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Pitching to Streaming Platforms After an Exec Shakeup: Practical Steps for Creators

sstreamlive

2026-02-03

9 min read

Leadership changes create pitch opportunities. Learn practical steps to retarget Disney+ and Filoni-era commissioners and convert attention into content deals.

When commissioners move, so should your pitch strategy — fast

Executive promotions and shakeups are one of the most anxiety-inducing realities for creators: you spend months developing a pitch, then the person with appetite and authority leaves. But change is also an opening. In late 2025 and early 2026 we saw two clear examples — senior promotions across Disney+ EMEA and the creative reshuffle at Lucasfilm under Dave Filoni — that show how tastes, greenlight timelines and commissioning maps can pivot quickly. This article gives a clear, tactical plan you can use the moment an executive promotion or leadership change hits the headlines.

Topline: What to do first (the 3-minute & 3-day triage)

Immediate steps shape opportunity. When an exec shift is announced, decisions you make in the first 72 hours can determine whether your pitch rides the wave or drowns in new priorities. Here’s the inverted-pyramid primer — most important first.

Pause broad outreach — don’t spam the general commissioning inbox. Targeted outreach beats volume after a shakeup.
Map the changes — identify who’s newly-promoted, who they replaced, and which teams were reshuffled.
Reframe your pitch — align to the promoted exec’s track record and stated priorities (e.g., local scripted, global unscripted, franchise-friendly).

Why the Disney+ EMEA promotions matter to creators

In late 2025 Disney+ EMEA promoted four executives as new content chief Angela Jain reorganized regional commissioning to “set her team up for long term success in EMEA.” One visible signal: Lee Mason (Rivals) and Sean Doyle (Blind Date) were elevated to VPs of Scripted and Unscripted, respectively. That tells creators three things:

Local hits scale: Governors are prioritizing regional formats that can be adapted across markets (Rivals-style competitive formats; Blind Date-style unscripted dating entertainment).
Specialist commissioners now control pipelines: VPs promoted from within mean institutional memory plus a willingness to fast-track known formats.
Long-term EMEA play: internal messaging about “long term success” means commissioning windows could favor series with multi-season economics or clear franchise potential.

“set her team up ‘for long term success in EMEA’” — internal description of Angela Jain’s mandate (late 2025).

What the Filoni-era shift at Lucasfilm teaches creators pitching franchise or IP-driven projects

When Kathleen Kennedy stepped down and Dave Filoni rose to co-president (early 2026), commentary focused on a creative reset: faster film slates, tighter franchise continuity and a preference for character-driven, serialized storytelling. Not all industry reaction was positive — some analysts worried the early slate lacked ambition — but the structural lesson is clear:

Franchise alignment wins: Filoni’s background (animated and serialized Star Wars work) prioritizes narrative continuity and character arcs over anthology or standalone tentpoles.
Quality proof points matter: Filoni-era commissioning favors creators who can show serialized proof-of-concept (mini-arcs, web pilots, audience engagement metrics).
IP sensitivity: You can’t pitch Star Wars without rights, but you can use Filoni’s playbook — strong characters, serialized journeys, and mythology-friendly hooks — as a template for original IP that feels franchise-ready.

How to pivot your pitch after an exec promotion — a practical 90-day plan

Below is a tested, timed plan you can execute to retarget commissioning contacts and recalibrate your content deals strategy after a leadership change.

Days 0–3: Rapid intelligence and triage

Scan announcements and reporting (Deadline, Variety, trade Twitter/LinkedIn). Flag promoted commissioners and their recent credits.
Update your internal target list: identify the newly promoted, their deputies, and anyone who gained budget control.
Pause outgoing mass-submissions. Replace with staging emails: short notes acknowledging the change and offering a refreshed one-pager tailored to new priorities.

Days 4–14: Recraft messaging and POC

Customize the one-pager to reference the exec’s recent hits and why your project fits their remit — for Disney+ EMEA scripted, emphasize regional resonance; for Filoni-influenced commissioning, highlight serialized arcs.
Create a 60–90 second proof-of-concept (POC) or sizzle that uses the storytelling cues the new leader prefers: character beats, world rules, season arc.
Prepare a short case study showing audience demand or comparable titles and metrics (audience engagement metrics, social engagement, retention rates).

Days 15–45: Targeted outreach and network leverage

Warm introductions beat cold emails. Use managers, exec producers, and past collaborators to reach newly-promoted commissioners’ deputies.
Send one tailored email per relevant commissioner. Suggested subject line: Quick: 2-min POC that aligns with your recent work on [Title].
Attend platform events and trade panels where new VPs will speak (many newly-promoted execs do visibility rounds to set priorities).

Days 46–90: Follow, test and expand options

If you don’t get traction, put the project into a controlled testing mode: release a short web pilot, collect data, and use the performance as leverage.
Consider co-development or attaching a known showrunner to de-risk commissioning.
Map alternate buyers — other streamers, local broadcasters, or FAST channels — and use the new timeline to test cross-platform interest.

How to research a promoted commissioner: what really matters

Don’t just read a job title. Learn three things about a newly-promoted executive before you pitch:

Taste profile — what genres and formats does their slate show? (Use credits like Rivals or Blind Date as shorthand clues.)
Decision-making remit — do they commission regionally or globally? Were they elevated to VP of Scripted/Unscripted? That changes where your project fits.
Stated strategy — look for quotes in press releases or interviews (e.g., focus on “long term success in EMEA”). Use those words in your pitch to show alignment.

Pitch craft: what to change, and what to keep

Leadership changes should change the angle of your pitch, not the core proposition if the project truly matters. Here’s how to adjust:

Change the lead sentence: Open by naming the exec’s recent hits and explicitly linking your project to them.
Shift proof points: If a new commissioner favors serialized character arcs (Filoni-style), replace format-first bullets with season arc bullets.
Keep the business case: Budget, episode length, and upside (international sales, format licensing) remain non-negotiable.

Networking tactics that work after promotions

Executives promoted internally retain networks — use that to your advantage.

Leverage mutual colleagues: Reach out to people who worked with the promoted exec on previous shows. They can offer current priorities and sometimes provide intro lines.
Offer value, not a pitch: Send a one-paragraph signal email that offers a short watch link or a relevant market insight tied to their remit.
Be horizon-aware: Newly-promoted VPs often have 90–120 day windows to prove impact. Time your follow-ups to coincide with their planning cycles.

Timing: when to move fast and when to wait

Understanding timelines is the difference between being useful and being noise.

Move fast for formats with immediate pick-up potential (unscripted formats, short-form POC). Promotions often create short-term appetite for quick wins.
Wait and build for large scripted projects that require long-term alignment. Use the 90–120 day window to build relationships and present a fully formed season plan.
Check budget cycles: Many streamers plan budgets around fiscal quarters. New execs typically influence the next cycle, so map your outreach to those calendars.

Deal mechanics to watch when leadership changes

Executive turnover can affect existing negotiations and contract terms. Protect yourself by watching for:

Scope creep: New leadership may ask for additional deliverables; get changes in writing.
Option/first-look timelines: Ensure option windows survive leadership changes — renegotiation is common when a champion departs.
Payment milestones: Favor clear, milestone-based payments rather than vague “development support.”

Examples & mini-case studies

1) Pivoting to match Disney+ EMEA’s regional play

A UK-based creator with a dating/competition format noticed the Sean Doyle promotion. They reframed the pitch to emphasize cross-border adaptation (UK-based pilot, localization plan) and attached regional viewing data. Outcome: invited to an EMEA commission round; pilot commissioned as a 6-episode format test.

2) Using Filoni-era signals to sell serialized original IP

An indie showrunner created a 10-minute web sizzle emphasizing a central, morally ambiguous lead and season-long mystery. They marketed the sizzle to buyers referencing Filoni’s focus on character arcs and serialized storytelling rather than spectacle. Outcome: a development-first deal with a streaming label exploring franchise potential.

Tools and templates you should use right now

Practical tools speed execution. Here are the items to prepare and standardize for quick turnaround:

One-pager template referencing exec’s recent credits and top-line alignment.
60–90 second POC video template (hook, character, stakes, arc hint).
Contact map (Org chart + deputy names + likely inboxes) updated every time you see press on promotions.
Follow-up cadence (Day 3: acknowledgement; Day 10: POC; Day 30: data or new material).

Advanced strategies for creators with higher risk tolerance

Attach talent early: If you can secure a known showrunner or actor who aligns with the promoted exec’s past work, your chance of being heard increases.
Co-development offers: Propose partial financing or producer-backed development to lower acquisition risk for the platform.
Data-first pitches: If you have audience data from socials or FAST channels, present retention and engagement metrics as part of the commissioning argument.

Common pitfalls — and how to avoid them

Avoid generic pitches that ignore the promoted exec’s remit. Tailor or don’t send.
Don’t burn bridges by publicly criticizing a platform’s new slate. Keep public commentary strategic and constructive.
Don’t assume internal memory survives a shakeup — provide a concise recap of prior conversations if you had a champion who left.

Final checklist: 10 items to act on within 30 days of an exec change

Identify and research promoted commissioners and deputies.
Update your target list and remove irrelevant mass outreach.
Create a tailored one-pager for each new commissioner.
Build or update a 60–90 second POC aligned to new priorities.
Request warm introductions through mutual contacts.
Time outreach to the platform’s budgeting cycle.
Prepare a limited-time pilot or web sample to test audience demand.
Review all active negotiations for option windows and milestone protections.
Offer co-development terms if you can ease the buyer’s risk.
Follow up with useful data or creative refinements — don’t just re-send the same deck.

Key takeaways

Executive promotions reshape taste and timelines — and they create opportunity. Use early intelligence to retarget and reframe your pitch, tailor proof-of-concept assets to the promoted exec’s known work (Disney+ EMEA’s local-first signal and Filoni’s serialized, character-led priorities), and use a disciplined 90-day playbook to convert attention into a content deal. Remember: targeted outreach, strong POC, and timing aligned to budgeting cycles outperform scattershot submissions.

Call to action

Start now: map your top 10 commissioning contacts, create one tailored one-pager, and produce a 60–90 second POC that highlights why your project fits the new leadership’s goals. If you want a ready-made template, subscribe to our weekly creator briefing for a free Pitch-After-Shakeup checklist and sample one-pager built for Disney+-style commissioners and franchise-aware buyers.

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