Former Film Studio Execs Reveal How They Coped With Being Fired
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Fogelson isn't alone.
In fact, he was the third top film studio executive to lose his job this year.
But it shouldn't come as a surprise to studio execs, as the gig isn't known for its stability. (NBCUniversal vice chairman Ron Meyer is the exception to the rule after 18 years in the post.)
"You're essentially hired to be
THR talked to several top execs about what they did after leaving the studio world and found their answers were very similar.
They told the truth:
Bill Mechanic, Former Chairman at Fox Studio: "Everybody said, 'You shouldn't say you were fired. I did this interview saying I didn't resign, I got fired, and everybody thought I was stupid. [But] I don't think there's anything wrong with being fired in that job. Nobody lasts, nobody survives, so why would you think it's a big deal?"
Nina Jacobson, Former Head of Production at Disney, Current "Hunger Games" producer: "You're usually encouraged to come up with a party line about how you're pursuing your lifelong dream. I chose to be honest about it and not try to spin it as my choice when it wasn't."
And went back to work:
Donald De Line, Former President and Vice Chairman of Paramount: "I just went right back to work as a producer. It was disappointing, but I knew it was 50-50 at best when that kind of changeover happens."
Mechanic: "You think everything will evaporate, but it doesn't disappear right away. You can go to restaurants, you can still get seated. You don't become the plague."
Jacobson: "I will always remember the
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