Paramount Human Resources Frenzy

In Hollywood time, it's been a little while since there's been this kind of human resource excitement. Brad Grey, the former manager and TV producer, has launched a hiring frenzy, almost recreating Paramount overnight from one of the most cautious studios to one of the most dynamic.

Dreamworks Goes To Paramount

The fist big step was acquiring Dreamworks, the mini studio run by Steven Spielberg, still the most powerful name in movies. This acquisition was made right under the noses of NBC Universal, long thought to be close to making a deal. But Universal hesitated in the final stretch and Brad Gray swooped in.

Now, the Los Angeles Times reports that Paramount is after J.J. Abrams, creator of TV's most successful show Lost and cult favorite Alias, as well as the director of the latest Mission Impossible installment to be released next summer.

Human Resources Coup, Part 2?

Abrams works closely with Disney, owner of ABC. But the Mission Impossible movie, his first feature as a director, brought him to Paramount and apparently he's made an impact.

To land a hot name like J.J. Abrams won't be cheap, just like Dreamworks wasn't cheap. Competing studios want to land the next generation Spielberg, too. And overpaying is a real risk. Hollywood history is littered with producers and directors that were irreplaceable one minute and forgotten the next.

Human Resources Career

Whenever a company or corporate division goes on a hiring spree like Paramount's, human resources departments get a lot of work on their hands. A human resources career often includes tumultuous periods where new employees and corporate philosophies have to be integrated into old ones. It may be complicated at first, but its part of what makes human resources jobs exciting.

Source
Los Angeles Times