According to a report from The Information, MasterClass spent $100,000 to recreate Bob Iger’s office when they filmed the CEO’s classes.
MasterClass launched Iger’s 13-lesson course in 2019, just before he originally stepped down as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. The MasterClass is a total of 2 hours and 11 minutes with the following description.
In an era of disruption, Disney CEO Bob Iger led one of the world’s most beloved brands to unprecedented success with the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. Now, through case studies and lessons from 45 years in media, Bob teaches you how to evolve your business and career. Learn strategies for expanding a brand, leading with integrity, and making big moves—from risk management to the art of negotiation.
Iger told Variety at the time, “I’ve had some great teachers and have learned many lessons. With my MasterClass, I want to give back and impart what I’ve learned throughout my career.”
When the course launched, it could be accessed for a flat rate of $90, or via a $15/month MasterClass subscription. It’s now available only via a MasterClass subscription, which starts at $120 a year or 4 payments of $30.
When filming Iger’s course, MasterClass wanted to use his real office, but it didn’t work logistically as a set. So they instead opted to build a replica of the office in a conference room elsewhere on the Disney campus. One of The Information’s sources said MasterClass spent about $100,000 on just the set. Disney didn’t charge them for renting the space, but with everything else factored in, the shoot cost MasterClass about $850,000 — before paying Iger to teach the class.
MasterClass was growing rapidly at the time, and had a surge in subscriber growth during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. A former employee said the average MasterClass shoot cost around $1 million to film and edit a few years ago.
Now interest in the courses hosted by A-listers is dropping off. MasterClass cut their number of employees down from 600 to 300, including much of the production team, and has begun out-sourcing most of their filming.
MasterClass spokesperson Beth Swierk said, “Like many other companies, over the past 15 months we have had to make difficult decisions related to headcount, and we have also focused on reducing costs and driving efficiencies within our business. Taken together, these actions have made MasterClass stronger—financially and strategically. Costs are down and our teams continue to innovate in content and formats.”
We don’t know if the $100,000 office set included Iger’s favorite private shower.
