Twentieth Century Fox Reviews

Pros

good benefits, location, edgy shows and movies

Cons

poor communication, very territorial, management will stab you in the back, HR ignores most concerns brought to their attention.

Advice to Senior Management

when filling open positions, look for candidates within the company prior to searching outside.

Pros

There was a constant technical support system that enabled progress and potential within your career. It strives to maintain a good employee retention rate.

Cons

Not very open to emerging software. Due to a high retention rate, very difficult to move up the corporate ladder.

Advice to Senior Management

Cutting costs irresponsibly can result in lower standards, it is important to manage costs for maximum efficiency rather than lower costs for inefficiency.

Pros

Fox has amazing benefits and a school on the lot -- though it's hard to get into.

Cons

They have a very low Pay Scale

Advice to Senior Management

Let people move around more within the organization.

Pros

- Large company, room for changing functions, groups, position
- Sr. Management cares about educating interns
- Employees are open to one-on-one meetings with interns (even ones not currently in their group)

Cons

- No real structured "intern" program or rotation
- Learning experience is largely based upon your own manager's willingness to teach and projects assigned
- No permanent offers available after summer internship programs

Advice to Senior Management

Create a more structured internship program. Allow interns to work in groups on a "fun" project that spans the summer in addition to daily responsibilities. Allow interns to present their project to Sr. Management.

Pros

My co-workers were positive and helpful. Completely pleasant enviornment. They acknowledge your hard work.

Cons

The amount of wasted paper

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up the positive reinforcement.

Pros

-Fox is the most profitable studio by a substantial margin
-It has a relatively high degree of job security when compared to the other major studios
-It has an extremely well run distribution organization (great place to learn the distribution business)

Cons

-It is apparent that fear is the primary means of motivation and that motivational tactic poisons the culture
-Compensation at studios isn't great and Fox is at the low end of the major studios
-Like all studios, there is substantial amount of internal territory disputes which slows down (or stops) progress on new initiatives

Advice to Senior Management

Transform the culture of the organization from one that is based on fear to one that is based on mutual respect and loyalty.

Pros

Good benefits, reasonable prices in the commissary. Internal classes to develop staff. Excellent opportunities on the creative side of the business. Excellent place to start your career if you are young and fresh out of college. Fast promotions for staff in the correct demographic of 20 - 35. Best opportunity if you have come from a large consulting firm.

Cons

Very little attention paid to employee growth outside the target demographic. No opportunity for anyone over 40 for advancement. Contractors are treated much better than employees. Working here is very much like working for the Big 4. Long hours are expected for little or no recognition. The contractors have little or no experience and employees are expected to train the contraxctors. Contractors can and will manage employees. Extreme micromanagement. Senior Management is very diffident to the individual.

Advice to Senior Management

Recognize the contributions of your seasoned professionals. Create career paths fo your employees rather than give all of the opportunities to contractors and outsiders. Train Middle Management on participative management. Understand that those of us with experience can add value. Make the firm a matrixed organization rather then so top down. We can give you more if you just let us.

Pros

Nice lot, some nice people, good benefits

Cons

Fox is the Deathstar. I watched so many people slowly go insane and then get the axe. If you work here, make sure you are looking over your shoulder at all times. Backstabbing is the order of the day. Also, paying for daily couriers to overfed execs' houses so they can read the trades while sitting in the hot tub is not the greatest use of shareholder's funds.

Advice to Senior Management

Please try and be more professional.

Pros

Being part of an internationally-recognized global brand

Cons

Ultimately, it's still entertainment, which can be a very political environment

Advice to Senior Management

Fantastic job

Pros

Overall, my experience at Fox has been okay. I work on the Film side within the Finance group. The job offers a great work-life balance, with it being more tilted towards the "life" part. It is a great place to work if you have a wife and kids. Also, the company encourages career movement within Fox.

Cons

I am not really that busy most of the time and senior management gives you no direction or real attention once you begin the job. Fox is also a pretty cheap company, so do not expect any real "perks" for working in entertainment. After speaking to some co-workers who worked for other studios, it is pretty evident that Fox definitely pays below market. Though career movement within Fox is encouraged, HR tends to move pretty slow and sometimes incompetent.

Advice to Senior Management

I would encourage senior management to take a more active role in providing direction to employees when they first start the job. I've heard this from other Fox employees as well.