Meet Kyle Otto | Film & Television Producer

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

Hi Kyle, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always been an entrepreneurial-minded person. When I decided to pursue a film and television producing career, I knew that my ultimate goal would be to run my own production company. However, I wanted to start in the “system” first so that I had a complete understanding and functional foundation before going at it alone. The thought process really came down to WHEN would be the right time to make that leap and leave my fantastic studio-based job, where I worked with people that I really liked, while doing what I really loved, producing. My goal wasn’t to be an employee for long though, and I felt that I had amassed enough knowledge, relationships, and skills to finally make a go at it independently, and equally as important, my risk tolerance wouldn’t be getting any higher. Now was the time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I began my career in film and Television by working on the sidelines of college football games in Hawaii. This is where I first fell in love with production and decided to peruse it as a career. I felt that If I was going to really make a go of it, then I needed to go back to school and learn everything, or at least as much as every other film school graduate knew. I enrolled at Columbia College Chicago with a focus on Producing Feature Films and Television Series and through Columbia, I was selected for a producing program in Los Angles, which is where I still call home. Once graduated, I began internships at the Producer’s Guild of America, Plan B Entertainment, and HBO Films. Ultimately, I worked my way up through the ranks until I was heading up Productions for a Paramount Studio-based, co-financing production company. A couple of years ago, I decided it was time to start my own company and begin to develop and produce my own films. The first of which, was recently completed and will premiere on Paramount+ in early 2023.

The pathway to where I am currently wasn’t easy. “Hollywood” is a very competitive industry and the barriers to entry are untenable for most. Scores of graduates from top schools arrive every day, willing to (needing to) work for free or near free, in one of the most expensive cities in the world, all in hopes of breaking into the industry that they’ve dreamt of. My advice to anyone who is looking to pursue a similar track as I did, is to recognize that while there will be lots of competition, it is mostly a war of attrition. Decide on a career destination and work backward to plot your course. At every new step, your pool of competition will shrink, significantly. Ask for advice instead of help. “Network” laterally not vertically and invest in your relationships to build a strong network that you can grow with. Most importantly, keep checking in with yourself to make sure that this is still what you want because there are probably easier ways to make money, if that’s all it’s about, however those ways, most likely won’t culminate in a red carpet premiere.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Whenever I have friends visiting me in LA I always use it as an excuse for me to hit up all of the restaurants and activities that I love. Obviously, I am partial to studio tours and set visits because that is my industry, but also LA has great food… Republique on La Brea is my favorite restaurant in LA. I’m always sure to make it there for at least a brunch while friends are in town. My other go-to spots for taking guests are; Night + Market on Sunset for incredible Thai food, Yamashiro in the Hollywood Hills for fantastic Sushi and an awesome view of the city, Malibu Seafood for a Lobster Roll on the beach, Sycamore Kitchen in Hollywood for the most delicious pork belly BLT sandwich, The Little Pine in Silverlake which surprises everyone at just how good vegan food can be, Dan Tana’s or Musso and Frank for that classic Hollywood feel, and then drinks at the Soho House so they can possibly rub shoulders with a celeb. As for activities, I think most of my out-of-town friends are surprised by all of the various outdoor adventures that the third largest city in the country has to offer. Such as, hiking Runyon Canyon right in the middle of the city or heading out to one of the many awesome hikes in Malibu or Topanga. The beach is a must-do for visitors and my favorite is Manhattan Beach. However, I think my favorite thing to do when I have guests in town is just driving them all over the city. This is my excuse to drive Mullholland, up the PCH, through the mansions in Beverly Hills, or even up into the Angelino Forest. I love exploring the city and there’s no better reason than an out-of-town guest.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have been very fortunate to cross paths with a lot of wonderful people who have been helpful and encouraging along my journey. For starters, The staff of The Producer’s Guild of America welcomed me into their community and provided me with incredible opportunities to meet established producers and executives. The team at Plan B Entertainment gave me a crash course in how a production company develops and produces at the highest level. The staff at HBO Films, really put energy into giving us the tools to succeed in this business. As well as, Karen Berch of The Murtha Skuras Agency who gave me that always elusive first full-time paying job in “Hollywood”. Then, of course, there’s Producer Steven Paul. When I started working for Steven in 2015 I told him that I wanted to have a hand in as much as possible so that I could be a complete producer. Many CEOs in his position would simply pay lip service to this request and then ultimately keep you where you benefit them most. To his credit, Steven made good on that agreement. As I was able to prove that I could handle more he then involved me in all of the various aspects of the film business, through his numerous subsidiaries. Because of this unparalleled access, I was able to not only be hands-on with the development and production of films but also, with international sales, film acquisitions, financing, and distribution. The full package. For that and many other reasons, I will be forever grateful.

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