How did you get started in the biz?
I started in film, working in development and then production. I was thinking about leaving the industry and I got a call in my mid/late twenties from then EP Carol Lombard from Y&R Irvine and she was looking for some freelance producers to work on Mattel. She took me in for almost a year and taught me the foundation I still have today.
What are the main duties and responsibilities of an agency producer?
To manage the production/execution process from start to finish, including building out and managing the calendars, budgets, timelines, bidding partners. Creating & advising on prepping the job properly, researching the best way to achieve the creative vision and then getting the team there. Managing the Pre, Production, and Post process. Leading all teams from client, agency, and vendors through this process.
What are the different types of projects an agency producer works on?
They should be working on anything and everything from Print to AI to Virtual, Social Media to traditional print and production projects to even experiential to live events. Oh and radio… how could I forget?!
What does your staff consist of and what are their roles?
Typically there is a Head of the Department, Executive Producers who manage whole accounts and under them are Senior Producers, Producer and Associate Producers. These days, there are more and more Content Departments so you have producers who are maybe more specialized in producing for TikTok, IG, smaller, leaner projects. Many times there are in house production and post departments as well that a Head of Production may oversee or work in partnership with. We are always attached or have within our department a Business Affairs Department which handle the business side of things for producers like contracts, payments, legal and so on.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Managing the people, we always get in our own way and typically the bigger the egos, the work suffers and so does the entire team, and this isn’t just at the Agency, this is many times with junior and experienced clients, actually more and more with the clients… it’s gotten a bit out of control with all the testing they do these days, they don’t trust creative, they trust the testing. I have zero patience for this, and typically try to find ways around it and believe me, if there is a way, I will find it.
What is a common mistake production companies make when working with agencies?
I mean for the most part, we’re all partners and I typically work with people I like, know, and respect us but I think it’s a two way street and it’s usually trust. Like Production doesn’t trust the agency producer because maybe they are not experienced or trained as much and then the agency producer doesn’t trust production because they feel disrespected. Again, it usually just comes down to personalities, people, egos, us getting in our own way.
Is there a niche that production companies have yet to fill for agencies?
I think as an industry in general we are sadly mistaken if we think these large massive union projects will continue and even though I’ve been a bit out of the game for a while, I’m 6 mos pregnant and not working, I am regularly in touch with industry friends and I do think we are all seeing things are changing. I think in general we all need to get on board for swifter, leaner, more cost effective ways to work and I do think more and more you will see production handling all aspects of production and you may see less and less from agency producers, more like the European and Latam Market manages production. They are ahead of the US in cost effectiveness and have always been frankly.
In an industry that is incredibly demanding and the hours are often long and intense, how do you maintain a balance of productivity, health, and well being?
I didn’t do any of this for a long time and it almost killed me, legitimately. I don’t drink anymore, I work out and I come first, the end. I created boundaries maybe 7 years ago or so and that helped a lot.
Knowing what you know now, would you have done anything different when you were first starting out?
I would have quit drinking and created boundaries earlier, that’s all. Those two things affected me more than I knew then but looking back I realize that was the core. It wasn’t just not drinking, it was also the boundaries part which came secondary.
Do you have any mantras you live by?
Do the fucking work.
Do you have any interest in going to Mars?
Fuck No.