So You Made a Hit. Now the Real Hustle Starts
Producers behind unscripted winners on avoiding the one-and-done rut
If you’re in the business of making one-off shows or live event specials like Done + Dusted North America CEO Melanie Fletcher — who just produced BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang — building a strong brand as a production company is crucial. That means setting and taking meetings around town to ensure that your personal network remains strong even when you’re not actively in production and looking to sell your next title.
“Honestly, something that we were perhaps not great at, in the early days of Done + Dusted in America, was networking,” says Fletcher, who built up the firm’s London office before its expansion. “This entire industry is built on relationships. And if you’ve got something great to talk about and something great to offer a buyer, you need to be out in front. That hustle is real.”
In the wake of the BTS special, Fletcher says her team has been using the project as a “case study” to talk to clients about “what it takes to be the trusted partner to bring a live moment like that to life.” That is, lean into your expertise and show streaming and network execs why only you can do the job.
Trend forecasting is also incredibly important, she says. “The hard truth is the hit rate is low, so being able to develop things that you know are right for the market is key, and we’ve really learned where those hot spots are and sweet spots are, in terms of the idea, audience, market share, and what’s right for that buyer.”
Read the full article by Elaine Low:
