The best part of my job is no stress — Manish

Mordani, who heads “Standards and Practices”

department at Disney

Manish Mordani (Head of “Standards and Practices” department at Disney)

Insights:
1. Everything, that’s shown on Disney channel, goes
through the eyes and ears of my department.
2. An individual, who’s just starting out, can expect a
monthly takeaway of about INR 35,000/- to 70,000/-.
This also depends upon factors like your experience,
whether you’re a fresher, what you’ve accomplished
before applying for a job like this, etc.
3. In my opinion, if you want to pursue this career, a
primary necessity is possessing copious general
knowledge. This is extremely important if you want to
work under the ‘Standards and Practices’ sector with a
company like Disney.
4. There are no time-bound promotions in Media industry.
One has to do well, take initiatives and stand out of the
crowd to get promoted.
5. A chief benefit of working with Disney is the fact that I
seldom feel stressed out or pressurized by the work
requirements. I think we’re all extremely passionate
about our work and love the way our company functions.
Profile Details
Name — Manish Mordani

Profession — Head of “​Standards and Practices​” department at

Disney

Gender — Male

Age — 43 years

City — Mumbai

Industry — ​Media

LinkedIn — ​https://www.linkedin.com/in/manish-mordani-930
96636/

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Shillong and completed my schooling from that city.
Then, I moved to different cities in the country where I pursued
my higher education and established a career. I relocated to
Mumbai, finally, and have been residing here ever since. I was
born into a joint family. Specifically speaking, we were a family of
four, my parents, a younger sister and me.

My family business entailed retailing, wholesaling and tailoring

garments. Hence, my parents paved a path through that
profession too.

Who had the most influence on you

growing up and how?
Growing up, I’d say, my uncle had a pre-eminent influence on me.
He was a man of varied interests. He encouraged us to invest time
exploring and discovering new things and pushed us to eliminate
the monotony in life. That inspired me quite a bit.

Please give us a summary of your

career.
My career officially commenced in Mumbai where I opened up a
denim factory. We manufactured garments for companies like
“​Levis​” and “​Pepe​”. I paved a path through this factory for 5 years,
however, I realized that this just wasn’t my calling. Following this,
I decided to try my luck with modeling.

After a few years, though, I started looking for other career

opportunities, eventually joining a pharmaceutical company [a
Hong Kong based organization]. I worked with them for about 4.5
years. However, due to certain health issues, I had to quit. This
was right before I was offered the position of the director at the
company.

Once I’d recovered, I started working with “​Sony​” as a part of the

production team. I was heavily involved with all the reality shows
and their budgeting.

Following this, I joined “​Walt Disney​” in 2009.

Currently, I’m still working with Disney and plan on doing so for a
long time.
Which institutes, according to you, are
the best for pursuing this career?
In my opinion, if you want to pursue this profession, a primary
necessity is possessing copious general knowledge. This is
extremely important if you want to work under the ‘Standards and
Practices’ sector with a company like Disney.

However, if we’re talking about a professional degree, I’d suggest

you pursue a course in media or public relations. Whistling
Woods is a renowned institution offering a variety of media
courses. Hence, I’d suggest you apply to this institute if you’re
planning on pursuing a career similar to mine.

What is the expenditure associated

with the education/training of this
profession, approximately?
The expenditure you incur depends upon what media course
you’re opting for. For instance, at one end of the spectrum, there’s
Bachelors of Mass Media​, and on the other, there’s Media and
Communication. These courses make your foundation stronger.
Hence, the fee structure varies.

Additionally, more than anything, it’s crucial to acquire as much

knowledge as possible with respect to current affairs, the laws,
and regulations of each country, etc. As for the training aspect of
it, you’ll receive formal training within the company you’re
working for. Hence, there’s no expenditure here.

How does one manage to enter this

field?
Since ‘Standards and Practices’ is a relatively new field, it’s not
very challenging to secure a position in it. If you’ve completed
your basic education and secured a degree in a media course,
you’re good to go.

Following this, you can send in your CV’s to the desired

organizations. There’s a good chance that you’ll get the job you
want. This industry is still growing, and companies keep requiring
individuals with different skills.
Your formal training will take place within the company itself.
You’ll have to skim through innumerable case studies that the
company has worked on in the past years to be able to
comprehend the functioning of the company and what’s expected
of you.

What is the range of remuneration one

can expect when starting out in your
line of career & industry?
Honestly, it really depends upon your negotiation skills.

For someone who’s just starting out, one can expect a monthly
takeaway of about INR 35,000–70,000. This also depends upon
umpteen other factors like your experience, whether you’re a
fresher or not, what you’ve accomplished before applying for a job
like this, etc.

As for the next few years, your range of income completely

depends upon you as a person. The way you speak and present
yourself, your confidence, etc are all taken into consideration.
Previously, there was a fixed regime that companies followed in
terms of promotions. If you’d work with them for 2–3 years, your
promotion was as good as guaranteed, however, with changing
times, these rules and regulations have evolved. Today, if you’re
not able to showcase your dexterity and potential to your
company, you just won’t get the promotion.

Without a promotion, you can expect an 8%-14% rise annually,

that is, a 40%-50% raise every five years you’ve worked.

If you’re proactive and are willing to take up different

responsibilities, that is, doing more than what’s expected of you,
chances are, you’ll get a promotion. This indicates a 21%-30% rise
during your ‘promotion’ years.

Hence, a person’s income isn’t pre-determined and varies.

Please describe your work.

Currently, I’m leading the “Standards and Practices” department
at Disney. To elaborate, everything that’s aired (audio, visuals,
commercials, etc.) all go through the eyes and ears of my
department.

We decide whether the piece is good enough for a Disney product

and try to work on it if it’s not, after which it goes on air.

Since I’m heading my department, I usually spend the first few

hours deciding which team member carries out what functions.
Once that’s done, I delegate the determined tasks to them. After
this, I scrutinize the previous day’s and week’s records, examine
each of my colleagues’ progress since all of them are embarking
upon different kinds of work and provide them with a little
direction if needed.

I spend about 8–10 hours at the office and work from

Monday-Friday.

My job doesn’t really require much of night shifts, however, if my

team has to complete a certain goal before the set deadline, night
shifts are inevitable. As of now, such instances are not much in
number.
What are some benefits that would
encourage an individual to consider
working with Disney media company?
Fortunately, working for Disney comes with umpteen perks.

A chief benefit of working with Disney is the fact that I seldom feel
stressed out or pressurized by the work requirements.

We have a lovely work atmosphere simply because we’re all

extremely passionate about our work and love the way our
company functions.

There are absolutely no challenges when it comes to getting

holidays.

Next, since I’m working with Disney, I receive a lot of

merchandise from them. I’m also able to attend free movie
screenings with my family. Hence, there are a lot of perks in that
sense.
Also, I’m extremely contented with the work culture too. For
instance, a formal dress code has never been forced upon us. As
long as we look presentable, we’re good to go.

However, many of these benefits are applicable to Disney, solely.

Hence, perks and advantages keep varying from company to
company.

Can you mention a few challenges

that you would want someone to be
aware of if they’re considering a
career in S&P Department in Media
industry?
As the head of the S&P department, it’s crucial to remain prepared
for anything and everything. Challenges are always rearing their
heads to the top, questions are always arising, and hence, it’s
more than necessary to prepare yourself for different kinds of
situations and complications.
You ought to remain on your toes at all times.

You’re expected to keep track of the current affairs taking place all
over the world too. When you’re a part of media, you ought to
cater to the entire world, not just a particular state or country.

You’re also expected to study the laws and regulations of different

countries.

Heading this department or even working under it is not effortless

or elementary. You ought to brainstorm, use your mind in
different ways and get out of your comfort zone and explore,
which some people may view as a challenge or may dislike.

What are some relevant

trends/skills/technologies that are
currently commanding a premium in
your job profile?
The technology our company is using is extremely advanced as
compared to other companies. Our technology is such that no one
can alter or make any changes in the recorded data. Hence, it’s
important to know your way around computers and I.T. once
you’re part of the company.

What kind of a person, do you think,

would be content in this field?
It’s always about quality, not quantity. It’s about what you have to
offer, your potential to take the company one step ahead and your
thought process.

Even though leading a department like this is exhilarating, it’s

important to remember that you’re carrying an entire team on
your shoulders. Responsibility and ability are two indispensable
requirements one should possess.

If you think you can meet these necessities, I’m sure you’ll be
content doing this.

Given another choice, what would you

do differently as far as your
professional selections are
concerned?
I’d probably want to become a pilot, I think. I’ve always had the
inclination to do so. I wouldn’t mind becoming a snooker player,
either. The idea really enthralls me! However, I’m extremely
contented with the way things have unfolded in life.

What advice would you offer to

students or professionals who are just
starting their journey on a path similar
to yours?
I don’t want to sound cliché, but, I’d suggest you gain expertise in
acquiring an optimistic outlook with respect to anything and
everything in life. If you’re manifesting negative thoughts in your
mind, it’ll automatically reflect. Hence, always adopt and foster a
healthy and positive thought process. You’ll strive!

Contributing Writer - ​Urvi Shah

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