Dear Art Producer

Liz Miller Gershfeld brings 20 years of experience to the conversation; she started in journalism and caught the production bug. Today, she shares a treasure trove of tips and best practices.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Liz and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, how she found her way into art production, and what important skills are required for this line of work. [7:36] Art production includes so much more production than it did at the time it was called art buying, Liz touches on the paramount importance of flexibility in an industry where change is the norm. [9:25] There used to be a quantity minded media model that had a digital cadence — daily, weekly, or monthly social media updates for which content is required — but this is changing and some studies suggest that consumer attention is more focused on quality assets rather than quantity: we may see a return to the hero image! But all of this requires a lot of buyer education. [13:12] Some clients think in terms of

Ilona started as a receptionist and worked her way up to art production — a position she has now worked in for 17 years. She shares quite a few practical tips and a lot of insights on her experience.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Elena and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, how she found her way into art production, and what important skills are required for this line of work. [7:43] The biggest change Ilona has seen on the agency side of the industry is that the amount of work and assets that are produced has increased exponentially over the course of the last 10 years. [9:37] Shooting print only simply does not exist anymore, and Ilona understands the client’s side of things in terms of getting more for your money and time — especially on shoots abroad — but it does require everyone to be a little more knowledgeable. [11:08] Broadcast is separate in the way that they create the ad spots, but in terms of social media videos, that is more integrated into Ilona’s shoots. [12

Lisa brings numerous years of experience to the table; she is an industry veteran and has worked as an Art Producer for the likes of Frankel and Leo Burnett. Not only that, she owes her own graphic design studio which honed her eye for artistic vision.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Lisa and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, how she found her way into art production, and what important skills she learned along the way. [5:41]Lisa finds her photographers through resource websites, Workbook, AdEdge, LE BOOK, as well as her own massive digital files of photographers! [7:58] To catch Lisa’s attention, display your personal projects in a way that helps showcase your artistic voice and passion, have a website and Instagram — even if it’s a secondary resource for her. [10:31] Lisa recommends your website be really easy to navigate: organize your content in categories and use thumbnails. Don’t forget your contact information, including your phone number and address! [14:30] The est

After working for agencies, Marc Pakulski went freelance and now works with Nike. But before his 15 years of Art Production experience, he used to work with Prince! Tune in for an enlightening chat on what it takes to work in this industry and what working brand-side means.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Marc and asks her guest to talk about who he is, where he is from, how he found his way into art production and what important skills he learned along the way, but first: how did Marc end up working on Prince’s music videos?! [7:08] Marc touches on how Nike keeps their image relevant through up-and-coming artists as well as influencers, but the combination of motion and stills has been the driving change in the industry as he has seen it. [11:20] Marc has an interest in new points of view and tries to keep current on unique styles and trends in photography, but a huge part of how a photographer is chosen is creative partnership. [15:43] Reps and agents are Marc’s primary source for finding photograp

Today’s episode is one of the few ones Heather has tackled with an art producer on the client’s side of things!   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Jody and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, and how she found her way into art production. [7:50] Jodi dives in deeper into her role at Starbucks and highlights the differences between working for a brand and working in an agency. [11:27] Starbucks does use advertising agencies and a lot of the work that shows up outside of the stores come from partner agencies. [13:16] Jodi does find that work flows freakishly fast on the in-house side, but it does lead to expectations becoming more and more intense. [16:26] The main way of grabbing Jodi’s attention is through her network — the agents and reps she knows, but she does recommend that the bulk of a photographer’s focus be on digital presence: Instagram, website, emails, and links, etc. [22:31] In terms of motion, some education still needs to occur internally with regard to photographer

Angela shares her breadth of experience, her love of the creative process, the shifting landscape of the industry, and the paramount importance of building trusting relationships and building for the long term.   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Angela Harken and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, and how she found her way into art production. [5:17] Angela talks about being a connector, hiring hybrids and the changing landscape of the industry and its impact on the role of art producer, which requires a wide set of skills. [8:59] In terms of client expectation, Angela has seen their need for cost efficiencies… ask about bundling and streamlining processes. But more and more, she sees clients coming in with their own photographer recommendations! [10:22] Heather asks how it is that Angela believes those clients come to hear about photographers they recommend? [12:35] Angela explains what the days of usage were and how it has been changing. [17:04] Getting an estimate approved fo

Hannah brings a decade of experience to the table and shares some really interesting insights, a few nuggets of cool information on working with pharmaceutical companies as well as the importance of treatments: they are read and they are valued!   Key Takeaways [:31] Heather introduces Hannah Wolfert and asks her guest to talk about who she is, where she is from, how she found her way into art production, the precious mentors that have helped her along the way and about Morty the new Catahoula puppy! [8:30] Smaller and smaller budgets is one of the most noticeable changes Hannah has seen in the last decade, along with an increase in the scope of the projects! Paperwork has also become cumbersome before a job is awarded. [9:40] Heather explains ‘Firm Bid’ process for the audience as well as the heft of paperwork required for pre-bidding in that kind of setting. [11:20] Dotting the ‘I’s and crossing the ‘T’s for getting a job approved in Hannah’s agency. [13:47] Hannah explains why it is that in most cases, pha

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