One Year of The Hollywood Assistant

By: Cathy Campo,

Creative Assistant, Netflix

Founder, The Hollywood Assistant

On February 6th, 2023, The Hollywood Assistant was born. Our first issue was sent to a “whopping” 48 recipients, all of whom are my close friends and family members. I knew I had tapped into something when issue two had an almost tenfold subscriber increase. Today’s newsletter has been sent to more than 1,500 subscribers.

Over the past 12 issues, we have brought you 24 interviews with industry insiders from assistants at companies including Hulu, Disney General Entertainment, and Hello Sunshine, to executives and producers in film, TV, and late-night. We have brought young Hollywood’s voices to life through op-eds highlighting the importance of work-life balance (Alexis Dorymu), calling for an assistant union (Don Rutledge), and detailing the drastic effect of the strikes on assistants (Natalie Lifson). We have been featured or mentioned in Business Insider four times, as well as The Hollywood Reporter’s newsletter, and we have amplified your voices loud and proud.

Further, in our previous issue, we proudly announced the launch of our podcast. Episode one (Bianca Stelian, Showrunners’ Assistant at SHOWTIME), episode two (Lauryn McCollum, Format Development Associate at Bunim/Murray Productions), and episode three (Luke Canavan, Production Assistant at NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon) are available now on Spotify. I enjoy podcasts that interview industry executives, but no one starts out at that level—and frankly, the industry has changed since they were our age. It’s time to amplify the voices of entry-level professionals and hear their advice and learn from them. If you’re interested in participating in a future podcast episode, let me know.

I’m often asked why I started The Hollywood Assistant. I don’t profit from the company; in fact, I’m net negative from the subscription for the e-mail software! It has never occurred to me to charge my own subscribers, and even if you choose to opt out of our mailers, you can find all issues for free on my LinkedIn and our company website. The truth is that it wasn’t too long ago that I was in the same position that many of you currently find yourself in. I grew up in New Jersey, a whole country across from the glitz and glamor of Hollywood.

Entertainment always seemed like a pipe dream. I fantasized about a resource like this—a safe space where I could learn how to “break in,” learn what a showrunner really does, the difference between a Segment and a Line producer, or what “rolling calls” even means. Later, I learned these things through my university alumni and internship network, but I recognize not everyone has this privilege. Not everyone attends college. After Brown, I landed a position as an NBC Page and then eventually, as a Creative Assistant at Netflix where I have had the joy of working for nearly three years. And in my “down time,” I’ve leveraged my journalism background (I’ve written for CNBC.com and E! Online) to give back and share as much as I could with all of you.

This brings me to some more news. This is a special issue for many reasons, another one of which is that it’s my final edition as an employee at Netflix. This fall, I’ll begin my MBA at Northwestern Kellogg School of Management where I’ll continue to pursue entertainment. I’ll never forget the assistant voices—the real powerhouses behind this industry (c’mon, we all know it!)—and I’ll continue to fight for you. Should I ever be lucky enough to secure a position at the top, you can expect higher wages, clearer promotions pipelines, and mentorship programs. Through bittersweet tears, I share that I’ve decided to leave Netflix at the end of the month. I’ll run a half-marathon, spend some time touring Asia, hopefully partake in a summer internship, and rejuvenate ahead of my program.

As I’m leaving the assistant world, it felt only fair that it would be time for me to step back from The Hollywood Assistant too. I’m thrilled to announce your new co-Editors-in-Chief taking over in April: Natalie Lifson (Agent Trainee, Buchwald) and Lucy Stover (Executive Assistant, More / Medavoy Management). I leave you in the capable hands of the most smart, talented women who share in our mission of championing assistant voices and making the industry more equitable. More from them in the April issue.

Whether you were one of the 48 originals or this is your first edition, thank you for tuning in. And thank you to my incredible newsletter, podcast, and website team. I will not sugarcoat that The Hollywood Assistant was a much bigger lift than I anticipated. I perform multiple rounds of edits on each op-ed, I edit each interview for length and clarity, I format and market each issue, and I secure many of our interviews. All of this would not have been possible without the incredible young Hollywood professionals who also volunteer their time to advance our mission. Thank you, Don Rutledge, Michelle Greene, and Gabriela Roasti who have contributed multiple interviews. Thank you, Sean Robbins, who diligently updates our website. And thank you, Natalie Lifson (your new co-Editor-in-Chief!), whose Hollywood Assistant op-ed was not only referenced in Business Insider, but who also pens each issue’s “Hollywood Buzz” section. Finally, thank you to my incredible podcast team: John Brahan, my co-host and editor, and Alexa D’Ambrosio, our head of social media.

To my assistant community: before I sign-off, I have one final call-to-action. If someone reaches out to you on LinkedIn or e-mail, respond. I know it’s difficult to find time to speak with every person who wants to “pick your brain,” but you were in their shoes once too. Take the call with that high schooler who dreams of being where you are. Help make their dreams come true. You have the power to make Hollywood a better place. All you have to do is send your avails.