Mike Marcus on Building Hollywood Networks and Creating Hit Films
In this episode of Don’t Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz sits down with industry veteran Mike Marcus, whose impressive 57-year career has taken him from an agency mailroom to MGM Pictures president to founding Echo Lake Entertainment’s management division. Throughout the conversation, Marcus shares insights into Hollywood networking, packaging films, and the evolving entertainment landscape.
The Agency Mailroom: Hollywood’s Ultimate Training Ground
When discussing his entry into the business, Marcus emphasizes the incomparable education provided by starting in an agency mailroom:
“The mail room and the agency give you a background in what the inner workings of business are like because all of the teaching, all of the classes that you take, nothing prepares you as much as on-the-job training,” Marcus explains. “Networking is the most important thing that comes out of working at a big agency, working in a mail room. And whether it’s a big agency, a big management company, or even a big production company.”
This networking philosophy has served as the foundation of Marcus’s decades-long career. “I can still pick up the phone and call Chris and Paul [Weitz] and they always pick up the phone for me,” he notes. “It’s building relationships. It’s a people business.”
The Art of Packaging Films
Marcus’s superpower – which he modestly describes as “I’m good at schmoozing and putting people together” – led to his reputation as one of Hollywood’s premier “packagers,” assembling creative teams for projects including The Fisher King, Trading Places, and American Werewolf in London. His ability to see connections others missed is perfectly illustrated in his story about The Fisher King:
“It’s remembering relationships. It’s like when I put together Fisher King. Medavoy was doing Fisher King, and I read the script and I loved it. And I thought it would be great for Robin. And I gave it to him and I got him to read… He says, ‘Well, I’m not gonna commit to it.’ I said, ‘Well, why not?’ He said, ‘Well, there’s no director.’ So Lynda Obst and Debra Hill and Menschel, and I had a meeting about finding a director, and the thought popped into my mind, okay, he just did a film with Terry Gilliam. Why not see if Terry would do it with him? So we went to Terry Gilliam, he read it, he loved it. I called Robin and I said, ‘Robin, Terry Gilliam wants to do Fisher King.’ Robin said, ‘Okay, I’ll do it.’ Simple as that.”
From Agent to Studio Executive: The MGM Years
One of the most fascinating segments explores Marcus’s unexpected transition from super-agent to MGM Pictures president in 1993. The call from Michael Ovitz that changed his career trajectory came out of the blue:
“Why would Mike wanna talk to me sitting down in his seating area and not just have a quick verbal conversation? But we sit down and he said, ‘Okay, listen, I’ve been talking to Frank Mancuso and Frank wants to talk to you about being the head of MGM.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, Mike, sure. What do you wanna talk to me about?’ And he said, ‘No, I’m serious.’ And I said, ‘Come on, Mike.’ And eventually he convinced me that Frank wanted to talk to me about it.”
What made Marcus the right choice for the role? “Two things. Number one, I was very good at building relationships with heads of studios, whether they were head of distribution, head of production, or chairman. And I had courted Mancuso and I had gotten to know him and he had told me in one of my meetings, he says, ‘You know, I don’t like agents much, but you’re okay.’ So number two, I was a packager. I put together a lot of movies over the years… It was known that I was a packager.”
The Value of Research and Testing
Marcus’s views on audience research reflect his pragmatic approach to filmmaking. While he started as a “fly-by-night guy” who did everything by “stomach” feeling, over time he came to appreciate the value of research:
“Well, okay, so let’s say you wanna buy a script. To get the script concept judged by research isn’t a bad way to go. There’s a lot of reasons why research is helpful in making a movie and in distributing movie and getting the focus groups that you lead or have led over the years have been, I think, instrumental in helping the filmmakers understand things.”
This perspective was shaped by experiences like Stargate, which initially tested terribly but was saved through research-informed changes.
Theatrical Exhibition and the Streaming Revolution
On the future of theatrical exhibition in the streaming era, Marcus offers a balanced perspective:
“I’ve always felt that movies will always exist in theaters because at some point, mothers and fathers will wanna get outta the house away from the kids. At some point, the kids are gonna wanna get outta the house away from the parents. And movies are a logical place for them to go.”
Building Echo Lake and Staying Relevant
How has Marcus remained relevant throughout his 57-year career? His passion for the business shines through:
“Listen, I’ve never once doubted the choice to get into the business. I’ve had a blast. I’ve had success. I can’t complain. It is a lot of fun. And I’ve had fun building companies. On December 1st, it’ll be 20 years since I started Echo Lake Management, the management division of Echo Lake Entertainment.”
Industry Trends and Concerns
Looking to the future, Marcus sees a potential resurgence in independent film:
“There seems to be the potential based on some feedback I’ve gotten from some of my folks that went to the Berlin Film Festival, that television is not as interesting as features are. So I believe there’s gonna be a resurgence in the independent film business. So that’s exciting. I like the idea that film can get energized again.”
On AI, he expresses skepticism about its creative potential: “The truth is you could make a movie without an actor, without a writer, and without a director. Somebody could just come in and set it up with AI. But would people like it? I don’t know. I’ve read some AI scripts and AI coverage, and there’s no heart, there’s no soul to these things.”
The Value of Experience
Perhaps the most resonant wisdom Marcus shares comes from his reflections on experience and career development:
“Experience is everything. I rarely run into a problem that I haven’t seen before.”
“It takes a good 10 years to really know what you’re doing, in my opinion. And then once you do, you just incrementally build from there.”
Throughout the conversation, Mike Marcus demonstrates the relationship-building skills, strategic thinking, and passion for filmmaking that have made him a Hollywood powerhouse for nearly six decades. His journey from agency mailroom to industry leader offers insights for anyone interested in the entertainment business, regardless of where they are in their career trajectory.
Don’t miss the full conversation on Don’t Kill the Messenger to hear more about Mike Marcus’s Hollywood journey and insights into the legendary films he helped bring to life.
Don’t Kill the Messenger, hosted by movie and entertainment research expert Kevin Goetz, brings his book Audienceology to life. This bi-monthly podcast takes a peek behind the filmmaking curtain as Kevin talks with famous filmmakers, studio executives, stars, and other creatives about movies, filmmaking, audience test screenings, and much more.
For more information about Mike Marcus:
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0546152/
Echo Lake Entertainment: https://www.echolakeentertainment.com/
For more information about Kevin Goetz:
Website: www.KevinGoetz360.com
Audienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: @KevinGoetz360
Linked In @Kevin Goetz
Screen Engine/ASI Website: www.ScreenEngineASI.com
For deeper insights into what makes a movie resonate and succeed, don’t miss the upcoming book How to Score in Hollywood (September 2025) by entertainment research expert Kevin Goetz with Bob Levin. This book unveils the secrets behind success and profitability in the movie business, showcasing how smart, data-driven decisions—from development through release—can help filmmakers minimize risks and maximize returns.
Kevin, the founder and CEO of Screen Engine/ASI, is also the bestselling author of Audience-ology, host of the popular Don’t Kill the Messenger podcast, and a speaker who educates the filmmaking community through keynotes and global presentations. In 2024, he was honored with the prestigious American Cinematheque Power of Cinema Award for his transformative contributions to the film industry.
