How 1 Creative Studio Masterfully Balances a Multitude of Genres Simultaneously
STUCK IN MOTION is known for producing an impressive array of content, from captivating TV commercials and compelling brand films to the hottest sizzles and showreels. LBB spoke with executive producer Tommy Shull and executive creative director Deb Reichman about how they juggle working across multiple marketing genres all at the same time. With a strong focus on creativity and precision, they manage to deliver high-quality work while adapting to the unique challenges each deliverable presents.
Q> You’ve been able to deliver a lot of different types of projects from a brand film for Chobani to a SZA world premiere music video for the Grammys. Do you approach all projects the same way?
Every project begins with a discovery phase. Sometimes that phase is expansive and sometimes it’s very short. Either way, this is the first and arguably the most critical step because it’s when you define your deliverables and determine your resources. From there, you can define the rest of your boundaries and push the creative as far as it can go.
Once we enter the creative phase, we work through 'story and tone.' We ask "what message are we looking to convey and how do we want to convey it?" This is true no matter whether the audience is music fans all over the world, or a closed room filled with elite investors. Ultimately, your message should be clear and the audience needs to feel something.
Q> What challenges do you face in maintaining consistency in quality across projects that demand distinct storytelling techniques?
No matter what the project is, we ask ourselves “what would be cool to watch?” It’s true that some genres and brands will have guardrails by nature but we also really don’t want to make bland work either. It’s about making something YOU also find cool, exciting and engaging. So whether we’re working with existing assets for a showreel or creating bespoke animated elements for a live-action shoot, we try to find ways to push the creative further.
Q> How do you build your team for projects across multiple genres? Is there a preference for specialists or generalists?
Our core team is mostly made up of generalists so we have a lot of love and respect for others who can move fluidly between genres. However, there are always going to be projects that demand specialities. This can be true in editing, but we find it even more in the animation and visual effects space particularly. It’s really important to know which skills are needed for the project so the right team can be assembled.
Q> Can you describe a time when you had to switch gears quickly between two vastly different genres? How did you manage that transition?
Recently, we were writing a script for an animated spot, while also editing promos for a reality show, and doing visual effects on a commercial. You can be so in the weeds on one project that it sometimes feels like stepping off one planet and onto another. Every project has its own sequence of steps so when you’re jumping back and forth, it’s really important to know which step you’re on. This will help get you settled really quickly.
Q> What role does pre-production planning play in helping your team prepare for working across multiple genres?
For us, pre-pro is like the foundation of a building. Each genre has a specific order of steps and we don’t ever skip the prep work. For a show reel with a lot of assets for example, we take the time to log and categorise everything before we even begin scripting. On animated spots, we begin with the script and write out a detailed visual column so we can plan our design phase. On more complex visual effects-based projects, we start with references and rough out ideas as early as possible to better understand technical challenges. Following the steps, in order, allows you to juggle multiple types of projects at once.
Q> How do you tailor your use of technology and equipment to meet the demands of various genres, from live-action editing to VFX and animation?
The creative will always define the execution however, sometimes you’re limited by time and/or budget so you may need to come up with a way of achieving a desired effect with less resources than you like. We’re always looking at new tools that could make things faster and still look great. At the end of the day, all anyone will remember is the final result so we’re constantly balancing to deliver the best possible outcome.
Q> Are there specific storytelling techniques that you’ve found work particularly well across genres?
Every piece we create follows a narrative arc in some form or another but sometimes the genre itself will define our narrative approach. For example, we’ve probably made hundreds of Case Study tapes and they almost all follow the same narrative structure: set up a problem and define the solution. We approach these very differently than say a commercial which will have a unique narrative style for each one.
Q> How do you keep your creative team inspired and engaged when they are shifting between vastly different types of content?
We actually find it more exciting when we have a variety of different kinds of projects on our plate than the same stuff day after day. We learn and borrow ideas from all the different projects we touch, and the diversity of projects allows us to bring ideas and skills across different genres which keeps things feeling fresh!
