive timeline and the diverse scope of the changes to be implemented. These (3) candidates while exceptionally strong on the motion picture side did not have the diversity we were seeking.
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Of the (5) remaining it can down to weighting union relationships, being a change agent, past experience managing staff, mentoring and the ability to report to senior management accurately of business affairs, revenue and operational issues that could have positive and negative implications.
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The final (2) candidates met again, in person the with head of business affairs, production and the EVP. The hiring committee was torn. Both candidates were exceptionally qualified talent payment executives and wanted the position. They were both in the same salary range had every piece of experience and acumen on their collective wishlist.
As with so many searches, we were able to determine the final candidate by the way they acted once they knew there was sincere interest and a job offer "could" be coming shortly. It came down to two equally qualified executives and one lacking judgement in utilizing their "confidential" standing to try and setup negotiations with their current employer, for a counter offer even prior to a verbal or written commitment.
Integrity, discretion adhering to an NDA's clause of not discussing the process until a formal offer was extended was what allowed the hiring of the more mature and trusted executive.
Follow Up
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Even after another fluctuation in the structure and ownership of the Studio, this executive, has stood the test of time. Another confidential executive search conducted by Filcro Media Staffing.
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Filcro Media Staffing
Talent Payment Executive Search
for Talent Payment Professionals​
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US | LATAM | EU | MENA | ASIA
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https://www.media-recruiters.com/talent-payment-executive-search
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