Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Mangan and Michael Fisk. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jennifer and Michael, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
To paraphrase Confucius, All boats rise when the tide comes in. Or, as we say at The Business of Creating Institute, “Educate. Empower. Succeed.”
Before Michael and I co-founded the Business of Creating Institute, we met at a UCLA Extension marketing course, where he was a guest lecturer. 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 Lionsgate, 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 generous people will come on-board to help.
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. As with all of our panels, this was free and open to the public. We are an all-volunteer organization.
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.
We have now successfully produced over 30 panels and have become an official non-profit business! The Business of Creating Institute provides unique opportunities free of charge in order to truly provide an equal opportunity for all who wish to learn, grow, and succeed in the Entertainment Industry.
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 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. So when she asked me to watch a bunch of trailers, I was like “Sure”. I do that already for a living! LOL! 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.
Below are a few quotes from panelists and attendees:
The Business of Creating Institute brings together truly unique, incredible and diverse perspectives in an engaging way. Michael and Jennifer are both inspiring and impactful individuals with a passion to spread knowledge, wisdom and build a sense of community. It’s been a great honor to collaborate with them and I am excited to see the panels blossom into more. The practical and tangible lessons in the discussion are immensely valuable.
– Ariel Sara R. Media and Marketing Executive, BLOOM XO
“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 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!
Cynthia Q., Produer/Writer/Actress (Brooklyn, New York)
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!—Teresa T, Actress/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!—Ray M., Executive Producer
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
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 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. 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. We are an all-volunteer, non-profit organization.
The Business of Creating Institute was 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 is a seasoned film executive at MGM Studios, Warner Bros, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, and NBCUniversal who led global marketing for blockbusters like “James Bond”, “Harry Potter’s Fantastic Beasts” and “House of Gucci”.
Distinguished as a voting member of The Academy, globally renowned for The Oscars, Michael most recently worked as an Executive Producer of Michael Mann’s biopic “Ferrari.”
The next Business of Creating Institute panel will be on Thursday 18 January 2024 on FILM/TV RATINGS & CENSORSHIP: HOW TO KEEP CURSE WORDS, BLOOD, AND S*X IN YOUR SCENES.
For details and rsvp link: http://www.businessofcreating.org/business_of_creating_upcoming_events.html#/
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Curiosity, Determination, and Joy. I appreciate those qualities don’t seem synchronous with creating and running a business, but they are what keep Michael and myself excited to create and produce the next Business of Creating Institute event. Our natural curiosity for how to do something instills in us the excitement to connect with experts in that area. Our determination to learn and succeed and then share that knowledge with everyone instills in us the necessary moxy to get everyone on-board and actually produce the event. And, finally, both the joy and enjoyment we get from it all draws others to us, creating an amazing community of professionals who want to learn and network from each other, helping each other succeed.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Indeed, we have officially become a 501c3 non-profit and are looking for both individual donations and corporate sponsors. Donations and Sponsors allow us to keep events free and open to all, creating an inclusive, equal opportunity for all who wish to learn, grow, and succeed in the Entertainment Industry.
Please visit our website: www.businessofcreating.org
or Email: jennifer@beautifuldayproductions.us
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
