What this actually costs in-house.
And everything Hollywood Branded covers that a single hire cannot. This is an objection-handling comparison, not another step in the program. Your engagement path remains Free Listing → Blueprint → Roadmap → Active Representation.
Two ways productions typically staff this. Neither comes with an existing brand network.
| Option | What It Costs | What You Don't Get |
|---|---|---|
| Salaried Production Coordinator | $30,000–$97,000/year (national range, higher in LA). Generalist role – brand deals are one of many responsibilities. | No existing brand relationships. No dedicated negotiation experience. No legal/clearance infrastructure. |
| Dedicated Brand Partnerships Hire / EP-for-Hire | 15–20% commission on all cash revenue secured, plus an Executive Producer credit, plus a negotiable backend equity stake. | Still building relationships from zero. Still a single point of failure – one person, no bench, no legal team. |
Even a first-time, no-track-record dedicated hire commands 15–20% commission plus equity plus a producer credit. That's the going rate for someone with zero existing relationships, building a brand network from a cold start.
See what $2,500 buys instead →An in-house hire asks for equity on top of commission. HB offers to take equity instead of cash – and only on the fee side, never on commission. A portion of program investment (Blueprint, Roadmap, Kits, Monthly Active) may convert to backend equity or points, if that helps a cash-constrained production move forward. Activation fees – commission on deals closed – are always cash, keeping HB fully motivated to close deals regardless of the equity arrangement.
The salary is the visible cost. This is what sits underneath it.
Not Base Salary
Payroll tax, benefits, and overhead add 25–40% – a $60K coordinator is really a $75K–$84K line item.
Dead Time
A new hire takes 3–6 months to build even a partial brand network from cold.
Resets to Zero
Replacement costs 20–30% of salary in recruiting – and the new hire starts back at zero relationships.
Outside Counsel, Per Deal
Without pre-built contract infrastructure, every brand agreement needs a lawyer to draft or review from scratch.
Uncompensated Risk
A first-time negotiator can miss standard protections – discovered only when something goes wrong.
On a Project-Based Hire
Wrap means letting them go – severance, PTO payout, starting over next production. HB scales down with zero severance cost.
One hire vs. an operating system already built.
| What You're Comparing | In-House Hire | Hollywood Branded |
|---|---|---|
| Cost structure | Salary or 15–20% commission + equity + credit | Program fee + activation on deals closed – a portion of program fee can convert to equity if cash-constrained |
| Time to first brand conversation | Weeks to months, starting cold | Days to weeks, starting warm |
| Categories covered | Whatever one person can juggle | Trade, paid, amplify, licensing, events, travel, craft, media – all of it |
| Backup if the deal gets complicated | None – one person's judgment call | Full team: legal, negotiation, execution, reporting |
| What happens next project | Start over from zero | Relationship and infrastructure carry forward – 50% on repeat kits |
A dedicated hire handles sourcing. HB runs the full stack.
Vehicles, wardrobe, tech, furniture – anything a character uses or wears.
Food and beverage vendor partnerships for cast and crew.
Travel and lodging trade for cast, crew, and on-screen needs.
Wrap gifts, premiere gifting suites, cast and crew swag.
Negotiated integration fees for guaranteed screen time.
Strategy, contracts, education, decks, internal alignment tools, clearance/process documentation and execution infrastructure before active outreach begins.
Brand-funded advertising that extends reach on their dime.
Joint marketing pushes where the brand's audience becomes the production's.
Product lines and retail drops timed to premiere windows.
Premiere, festival, convention brand activation and gifting.
Character and franchise licensing, co-branded product lines built off the production's IP.
Music video placements and creator campaigns tied to the release.
Primarily North America, with brand relationships coordinated across Europe, MENA, Asia, India, and South America.
Straight answers, before you ask.
What if I only need one thing, like trade sourcing, not full representation?
HB covers the full stack – trade, paid, amplify, licensing, events, travel, craft, and media – but engagement scopes to what your production actually needs. Not every production needs every category.
How is this cheaper than it looks?
A dedicated in-house hire commands 15–20% commission plus equity plus a producer credit – before ramp time, turnover risk, and outside counsel costs are even counted. HB's program fee plus activation replaces all of that with a team that's already built.
What if I'm cash-constrained?
A portion of program investment can convert to backend equity instead of cash. Activation fees on closed deals are always earned in cash.
Start with a free listing.
No cost, no commitment – the same intake every production goes through.
Same intake every production goes through – our team reviews it and reaches out on fit.