FP&A Today CFO of AWA Studios on Building a Hits-Driven Business
Nov 25, 2025
Diya Sagar, CFO of AWA Studios, brings her investment banking expertise to the world of media. She shares insights on balancing creativity and finance by adopting a 'creator-first' approach in budgeting. Diya delves into the challenges of managing a hits-driven portfolio, weighing flagship projects against experimental works, and navigating unpredictable Hollywood timelines. She also discusses the cautious integration of AI in finance while emphasizing the importance of respecting creator rights and maintaining a reliable data environment.
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Make Creator Terms The First Budget Input
- Put creators first by making compensation and royalty terms the initial input for budgets and deals.
- If you can't offer an attractive deal to creators, do not proceed with the project.
Cost Is The First Signal Of Creative Intent
- Diya immediately evaluates a new idea by its cost as a signal of creative intent and potential payoff.
- She then looks for signals like creator track record, AWA sales history, or required marketing to justify the spend.
Operate Like A Hits-Driven Portfolio
- AWA runs a hits-driven portfolio where one big hit can transform the company while failures have limited downside.
- They take multiple shots each year and align genres with current Hollywood trends like horror and crime.
