Being a Champion of Creativity and Bringing the Right People Together

Joining electriclime° Singapore in March as executive producer to oversee projects across Asia, Jason Heller brings with him extensive experience across agency and production in Los Angeles and New York.

In his previous role he ran Society, a boutique production house, leading a roster of directors and managing high-level production and business development. Before that, he worked at 72andSunny, Droga5, Grey, and Johannes Leonardo, producing projects for major brands like Google, Amazon, and Uber.

Here, Jason tells LBB’s Sunna Coleman about his creative ethos, how the landscape is evolving, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people for the job.

LBB> Firstly, can you tell us what you're most excited about having joined electriclime° as executive producer?

Jason> I think we are at a pivotal moment in advertising and production. There are pressures from all sides: money, time, new technologies, etc, but ultimately I believe that great ideas and craft will be the defining factor in who is successful.

When I decided to join electriclime° I did so knowing that I was surrounded by a team who valued craft as much as I do and was willing to overcome any obstacle to find a way of making that vision a reality.

LBB> You have extensive experience in both agency and production roles in Los Angeles and New York. How do you plan to leverage this experience in your new role?

Jason> I’ve worked extensively at both advertising agencies and production companies in New York and Los Angeles and I’ve been privileged to work alongside some incredibly talented people who I’ve learned so much from.

The term producer is an extremely nebulous term, but I view the role as simply someone who is a champion of creativity. I take a proactive role in ensuring that the best possible outcome is achieved in every single project we take on. Whether that is working alongside my director to push the creative, helping my team find solutions to budget issues, preempting problems, or bringing alternate ways of thinking about problems.

LBB> Asia is such a diverse market. What strategies will you employ to manage and oversee projects across such a varied region?

Jason> Diverse needs require diverse perspectives. I would never pretend to be everything for everyone, and anyone who does is lying to you. But I do promise all of my clients and partners that I will always surround myself with the right people for the job. And in order to have that network you need to be innately curious, have a desire to meet and connect with people, and to always want to learn more.

In practice, electriclime° and myself have a lot of directors, partners and collaborators throughout the region that we routinely bring in for various projects. And you only gain that through experience, which as a collective team at electriclime°, we have a lot.

LBB> What other challenges and opportunities do you anticipate in the Asian market, and how do you plan to address them?

Jason> We’re in a moment where there’s never been a greater need for brands to make a statement and show consumers who they are. At the same time, globally, things are shifting at a rapid pace and there’s uncertainty. Naturally, that most likely means that budgets are only going to be getting tighter as brands reassess what to do and how they plan to position themselves. Everyone is going to need to adapt with these changes.

At electriclime° the word value is talked about a lot. How can we give our clients more? ‘More’ can mean everything from more for their budget to better execution than they ever thought was possible.

And the truth is, there will never be a time when there aren’t challenges but I’m a firm believer that every problem is also an opportunity.

LBB> More broadly, what is your vision for pushing creative boundaries and achieving excellence in commercial filmmaking within the company?

Jason> At a basic level, my job is to create the space to allow great work to come to life. I bring the right team for the project and help push the process along for the best outcome. It’s as simple as that. For that to happen though, I have surrounded myself with people who have the same desire of pushing boundaries, innovating, and doing the unexpected.

I always remind myself, by the time an agency or brand comes to me with an idea, they’ve typically been working on it for a long time. If we can take that idea and make someone even more excited about their idea than before, then we’ve done our job.

We’re lucky to be in an industry that not only expects but demands that you constantly innovate and put your best foot forward. And I feel really lucky to be surrounded by so many talented people who wake up each morning and want to make exciting work.