Meet Bela Levin | Creative Executive | Film & TV

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bela Levin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bela, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
There is a misconception around the topic of risk as people tend to think that taking risks is the same as being compulsive or it is associated with lack of planning. My professional life has been filled with risk taking, but nothing was done without planning. It took a lot of it in fact. I received my bachelor’s degree in Marketing and soon after realized Film & Television was more than a hobby or just something I wanted to do in my down time. Even with zero experience in the entertainment business, I worked hard and got myself into one of the biggest film production companies in Brazil. After eventually being promoted to a Project Manager position, I quit my job and left everything behind to move to Los Angeles to learn about the most famous movie industry in the world, Hollywood. There was so much risk involved in each of those decisions. Risk is about stepping out of your comfort zone. Any time you pursue something new or different, you are accepting the real chance of disappointment. I knew that moving to Los Angeles was a risk, or that spending a lot of my savings to enter an academic program at UCLA was a gamble in a way. But I also knew and valued the rewards that could come from it and I decided to do it. After over 7 years in the business, I can definitely say it all paid off.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It took a lot of courage for me to move to Los Angeles and start over so I am really proud of where I am today, of the experiences I have had and the people I have been able to meet. I left Brazil with the same excitement about the Film & TV business that I still have to this day, which is a sign I am where I need to be. I worked at an independent film distribution company for 3 years, where I learned from experienced executives about entertainment marketing. Now working in Production & Development I really found myself. Finding stories that need to be told and finding ways to bring them to different audiences gives me joy. So much has changed since I started due to the high number of available platforms to consumers today. There is so much content for so many people. I work for a big company called Skydance and one thing that I love hearing is that we’re not afraid of the word ‘commercial’. Commercial movies and TV shows are popular because escapism is needed, especially after these last few Pandemic years. As a latin woman in Hollywood, my personal goal is to bring multicultural narratives and diverse content into the global mainstream. We all love to see ourselves onscreen and I’m sure we’d all like to have fun while doing it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Los Angeles is an expensive city but it does have great weather for outdoor events so I will always try to take advantage of that. Going to the beach is one of my favorite things to do so I have to start my day off at the beach whenever I can. That can be followed by a picnic at a nice park, such as the Griffith, Pan Pacific, Holmby… During the summer, I highly recommend the Cinespia screenings in the evening at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery or the Los Angeles Historic Park. LACMA also hosts free Jazz nights during a significant portion of the year. As for bars, one of my favorites to go to with friends has been All Season Brewery, for cheap drinks, arcade games and interesting people.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The entertainment industry has a certain reputation when it comes to its people. But I have had the privilege to work for some renowned executives that not only taught me a lot, but have done nothing but encourage me to pursue my dreams and give me the support I needed to grab the best opportunities that came my way. I have to give a shout out to one of the coolest producers I’ve seen out there, Lisa Ellzey, who I worked for during the toughest months of the Pandemic and mentored me during the most distressing time of our lives with kindness and compassion. My last two bosses were powerful and successful female producers and I will always try to work with and for women whenever possible as I’ve learned it is when I feel the most inspired.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/zz.belalevin

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/bela-levin-909b8064