Dear Art Producer

Today’s episode is Part 2 of a special two-part interview with three brand-side art producers; jump back in for the rest of this awesome conversation with Ken, Suzee, and Shayla.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather welcomes listeners back to this special two-part live recording of Dear Art Producer and picks up the conversation with her three guests. [1:12] Motion came into photographer’s arsenal only a few years ago so some are now already directors and some are still figuring out the basics. Heather asks her guests what requirements they have as it pertains to motion. [2:07] Suzee explains that there are many configurations that depend on the client and project and that there is a learning curve since it’s a growing field. [3:38] Ken finds that it’s really easy to sell a photographer taking care of motion because it guarantees an aesthetic uniformity. [6:17] Shayla always needs some motion component. When the brief requires some video but the bulk is stills, she will look for photographers who are apt at motion o

Today’s episode launches a two-part interview during which Heather jumps out of her usual format and talks to three amazing guests at the same time!   Tune in for an insightful, casual conversation with Ken, Suzee, and Shayla.   Key Takeaways [:31] Jay Michael Tucker, President of the Northern California ASMP chapter, introduces today’s guests: Suzee Barrabee, Ken Zayne, and Shayla Love as well as your host, Heather Elder. [4:33] Heather welcomes listeners to a special two-part live recorded series of Dear Art Producer and begins the conversation by asking her 3 guests how they found their way into art production. [7:08] Shayla talks starting with pizza delivery in Boulder Colorado and making her way to Uber Eats and everything creative in between. [9:15] Ken ran into photography through a program called City in a School and made his way to FIT and fashion photography before ending up at Gap, Inc./Old Navy. [11:27] Suzee was a lost soul who answered a want ad! [14:22] Suzee opens up the conversation about the

Dave has been a freelance art producer and has done photo production before becoming a content producer. Today, he shares his experience and along with Heather, gives you some actionable tips as well as some good insight on the merging of the life and work silos.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Dave Lewis and asks her guest to talk about who he is, where he is from, and how small towns are the best! [2:35] From photo production to art production to content production: what skills has Dave garnered that are most important and how did he come to work in advertising? [5:25] Dave has found that a lot of the things he produces are now destined for the Internet and that the clients are getting more and more specific. [7:00] Creatives need to be more and more nimble and a lot of content is now produced in-house but the variety of sources for the material Dave needs has multiplied in the past years. [9:48] Heather asks about the ins-and-outs of working with influencers — a frequent listener question: Is the

From one side to the other: Eden Alexanian went from being a producer for a photographer to Senior Art Producer and four years in art production is enough to see changes in the industry! Tune in for an interview on integrated campaigns, the importance of treatments and how your rep keeps you up to date!   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Eden Alaxanian and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, and how she found her way into art production. [5:35] Getting to know people is one aspect of getting better at your job, but getting to know what a job means to a person is something that Eden learned while working as a producer and tries to remember each time she treats a new project. [9:00] Eden touches on the questions she fields after a bid is turned down. [10:11] In the name of transparency and to save everyone some time, Eden tries to share the budgets up front. [13:03] Eden walks us through her side of the process once she’s received an estimate, from the cost consultants to the treat

Owen shares his love of the print media, as well as his love of music on this informative interview with an industry veteran. Tune in for a candid exchange on the evolving world of advertising, the Golden Age of San Francisco and an accidental Super Bowl ad.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Owen Bly, they talk about awesome San Francisco, and she asks him to talk about who he is, where he came from, and how he found his way into art production, starting with his Honolulu break! [8:22] Owen talks about how the industry has changed during his 31-year career, from the enormous impact of technology to the way clients see the role of ad agencies today. [10:40] Heather asks Owen to dig deeper into the changing relationship between client and agency — asking what if advertising were invented today and experiential ways to stay relevant. Owen shares an example of experiential advertising at Pereira O’Dell. [13:34] Owen accidentally produced a Super Bowl ad! [15:24] How does a photographer remain relevant in t

[:31] Heather and Tracy share touching stories of how their relationship has impacted each other's lives through the years before diving into how Tracy found her way into art production. [6:58] Tracy talks about expecting changes in this industry and the importance of never becoming complacent. She also touches on the new realities brought about by technologies. [9:46] Because of its speed, Heather finds that email often lacks quality of information.   Tracy shares the core aspects of proper communication that she teaches all of her teams. Tone! Make certain your tone gets across. Details, details, details: Get in the habit of writing more than you would on a Post-it. Re-read yourself a few times, and anticipate what questions may come back your way. It all comes down to being considerate of the other person’s time, to which Heather reminds everyone to read those emails properly!   Pro tip: if you don’t have the time right now, send a quick message to let the person know you’ve received their email and will

Justine Barnes shares her 12 years of industry experience with some very actionable tips on websites, email blasts, and bidding, as well as the importance of honesty in relationships and organizations.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Justine Barnes and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she came from, and how she found her way into art production. [6:58] Justine talks about how long she has been doing art production for and if she would see herself doing anything else. [7:43] Justine and Heather talk about the changes in the industry and Justine touches on what her department has done, in terms of remaining relevant, including opening a gallery for showcasing artwork and “art talks.” [11:06] Getting Justine’s attention can come through printed promos, especially if you put a unique, even collaborative twist on your work. [17:24] Marketing to Justine and her agency: Have a solid website — clean, user-friendly, fast loading, easy to navigate, thumbnails, skip the intrusive features like au

Tune in for some insights we’ve not heard on this podcast before as Renee shares some of the experience she has gathered over her 12-year career.   Key Takeaways [:41] Heather introduces Renee Jean and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she came from, and how she found her way into art production. [7:00] Heather and Renee share their thoughts on what freelancing offers in terms of diversity of opportunities in the rapidly evolving advertising industry. [9:50] Renee believes that the multitude of different ways of producing still media has already equipped art producers to tackle other kinds of production: traditional print experience is translatable to other media. [11:04] Is integrated production the future? Renee shares a really interesting perspective we haven’t heard before! [13:05] In Renee’s experience, photographers also doing motion and broadcast rarely pans out — she has seen a lot of still production having to piggyback on the broadcast shoots. But ultimately as a photographer, it’s impo

Mara has been in the business for almost 15 years, both in advertising and publishing; she now consults with photographers on how to get noticed in crowded markets.   Key Takeaways [1:07] Heather introduces Mara and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she came from, and how she found her way into art production. [9:24] From PR to photography to advertising, Mara’s breadth of experience enables her to think creatively, communicate information precisely, and problem-solve, which seem to be the underlying qualities that are needed in the industry! [10:50] Budget sharing is usually dictated by the clients, but sometimes, the art production budget is only a small part of a much larger budget which can still be ill-defined, making it hard to share. [12:05] Heather touches on the difficulties of not having a budget when dealing with new people whose idea of “enough money” may not be as accurate as they believe! [14:03] Heather asks if there have been noticeable changes in the levels of experience vs. work

Jason does things differently; as a Senior Integrated Producer, he gets to touch both broadcast and print. Tune in for some interesting insights from someone who routinely bridges the gap.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Jason Lau and asks her guest to talk about who he is, where he is from, and how he found his way into art production. [6:25] Jason talks about how he created his own position at TBWA\CHIAT\DAY and brought order to some interactive legal aspects. [7:25] From building his own role, Jason touches on what he does today, and how has it evolved along with the changing industry into something different from traditional art production. [14:30] Heather and Jason talk about the combination of the broadcast and print production roles, and the language and process barriers that arise when trying to communicate with both sides. [16:30] Integrated content isn’t just about shooting motion and a few pictures on the side for social accounts, it’s massive and requires a multi-talented, trustworthy sto

Clarissa is an Art Producer with a wealth of experience to share and she does it in a smooth jazzy voice! Tune in for interesting insights on transparency in relationships, the evolving relationship with clients, the future of advertising and the importance of giving a voice to diversity.   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather introduces Clarissa Garrett and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, and how she found her way into art production. [3:41] Does her Jazz singing career have any effect on Clarissa’s advertising career? [5:20] Clarissa touches on the fact that creatives are asking for more helpful input from her and her team, and some of the reasons why that may be. [6:35] What is the process like for solving the creative briefs with Clarissa’s team? [7:36] Emails or paper? The storylines and aesthetics are how to grab Clarissa’s attention. Sourcebooks are not her thing, but she has an extensive bookmarking system for rep groups! [10:36] Instagram has become a go-to, and influencers are som

Started as an art producer in New York at Kirshenbaum before she worked at Deutsch and David & Goliath in LA and freelance. What does Cara think about all these changes happening? Is Instagram important? How about motion? And, is working on car accounts different?   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather introduces Cara Nieto and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, and how she found her way into art production. [5:31] Cara talks about how change is a source of motivation but of the changes she has seen in the industry in the past 19 years, shrinking time has to be the most challenging. [9:13] Heather asks if, in her different agencies, Cara has looked more for photographers who do motion as well. [12:10] If a client doesn’t have a specific motion plan, what are some things a photographer can provide to make their offer more valuable. [14:20] Does Cara have solid budgets when she approaches photographers, how are they built and does she share them? [19:20] Heather and Cara discuss the importan

Honesty and open-mindedness are key. After 28 years of doing art production at FCB Global, The Designory, Suissa Miller, Saatchi and Saatchi, Team One, and now freelance, Lisa shares her perspective on the industry evolution and the keys to a well-oiled machine.   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather introduces Lisa Matthews and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from and how she found her way into art production. [3:50] Lisa talks about some skills she gathered from previous experiences that still serve her today, as well as the importance of never presenting a problem without a solution. [7:09] Grabbing Lisa’s attention has always been a face-to-face affair, but if that’s not possible, find a uniquely personal way to get her to your website! [11:15] How should a photographer market to potential buyers? Lisa shares some actionable pointers. [13:14] Heather asks what Lisa needs to do to get a job approved once the estimates are in. And what does she do while the estimates are being prepared — any pr

“If you’re not prepared for that creative call, don’t take it.” Lisa Oropallo has been at Digitas for the last 18 years and was always an advocate for the best practices in the industry. Tune in for an interesting episode that covers industry changes as well as some seriously practical tips on online presence and how to show up for creative calls.   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather introduces Lisa Oropallo and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from and how she stumbled into art production. [3:26] Lisa talks about how technology advances have reshaped the way work is done in the industry and what impact it has had on the work. [6:56] Lisa turns the tables and asks Heather how a bid monopolizes a photographer’s time. [7:16] Heather and Lisa discuss the evolving role photographers are asked to play in the creative process and the time requirements that have not been increased to accommodate for this additional workload. [10:22] The creative call and the treatment make or break a bid. [12:06] With

As a one time rep and now art producer, Sonia has seen both sides of the conversation; tune in for her insights on websites, grabbing her attention, and a deep dive into the place women have in advertising today.   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather introduces Sonia Pandya from Mullenlowe in L.A. [1:50] Sonia talks about how she found her way from junior rep to where she is today and what she learned during her first internship. [4:10] After all this experience, what brought Sonia to the art production side of things? [6:40] Heather asks Sonia if her past experience has been an asset in her current job. [7:35] How does one go about grabbing Sonia’s attention? [9:28] What exactly is a well-designed website? Sonia and Heather nerd out! [11:50] Instagram is a good place for Sonia to hunt for new talent. She underscores the importance of Hashtags in the search process. [14:54] Heather asks what Sonia’s process is when she receives an estimate. They talk about agency policies and personal preferences when it comes to sha

The single frame narrative of Jacqueline Fodor’s life, the cadence of certain types of work (including art production), and the rapid evolution of the role of photographers — tune in to this dynamic discussion to hear about all of this, and more! She started her career in LA as a film wardrobe stylist before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area to produce content for infomercial visionaries. She has built production departments, along with viable content studios at agencies like Venables Bell and Partners and Duncan Channon. She was also the lead producer at Google’s Brand Studio creating content to launch the Google Store.   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather introduces Jacqueline Fodor, a freelance Art Producer. [1:24] Jacqueline talks about her nontraditional path to art production. [6:02] Has the single hero image disappeared? Jacqueline dives into some key differences between what the clients want and what they actually ask for. [9:04] Heather asks if Jacqueline developed skills at other jobs that transfer well

Part 2, the bidding process and motion projects. This episode is Part 2 of the in-depth discussion with Heather Church. Tune in to hear about the intricacies of the bidding process and how the use of photographers for motion projects has increased through the years.   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather Elder starts off Part 2 of the interview with Heather Church with a discussion on bidding — as well as a side note on “Heathers.” [1:15] What is the process, on Heather C.’s side, once the bids have been received? [2:57] Heather E. asks Heather C. to talk a bit about what makes a good treatment. [7:26] Does Heather C. share who is bidding on a particular project? And what about budgets? [10:32] When dealing with three different bids, how does Heather C. Make sure she is comparing “apples to apples.” [11:35] Is there a point in the bid process when Heather C. will narrow in on a candidate or does every photographer get the same information/emails/updates until the very end of the process? [13:03] Heather E. asks Heathe

Part 1, how Heather Chutch got into the business and how to get her attention. This is Part 1 of a 2 part interview with Heather Church of the New York office of Arnold Worldwide. Listen in for a fun dive into what got Heather into art production as well as some insider tips on how best to grab her attention.   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather introduces Heather Church from the Arnold Worldwide New York office for Part 1 of two podcasts covering how she got into the business and how to get her attention. [1:15] What was the path that took Heather C. into advertising and ultimately art production? [3:40] Heather C. talks about her previous jobs, but more specifically the skills those experiences imparted that she uses as an art producer. [4:24] Heather E. asks if there were any influences that were instrumental in shaping Heather C.’s path and interest in photography. [7:23] How do photographers get Heather C.’s attention? [8:14] If Heather C. Likes someone’s work, will she visit their website or social media accou

Dana started working as a photographer at 14, find out what grabs her attention and what she would do if she wasn’t an art producer!   Key Takeaways [:30] Heather introduces Dana Kandić, Art Producer for Deutsch New York. [1:47] How did Dana stumble into art production? The journey started at age 14! [7:22] Heather asks what skills her previous work experience lent her in terms of art production. [9:43] How does a photographer go about grabbing Dana’s attention? And once the photographer has made the keep pile, does Dana visit their websites and social media accounts? [12:20] What specifically is attractive in a website for Dana? And are her bookmarks organized in any specific ways or categories? [14:30] Heather asks Dana if there are tiebreakers when everyone at the table is equally good… Take notes! [17:30] How does Dana share information with her team — does she curate the information or do they just get links? [19:20] Is triple bid the standard? And what is the process when a photographer has been chosen

Trevi comes from a family of art producers! Tune in to hear more on how she found her own way into art production, what shaped her personal style and how to grab her attention.   Key Takeaways [0:30] Heather introduces her guest for this very first episode of Dear Art Producers, Treviana DelMastro who has been a producer for 4 years at JWT in New York, and comes from a family of producers! [1:04] Trevi walks us through the sinuous path she navigated to becoming a producer, from television casting, to fashion PR, to art production. [6:11] Heather asks what Trevi thinks are the most important skills she developed on her way to becoming an art producer. [9:02] Trevi touches on what the most powerful influences were in shaping her art producer style. [10:26] A bit of professional praise for Trevi! [11:40] What marketing stands out today for Trevi? And besides mailers, is Instagram a means of reaching her? [16:35] Photographers seem to be leaning toward building a brand in order to be competitive. Keeping this in