While most of us assume that all production companies are based in Los Angeles or New York – Nancy Glass of Nancy Glass Productions is proof that this is not always the case. In an interesting article just published, Glass shows her out-of-the-box thinking and location – and why they are working for her.
As Glass said to her employees, “We do great incredible television in Philadelphia.” Glass has managed, from her Philadelphia headquarters, to become one of the top reality-TV producers in the country. Her portfolio is quite diverse, including 50 cable specials, 24 series and three documentaries.
As Brent Montgomery, chief executive officer of Leftfield Entertainment in New York said, “Very few companies outside of New York and Los Angeles have found real success, and Nancy is one who has.”
Nancy Glass Productions currently has a staff of 50-85 employees depending on the time of year and the filming schedule. She also brought two partners into her business this year, Rearrange Media and Argle Bargle Films.
Certainly, Philadelphia has downsides as a place for a TV production company. She does have to travel a great deal to sell her “sizzle reels” which are three to four minute clips of ideas for cable series. The upsides, however, include lower overhead costs in real estate and taxes and a stable workforce. As she concluded, “You take a risk on things you like. That’s what you do. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.”
