“One Fateful Day in 1997, WHEN DAN SCHARF WAS A Young Attorney Working as a Public Defender in Northern California, He Spotted A Job Listing He Thought Might Change his Life. Sag in la waas look for a lawyer. He typed up a résumé, Stuffed it in a mailbox and crossed his fingers. D He”, – WRITE: www.hollywoodReporter.com
And HE MIGHT HAVE EVEN GOTTten a Respense Had He Not Written the Wrong Address on the Envelope.
“I Remember Thinking, ‘This is Not Going to Happen,’ ‘HE RECALLS WHEN HE SAW“ RETURN TO Sender ”on the Letter. “But then i was Decides, ‘Screw It.’ I fixed the Address and put it back in the mail. ”
IT WAS AN INAUSPICIOUS START TO WHAT Wuld Ultimately Become a Stellar Legal Career in Hollywood. Nearly 35 Years Later, Scharf Is Now One of the MOST SUCCESSFUL IN-HUSE INTORNEYS IN TOWN, SERVING STINTS NOT JUST at SAG Studios, from fox to disney to amazon, whore for the past 11 years he’s Been Running the Legal Show, Currently As Head of Global Business Operations.
“Eleven years is no small feat,“ he Says, noting that “98.7 percent” of people now work at Amazon Studios “Were Hired After ME.”
Early On, Scharf Discovered His Training As A Public Defender Was Surpringly Useful in the Cutthroat World of Entertainment Law. The only Differentnce Was that Institute of Convincing Jures in Criminal Cases, He Had to Talk Creative Executives Out of Bad Decisions and Tell Agents Wyy. “I GUESS AND KIND OF ENJOY IT,“ HE SAYS. “There is a pleasure in arguing and convincing someone to your Point of View.”
After spending a year at sag, Scharf Moved to fox tv, then in 2002 to disney, whore two of his first deals were for for High School Musical an Hannah Montana. He vividly recalls the day miley cyrus came to the office and sang to a group of executives in suits. “We Were All Like, ‘Who Is this Girl?’ ”HE SAYS. “She was so gutsy.”
In 2006, he made the jump to the jim Henson Co., Working as General Counsel and Handling Everything from From Film Production to Negotating Toy Licenses. It Was Theres First Encounted Jeff Bezos’ Fledgling Amazon Studios, Which at The Time Was Interared In Making A Kids Show With Henson’s Iconic IP.
“It Never Got Made, But It Got Me on Amazon’s Radar,“ Scharf Says. “I Guess I Clicked The Right Box, Because I Got A Job Offer.”
WHEN HE JOINED Amazon Studios, He Was Just of 40 Employees Working Out of An Office in the Sherman Oaks Galleria. Scharf Knew The Job Was Risky Because at the Time Just ABOUT Everry Tech and E-Commerce Retaler Was Trying, Mostly UnsuccessFully, To Jump Into The Content Streamer). Still, Scharf Was Willing to Take the CHANCE. “I Just Decides I Wanted a Change, Took A Shot and Did It,“ He Says.
Today, He’s Sharing Much Tonier Offices at Amazon Studios with A Staff of More than 2,200. HE RECENTLY CLOSED The DEALS WITH MRBEAST’S TEAM FOR Beast Games And for Scott Stuber to Bring his Shingle to Amazon to Reignite The United Artists Film Label.
“Any Time You Get A CHANCE TO LEARN Something, Grab It With Both Arms,“ He Says, Summing Up His Career Philosophy. “You Just Don’T Know Wht’s Coming Your Way.” – Cr
This Story Appeared in the April 2 Issue of the Hollywood Reporter Magazine. Click Here to Subscribe.