Snap's Alexa Levine on the Avatar Lens and Future of Immersive Tech

Alexa Levine is the U.S. Head of Entertainment at Snap, Inc.

Prior to Snap, Alexa was at Facebook as an industry manager, where she oversaw many film, TV, streaming and live event clients. Before Facebook, Alexa had a variety of roles at Google and Microsoft and spent time working for agencies, including ICM.

Based in Los Angeles, Alexa is responsible for leading Snap’s entertainment sales team and working with U.S. entertainment clients who are advertising on the platform. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business and hotel management from Cornell University and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

We spoke with Alexa for our Backstory series, where we chat with folks in the entertainment industry about their creative inspirations and more.

Alexa, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I’m an L.A. native but grew up outside of Boston. I live in the beautiful city of Manhattan Beach, California.

Your first job in the industry.

I was a trainee at ICM, so I started in the mailroom and then worked at a desk in Motion Picture Talent.

A breakthrough moment in your career.

When someone on my team got promoted. It’s not related to the industry, but to me, it meant to much to help someone on my team get to their own professional goal.

Three movies you couldn’t do without.

• The Social Network. I can watch it on repeat. The performance by all the actors, as well as the story, are always entertaining.
• The Big Short. A brilliant take on the financial crisis.
• Love & Basketball. It’s a really wonderful love story with a great soundtrack and I love Alfre Woodard.

Your favorite movie quote.

“Love Actually is all around.”

Your favorite movie trailer or poster.

The Blair Witch Project. That trailer was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

A recent TV show that you loved.

I absolutely love love love Fleabag from Phoebe Waller-Bridge. It is my favorite show in recent years. It’s so funny and the characters are phenomenal and so complex.

A recent project you’re proud of.

The work the team did on Avatar has been incredible. Not only is the lens immersive and so true to the characteristics of a Navi, but the partnerships, like with SoFi, really make the film an event while highlighting the power of AR.

Someone else’s project that you admired recently.

Meta’s partnership with Universal and Monkeypaw is exciting to watch as people get more comfortable with VR. Consumers aren’t quite there yet, but if you have people like Jordan Peele investing in it and making content, people will come.

One thing about how entertainment marketing is evolving that you’re excited about.

AR is changing the way people use technology, as is A.I. I’m excited to see how marketers truly bring people into a film or show in a way that could never be done before.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in entertainment marketing.

Probably interior design or a consumer goods analyst at a bank. Very different paths but both I find interesting.