When I started working in Creative, I honestly didn’t even know what a producer was. My job responsibilities ranged from campaign conceptualization to producing, directing, and shooting all the way down to cooking, steaming, driving, pitching tents, and cleaning the company truck. I’m happy to say that a lot has changed over the past 4 years while a lot has remained the same. Budgets and crews have grown, production roles and responsibilities have been delegated, and I’ve been trusted to take my ideas and run with them… but I’m still just as psyched now as I was 4 years ago to steam puffies at midnight and get the coffee brewing in the morning.
Working in production has given me the opportunity to travel to some seriously amazing locations and make life changing human connections while learning an incredible amount along the way. It hasn’t come without a solid dose of stress and sleepless nights, but I’m very grateful for the career path that I have.
As part of my application I wanted to share a few highlights, learnings, and recaps on projects I’m pretty proud of. I’m sure I’m missing some things here and there, but it has been a whirlwind of a past 4 years!
Highlights:
Telling the amazing story of Nicole Ver Kuilen, an amputee athlete and advocate fighting for the fundamental rights of amputees
Learning how to craft a shoot that contains equal parts storytelling and product marketing
Putting together a fall catalog shoot in Colombia on 3 week’s notice and a $15k budget??
Trying to convince llamas loaded with duffel bags to cooperate for a photo or two in Northwest Argentina
Gripping to the bumper of a 1940’s Willy’s Jeep in Colombia, riding horses in rural Argentina (I’m terrified of horses), paddling tipsy sea kayaks in the San Juan Islands, and floating over Albuquerque in a hot air balloon… I’ve done a lot of amazingly random activities on shoots
Learning how much fun can be had in the studio while working with photographers, stylists, and retouchers to revamp Cotopaxi’s ecomm imagery
Learnings:
The importance of planning ahead and being prepared while still realizing the need to be flexible and that things rarely go according to plan… like when a landslide takes out a dirt road in Alaska, or cold weather has you shooting shorts and t-shirts in 30-degree weather.
The value of a good team. Everyone on a production is pivotal to the project’s success, from the photographer, to the talent, to the PA. Shoots are most successful when egos are left at the door.
How to plan an itinerary that gets shit done but doesn’t run people into the ground. There are only so many days in a row that a crew can work bell to bell before it becomes detrimental to the project’s success. Knowing when to tell the crew to sleep in can often make for a more successful outcome than another sunrise mission.
The importance of cultivating a positive, welcoming shoot environment. Making everyone feel important (because they are), stoked, and appreciated always shows in the final product.
Portfolio pieces to explore:
Lastly, here’s a collection of images showing the amazing times I’ve had on set over the past few years :)
