Recently named Executive Producer of Programming at AwesomenessTV, Liza Glucoft had her finger on the pulse of the digital marketplace before most people knew it even existed. She was one of the first employees at Who What Wear working in video and then joined Popsugar as the Head of Fashion and Beauty, Video where she launched their live show. She’s led video production at places like Condé Nast Entertainment and Thrive Market, and even ventured on her own to work with brands like ATV and Darby Smart.
Vital Stats
Name: Liza Glucoft
Company: Awesomeness TV
Title: Executive Producer
Hometown/where are you from?
Los Angeles, CA
Present hometown/where do you live and work?
Los Angeles, CA
Education
College: University of Southern California
Major: Theater and Creative Writing
Social Info
Instagram: @lizaoglucoft
LinkedIn: Liza Glucoft
Your first job out of college was as a Coordinator of Production at FX Network. What led you to work at Who What Wear after that?
During my time there I started writing fashion editorial for an indie publication on the side and was becoming disillusioned with my dream of being a staff writer on a TV show because I realized they had very little power compared to that of an executive or showrunner. So, when Who What Wear was hiring someone to both produce their web shows and write fashion editorial, it seemed like the perfect fit at the right time.
You worked at Who What Wear when digital production was still in its infancy. What appealed to you about the form?
The immediacy and the control. I like that in digital you can turn ideas around quickly (because you have to) and because you wear so many hats, you get to be very close to the content.
Why is video content so important to companies like Condé Nast, Nestlé and Facebook?
Video is a crucial part of content marketing because the overall consumption level of video has gone way up, and if you want to be influential you have to be present and effective where the audience is. According to CISCO by the year 2021 82% of all internet traffic will be from video.
How would you describe your day-to-day duties at AwesomnessTV?
At any given point in my day, I could be in pre-production, production or post production on any one of them. Pre-production consists of getting all the moving pieces together; meetings, emails and phone calls (and sometimes things like making Pinterest boards of what I want the set to look like or scouting a location). Production means I’m on set and I’m the director and the executive producer; a constant stream of creative choices. Post-production consists of sitting with the editor and crafting the piece to perfection.
You create digital series like “Give Good Text” and “That Detox Life” for various distribution platforms. Are digital series the wave of the future?
Yes, everyone’s watching. Also, Netflix is considered a digital platform, and a quite popular one. Just the fact that these platforms are now eligible for awards that were previously reserved for broadcast proves the direction everything is headed. Additionally, Gen Z consumes most of their content on mobile phones and soon they will have the most purchasing power.
You have been quoted saying that lot of producers are “currently transitioning to digital from linear, partially out of necessity.” Why?
Because there is more work in digital production! With all these different platforms, the need for content is huge, which creates a need for producers to make it! Plus, there are progressively less network TV shows being made, so the opportunities are fewer.
What are the best and the hardest parts of working in the digital entertainment industry?
The best part is the opportunity, particularly at AwesomenessTV. The need for content creates an ability to try out lots of new ideas, which is excellent for creatives. After all, for a creative what could be better than “having” to make tons of shows every year? It’s the dream! The hardest part is that there are less resources because the budgets are smaller.
What skills have been pertinent to your success thus far?
Resilience, flexibility, positivity, hard work, hustle and love! You have to do everything with love, stay positive even when things may be going haywire. Be flexible because there are always last minute changes in production. Be resilient because you can’t let every setback get you down, you have to learn from it. Also, I try to always, always trust my gut.
What advice would you give to people who want to work in digital entertainment?
Pay attention to what the audience wants. There are tons of metrics for every platform that can inform you of what your audience is interested in. Be willing to wear many hats and creatively stretch a budget. And, if you can’t do that, you have to negotiate like a boss.
