Dhar Mann Studios boss likens ‘chaotic’ creator economy to early days of reality TV
Former MTV president Sean Atkins has compared the creator economy on social media to the “chaos” of the early days of reality TV in the 1990s while emphasising the key differences between the sector and traditional TV.
Atkins is CEO at Dhar Mann Studios, which has found success producing short, low-budget scripted videos primarily distributed on platforms such as YouTube.
Recent titles include ‘EVIL GROOM Shames BRIDE For Gaining Weight,’ ‘Nerdy Teen Becomes World’s Top Tech YouTuber,’ and ‘She Has WEAKEST IMMUNE SYSTEM in the WORLD.’
The exec joined the US company in 2024 having previously served as president at reality TV pioneer Paramount-owned MTV and then chief digital officer at Discovery.
Discussing the recent mass layoffs at his former employer on LinkedIn, Atkins said he had been receiving messages from TV execs asking how to pivot to the creator economy, which he said “feels like chaos of early reality TV in the late 90s when there were no rules.”
Atkins, who spoke to C21 in a recent podcast, wrote: “Here’s the advice I give whether you are a senior exec or graduating from college this year: You can’t really ‘pivot’ into this space like you transfer to another division. You earn your way in by understanding how it works and showing you can build inside a different operating system.
“1) Start by understanding this is not Hollywood 2.0. The creator economy plays by different rules. Faster production cycles. Flatter orgs. Direct audience pressure. Different economics entirely.
“2) Consume like you’re studying for a PhD. Not casually. Not one platform. All of it. TikTok trends, YouTube formats, shortform retention mechanics, Discord culture, monetisation models. Follow creators the way analysts follow earnings calls.
“3) Bring expertise, but leave the machinery behind. Creators value skills, not process for process’s sake. If you’ve only worked with 10 layers of approvals and seven-figure budgets, be ready to rethink everything. Can you apply your knowledge with a team of one, a short runway, and feedback every hour instead of every quarter?
“4) Show up where the ecosystem lives. VidCon. VidSummit. Creator meetups. Discord. Lighthouse LA/NY. This space works on trust and proximity, not corporate recruiting funnels. It feels more like joining a family business than joining a corporation.
“5) Prioritise learning over prestige. Nobody knows which creator becomes the next studio or which startup becomes the next pillar. Bet on who is obsessively improving. Bet on who you can learn from. Bet on whose content you are passionate about. Careers here are not linear, they compound.”
However, the exec tempered his advice by adding: “There is no perfect map here because we are all still drawing the borders of the industry. That is not a risk. That is exciting. So commit to your learning journey and jump on in!”
