As a director on the original series business affairs team at Netflix, Sarah Collins ’06, has worked on hits like “Outer Banks” and “Ginny and Georgia,” among others. Before shows make it to our screens, powerhouses like Sarah spend months and even years behind the scenes negotiating the deals that secure talent for a production. A typical day at her desk could involve anything from securing a script for a future show to working through scheduling issues with an actor’s agent.
When she sits across the table for a negotiation, Collins’ Worcester Academy education is still top of mind: “There is a real focus on and spirit of integrity that runs through the veins of the school; it was a big part of education there. It gets into your DNA, and I approach all my business dealings keeping that in mind. There can be somewhat of an adversarial nature to that interaction. But at the end of the day, we’re trying to make art together here. I try to bring a collegial and collaborative spirit to the deals I’m making.”
Collins studied English, art history, and Italian at Georgetown before attending law school at Boston University, where she was involved in Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, which set her on the path to a legal career in the arts. Collins ended up in entertainment law after moving to Los Angeles with her husband almost 10 years ago, and she’s been at Netflix for seven years.
“The legal field in general, and entertainment specifically, have traditionally been male-dominated, and the vestiges of that still exist today,” says Collins, who also serves on Worcester Academy’s board. “There are a lot of rooms I’m in that still feel male-dominated, but having women around me at Netflix and in prior jobs as examples to look up to means a lot. And it’s something I think about and hope to be for a younger generation of women coming up.”
|
Sarah Collins ’06 |
