Dana Dubay on Escaping the Industry’s “Wild West”

As the owner of DUBAY and a board member with AIR, Dana Dubay has spent the past decade and a half connecting creative companies with talent across the sprawling world of production. He’s had a front-row seat to witness industry changes throughout that time, and has been a sympathetic ear to the challenges facing brands, production companies, agencies, and talent. In his view, the changes that we’re currently seeing at the start of 2025 are some of the most transformative we’ve seen yet - and carry the potential to turn the industry into, in his words, “even more of a wild west than it already is”. 

Can that be stopped? Perhaps. But Dana believes that will require strong and affirmative action starting today. 

In his view, there are three key trends that are rewiring the industry: Mergers between big companies, the dual rise of in-house agencies and independents, and more individual talent deciding to go freelance. 

“These aren’t just changes that are happening in our market - I’ve spoken with colleagues in Europe and Canada who are talking about the exact same things”, says Dana. “It all adds up to a feeling of destabilisation and insecurity. If we want to prevent chaos, we need a refreshed code of conduct - especially where freelancers are concerned - that prioritises professionalism and fairness”. 

That point of professionalism is one that he keeps coming back to. “I was speaking to a freelance director recently about how important it is to maintain ethical practices in the evolving landscape we have now”, he continues. “He shared an example of being brought onto a project via a rep and production company, and the project went really well. A year or so later, the brand reached out to him directly to return for another project. Instead of bypassing the rep and production company, the director contacted them immediately - which was the fair thing to do. My point is that kind of ethical practice and transparency needs to become a lot more common.”

In Dana’s experience, transparency has been something that the industry has historically struggled with. But with the changes that are currently underway, he sees an opportunity to fix a long-standing problem and build a better, more secure place to work for all parties. 

“This kind of fairness and repeat business should not be uncommon in our industry. In my experience, relationships built on trust and respect lead to ongoing collaborations”, he says. “Unfortunately, I’ve had experiences where a director I represent has been put up for a job by a producer without even their own knowledge or consent - that’s unacceptable. 

“It’s unethical to put a director up for a job without their consent. Not to mention impractical, given the likelihood of scheduling conflicts or misrepresenting their interests. Again, it’s the kind of thing you’d never seen in a more professional industry.” 

There’s a link, also, between these ethical concerns and what Dana sees as a curious unwillingness to embrace the concept of repeat business. “Beyond the economic benefits, repeat business fosters a sense of mutual respect, security, and appreciation”, he says. “It builds long-term relationships and helps mitigate some of the industry’s tensions, like feelings of insecurity or disrespect. It’s no coincidence that an industry where repeat business is uncommon also struggles with these issues.”

Dana concedes that the industry has always been characterised by a spontaneous and laissez-faire culture. But at the same time, that spontaneity was historically bankrolled by generous budgets and, by no fault of the industry, a lower cost-of-living in production hubs like LA. In 2025, by contrast, budgets are shrinking and day-to-day costs are rising. The knock-on effect is that the cut-and-thrust of business decisions is becoming a lot more impactful, and things are starting to feel frayed. 

“In the past, there may have been more money circulating and things might have felt less intense as a result”, notes Dana. “Now, it seems like people are blaming others for lost business or changes in the industry. The reality is that this isn’t the same industry it used to be, so the rules shouldn’t be the same either.”

Writing the New Rules 

Of course, instigating a new industry-wide culture is something that’s far more easily said than done. At the very least, you need buy-in and agreement from all parties about what the issues are and what needs to change. And on that point, Dana sees plenty of work that still needs to be done. 

“Something that is certainly making the situation worse is an uptick in misinformation and false narratives that I’ve noticed popping up online in recent months”, notes Dana. “For instance, I’m seeing high-profile people talking about how independent reps are supposedly pushing agencies to start their own in-house production teams. But how does that make any sense? Our clients are production companies, not agencies. Why would we advocate for something that undermines our own business?” 

Dana’s frustration is underscored by the sense that “ these narratives distract from the real issues facing our industry. There’s a lot we need to fix, but fostering misinformation isn’t helpful.” 

And a key point Dana goes on to make is that none of these changes need to be damaging or challenging. But they’re construed as damaging because they feel antithetical to the way the industry has always worked up to now. 

“When it comes to agencies, for instance, I think Ari Weiss said it best”, posits Dana. “Scale and efficiency sit on the opposite side of the spectrum to creativity. That’s why we’re seeing more creative incubation chambers emerge from independent shops.” 

At the same time, he continues, “many executive creative directors at the top of their game in large agencies are either being let go due to inflated salaries, or leaving to start their own ventures. Some with entrepreneurial mindsets are starting their own agencies, while others are moving in-house at brands.” 

The upshot is that there’s no getting away from these changes. They’re born from a mixture of economic necessity and changing culture, and the industry must learn how to adapt. For Dana, it’s a choice between collectively choosing to forge a better industry, or being swept along with the inevitable tide. 

“It’s clear that industries everywhere are grappling with change”, he says. “But our industry must embrace this evolving landscape if it hopes to thrive in the future.”