Meet Your Makers: Ana Terc’s Military Approach to Solving Problems

Born in Puerto Rico, Ana is fluent in both Spanish and English, allowing her to effectively communicate and collaborate with individuals from various cultural backgrounds. She holds a U.S. degree in Business Marketing, which provided her with a solid foundation in the business world. Initially starting her career in marketing, public relations, and sales, Ana's passion eventually led her to the film production industry, where she has thrived for over 17 years.

Throughout her extensive career, Ana has worked on productions across the United States, Canada, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica and with an extensive network and capability to shoot worldwide. Her expertise lies in collaborating with ad agencies, renowned brands, and studios for TV series and movies. Ana's contributions to the industry has been recognised on the projects she has worked on that have won Cannes Lions, & Clio awards. She has had the privilege of working with esteemed brands such as Nike, American Express, Citi Bank, American Airlines, VW, Toyota, Rolex, State Farm, and many others.

As an executive producer, Ana brings a wealth of experience and a meticulous eye for detail to every project. She excels in choosing the right director for each project, conceptualising pitches, managing budgets, and overseeing productions from start to finish. With her extensive network of professional relationships worldwide, Ana can seamlessly navigate projects across different countries and maintain the highest standards of quality. Lastly, Ana brings to bear this vast professional arsenal, to help guide projects with a deep care for the work, and a steady hand for those she works with.

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

I did not start in production. I took what I thought was a more “practical” route by graduating in business administration with a major in marketing, then I worked in sales, PR, and marketing. During this time, I had a film director & producer as clients who liked how I worked. They brought me into the industry. 

I realised I had always been curious about the art of storytelling. I would observe what was the takeaway message, the choices in tools used to tell the story, and if it was effective in connecting to the audience. 

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?

Ana> I started as a production coordinator because I already had a business administration background. Being a production coordinator helped me develop a military approach to solving problems promptly, as well as understanding budgeting, negotiating, and coordinating the crew. However, I do advise people to start as a PA first, I did PA work for a bit, more on that later.

LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?

Ana> Working freelance in various production companies and prominent studios. This gave me the experience of working alongside talented producers, visionary directors, big sets, challenging logistics, A-list actors, and prominent figures.

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? 

Ana> In the beginning, I broke a lot of rules because I wanted to prove my worth; it was hard holding back solutions. The reason: usually a PA (and even sometimes a coordinator) does not have the master plan, only details. So I learned to be an observer, which serves me well now. Listen, and learn. 

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?

Ana> Yes, and we have. We tell stories, our job is to create worlds and experiences, no matter the format.

But having said that, it’s also a choice.

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

Ana> Being on set with your work friends. There is a wonderful energy that is hard to describe. 

Also, when you see your work in public. It creates pride because you are entrusted to produce these projects. It’s proof you are valued. 

LBB> How has production changed since you started your career?

Ana> Everything has gone digital, from wrap books to cameras. When I was a production coordinator, wrap books were in binders, printed on paper, now everything needs to be scanned and put in a digital file and put in the cloud, or hard drive which is wonderful because now we create less waste.

With cameras, I miss shooting film and hearing, “Check the gate.”. Now most shoots (though not all) are done on digital cameras, which are great and can shoot all kinds of things. 

But the visual texture of film negative is different. When you are shooting on film you need to be specialized. When you are on set, you honor film. Film has a texture, which organically blends colors and light in a beautiful way. And because it’s a classic tool, like a classic car, I find it romantic. 

LBB> And what has stayed the same?

Ana> The seriousness, and respect for the process. 

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?

Ana> Being an effective producer can be learned. First and foremost is budgeting properly. Having said that, it is also understanding the message and vision, and understanding the roles of each person in the crew, giving them the pertinent information on the project, what is required of them, and providing them with the tools to fulfill those roles. However, what makes producing enjoyable is having the respect of the crew and client, and that only comes with time and experience. Trust is earned.

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

Ana> A shoot in Italy.

It was one of the most challenging projects I have produced, but also the project I am the proudest of. 

It was a production during the height of COVID-19 in Italy. What made it challenging was the many unknowns, from unexpected governmental shutdowns during prep and filming, to whether I would be able to get into the country since the borders were closed to all foreigners. 

Even after many, many rounds of negotiating and Italian documents being filled and pre-approved, there was still the uncertainty of whether they would let me into the country at the actual border security. After some suspenseful pushback, and a mini-interrogation worthy of a spy film, thankfully, I managed to enter.

Keep in mind that everything was time-sensitive and constantly changing. For example, we had an unexpected mandatory shutdown on the days we needed to do our pick-ups, like camera and lighting equipment, furniture, production supplies, wardrobe, etc. All these locations were mandated to close within a few days’ notice, and we could not postpone because I had limited 10 day stay, so I had to figure out a way forward. 

Our client was in the U.S., which was an eight-hour difference, so communications and approvals from them in an ever-changing situation on the ground would be received the next day, we needed to expedite the long and detailed pre-production and get client approvals on the move to make sure we had all the supplies we needed, before the shutdowns. It required continuous adjustments to this new expedited deadline and I had to rush to organize priorities. The client understood we needed a quick approval, and thankfully we managed to get all we needed. 

Once all the equipment had been attained, we had another unknown, providing streaming from remote and isolated areas given the client was in the U.S. The possibility of losing the signal or having technical difficulties was present. Disruptions did happen a few times, but we quickly recovered thanks to our reliable technical operator and that we had the foresight to triple our signal broadcast instead of just relying on a few LTD cell signals.

This project is the most challenging, yet the most rewarding. Thankfully the client was thrilled with the work we did, especially knowing our circumstances, but a lot of the credit has to be given to our Italian Director and the local crew, they were superstars, and we were on schedule, and on budget.  

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

Ana> We shot a commercial in Mexico City for Moen, where we had to build a two-story apartment underwater. That was exciting. What made it challenging was making sure the crew was safe from all the lighting and camera equipment underwater. 

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?

Ana> The good intentions in the push for diversity and multiculturalism, of which my company is a perfect example given our diverse backgrounds, can collide with the reality on the ground when working in different countries and with different cultures that do not necessarily see or share the same values. 

Knowing this is important. It does require a lot of finessing and understanding to manage expectations, and to guide those involved. Ironically, diversity and multiculturalism values cannot be exported to countries that have different values, racial and ethnic makeups. 

As a producer who works in the US and in many countries, I need to be a diplomat, continuously negotiating and translating the different ways of working, and by my experience, people rarely want to insult the local culture. In the end, success comes not from imposition, but from following the old saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans”.

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

Ana> More work in TV series and movies. We are always thrilled to provide production services to studios, streamers or do a co-production. Most of our work is in advertising, which we also enjoy because every project is creatively different and keeps us sharp in working on a variety of styles. But other than production services for brands and advertising agencies, we are also currently writing our own movies and TV series to fulfill our need to tell stories we believe need to be told. We will start to pitch by the beginning of summer 2024.

LBB> As a producer your brain must have a never-ending "to do" list. How do you switch off? What do you do to relax?

Ana> The way I switch off and recharge is I go into nature, may it be hiking, skiing, swimming, or gardening. To relax, meditating & yoga.

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

Ana> It’s connecting an audience to a new perspective. The art of storytelling. When telling a story, the challenge is connecting people from various backgrounds, into a story that is relatable to humanity.

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

Ana> Start from the bottom and work your way up. If you can, be a PA for every department, this gives you a better understanding of the needs of every crew member. Their needs and complaints. Also, if they see you work your way up, you will get more respect because you put in the work.

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

Ana> Budget and prepare properly, even if you must turn down work because your budget is too low or there is not enough time to prepare the right way, do things the right way. Also, make sure to hire the best people for key positions, give them the tools and information they need in order to succeed, and always take care of them and pay them fairly. 

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

Ana> Trust. Trust comes with time and build a working friendship. All of this is built on honesty and openness. Also, celebrate their triumphs, and be willing to help find solutions to their challenging work struggles during a project. 

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

Hire the most talented people for the job, that’s key, so you worry less. Give them all the project information, establish what you need from them, and let them do what they do best, they are the experts, listen to them.