Catherine Paura (Veteran Entertainment Strategist) on Transforming Movie Marketing and Audience Research

Send Kevin a Text Message In this episode of Don't Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz sits down with his good friend, mentor, and colleague, Catherine Paura, a pioneering force in entertainment research who co-founded National Research Group (NRG) in 1977. As an accomplished entrepreneur, Paura helped establish the foundation for modern movie research and marketing. From her humble beginnings to becoming one of Hollywood's most influential research experts, Paura shares insights from her career. The episode is particularly special as it features a conversation between two longtime friends - Paura and Goetz have maintained a close personal and professional relationship spanning nearly 40 years. Apocalypse Now and Early Movie Research (12:13) Paura discusses how she and Joe Farrell transformed movie marketing from a distribution model to a marketing-centric approach, working with early adopters like Francis Ford Coppola on Apocalypse Now . Evolution of Movie Marketing (20:34) The conversation explores how the transition to television advertising and wide releases created the need for sophisticated marketing research. The Power of Messaging (35:03) Paura emphasizes the continued importance of messaging in modern marketing. The Future of the Movie Industry (39:10) Paura shares her vision for the industry's future, predicting a continued shrinking of theatrical audiences due to changing habits and generational shifts. The pair discuss how COVID-19 accelerated existing trends and the impact of evolving entertainment consumption patterns. Life Lessons and Personal Growth (42:03) In a touching moment, Paura reveals her biggest career lesson came from her dying friend, who told her: "When you're dying, you'll never wish that you had worked one more day." The Art of Coaching (47:53) Paura discusses her current role as a professional coach, explaining how she combined her experience with formal training to help others create their own success stories. Catherine Paura and Kevin Goetz's 40-year friendship weaves throughout the episode, from their first meeting where Paura was counting questionnaires on theater steps to sharing pivotal life moments, including the loss of loved ones. Their evolving relationship demonstrates how professional relationships in Hollywood can transcend business. Their candid conversation reveals not just the evolution of movie research, but the importance of mentorship, mutual respect, and showing up for each other when it matters most. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or connect on social media. We look forward to bringing you more revelations from behind the scenes next time on Don't Kill the Messenger! Host: Kevin Goetz Guest: Catherine Paura Producer: Kari Campano Writers: Kevin Goetz, Darlene Hayman, and Kari Campano Audio Engineer: Gary Forbes (DG Entertainment) For more information about Catherine Paura: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-pau For more information about Kevin Goetz: - Website: www.KevinGoetz360.com - Audienceology Book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Audience-ology/Kevin-Goetz/9781982186678 - How to Score in Hollywood: https://www.amazon.com/How-Score-Hollywood-Secrets-Business/dp/198218986X/ - Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Substack: @KevinGoetz360 - LinkedIn @Kevin Goetz - Screen Engine/ASI Website: www.ScreenEngineASI.com