"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.” - Marie Sklodowska-Curie
What’s your role in the firm, and how do you make a difference?
I am a leader in our Profit Participation Services Practice. As an advisor in the film and television space, I collaborate with clients to pursue outcomes that best fit their goals and help them determine strategic direction.
Describe the best thing about GHJ and why it matters to you.
GHJ has a strong emphasis on flexibility and encourages fresh ideas. The Firm recognizes that our lives can be demanding, and the commitment to anytime/anywhere work allows for a more balanced and healthy life. Fresh ideas push us to think outside the box and encourage our entrepreneurial spirit.
What makes you get up in the morning, and how does it impact your work style?
What makes me get up in the morning is to learn something new every day and the opportunity to challenge myself. Each day is different, and I am passionate about positively influencing my colleagues and clients.
What/who influenced you to join the firm, and how?
Steven Sills influenced me to join the Firm after our discussions about transitioning from a major studio environment. Particularly, I was motivated to learn how I could contribute to GHJ's growth and help our clients achieve success.
What is your favorite quote that best describes your professional philosophy?
"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.” - Marie Sklodowska-Curie
Peter Klass, CFE, is GHJ’s Profit Participation Services Practice Leader and has more than 25 years of entertainment accounting and audit experience, specializing in profit participations and contract compliance. Peter has extensive consulting experience in connection with complex profit-sharing arrangements, film/TV performance analysis, dispute resolution and litigation support. He has represented financiers, talent, producers and rights-holders.
Prior to joining GHJ in 2009, Peter worked at Sony Pictures Entertainment where he managed issuance of profit participation statements and supervised worldwide third-party audits.
Peter is a co-author of the 3rd edition of Movie Money: Understanding Hollywood’s (Creative) Accounting Practices (published in 2020) and has written extensively on various entertainment and media topics. He is a guest lecturer at Pepperdine University and Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution and has participated in various speaking engagements centered on film and TV profit participations.
Peter is a recipient of the L.A. Times’ Entertainment Business Visionaries award and the Los Angeles Business Journal's Thriving in Their 40s award. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner and a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in Sociology and Business Administration. Peter is an avid traveler and film enthusiast.
Fun Facts
Favorite place in the world:
Spain
Favorite music/band/singer:
Led Zeppelin
Favorite movie or book of all time:
The Godfather part 1 and 2
One word that best describes me:
Curious
When I'm not working, you'll catch me doing this:
Traveling or watching movies
