PARAMOUNT, A Skydance Corporation: Can they pioneer the next era and somehow meet the Independents?
- julissascopino
- Sep 5, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 2, 2025
In our third Filmmakers in Boardrooms conversation, we unpacked the Paramount–Skydance acquisition and discussed if the "Duffer" era signals CHANGE.
Julissa Scopino led a roundtable exploring what a salaried studio model could look like for independent creators where artists share both security and authority in shaping the stories that reach audiences. She's joined with Catherine Ann Taylor, Vaishali Sahu, Holly Zuelle, and Jensen Fresnel.
Catherine-Ann Taylor sees the studio system through both an artist’s eye and a producer’s mind. “You see all these headlines about layoffs,” she says, “So they’re watching payroll and they don’t want to make a bunch of full-time hires.” Her solution? A radical reimagining of the Hollywood deal: a filmmaker hub where creatives are hired part-time, earn a base salary, and pitch ideas in quarterly or monthly sessions. If Paramount passes, they’re free to take the project elsewhere. “It would be just like any other job,” she explains. “You’ve been vetted, you deliver ideas, and if your performance isn’t up to par, you part ways.” For Catherine-Ann, the vision is about sustainability. An open, modern workspace “where artists can connect, talk, have access to printers,” and, as she puts it, “make the studio in a sustainable way.”
“At the end of the day, you need a script. Screenwriters might be the most important people in the industry as they create jobs for everyone. If we make it easier for writers to succeed, everyone succeeds.” Jensen Fresnel
Jensen Fresnel cuts to the heart of Hollywood’s business logic. “Studios minimize risk,” he said. “They don’t always know what a great script is, so they chase franchises because they guarantee financial security.” To him, the irony is painful, billion-dollar tentpoles fund the very indie films they sideline. “They could release movies that aren’t that good and still make enough to bankroll smaller projects,” he noted. But his frustration sharpens into principle: “There’s no excuse for bad storytelling. Writing a script is the cheapest part of production. If they took that part seriously, everyone, even the independents, would benefit.”
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Topics Discussed
Paramount’s acquisition by Skydance
Business-led leadership vs. creative leadership in studios
Salaried systems and financial stability for filmmakers
Bringing independent filmmakers into the studio system
Challenges with franchises vs. original storytelling
Creating platforms and visibility for independent filmmakers through FiB
Vaishali Sahu, a cinematographer with roots in the Indian film industry, spoke with the precision of someone who’s lived both sides of the frame, the artistic and the operational. To her, the idea of a salaried studio system comes with a double edge: “A salary brings security,” she said, “but it can also make people take their work for granted.” Sahu warned that stability without risk breeds repetition, the kind of creative complacency that makes every film look “like the last Marvel movie.” Her fear isn’t of structure, but of sameness. “If a story has a fresh perspective,” she argued, “the visual language should evolve too.” In her view, true innovation requires discomfort, a system that encourages artists to stay on their toes rather than settle into formulas that “worked before.”
“Most of the things that have done great in the box office are original. I wish there was a platform where filmmakers got to showcase their efforts and their work to everyone… allowing new filmmakers to have a wider audience would be a dream come true.” Vaishali Sahu
Holly Zuelle, a filmmaker who worked on Daughter Replica and whose investigative series Out There: Crimes of the Paranormal found its way to Hulu and Disney, spoke with a conviction born from endurance. “It took me ten years to get that onto Disney Hulu,” she said. “I never gave up.” Her story is rooted in a haunting real-life case and a decade of persistence which became a testament to the long game of independent filmmaking. Once skeptical of low-budget projects, Holly now calls them the lifeblood of creative integrity. “You have to think small sometimes,” she explained. “If you sell a T-shirt for $25 and sell a thousand, that’s part of your budget.” Her philosophy bridges resourcefulness and resilience: the belief that heart, not scale, defines a film’s work.
Catherine Ann Taylor is a Producer and Director whose roots are in theatre direction and writing. She has directed since 2012 and received training in the Stanislavsky tradition at Tulane University. She produced two five-star plays at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, worked for boutique Broadway firm Red Spear Productions, and worked with the English Theatre of Rome, Manhattan Repertory Theatre and the Players on Gramercy Park, among others.
She has a decade of directing and producing experience, and mentorship from artists connected to Moscow Art Theatre, the Globe Theatre, and Suzuki's company.
Vaishali Sahu is a cinematographer from India, currently pursuing an MFA in Cinematography at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema in New York. She began her creative journey studying architecture and working in the Indian film industry, where she gradually discovered a deep interest in visual storytelling. Eager to explore this path more seriously and grow her skills, she moved to New York to pursue formal training. At Feirstein, she has been a part of several student film productions and continues to learn through collaboration and hands-on experience. Driven by curiosity, her journey has been one of steady growth, and she looks forward to building a meaningful and lasting career in the field.
Holly Alliston Zuelle is a producer, creator, and actress whose work on Episode 4 of Hulu and Disney+’s documentary series Out There: Crimes of the Paranormal earned recognition from the United Nations and Time Magazine for using media to drive justice and awareness. She continues to merge storytelling with emerging technology and social impact.
To learn more go to https://hollyzuelle.com
Jensen Fresnel was born in Haiti and came to the United States when he was nine years old. It was a struggle for him the first couple of years, not being able to read and write. He stuck through it and did not give up on himself. When he got to high school he found his passion and found his life purpose in filmmaking.
Jensen's career goal is to become the GREATEST filmmaker of all time!
This ambition is why he wakes up every morning. He proudly says, "I love making movies. It is what I was born for. "
Dearest Creatives,
The magic words "Partners In Shaping" & "Fresh & Original Stories."
This conversation reinforced our purpose at Filmmakers in Boardrooms: to develop filmmakers who think in terms of business.
— Julissa Scopino, on behalf of Filmmakers In Boardrooms
