Producers to Watch Panelists on Getting Fired, Hacked Footage and Why Hollywood Needs to Adopt the Costco Hot Dog Model
VarietyThursday, June 26, 2025 at 8:02:50 PM
A group of rising film producers, featured on Variety’s "10 Producers to Watch" list, got real about the messy, unpredictable side of Hollywood at the Bentonville Film Festival. They shared war stories—like getting fired, dealing with hacked footage, and even pitching the "Costco hot dog model" (cheap, reliable, and crowd-pleasing) as a metaphor for sustainable filmmaking. Trevor Wall, one of the panelists, reminisced about his humble beginnings as an intern at Will Smith’s company, highlighting the scrappy hustle behind the glamour.
Editor’s Note: Behind every polished movie, there’s chaos, creative problem-solving, and a lot of hot-dog-level pragmatism. This panel pulls back the curtain on how today’s producers navigate Hollywood’s highs and lows—useful for aspiring filmmakers or anyone curious about the gritty reality of making art in a profit-driven system.
— Curated via WP Now’s
