It sounds glamorous: an office on a major studio’s movie lot, a backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains, Hollywood in the distance … but when Zachary St. Martin (E ’97, L ’01) joined Sony Pictures Entertainment’s (SPE) Digital and TV Distribution Group, he brought not starry eyes but instead a keen vision for closing deals and product counseling.

The Houma, Louisiana, native earned two degrees at Tulane before taking his legal practice to Southern California, first to an international law firm, Latham & Watkins, then to media and technology companies including Fox and MySpace, and then to SPE.

“My career path has taken many turns and has been an interesting ride. Stimulating, exciting and challenging subject matter is what drives me to do the work every day,” he said.

As part of the digital and TV distribution team, St. Martin works to monetize SPE’s content library by negotiating and closing distribution deals for Sony’s feature films and TV series across platforms and technology deals (and associated product counseling) related to Sony’s wholly owned distribution platform. And while direct-to-consumer revenue is skyrocketing, St. Martin remains optimistic about the future of the theater experience.

“At Sony Pictures, we still believe in the power of the theatrical experience with our feature films,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting back to the theaters this year as soon as we can, but in the meantime, I’m doing my best to make SPE’s distribution business a success.”

St. Martin is enthusiastic about sharing his optimism with students who are likewise interested in crafting careers in entertainment, media and technology. He volunteers with programs such as Tulane’s Career Wave, meeting and encouraging students in search of career guidance — and maybe just a little bit of excitement.

“I’m just a cog in the grand scheme of things at SPE,” he said, modestly, “but still, to contribute to a little piece of it is satisfying. I’m lucky to have found this legal business pathway involving media and technology. To have accomplished a career that is meaningful to me is gratifying, and my Tulane experience was integral in each step of the way.”