What Pharma Can Learn from Film Production: Lessons from a Customer Success Manager

From Molecule to Market: How Drug Ideas Evolve Like Screenplays

Almost a decade ago, I traded indie film sets for conference rooms and clinical trials. Before stepping into my current role as a customer success manager in the pharma industry, I produced two independent feature films. Projects in which I poured my energy and heart into. These days, filmmaking is mostly a passion project; pharma pays the bills.

On paper, these two industries couldn’t be more different. In pharma, we discuss clinical trials, FDA approvals, and patient outcomes. In film production, it’s actors, scripts, and shooting schedules.

But the longer I’ve worked in pharma, the clearer it’s become: launching a drug and producing a movie follow the same rhythm. The stakes differ, but the process, the grind,is similar.

1. Big Ideas Are Just the Beginning

   Whether it’s a drug or a movie, everything starts with an idea. But the idea is the easy part, it’s just the spark.

   In pharma, a molecule shows promise in the lab. In film, a story shines on the page. But initial excitement guarantees nothing. You have to prove it. Build it. Fight for it. Both ideas get tested, refined, and challenged at every turn.

   
   

   Lesson learned: Inspiration is cheap. Execution is everything.

   
   

2. The Process Is Long, Painful, and Expensive

   People think filmmaking is glamorous. It’s not. It’s planning, logistics, rewrites, delays, reshoots, and endless budget battles. Sound familiar?

   Drug development takes over a decade. Movies can also take years to move from concept to screen.

   • Pharma example: Keytruda, a groundbreaking cancer immunotherapy, took over 10 years from early research to market approval. It had to survive countless preclinical studies, clinical trials, and rigorous FDA scrutiny.

     

     
     

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     Film example: Boyhood by Richard Linklater took 12 years to shoot, tracking the same actors as they grew. An ambitious concept with no quick payoff.

     
     

   Both industries require endurance.

   
   

3. You Need Proof Before People Buy In

   In pharma, no one invests without data; endpoints, efficacy, safety.

   In film, no one invests without a tangible vision; a solid script, pitch deck, or proof-of-concept trailer.

   

   Investors, execs, and regulators never buy dreams without evidence.

   
   

4. Why Most Projects Fail in Film Production and Pharma

   In film, most scripts never get produced. Of the ones that do, many flop. Pharma’s no different; most drug candidates fail in trials or never secure approval.

   • Pharma example: Pfizer’s cholesterol drug famously failed in late-stage trials after the company invested nearly $800 million in its development. The drug not only failed to improve outcomes but actually increased patient risk, demonstrating how even promising drugs can dramatically collapse.

     
     

   • Film example: Universal Pictures' Cats (2019) had star power, a legendary director, and an enormous budget ($100 million+). Despite this, it became a high-profile flop, criticized by critics and audiences alike, proving that resources and talent alone don't guarantee success.

     

   That’s not pessimism; it’s math. Both industries rely on portfolio thinking: develop many projects, knowing only a few make it through.

   
   

   Success isn’t avoiding failure. It’s surviving it.

   
   

5. It Takes a Team

   As a customer success manager, I collaborate daily with sales, medical, compliance, tech, regulatory, and patient services. No one succeeds alone.

   Filmmaking mirrors this exactly. Writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, and editors. Everyone has a critical role. The magic only happens when everyone aligns.

   

6. Marketing Is Make or Break

   You can have the best drug, but if doctors don’t understand it, patients won’t use it, and payers won’t cover it. Effective marketing builds trust, awareness, and adoption.

   Same for films. Without visibility, great movies disappear.

   • Pharma example: Ozempic (semaglutide) succeeded because Novo Nordisk executed brilliant marketing, engaging doctors, educating patients, and creating buzz around diabetes and weight loss.

     

   • Film example: The Shawshank Redemption flopped initially due to weak marketing, a confusing title, and unclear messaging. Later, thanks to word-of-mouth and cable reruns, it became a beloved classic.

     

   In both fields, marketing defines survival.

   
   

7. Everything Revolves Around the Audience

   Pharma asks: Who’s the patient, and what unmet need are we solving?

   

   Film asks: Who’s our audience, and what matters to them?

   In both industries, the goal is identical: create something that connects, solves problems, and matters deeply. You aren’t just delivering a product; you’re crafting an experience that resonates.

Final Thought

While my day-to-day focus is now rooted in the pharma industry, I continue to write and explore film ideas because the two disciplines are more connected than they seem. My experience with film production and in pharma has shown me how storytelling and creativity intersect with systems thinking, regulatory rigor, and strategic execution. Pharma sharpened my ability to take complex ideas to market, while filmmaking taught me how to lead through uncertainty and communicate with impact.

At first glance, these industries appear worlds apart. But both are built on belief, backed by evidence, and driven by collaboration and perseverance.

Whether you’ve launched a new drug or produced an independent film, you understand: it’s rarely easy, but when it comes together, it’s unforgettable.