If you stop random people on the street and ask them if they know who Goku is, more would answer “yes” than you would expect. Goku is the main character of the most popular anime in the world, Dragon Ball. But, who is the man behind the popular manga? It’s Akira Toriyama, the creator who has given us so much more than we realize. Born in 1955, Akira Toriyama started drawing at a young age and became particularly interested in manga when his friend’s brother showed him his collection, including the popular manga Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka. After that, Toriyama started drawing small cartoon books about his daily life and took a job in advertising as a poster designer right out of high school. This job gave him the financial freedom to pursue his artistic passion. However, after three years of office life, where he found it difficult to rise early and often got scolded for dressing too casually, Toriyama quit. At age 23, with no money in his pocket and his parents on his case about becoming a productive member of society, he decided to enter into amateur manga competitions. Toriyama submitted his work to the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump in 1978. Shonen Jump’s editor at the time, Kazuhiko Torishima, thoroughly enjoyed Toriyama’s submission, but it was rejected for being a parody of Star Wars and not an original work. Still, Torishima saw Toriyama’s talent, and periodically sent him telegrams encouraging him to continue drawing. Later that year, the manga Wonder Island became Toriyama’s first official published work for Weekly Shonen Jump, and it kickstarted his long and storied career. After gaining some traction with his first female-led manga, Toriyama followed up with another female-led and first popular manga in 1980 called Dr. Slump, which turned Toriyama into a household name and earned him the Shogakukan Manga Award for best shonen manga series of the year. The shonen genre is typically targeted to adolescent boys who enjoy action and adventure, Dr. Slump’s popularity with a female protagonist further demonstrates Toriyama’s ability to draw anyone into his stories even if you think it’s not necessarily made for you. Dr. Slump’s success continued for four years with its continued publication in Weekly Shonen Jump as well as its anime adaptation in 1981. In addition to shattering glass ceilings in the male-led world of anime and manga, Dr. Slump served as inspiration for Shigeru Miyamoto, who would go on to design a little character named Mario in a game called Donkey Kong. When Dr. Slump ended several years later, Toriyama decided to make an adventure manga inspired by kung fu and martial arts movies, and in 1984, Dragon Boy, starring everyone’s favorite Saiyan Son Goku, hit the shelves. Initially, Toriyama didn’t want to make Dragon Boy too serious and didn’t intend for it to last very long. However, the readers’ positive reaction to Goku made Toriyama steer things in a more serious direction. By 1986, Dragon Boy evolved into Dragon Ball, which would spawn multiple spinoffs, card games, and movies, and go on to become one of the highest-grossing media franchises ever. Since then, Goku has captured the hearts of millions, including Eiichiro Oda, Tite Kubo, and Masashi Kishimoto, known as the creators of One Piece, Bleach, and Naruto, which have their own successful franchises (and, in the case of One Piece, a wildly popular live-action Netflix adaptation). Goku going “Super Saiyan,” considered one of the greatest transformations in anime history, even inspired Sonic the Hedgehog to go “Super Sonic.” Goku’s impact can also be felt in everything from Black Panther, where Michael B. Jordan’s (himself a self-professed anime superfan) outfit as Killmonger takes a cue from Dragon Ball, to the WWE’s Ronda Rousey and the songs and raps of Childish Gambino. Then, there are the regular people like me. I joined the Dragon Ball fandom after a lengthy lecture from my brother and his friend explaining all things Goku to me. What I didn’t realize at the time was that falling in love with Goku and his journey would make me fall in love with the entirety of anime and manga. The life lessons woven into the intricate storytelling provided a much-needed escape, and I’m sure many fans can agree that kind-hearted characters like Goku could make you believe that they’d be your friend if they were real. Sometimes all any of us needs is a friend in our corner. The impact and longevity of Dragon Ball showcase Toriyama’s dedication to his editors and publishers, his family and friends, and most importantly his readers and fans around the world. Last month, Akira Toriyama passed away from a subdural hematoma, and fans across the world came together in mourning. Governments publicly shared their condolences and acknowledged his impact on their citizens and many others. Some might not even realize this impact, or not know who to thank for a fond childhood memory of screaming “kamehameha!” with their friends. Maybe Toriyama himself wasn’t even aware of his impact, that his stories and their characters touched the hearts of millions. I like to think that he knew how important his work was even if he didn’t expect it to be. His light-hearted yet driven approach to fulfilling his dreams helped create a space for those who felt different or misunderstood. It helped lift people out of dark days and show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The creator of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto, shared, “I honestly don’t know what to write in such a sudden situation. But I want to convey what I’ve always wanted to ask Toriyama-sensei, my thoughts. From early elementary school with Dr. Slump to later years with Dragon Ball, Sensei’s manga has always been with me.” One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda said in his tribute post, “It’s too early. The hole is too big. The thought of never seeing you again fills me with sadness. I’ve admired you so much since I was a child, and I even remember the day when you called me by name for the first time.” Oda even took a month-long break from One Piece to mourn his friend and beloved teacher. The anime/manga industry as well as fiction in its entirety will continue to be influenced by Akira Toriyama’s characters and their ability to draw the reader into the story, cheering them on to the very end. His legacy lives on through them and will continue to spread for generations to come. Mario Inspiration source: https://comicbook.com/anime/news/mario-dragon-ball-akira-toriyama-arale/ Sonic Inspiration source: https://www.kanzenshuu.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=43669#:~:text=As%20many%20fans%20know%2C%20Yuji,inspiration%20from%20King%20Kai's%20Planet. Other manga artists tribute quotes: Oda: https://comicbook.com/anime/news/dragon-ball-one-piece-creator-akira-toriyama-tribute/ Kishimoto: https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/anime/naruto-and-one-piece-manga-writers-pay-tribute-to-dragon-ball-creator-akira-toriyama-101709985170951.html

When you attend the FUTURE NOW Media and Entertainment Conference, you not only gain knowledge, professional connections, and lifelong friends, but you also become eligible to apply for FUTURE NOW’s Mentorship Program. Currently, in its fifth year, this 9-month-long formal one-on-one mentoring program is one of the greatest opportunities for students and recent graduates to go deeper and learn from today’s industry leaders and professionals. FUTURE NOW Mentors generously give their time and wisdom, provide valuable guidance and feedback, and often open their networks to their mentees. Meet Mentor Kennedy Medina, Director of Programming at Cartoon Network, and  Mentee Elijah Minter, FUTURE NOW alum and aspiring animator. Anna: Tell me a little bit about yourself, Elijah. Elijah: I’m Elijah Minter, I’m an artist and my interests are film and animation. After receiving my degree in film, I've been studying animation on my own with resources online and books, so I’m just working on creating. I went to LaGuardia Community College for my first two years, then I transferred for a bachelor’s in Film and TV at Lehman College. Anna: Kennedy, what do you do? Kennedy: So my role at the Cartoon Network is the program planning and content strategy director. What that means is that I oversee everything you see on the linear networks in terms of long-term programming. I also manage Boomerang and I also manage kids content that goes up on Max. Anna: How did you find out about FUTURE NOW? Elijah: If I recall correctly, I received an email telling me about the program, and since then, I’ve met a lot of mentors and a lot of peers, and I’ve been with it ever since. I’ve been to the online conferences. Kennedy: I used to work with a lady named Sowon Sawyer who recommended me to FUTURE NOW, and I volunteered [as a mentor for the Speed Mentoring Sessions] at last year’s conference and I thought that the conference was phenomenal. Ever since then, I’ve tried to help them in any way possible. Anna: What made you want to join the mentorship program? Elijah: I like learning a lot and working with others, so I thought of it as an opportunity to expand my leadership skills and learn about elevator pitches, acing interviews—just learning different skills that I will need in my lifetime that will help me step into my career. I thought FUTURE NOW would be a great opportunity. Kennedy: I always wanted to be a mentor, because one of the biggest factors when I was young and trying to come into the media and entertainment industry was that I never had a mentor—someone who could help guide me and show me the ins and outs of the industry and how to grow within it. It wasn’t until I started working and some of my managers took me under their wing and started teaching me all the things that you need to succeed in the workplace that I realized that mentoring is important. If it wasn’t for their help, I don’t think I would be where I am, so I always wanted to pay it forward. One of the ways I do that is by mentoring college kids. Your success is never guaranteed unless you pay it forward. Anna: Kennedy, how did you cultivate your mentors in the workplace? Kennedy: I’ll be honest, being a first generation, entering the workplace I really didn’t have an understanding on how to present yourself, how to speak in meetings, how to voice your opinion. I needed to stick my pride in my pocket and ask for help. If you don’t know what you don’t, the only way to figure it out is to ask the question, and I had no one else to rely on except my managers. You try to lean on your coworkers, but you need someone with that experience who’s been through the cauldron to help you and guide you in the direction that you wanna go. It always helps to have an ally in your corner because they will work on the things that you might not be strong on but also elevate those strengths that you already have. Anna: Could you describe a bit of the FUTURE NOW mentorship process, Elijah? Elijah: It’s straightforward as you know what you wanna join the program for. FUTURE NOW takes your interest and matches it with mentors who may have an idea of the things you’re trying to pursue. They closely match you with someone you know you can learn from [in] that field. After you sign up, you work with your mentor and determine the days and times you want to meet. It can be as many times as you like. I’ve been meeting with Kennedy three times a month, and we would set deadlines for things I have to get done, like reviewing my StrengthsFinder test and just working on my résumé to [get] it up to par where I can send it off to companies. We would outline the steps I would need to take to help me reach my goal, and that consisted of putting my résumé into play and sending it out to companies I may want to connect with. Anna: In your opinion, Kennedy, what is the first step to finding mentorship? Kennedy: Attend events like FUTURE NOW. There are a lot of great organizations giving back to the community, and these organizations have networks. Volunteer with them, and contribute your time. These organizations offer you exposure because you get exposed to professionals in so many different capacities, and [if] you’re volunteering, you get face time in a natural setting as opposed to trying to reach out all the time. Volunteer, and join these nonprofit organizations. These are easy ways for you to network and broaden your horizons. When you volunteer, you’re coming out of your comfort zone and you’re doing something that you don’t always get the chance to do. You develop new skill sets. You might do something that you never thought you’d do and enjoy and that might set you up on a career that you never expected. Anna: Kennedy, how does mentorship change and evolve in your career? Kennedy: I think as you are further in your career, what’s important is for you to create a network—a network of folks in all different types of industries and all levels of experience, and just learn from them in different capacities. It’s great when I am learning from colleagues in sports who have a different perspective on the business and they tackle issues with a completely different mindset, but it’s also interesting when you hear a counterpoint from a law firm and how they go about doing business. Having a broad network broadens your horizons because you learn different ways of accomplishing projects from different perspectives, and I think that gives you a lot of different ways to be successful. Being able to tackle it from so many different points of view is interesting and I think it makes you a more well-rounded flexible person that can be relied on when there’s a situation or issue that arises. Anna: How have you seen yourself grow over the program, Elijah? Elijah: I would measure my growth based on my organizational skills, and just looking at my résumé from before I entered the program and looking at it now, it looks a lot more professional and it really speaks to me as a person. Anna: Elijah, what lessons will you take going forward? What will stick with you? Elijah: Putting myself out there—the things that I learned that I have to do as a professional stepping into the industry. Taking those traits and characteristics that I’ve learned with me into whichever field I go or any projects I’m working on. [Kennedy and I] think almost alike, so it hasn’t been back-and-forth. It’s just been understanding. Anna: Would you recommend this to others who want to be in the media industry? Elijah: I would recommend the FUTURE NOW program to anyone who’s in college who’s not sure what they want to do but they’re passionate. I think FUTURE NOW’s mentorship program really does a good job of teaching mentees about how the industry works, how professionalism works, and the characteristics you need to present yourself. If people are thinking about joining the program, I would encourage them to take it very seriously, that way they get the best out of it. Anna: Lastly, Kennedy, how did you see Elijah grow over the program? Kennedy: For me, it was about empowering [Elijah] to put himself out there. You don’t make the shots you don't take. This is a brilliant kid who has a lot of talent, very creative, and I had to help him get out of his head and understand that you have to expose yourself. You need to be out there, you need to build awareness for people to see who you are, and all the great productions that you’re creating. I tried to encourage him in different ways—you’re creating all these animated shorts, submit them for awards, reach out to production companies, and let them know that even if they don’t have an internship, you’d love to volunteer in any capacity. And I think that when he finally started sending emails and reaching out and some folks started replying back to him, it was like, ‘Oh, wait a minute, there is an interest in what I’m offering.’ and I think that helped him take more initiative and be more proactive. I want to get him a lot of informational interviews with subject matter experts that can also provide the necessary steps for him to take and further his career and enter the industry, because let’s be honest, media and entertainment have evolved a lot over the last couple of years, especially with the advent of streaming. It’s one of the few industries that evolves very rapidly and you have to adapt. I wanna make sure I give him enough options to succeed and pivot however he needs.

If you remember the visual effects in the Hungarian Horntail from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and in the Matrix Trilogy, then you are already familiar with Sarah Dowland’s work. The visual effects producer turned award-winning documentary filmmaker recently sat with FUTURE NOW Founder and CEO Peggy Kim to discuss her unexpected career journey. Dowland’s latest and proudest career achievement occurred just a week before when her film, Sue Bird: In the Clutch, premiered to sold-out audiences at the Sundance Film Festival.  “This, for me, was just a dream,” she said. The film follows the life of Sue Bird, one of the greatest women's basketball players of all time. She won two NCAA championships at the University of Connecticut, four Olympic Gold Medals with Team USA, and three WNBA titles with the Seattle Storm. She retired in 2022 after a remarkable twenty-year career. It was her leadership and activism on and off the court that inspired Dowland to tell her story. “I really wanted to do whatever I could to get her name out there because I felt like she should be a household name. She should be in that pantheon of great American athletes,” Downland explained. Sue Bird: In the Clutch is a story of growth and transformation, not only in Bird’s personal and professional life but also in the greater scheme of women’s sports. “Through that lens, it was telling a coming-of-age story of the WNBA… It was telling a story about women and their journey, culturally, over the last 20 years,” said Dowland. And, the audiences at Sundance were rapt. Sundance holds a special place in Dowland’s heart, especially as a lifeline for independent cinema as it showcases and celebrates smaller films and diverse stories. “Sundance, for me, epitomize[s] everything about independent filmmaking.” Dowland experienced a full-circle moment when she looked out into the audience and saw her mentor, the renowned award-winning documentary filmmaker, Alex Gibney. It was Gibney who had given her her first break in the documentary world over a decade ago. Growing up in Australia, Dowland embarked on her professional path in journalism, eventually finding herself immersed in the world of visual effects at Animal Logic, where she contributed to projects like The Matrix Reloaded. As the industry burgeoned, Dowland rode the wave of opportunity, witnessing Australia's rise as a creative hub for international productions. “Because the foreign exchange rate was attractive to American studios, they started investing in films to be made in Australia. And that started a whole cottage industry, and before I knew it, I was on back-to-back films,” Dowland said. She learned from industry professionals who were “generous and smart with their knowledge.” They were “prepared to share their knowledge and knew they needed to do it in order for them to grow.” Dowland worked on the cutting edge of visual effects in filmmaking, eventually moving to London, and then, New York.  But, as she continued to rise through the executive ranks, she increasingly missed the daily trenches of the creative process.  She longed for a change. Dowland was an Executive Producer in the film division of Framestore, the visual effects company hired by Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions to oversee the graphics package for his documentary film, We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks. "Meeting Alex was a matter of timing,” she said. Dowland had always wanted to work in long-form documentaries, and Gibney was looking for someone with animation and graphics knowledge to join his next project, “Zero Days,” about the world of cyber war. He hired Dowland to leverage her skills, integrating compelling graphics and animation to bring the story to life. The film won a Peabody Award. Looking back now, Dowland realizes this career opportunity proved pivotal, as collaborating with Gibney gave her “free schooling from one of the best.” She further emphasized, “It meant working alongside a luminary of the industry; somebody who gave me this short track to knowing how to do a deep dive journalistic documentary and all the things that are involved in that, from the legal side to the access side.” As Dowland noted, relationships can make or break a career. It was only due to a chance meeting with Gibney that her career trajectory changed and she moved to “the next part of [her] journey.” “At the time, I was just so busy trying to prove to him that I was worthy of this position that I don’t think I had a moment to reflect then,” she said, “but I can tell you when I stood on that stage at Sundance… and I looked out and I saw him in the audience, I absolutely knew that there was this direct thread between that opportunity 10 years ago and where I was standing at that moment, introducing my own film.” It was also through Jigsaw Productions that Dowland initially connected with Bird’s team. While she was finishing up another project, the company was approached by the executive producers of the Sue Bird project, who were looking for the right producing partner to do a film. Dowland pitched her approach to the story to Bird herself and got the green light, starting a 3-year-long filmmaking process. Initially, the concept was to follow Bird through her year of retirement in 2021. The story would focus on the reality of “retiring from the only thing you’ve ever known when you’re still a relatively young person,” Dowland shared. It seemed a solid plan. However, when Bird played in the Tokyo Olympics that year, “I was getting a sense that she wasn’t going to retire,” Dowland said. She was right. While this was good news for fans, for Dowland, it meant having to recraft and rewrite the film. The main challenge she faced? “I wasn’t getting any more money. Just over half of all of my shoot days were already gone in a season that now didn’t matter.” Fortunately, Dowland had been through difficult scenarios on her previous project, The Innocence Files, and knew how to handle things. “As a director, you really need to have that creativity to go, ‘All right, how can I re-tool this story: what have I got, what haven't I got, what are my must-get pieces, and what can I sacrifice in other areas of the budget if I really have to.’” Limitation breeds creativity and often uncovers new aspects of a story.  As Dowland put it, “I love the process of the story revealing itself to you. You go in thinking it’s something, and then it reveals itself to be something else that’s richer.” Still, while Dowland relished the challenge, it posed financial problems. Since Bird did not retire in the time frame originally planned, the budget had to be stretched over 3 years as opposed to the scheduled 12–15 months. “People don’t talk about the economics of making docs, [but] that is the honest truth.” While in the past Dowland would work on two projects at a time to ensure a more secure income, she made the “calculated risk” to dedicate herself fully to the Sue Bird project. “I didn’t feel that I could split my attention, especially because of the story challenges,” she explained. She told herself, “If I do it right, that will be what’s more important,” trusting that the final product would become a calling card for more opportunities to come. In the process, Dowland followed her own advice of having “passion and perseverance." When choosing a topic to explore, Dowland urged aspiring filmmakers in the audience to “pick something that you are passionate about… that resonates with you.” Her reasoning? Filmmaking “will take a long time. It will take perseverance…You will need some other kind of driver that is compelling you to tell that story” despite the “many other life-practical forces that will point to doing something else.” Additionally, Dowland recommends young professionals to “work with the best people possible… If you have someone you admire or a company whose work you admire, try and work for them.” Reflecting on her career, she shared, “I selected and sought out quality people and companies to work with.” One of Dowland’s final pieces of advice was to “learn how to take feedback.” She explained, “I can’t improve it unless people are willing to be honest,” and they can’t give feedback unless “I’m willing to receive it in that way.” On a film set, where cooperation is paramount, the ability to give and take feedback is critical to success. And, as any good filmmaker knows, it does “take a village. You are never doing anything independently.” Without an honest and accountable team, Dowland might never have made it to Sundance to share Sue Bird’s story with the world. Sundance celebrated the entire filmmaking team and elevated every person who contributed to the project. “Having Sue there and watching her get the stage and the platform that I was really hoping the film would provide” was everything.

For Katherine Liu, Chief Operating Officer of the International Markets Division of Paramount Global, a major turning point in her career came at age 22. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting from Georgetown University, she got a job at an investment bank. She was assigned to work on a deal, and she was on it round the clock, working overtime and sleeping in the office every night. She even canceled vacation plans. The pressure was intense and her nerves were frayed. “We [were] killing ourselves for this deal,” she recounted in a recent Leadership Talk with FUTURE NOW Founder and CEO, Peggy Kim. But, after all that, the deal fell through. It was crushing, but it was also the wake-up call Liu needed to change her life. She had pursued the banking job because “it was the nice, safe thing to do,” and she joked, due to a “lack of imagination.” But the failed deal forced her to dig deep and ponder, “What if the deal went through? I mean, was that going to change my life? Really? What’s the end goal of this whole thing? Am I changing the world? Am I even changing anything that I’m going to notice? “It made me realize that if I was going to throw myself into something, it had to be for something that I could at least relate to.” Liu decided to leave the job and take a timeout to travel around Asia.  While still trying to figure things out, she also went and got an MBA from Harvard Business School. She knew she wanted to live in the United States and be near her family, but her experience in Beijing and Hong Kong piqued her interest in working globally while still being in a “consumer-facing space.” As an avid consumer of media and entertainment, Liu was always fascinated by “the choices that people make day in and day out with their time and their leisure.” So, she decided to make a career pivot into the media industry, where she could bring her finance, strategy, and business development acumen to bear in a meaningful way. She got her foot in the door at News Corporation as a Corporate Development Analyst, then as a Business Development Manager at STAR Television, before moving to MTV Networks International to work in strategy and business development. Liu has been at Paramount (formerly ViacomCBS, Viacom) for 17 years now, rising through the ranks to her current role as COO of the International Markets Division. Today, she is laser-focused on creating strategic value across all of Paramount’s businesses and oversees the international functions of Finance, Business and Legal Affairs, Strategy, Technology, Research and Insights, and Operations. Just as in her investment banking days, Liu still cuts deals—only now the deals often include a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. Liu described her current role this way: “You’re trying to get the trains to work on time with the right number of people on the right track going to the right place and stopping at the right time.” To navigate these moving parts, Liu said, “Ultimately, you need to get in a room with people who may or may not have anything to do with you, who may not even like you, and you’ve got to get something done. And I think that’s at the heart of every job.” When Liu first joined the company, it was focused on high-definition linear channels.  Social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube were startups that were barely a concern to the long-established major media companies. But, things would soon change. The speed of technological advancement and innovation was increasing at a rate never seen before, and it would be disruptive, positive, negative, exciting, and stressful...no more business as usual. “In many ways, the evolution of the industry has mirrored… the evolution of our culture,” Liu says. The digital wave kickstarted by YouTube “democratized a lot of things about the industry” by lowering the barrier to entry. Traditional business models and ways of doing things have been disrupted and changed forever, forcing companies to rethink and reimagine the future.  However, there are still underlying constants. At the end of the day, Liu said, “Entertainment… is all about the way people consume, communicate, talk about each other, how they see themselves. I think there’s a lot we can learn about people based on what they do in their free time.” However, how people spend their leisure time varies from market to market, Liu told attendees. A big question that drives her work is “What does your brand mean in the market?” Do customers want localized content, or do they have an affinity for US-produced content? What are their cultural tastes and preferences? As an example, Liu explained that Japanese consumers tend to prefer non-humanoid characters such as SpongeBob and shy away from humanoids like Dora the Explorer, even though Dora was one of Nickelodeon’s biggest shows when it aired. And, despite the massive sea change from linear to streaming in the U.S., some markets, like South Africa, still prefer linear channels. From a professional perspective, working internationally as a woman in oftentimes very patriarchal cultures also has its interesting moments. Liu shared a story about one client who spent most of the dinner trying to set her up with his nephew.  Instead of getting offended, she let his comments slide and focused on securing the deal. “Part of you could get… very offended by this and walk out in a huff, but you know, it’s a big world… This guy had grown up in a very different environment.” “You learn to do business the way you need to do business—obviously within the bounds of good taste and your values,” she says. In the end, “we’re human first. And you try to just be there on a human level with someone.” (Liu recommends Erin Meyer’s book, The Culture Map, which discusses how to connect across cultures in a rapidly globalizing world.) As a global leader, understanding different cultures and their different business approaches and professional norms is critical to success. Liu also keeps the ‘human first’ mindset to connect with her team. “I try to get to know everybody on a human level and encourage… whatever they need to keep that side of their lives very much healthy and in a good place.” She regularly checks in with her team, and while she prioritizes face-to-face interaction, she allows everyone the flexibility they need to get their work done and stay healthy, both physically and mentally. “You have to make time for those things,” Liu emphasized. “You only have twenty-four hours in a day and you only have so much time and energy and money, and you [have to] expend that energy and that time in very specific ways to get done what you need to get done but also to live the kind of life that you need to live.” For Liu, being clear about your values can help you find your North Star. “What drives you as a person?” she asked attendees. “What makes you really interested in something? [When have you read or watched something and thought], I want more of that?” Liu also shared that it's also important to “pay attention to times where you’re like, ‘This sucks!’” Every opportunity can help you “learn about yourself and…bring you closer to whatever it is that you want in life." For those who are looking for a job, Liu has some sage advice. “I want to hire people who are going to make my life easier,” she said. “Show that you have solved problems, delivered outcomes, and made something easier for someone.” A résumé “should be a list of what you got done” and should “show… the outcomes of what you did. It shouldn’t look like the job description.” When sending in a résumé or cover letter, or when preparing for an interview, she strongly recommends that you not only emphasize how much you want the job, but what you will do to be an asset to the team. “How is this going to help me, how is it going to help the company?” Liu posited. And for those whose parents might be pushing for a more traditional career path—like investment banking—Liu acknowledged that “as a parent now, I sort of see it from the other side.  It’s all driven by obviously a deep love of your kids, but also… you want to keep them from the crappy stuff. You want to make sure they’re secure, you want to make sure they’re taken care of… In many cases, your parents just don’t know how to communicate their wishes and their fears and their concerns for you, because it’s very difficult for them.” Liu encourages students to try to understand their parents’ fears.  Are they afraid you won’t be able to pay your rent? Are they afraid you won’t be able to pay down your student debt?  She advises having concrete answers on how you might address their concerns. “I guarantee that will make them feel better,” Liu said. To cap off the talk, Liu referred to an article by her old business school professor, Clay Christensen, which had a profound impact on her, called “How Will You Measure Your Life?” In the article, Christensen writes, “Don’t worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped become better people. This is my final recommendation: Think about the metric by which your life will be judged, and make a resolution to live every day so that in the end, your life will be judged a success.” Words to live by.

One of my favorite childhood memories is waking up early every Saturday morning, grabbing my bowl of cereal, and sitting on the couch ready to watch the newest One Piece episode with my brothers. Anime has changed my life and that of many others. Even though it was created in the ’50s, the Japanese media found success in the ’80s and ’90s with the release of globally recognized titles like Akira, Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto. However, only recently has anime become a truly global juggernaut. 2023 has been a significant year for One Piece in particular. The main character, Monkey D. Luffy is getting his own balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He will be the first anime character to be included in one of the most iconic American events since Goku from Dragon Ball in 2018. This is a big deal for all One Piece fans, but it’s also very special to me as I’ve been following along with Luffy’s transformational journey since childhood. When Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece first hit shelves in 1997, it started out as a typical shonen manga about a young boy’s journey to becoming the greatest pirate ever. Shonen manga is an editorial category of mangas targeting an audience of adolescent boys and is usually action-packed with little plot or character development. However, One Piece stood out with its ability to transport you to its fictional world while still addressing real-life situations that many can relate to. Each character comes with their own compelling backstory that creates layers of meaning in each story arc and helps the audience get to know the characters on a deeper level. While One Piece is hardly the only anime to have gained more popularity recently, it is the first anime to have a successful Netflix live-action adaptation. One of the biggest things fans look for with a live-action adaptation is the production’s staying as true to the source material as possible. Fans were disappointed in Netflix’s past live-action adaptations of Death Note, Cowboy Bebop, and Fullmetal Alchemist because of poor casting and oddly paced scripts. They felt there was no on-screen chemistry between important characters and that the plot was rushed. It’s no wonder that One Piece fans were apprehensive when a live-action adaptation was announced. However, Netflix learned from its past mistakes and wisely hired One Piece super fan, Matt Owens, as showrunner and executive producer on the project. He did not disappoint. Owens interacted with fellow fans via social media in what seemed to be an attempt to ease some of the tension surrounding accuracy and staying true to the source material. He answered questions and provided clarity about plot direction once the show actually aired. Netflix also knocked it out of the park when it came to casting, even flying out the manga’s creator, Eiichiro Oda, to LA to be a part of the casting process. While each and every character casting has been flawless, Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy and Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp are my favorites so far. Their ability to capture the personalities of the characters while adapting to live-action pacing has been impressive. All of these well-executed aspects now have the numbers to back them up. Within the first week of release, the adaptation received a phenomenal 18.5 million views and was number one in the streaming platform’s Top 10 across 84 countries, narrowly passing the records that were previously held by series such as Wednesday and season four of Stranger Things, which held the number one spot in 83 countries at the time of their release. Another way to enjoy anime is by watching them in the theater. It has been a surreal feeling to watch action-packed anime movies on the big screen, in public, with other people, instead of in the comfort of a blanket fort on my bedroom floor. In the past year, the One Piece franchise has held special screenings of previously released movies such as One Piece Film: GOLD and One Piece: STAMPEDE, and its highest-grossing movie to date, One Piece Film: RED, which grossed over US$246.5 million worldwide, making it the 6th highest-grossing anime and Japanese film of all-time, surpassing new gen anime films Jujutsu Kaisen: 0 and timeless classics like Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle. It may not seem like much in the world of today’s Hollywood blockbusters, but it is a noteworthy accomplishment for anime/manga and its community of fans. Alongside other popular anime like Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Demon Slayer. One Piece has made a name for itself in the industry, setting and breaking records with each passing day. For Macy’s to make it official and give Luffy his very own balloon is a major nod to anime fans across the world. It’s amazing to see this level of recognition on a global scale, and I hope the open-mindedness we’ve seen only continues to grow.

How do you go from shooting family movies in the backyard as a kid in Iowa to overseeing operations of a production company whose films have earned over half a billion dollars at the box office? Just ask Jonathan Coleman, Executive Vice President of Guy Walks Into a Bar. Coleman recently sat down for a Leadership Talk with FUTURE NOW CEO and Founder, Peggy Kim, and shared how he broke into the business and ended up running the operations of Guy Walks into a Bar, best known for the Christmas classic Elf, Sully, Perfect Stranger, and The Professor and the Madman. Coleman had dreamed of being a filmmaker since he was a boy. He convinced his mother to get him a Super 8 so that he could capture precious family memories. It was an ingenious move that would fuel his passion for storytelling. While film school might have seemed like the natural track for him, he attended Wheaton College, which did not have a formal film program. Nevertheless, he took every film class he could while getting his BA in Communications and Media Studies, and honed his filmmaking skills outside of class, shooting short films with his friends on the weekends. Though he didn’t know it at the time, all that dedication would pay off…eventually. During his sophomore year, he met Wheaton alum and filmmaker Todd Komarnicki, who had just produced Elf and had come to speak on campus. Coleman approached him after his talk and made plans to meet Komarnicki over coffee in NYC. A mentoring relationship was born. After graduating from Wheaton, Coleman was intent on finding a job, any job, to pay off his school loans. “My first job out of college was data entry at a factory in Palatine, Illinois, and it was miserable,” he told attendees. After that, he worked as a financial consultant for nonprofits for two years. Still, he knew he wanted to be in the film industry, and after working at two jobs he didn’t love, he “was really ready to take a giant leap of faith.” Five years after their first meeting, Komarnicki offered Coleman a job as his assistant at A Guy Walks into a Bar in NYC, and the rest is history. Coleman steadily rose up through the ranks to his current position as EVP. He likens his job to being a “conductor, making sure all of the instruments are playing in sync.” Coleman learned about the long cycle of getting a film made. Making a movie—even a small one—is a laborious process. “[The production process is] always seven years, even when the movie doesn’t happen,” Coleman quipped. “It’s not for the impatient, that’s for sure.” “Sully,” Todd Kormanicki’s screenplay about the Miracle on the Hudson, took six-and-a-half years to come to fruition before it scored an Oscar nomination for Tom Hanks. At A Guy Walks Into a Bar, five employees balance the current slate of 55 projects in various stages of development or production, some of which may never come to fruition. Oftentimes, they will be approached by someone in the hope of adapting preexisting intellectual properties, and then Coleman and his team go to a studio to get funding for the production. Even after all this, filming might fail, or, in the case of television shows, the show might not get picked up during the pilot season. “We run a tight ship,” Coleman said. Of course, being in the production world has been precarious lately due to the Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America strikes, but when asked about the strikes (this talk was filmed before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were resolved), Coleman expressed his wholehearted support. “I have picketed with people in solidarity,” he said, “[and] I’m very much in favor of labor and protecting labor.” Coleman had just graduated from college when the WGA went on strike in 2007 when the threat of artificial intelligence loomed less large on the horizon, but concerns over fair pay remained the same. AI, streaming, and the increasingly consolidated corporations all “come together in this crucible,” Coleman explained, and it’s on this crucible that the WGA, SAG, and major studios have been tested. Due to those issues, Coleman acknowledged that making independent films has become harder. Before streaming, “you could actually get a theatrical release for [your film]. There was more cinema.” But now, it has become increasingly difficult to turn a profit on a film. Still, Coleman is optimistic that the strike agreements and the success of some smaller, independent movies, such as last year’s Oscar-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” will help independent cinema turn a new corner. Starting a career in this environment might seem daunting to industry hopefuls. Coleman was open about his own struggles when he first took a leap of faith to pursue his dream. “New York [after he first moved] was difficult,” he admitted, but he advised students to try and fall in love with what they’re doing. “Love is actually the answer to almost everything in the world, but specifically this career,” Coleman said. It might not come easily, but “you can cultivate [love]” by figuring out how “to turn this from an outcome-based thing to a process-based thing.” What parts of a job can you fall in love with? What little things can you find love in? “The ability to put one foot in front of the other is not something you should underestimate,” advised Coleman. Coleman ended by telling about his pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain. During this time, he reflected on “the ability to calm down and just walk, one foot in front of the other, [is] a reminder that life is a journey and we’re all in it together.” No matter how difficult the journey might get, just walk forward with love, and things will turn out alright. “I try to always live my life remembering that we’re walking each other home.”

Executive producers Kari McFarland and Pam LaLima both have more than 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry, developing and show-running iconic reality show hits like Jersey Shore, Mob Wives, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, and Black Ink Crew. Together, they have produced almost every type of reality, celebrity, dating, and design show. They first met in 2005 while working on the pilot of A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila. McFarland worked on the network side at VH1 before the show moved to MTV, while LaLima worked as a Supervising Producer at 495 Productions. It would be the beginning of more reality show collaborations. Most recently, the two worked on “Super-Sized Salon,” a reality show on WeTV about a salon catering to the plus-sized community in Las Vegas. They recently sat with FUTURE NOW Founder & CEO Peggy Kim for a Leadership Talk to share about their intertwined journeys. “We both were huge Real World fans,” McFarland explained. That love drew her and LaLima into the reality TV industry. When A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila peaked, it might have seemed like “the height of the really wild and crazy stuff.” However, reality TV has existed since the introduction of live television in the 1950s. “[Unscripted television] has really kind of always been there," said LaLima. But how does one actually create a reality television show? “From the production side… there are two different ways that we get to the start of a show,” LaLima explained. The production team constantly develops and workshops ideas, and then, pitches them to a network. If the network likes an idea, “we do a pilot to test it, then we get greenlit to series.” Sometimes “the networks bring the show to us… and approach us as a production company,” which is what happened with “Jersey Shore.” But before getting greenlit, there is an all-important step: casting. “Casting is one of the most important parts of making a show,” LaLima emphasized. Though reality television naturally comes with a layer of artifice, “the audience is going to immediately sniff out someone who is [too] fake.” Openness and honesty in casting are critical to the process. “The best things that actually happen… and the ones that really do break through, they’re real,” McFarland added. “How do we create an environment where we can allow for this great stuff to happen?” LaLima shared, “If you watch with the volume off and you’re still watching, you have someone who’s very entertaining.” Casting needs to look for someone outgoing and animated, whose charisma shows through even when silent, but that might look different for each show. “You can tell right away when someone is playing [a] part… [or] trying to get cast on TV,” and LaLima wants to avoid that. Though McFarland has worked most of her career on the network side, she started out in production, giving her valuable insight into how shows get made. “Having that experience from the production side was very, very helpful for me,” McFarland said. She described the process needed both during production and post-production to catch little moments or go back and see where the seeds were for the big finale. “It’s a collaborative symphony,” she explained. On the network side, there is internal collaboration as well, which includes: executive producers; producers; writers; programming and development teams who look at titles to acquire, commission, co-produce, and schedule; legal teams who work on contracts and rights and clearances; sales and distribution teams; marketing, creative services, and public relations groups; and more. For those who might be interested in a career in programming or development, McFarland proffered, “I think it’s much easier to get started… if you start on the production side.” She also disabused the audience of the notion that a job at a network is somehow more stable, noting the cycles of layoffs and belt-tightening in recent years. But, McFarland also encouraged the audience not to wait for opportunities to present themselves. Whether you want to work at a production company or a network, don’t just wait for job listings. “Yes, apply on LinkedIn… but also go look at the shows and the production companies that you like… and write to them, and follow up with them,” she advised. “Write from your heart, and make it short, memorable, and succinct… You [only]need one person to want you.” LaLima also shared words of wisdom from her own experience as an intern. Even though it was low-level, she advised everyone to “take it seriously.” Even a coffee run should be treated with importance because those jobs “are teaching you things you will need in the future. Care about it. You are making a difference.” “There is nothing like hard work, enthusiasm, [and] showing that you’re a responsible person,” McFarland added. “It goes by so fast if you keep working and plugging at it. So, please have fun along the way… It will come if you continue to have the right attitude and do the work.”

From September 15 to October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. The nationwide holiday commemorates the beautiful cultures, histories, and achievements within the Hispanic/Latin American community. Growing up in a Latino household, my family taught me and my siblings about our culture primarily through music, food, and stories about their lives back home in Panama, but also through film and television. I strived to find myself within these different media outlets, and they inspired my love for music and film. During this time we acknowledge the incredible diversity within the Hispanic community, including different dialects of language, cuisines, art forms, and customs. It reinforces a sense of belonging and unity among the Hispanic/Latino community living in the United States and around the world. Recognizing Hispanic achievements during this month can inspire younger generations to pursue their dreams and goals. It showcases the community's role models and success stories, demonstrating hard work and determination, and motivating anyone to achieve their aspirations. With that being said, representation plays a huge role in people’s lives regardless of age. So to celebrate this month, I wanted to highlight some incredible films that captivate us all and show the world just how incredibly talented we can be. Disney’s first Latin American Musical: Encanto Encanto shook the world with its release in November 2021 as Disney’s first Latin American musical. The movie tells the story of the Madrigal family, where each member has a special power that allows them to contribute to helping the town they live in. Each member—except for Mirabel, that is. She is the only one without a special power and because of this, she struggles to feel included and seen. When things begin to turn for the worse between the magical house they live in and the town of Encanto, it may be up to Mirabel to figure out how to save everyone. The story tackles relatable topics as well as a common family dynamic. What made me appreciate this movie even more was the fact that the people involved in the filmmaking, did extensive research to convey the culture of the country and its people properly. This included traveling to Colombia to see their day-to-day lives. The Disney directors contacted Colombian filmmakers Juan Rendon, Natalie Osma, and other Colombian consultants who helped them showcase the magic and tradition in its authenticity. Their main goal was to “highlight the specific aspects of the country that they thought were important to the culture” (LaTimes). I also treasure how they displayed that Latinos can be all different shades and skin tones with diversity among families, which made me gravitate toward this remarkable tale. The directors even consulted Colombian journalist, Edna Liliana Valencia on the hair texture of the Black Colombian characters and specific instruments like the Marimba de Chonta. Encanto received an audience score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 3 Academy Award nominations, winning Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. Representation grabs the attention of the world, makes history, and opens the door to more opportunities for the community to continue to thrive. Where there is diversity, there is power. Other movies to note with Latin American representation: Blue Beetle (Theaters) Vivo (Netflix) Coco (Disney+) Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Disney+) You can find ‘Encanto’ and many other incredible stories on Disney+, Netflix (Vivo), in theaters (Blue Beetle), and across all other streaming platforms! Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! ________ SOURCES: Colombia Consultants 'Encanto' is Disney's first Latino musical. How the filmmakers got Colombia right Audience Score Encanto - Rotten Tomatoes

Ian Lynch, the Global Head of Campaign Management at Spotify, took a surprising path to his current role, as he revealed in a recent conversation with Peggy Kim, CEO, and Founder of FUTURE NOW. His journey is a testament to the unpredictable nature of life, filled with lessons of resilience, adaptability, and balance. From Coroner to Wordsmith: Discovering His True Passion An aspiring coroner, Lynch enrolled in the pre-med program at the University of Southern California. But, he discovered that he was much better at writing papers than dissecting bodies. So, he pivoted and became an English and creative writing major. Like many college students, Lynch did not know what he wanted to do after graduation, but—after a stint as a temp—found himself as an editor at PR Newswire, where he stayed for almost four years. The Value of Education: Lessons Beyond Academics From there, his career journey evolved into more operations and managerial roles at companies like LeisureLInk, YP, Amazon, ESPN, Disney, and now, Spotify. Lynch exudes a genuine passion for people and processes, and his career progression is an example of leaning into one's strengths and talents...and the joy of discovery. Despite the seemingly unrelated nature of his degree and career, Lynch emphasizes the invaluable lessons he learned during his academic years. These lessons transcended majors, teaching him to collaborate effectively with diverse personalities and solve complex problems. In his words, "It doesn't matter what major you're in; school helps you find the way to balance partnerships and ensure your voice is heard, without having to be the loudest person in the room." Spotify's Global Maestro: Ian Lynch's Career at a Glance Today, Lynch leads Spotify's Campaign Management team, responsible for ensuring that Spotify's advertising partners achieve their objectives. His team provides essential support by sharing reporting data, managing assets, and finalizing billing, among other vital tasks. In addition, Lynch oversees the technical operations team, responsible for troubleshooting technical issues, as well as the house and labels campaign teams. House campaigns showcase Spotify's latest features, while labels campaigns introduce new artists to the platform. Triumph Over Trials: Lessons from Adversity Ian Lynch's journey to success was not without its challenges. In 2014, right after his wife gave birth to twins, Lynch lost his job and he struggled to find work for the next six months. Though it was a very stressful time, he reflects on it today with appreciation as it gave him a chance to be there with his children and a hopeful and positive perspective on change. Lynch shares, "You look back and think, 'I'm in such a better position than I ever was previously'… and you’re really grateful for having gone through that tough period.” Recent graduates who can relate to the stress of job hunting will find inspiration in Lynch's story. He advises giving oneself breathing room and acknowledges that it's okay to feel upset for a day, as long as you continue to search for the next opportunity and grow. Honesty as a Virtue: Being True to Yourself in Job Searches For those embarking on job searches in unfamiliar territory, Lynch offers a valuable piece of advice: be candid about your experiences. Lynch landed his first role in digital advertising at ESPN despite having no direct industry experience. He boldly admitted his lack of experience in digital advertising but emphasized his expertise in related fields and how he could bring value to the role. In his view, "There is no replacing eagerness, ambition, [and] willingness to learn and grow." Adaptability: Riding the Waves of Change Adaptability has been a hallmark of Ian Lynch's career. He highlights that even when things don't go according to plan, one often ends up in a better place than anticipated. Lynch encourages individuals not to be too hard on themselves and to learn to adapt and go with the flow. This doesn't mean suppressing emotions, but rather channeling them into productive action and exploring new opportunities that arise from change. Leadership as an Ongoing Journey: Learning from Others To continually improve his management style, Lynch prioritizes learning from others. He believes that the most critical aspect of management is learning from different perspectives. This includes insights from managers and leaders at various levels, as Lynch explains that leadership isn't confined to a specific role but can be embodied by individuals at any level. The Importance of Mental Health and Empathy As a leader, Lynch strives to create a culture of support rather than judgment within his team and is open about his own mental health struggles. “In college at the time, [I] was really, really suffering from depression and probably some ADHD.” Spotify promotes "fika," the Swedish equivalent of coffee breaks, and he goes the extra mile to be available to his team members, often meeting one-on-one over coffee. Lynch believes it helps him stay in tune with his team's experiences and be the best manager and support he can be. Banishing the Imposter: Balancing Logic and Emotion Despite his position, Ian Lynch admits to grappling with imposter syndrome at times. “It is very, very important to balance the logical with the emotional,” he advises. Anyone at any level can feel imposter syndrome, and to counteract this, he encourages taking a look back at your accomplishments. “Give yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished in the past,” he said, and “be grateful, be happy, because you’re doing a great job.” Navigating Life's Rapids: Embracing Change In conclusion, Ian Lynch's story offers a beacon of hope to those navigating the challenging waters of life and career. He reminds everyone that periods of stress often precede success. "Right now is the time to go out there and learn, and it's fine to fail because you learn from failure." College and post-graduation life may seem like a series of hurdles, but the key is to give yourself the time and space to adapt and grow. "You don't need to have it all figured out right now." Embrace change and uncertainty, for they are the currents that will carry you to your intended destination.