How Brent Madison Fell in Love with Film

Brent Madison is a seasoned producer with over 12 years of experience and more than 200 projects to his credit, including feature-length narrative films, series, branded content, documentaries and commercials.

As executive producer at the award-winning Team Win Studios, Brent oversees a domestic team of producers as well as its international production partners, producing millions of dollars in digital-first and linear projects for celebrities and clients like Google, Virgin Galactic, Marriott, and Realtor.com.

Brent is a former Eagle Scout and an executive member of the HRTS (Hollywood Radio and Television Society). Brent lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Alaa, and their two children, Dalia and Deen. He credits his parents and grandparents for their unwavering support and mentorship throughout his career.

LBB> What first attracted you to production – and has it been an industry you’ve always worked in or did you come to it from another area?

Brent> I first wanted to become a producer after falling in love with films like Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ and ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ as well as other films from that time.

It amazed me how someone could capture that much talent and excellence in such stunning locations on screen. As a young creative, it represented a new-age, old-Hollywood style of filmmaking that inspired me. I had to be a part of the inner workings of that world.

LBB> What was your first role in the production world and how did this experience influence how you think about production and how you grew your career?

Brent> When I was 16 years old, I got a job as a production assistant on a little movie that was being filmed in nearby St. Louis.

The movie starred Alyson Stoner and a few other incredible actors at the time, and everyone on set (including me) was so genuine, happy, and incredibly talented at what they were doing.

As a junior in high school, it opened my eyes to how amazing a set family can be and made me want to go to film school.

After working on that movie set, I was hooked. I grew up in the cornfields of Illinois so this was an otherworldly experience that I couldn’t wait to explore further.

LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?

Brent> After graduating from high school, I applied to a few film schools and ultimately went to Columbia College in Chicago. Initially, I wanted to direct, but it became apparent that what I actually loved about film was the intricacy of the business of filmmaking.

By junior year, I switched concentrations to focus on producing. While at Columbia, I produced my first few short films, as well as my first ads. Some had complex needs – one was a 1930s dust bowl period piece, and another was a thriller where I needed to recreate a corn field on a sound stage – both of which turned out incredibly well.

I attribute these early projects to later success because I was able to fail small, out of the limelight, and learn from so many mistakes while the stakes were minimal. Some mistakes were so cringeworthy that they occasionally still wake me up from a deep sleep!

LBB> Looking back to the beginning of your career, can you tell us about a production you were involved in where you really had to dig deep and that really helped you to grow as a producer?

Brent> I remember moving to Los Angeles and being asked to produce a series of very tough music videos that were set in the desert in July when the temperature reaches over 100 degrees daily. Our crew had a very small budget, but we still had to keep everyone safe and hydrated.

The logistics alone had all of my picture cars and talent motorhomes continuously breaking down in the middle of nowhere and it really tested me.

That shoot made me value the aspect of having a core production team that you could rely on and how having those trusted few mattered more than anything else – including money.

LBB> A good producer should be able to produce for any medium, from film to events to digital experience. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why/why not?

Brent> Yes and no. I’ve had the opportunity to produce over 200 individual projects: films, live events, concerts, branded content, series, ads, you name it. There are certain aspects of event and documentary production that I still am not the best at.

While I would be able to handle those projects, I think what makes all of us great is knowing what and when to specialise. Just like a writer or director has their niche, producers are also allowed to have a niche in which they excel.

LBB> What’s your favourite thing about production and why?

Brent> The unpredictability can be both a blessing and a curse. We get an opportunity to work in all different types of environments and settings, the world over.

My favorite thing would be the access and insight we glean from stories and most major industries and the knowledge that comes with that access.

This is especially true when one of your hobbies aligns with the content you're shooting, as it lends a whole new level of passion to the project.

LBB> How has production changed since you started your career? And what has stayed the same?

Brent> Production has largely become more expensive since I first started my career, especially since covid-19. Attitudes at agencies toward production have changed as well. Production has followed the ebbs and flows of the economy as a whole.

As costs become higher, it has become much easier to find less expensive crews outside of LA and the US that are of the same caliber as LA-based crews at a cheaper cost. As the cost of everything goes up, working in LA can be a challenge.

Today, LA-based producers have to compete with a larger pool of talent, and we cannot solely rely on tax credits to save us. Our governments and regulatory bodies must also do what they can to bring productions back to LA.

In spite of this, what has remained the same is people's intense dedication to filmmaking as a way of life and the immense pride that comes with that.

I am never short of finding incredibly talented and dedicated people in any given city. Especially in my home of Los Angeles.

LBB> What do you think is the key to being an effective producer – and is it something that’s innate or something that can be learned?

Brent> To be an effective producer, you need to be reliable – period. You can learn to be the most reliable person on set, but it also has to be within you as a goal you want to achieve.

This means being quick, available, and at times willing and able to do things that are normally not within the realm of possibility.

Sometimes you have to move mountains, and the only thing standing between you and that goal will be your resolve.

LBB> Which production project from across your career are you most proud of and why?

Brent> That’s hard to say. I am incredibly proud of the two features I have produced, ‘The Crusades’ and ‘The Lottery’ (which is currently in post), and I have such a high level of respect for filmmakers taking on features due to the immense effort needed to complete and release a film.

I am also incredibly proud of the many ads I’ve been a part of and for different reasons, for brands like Virgin Galactic, Under Armour, Thorne, Harry & David, Realtor.com, and Drivetime.

Each took something different that we had likely never done before and were trying to accomplish for the first time, like cataloguing first-time astronauts into space, following Dwayne Johnson all over the world on tour, or locking down major sports stadiums to shoot during covid.

I am also proud of the continuing director and crew relationships that yield these amazing opportunities and bring them to life.

LBB> And in terms of recent work, which projects have you found to be particularly exciting or have presented particularly interesting production challenges?

Brent> We recently produced content for Paramount+ and the UEFA Champions League. We worked with influencer and pro footballer Jeremy Lynch to achieve two world records: one for the highest crossbar kick and the other for the highest goal, shot from 200 feet above out of a moving helicopter. We had only a few weeks to model out where and how the helicopters would do it.

Obviously, safety was key, so we had to model what we thought a soccer ball would do once it's kicked out of a massive Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King Helicopter. This took a lot of practice and watching bouncing balls for a couple of hours. The Civil Aviation Authority in the UK thankfully approved our plan and we achieved both of the records that we had set out to capture, and in only two hours' time.

Looking back, we had such a limited time window when considering weather as well as our allotted budget and it was a feat to see it all come together as a success.

LBB> Producers always have the best stories. What’s the hairiest / most insane situation you’ve found yourself in and how did you work your way out of it?

Brent> This is such a fun question and one I super appreciate, because producers really do get handed some of the craziest tasks to remedy and in equally obscene timelines.

I once was able to convince a private shipping company to send out a series of branded merchandise boxes for a client shoot that had been locked up in Alaska for over a week. Our team was desperate and we needed them by a certain deadline in a very remote region of Alaska.

After days and days of persistence, we were able to find a pilot who agreed to carry these boxes in the cockpit for an on-time delivery before a major portion of the shoot was set to kick off.

It was so bad that I was going to charter our own private jet to get the product there, but the icing on the cake was that I was able to convince this pilot to do it for free! I have never received a more incredible reply from a client before or since. A less dedicated producer may have given up and never gotten the product there at all.

We’re lucky to still work with this client today and I might not be able to say the same had it not worked out.

LBB> What are your personal ambitions or aspirations as a producer?

Brent> I’d love to work at the highest levels with the best directors in the industry. And sometimes I get the feeling that I already am, but the imposter syndrome won’t let me say it out loud. There are so many talented people in this industry, it's incredible to witness firsthand.

LBB> As a producer your brain must have a neverending "to do" list. How do you switch off? What do you do to relax?

Brent> I don’t know, can you switch it off?

You have to be incredibly dedicated to your craft to work at a high level in advertising or film and television. When I do get to switch off, I try to switch off hard but usually for only a limited time. Mainly when I am traveling abroad with my wife and two young children. Family time is so important.

LBB> Producers are problem solvers. What personally fuels your curiosity and drive?

Brent> I like to say that producers create the bubble in which directors can live, work, and really get creative on a given project. I like looking at it that way.

When the bubble is active and working as intended, the team is firing on all cylinders and creating REAL, tangible magic. A well-run set is like a perfectly seared steak in that way to me. It’s just so satisfying when you get it right. When you foresaw all of the potential pitfalls, and deliver above expectations.

LBB> What advice would you give to people who are interested in becoming a producer?

Brent> If I were to give the same advice that I was given, it would be to GET OUT. In all caps. That was the only thing I heard coming into the business in 2011.

However, my only advice is that you don’t have to know everything or everyone. You simply have to have the ability to put yourself out there and rely on not only your abilities but on your network as much as possible.

Take projects in stride and actively learn to say ‘NO’ to things that are too far beyond your known limits.

A good producer will never shy away from saying when they need help. A great producer will know when to say no altogether.

LBB> From your experience what are the ingredients for a successful production

Brent> Great directors and department heads are key, but success is more so found in how and when they communicate with each other. Your only respite will be a solid prep and pre-production deck. We have to live and die by what’s in the deck.

LBB> What’s the key to a successful production-client relationship?

Brent> Honesty is the best policy. Knowing when to have humility and accept higher costs or longer timelines that were brought about by your team's decisions or groupthink indecision.

I’ve seen many companies lose clients due to constantly billing overages or failing to see what overages/scope creep will arise in the first place. This is why project scoping is so important, and doing so with your producers well in advance of production is crucial.

We are always striving to be the best partners to our customers and clients as possible. This includes taking it on the nose when certain things don’t go as planned.

LBB> Producers are naturally hands on – they have to be. How do you balance that in the more managerial role of an EP?

Brent> In addition to being market makers, I like to think of EPs as relationship managers. We are, at many times, shrinks with level heads trying to accomplish the near impossible.

Creative teams can be hard to navigate and pair together, but we have a love of all things production. Relying on your passion as a filmmaker and leveraging it against your skill set as a producer will always yield results if you're doing it correctly.

For example, I don’t see myself as above anyone on a film set; if anything, we make it to these positions by way of the cast and crew's immense efforts.

You can’t have an ego, and I think being a producer who genuinely cares for your cast and crew will always go further than anything else. It shows in the client work. It shows in the team's willingness to go above and beyond. It even shows during awards season.

In a nutshell, check your ego and care for the crew – always.