What A Director Content Operations At Global Media Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Media Industry
Dillan, a Director of Content Operations, reflects on the significant "hard work" and "perseverance" required to succeed in the entertainment industry, noting the initial difficulty is akin to an actor's struggle to secure that first audition. The key takeaway is that while the initial hurdles are substantial, continued effort leads to easier success, highlighting the importance of persistence for those considering a career in this field.
Hard Work, Perseverance, Resilience, Overcoming Challenges, Industry Realities
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Dillan Damodar
Director, Content Operations
Global Media Company
University of California, Irvine
UCLA Anderson School of Management, MBA, Spring 2024
Economics, Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Operations and Project Management
Honors Student, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance to succeed in the entertainment industry. The initial stages are particularly challenging, but it gets easier after achieving the first success.
2. The challenges of breaking into the industry are similar across different departments and fields, whether it's production, distribution, marketing, or others.
3. Don't give up easily. Persistence is crucial to success, even when facing setbacks and feeling helpless at times. The only people who fail are those who quit.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before entering the entertainment industry, both in production and distribution?
I guess I wish I had known how much hard work it would really take. There is quite a grind when it comes to just getting started.
But then, another thing I wish I'd known is that once you cross that hump, it gets much easier. If you think about the acting world, it's kind of easier to understand.
If you're an actor, it's super hard to get that first audition. Once you finally get an audition, you feel like you've crossed a milestone, but then you don't get the callback. So then you feel crushed.
I realized that this has occurred for pretty much anyway in the entertainment industry across all different departments and fields. Whether it's distribution or marketing agencies, etc.
It is a lot of perseverance that's required. I think that was a little unexpected, especially for parents who wished you picked a more stable career. It can feel helpless at times.
The only people who don't make it are the ones that give up. So it's really important to just stay with it and keep grinding. After the first success, it gets much easier the second time around.