Let's Talk About Pivoting
Unpacking the fear and sadness surrounding a pivot out of Film & TV.
Introduction: Redefining the Pivot
The idea of pivoting can be difficult to wrap your head around. Not just because of the logistical challenges involved, but also because it can feel heavy. Like something you’re forced to do even if you don’t want to.
I’ve been talking about pivoting with dozens of film and TV professionals - some of whom have been doing the work for multiple decades - and the language they used was tinged with fear and sadness. Fear of the unknown road ahead. Fear of what others might think of them changing careers, and sadness for leaving an industry they came to love (even if that love wasn’t always reciprocal).
A few people likened the idea of pivoting to giving up.
OKAY, a lot of people likened pivoting to giving up. But still, I remained defiantly optimistic. Don’t get me wrong: As someone who has worked in writers’ rooms for nearly a decade and got the opportunity to write professionally for TV, I loved what I did. More than most, I would argue. But when it came time to shift careers, I still managed to frame the pivot as an exciting opportunity to change, to grow, to seek out new challenges. My goal with this post is to instill that same excitement in you.
The Reality Check: The Industry’s Contraction
Real talk: Film and TV is not doing so hot. The industry is currently suffering the worst contraction, maybe ever in its history??? Opportunities are drying up, and every tier of job - high, low and middle - is disappearing faster than we can say FAST or SVOD.
For many of us, who were already struggling to climb a broken ladder pre-pandemic / pre-strikes, this slump represents the ladder getting knocked over, chopped into firewood and burned to keep us warm during the harsh, 61 degree LA winter 🌴🥶.
All that is to say, it’s bad out there. But here’s the thing: It’s bad for everyone. We cannot look at our inability to find or keep work in a shrinking industry as a personal failing on our part. All we have to do - to paraphrase my favorite elderly wizard - is decide how to spend the talent that is given to us. And we have a lot of talent to give.
Adaptation, Not Surrender
I believe in the creativity, the adaptability, the work ethic and the intelligence of people emerging from this wonderful mess of an industry. I also believe in their ability to translate these, and dozens of others of soft skills, into jobs in other industries. Industries that are growing. Industries that could benefit from the imagination, creativity and resourcefulness of Hollywood’s best and brightest. Pivoting into these industries doesn’t mean discarding the skills we gained in our last career path. It means adapting these skills to something new.
Adaptation is such a powerful thing. It’s the foresight to recognize the changing winds, the strength to adjust our sails and change our heading, and the courage to chart an entirely new course. Or something. I’ve never really been good with boat stuff. The point is: Change is hard. It requires bravery and a strong sense of self. It is a worthy pursuit; the opposite of giving up.
New Markets Need Our Skills
When we look all around us in this industry and we see the sky falling, it’s hard to imagine that any industries are hiring, but I can tell you right now: There are a ton of industries that are starved for talent and place a ton of value in the skills that we bring to the table. Storytelling, collaboration, communication and problem-solving are all prized abilities, and you would be stunned at how few people in the professional world outside of film & TV possess them all.
Right now, there are a growing number of opportunities in multiple areas, from Ecommerce, renewable energy and cybersecurity to healthcare, construction and education. These industries are hungry for people who know how to navigate a professional setting, set achievable goals and communicate clearly with their colleagues. This all seems like pretty basic stuff, but these are the soft skills that are needed, and these are the soft skills that we have.
And even if none of the above industries appeal to you, you still have plenty of options. The entertainment industry is way, way bigger than just film & TV. By latest estimates, non-film and TV sectors - including gaming, music, live events, digital content, publishing and more - represent as much as 85% of the entertainment industry1. And nearly all of those sectors are growing.
Finding Strength in the Pivot
I get it: This change feels really uncomfortable. And that’s okay. It would be weird if it didn’t. But if we reframe the pivot as an opportunity to expand our skills and embark on new adventures, that anxiety and discomfort can very quickly shift into excitement and eagerness to get started. If you’ve been curious about another field like digital marketing or software design or content strategy, now’s your chance to dive in.
Conclusion
It’s okay to feel sad about leaving this industry and saying goodbye to a dream some of us have had since we were kids. Again - it would be weird if you didn’t feel sad about that. But my hope is that in time - the excitement you hold for the future will outweigh the mourning you have for the past.
More to come.
-Jon
Editor’s Note: GenAI helped me figure out the outline of this post, but I barely stuck to it, and the words are all mine.
https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2024/pwc-global-entertainment-and-media-outlook-2024-28.html