Shannon Magarity on Confidence, Curiosity, and Producing in the Age of Change

When Shannon Magarity entered the industry, she didn’t come armed with a Rolodex of contacts or a film school pedigree. What she had instead was drive, curiosity, and a deep hunger to learn. “I had no background in post or production,” she says, “but I knew I wanted to be in this world. So I asked a million questions and sat with every department I could.”

From her start as a front-of-house receptionist at a VFX company to her current role as executive producer at Lockt, Shannon has climbed quickly, not by ticking boxes, but by jumping into every opportunity, learning as she went, and mentoring others along the way.

Learning by Doing, and Embracing Mistakes

“I learn best by doing,” Shannon says. “By observing, by asking, and by making mistakes.” That lesson has stuck with her throughout her career. “Instead of spiralling when something goes wrong, I try to break it down: what happened, and how do I prevent it next time? That mindset makes you stronger and quicker.”

She also encourages junior producers not to be afraid of getting it wrong. “Confidence is built through mistakes,” she adds. “But you can’t grow if you’re afraid to try.”

Producing the Next Generation

Now three years into her role at Lockt, Shannon is helping shape the next wave of post production talent at a studio that prides itself on staying at the creative and technical forefront, from advanced VFX to exploring new uses of AI.

As a leader, she’s intentional about mentoring rising producers, not just by showing them how it’s done, but by letting them take the wheel. “I’ll ask them to build a bid from scratch and then talk me through it,” she explains. “It shows me how they think and it lets them discover gaps or efficiencies themselves.”

And sometimes, it leads to unexpected improvements. “One of my junior producers introduced a new organisational format that I still use today,” Shannon says. “Mentoring is a good reminder to slow down and re-examine the details. You'd be surprised how much a fresh perspective can teach you.”

Curiosity Isn’t Optional, It’s Essential

Shannon’s biggest advice to aspiring producers? “Be curious. Ask the uncomfortable questions. If you don’t understand something, sit with someone and ask them to explain it not just for the answer, but for the why.”

That sense of curiosity is what helped her learn every role from the ground up and it’s what she encourages her team at Lockt to cultivate daily. “The more you understand each part of the process, the more confident and capable you’ll be especially when things get messy.”

Strong Communication and Soft Skills Still Reign

While tools and tech evolve, Shannon believes some skills will always be essential. “Strong communication is number one,” she says. “You’re a conduit between departments, artists, and clients. You need to make sure nothing falls through the cracks and that everyone feels heard.”

That also means building rapport. “Clients want to feel like they know you. They want to enjoy the process. The small talk, the follow-ups, remembering that they went on a trip last weekend that’s not fluff. That’s how trust is built.”

Post Is a Creative Player .. Not Just a Final Step

One of the biggest misconceptions Shannon sees in the production pipeline is the late involvement of post teams. “People still assume post kicks off when footage lands,” she says.

“But we need to be looped in way earlier. We bring a lot of valuable insight into creative planning, VFX feasibility, and workflow efficiencies. Early collaboration makes everything smoother.”

This early engagement is something Lockt actively champions, allowing the studio to function as a true creative partner, not just a final stop in the production process.

Navigating the Creator Economy and the Rise of AI

Shannon embraces the blend between traditional production and the creator economy. “We’re in a social-first era. People want real reactions, behind-the-scenes content, and stories that feel personal,” she says. “There’s room for both: high-end production and creator-style storytelling. They feed into each other.”

She also sees AI not as a disruption, but as an asset especially in post. “AI is a creative tool, and if you learn how to use it, it gives you an edge,” she says. “It’s not going to replace us, but it can absolutely enhance what we do from previs to storyboarding to client visualisation.”

At Lockt, the team is exploring how AI can empower editors and artists with better creative prompts, more visual development tools, and more efficient collaboration with human-led creative vision at the centre. “It puts post in a more central creative role, which is exciting,” Shannon says.

What’s Changed and What Hasn’t

Shannon points to hybrid work, collaborative leadership, and a more open creative floor plan as major shifts in the production world since she entered it. “There’s more transparency now,” she says. “Producers are encouraged to ask questions and come forward with ideas. That wasn’t always the case.”

But one thing that hasn’t changed? “Producers still have to wear a lot of hats, stay calm under pressure, and make everyone around them feel like they’re in good hands.” Final Words for Aspiring Producers “This industry has its ups and downs,” Shannon says. “But if you keep putting yourself out there, keep asking questions, keep staying curious it will pay off. You just have to stay consistent, even when it’s hard.”

Spoken like someone who learned it all not from a textbook, but from every desk she sat next to, every artist she asked 'why,' and every bid she wasn’t afraid to build before she was told she was ready. And now, at Lockt, she’s doing the same for the next generation.