Category: GEMA, GEMA Alumni Spotlight

Title:GEMA Alumni Spotlight – Ben Iguchi (B’16), Manager, Original Series, Comedy @ Netflix

Ben Iguchi (B’16) is a creative executive on Netflix’s live-action comedy team, overseeing various original series, such as Cobra Kai, from pitch to launch.

Ben Iguchi

What was your first “big break”? Or, what is the most significant experience you have had that has made your success possible?

Heading into the summer of junior year I had no clue what I wanted to do for a living, while all of my friends in the MSB had internships lined up in New York. All I knew was that my future didn’t involve building models in Microsoft Excel every day – there’s not enough money in the world. I cold-called CAA, WME, UTA, and ICM in search of a job, and was rejected by every one of them until APA (now IAG) gave me a part-time, unpaid internship. Along the way, it feels like I’ve had many small breaks, but they were all building towards one big break in 2020 when some supportive colleagues encouraged me to share an idea for a show I had been thinking about, which was ultimately greenlit.

What is the most challenging part of your job? What is the most rewarding part?

You really can’t have one part without the other. There’s no better feeling than making someone’s dream come true, and no worse feeling than having to say no or pass on a pitch. 

What is something current you are working on that you are excited about?

Our upcoming slate of original comedies including Nobody Wants This, A Man on the Inside, and No Good Deed are all incredible, but I can’t wait for fans to see the final season of Cobra Kai!

How is the ever-changing media landscape affecting your industry?

It’s an exciting time! I feel like the greatest competition in the industry isn’t between streamers like Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, and Max, and rather between long-form scripted content and easily digestible digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. There are far more ways for people to spend their free time now than there were 10 years ago. 

Are there any ways that you feel Georgetown especially prepared you for your career?

Georgetown taught me that there’s always more you can be doing. It’s possible to get passing grades without trying too hard, but if you really want to make the most of your experience, you can’t sit back and wait for things to happen. This industry is built on that same premise—there’s always a new writer to read, comedian to discover, movie to see, or email to send. It taught me to never be complacent, always striving for more.

What is your best advice to those who are starting out in your field?

Look at the mailroom and being an assistant as our version of business school or law school, only you’re getting paid rather than racking up debt. Learn from those around you, pay attention, read scripts, understand the rationale behind decisions, and don’t be afraid to speak up. 

Best Business Advice Received:

Ask questions! You never know as much as you think you do, and asking insightful questions shows interest, not shortcomings. 

Trait You Most Admire in People: 

Respectful candor.

Favorite App, Website, Podcast or Social Platform (other than related to your own company):

My hour-long commute to and from the office is always filled with podcasts – my consistent rotation is filled with Pardon My Take, Smartless, and The Town.

Favorite Georgetown Professor:

Doug McCabe – as terrified as I was of him every time I stepped into that classroom, he made me laugh every single day. 

Favorite Georgetown Restaurant or Bar:

The Tombs on Wednesday night (that Chicken Parm holds a special place in my heart), Rhino in a past life, and Filomena on all other nights.

Favorite Georgetown Memory:

College Gameday, March 9, 2013.

 

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