Meet Your Makers: Learning How to Delegate Better with Krysia Johnstone
Krysia Johnstone is head of production at Boomshot. Growing up in New York and Los Angeles, Krysia fell in love with the industry after spending a summer working on-set with her father, a commercial 1st AD. Throughout her career, Krysia has worked with Radical Media, Anonymous Content, a White Label production, Roger, Bunker, Caviar, Pulse, Park Pictures, Honor Society, Imperial Woodpecker, Alldayeveryday, Sibling Rivalry, Identity, Arts & Sciences, and Epoch Films. In May 2018, she joined the team at Boomshot. As Head of Production, she oversees all production aspects. She has worked for renowned sports and media brands, including NASCAR, FOX (Gieco, Google, Turbo Tax) FanDuel, 2K, ESPN, Resy, Apple, Nike, Geico, Coach, Target, and many more.
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?
Krysia> I was initially attracted to the freelance lifestyle of production. I loved that I could take vacations when I wanted to, work as much as I wanted to, and when I finished a job, most of the time, I could move on. I fell in love with this lifestyle because it felt a bit like summer camp or being in the trenches with your friends. So far in my career, I've only worked in commercial film production. I've yet to venture into long-form, feature films or documentary films. I would love to venture out at some point, but there is something very satisfying about the rapid fire of commercial film production.
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?
Krysia> My first role was as a production assistant, the lowest of the low in terms of set hierarchy. But, most people will come up through being a PA. The benefit of being a PA is that you get to see and interact with every department on set - Art, Grip, Electric, Camera, and Production. By rotating around and getting a good feel for set, one can decide which department they want to be in. I knew from the minute I got on set that I wanted to be in the office/ producer side. I liked that they always seemed to have a little home - a motorhome, a table, a place where people gathered. I also loved that the office was a female-dominated place. So I quickly moved my PA position into an office PA position and have grown through the ranks from there. The set building side was never for me. I like Excel spreadsheets, formulas, maths, and what I like to call 'organised chaos.'
LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?
Krysia> As I mentioned, I immediately wanted to be in the production office. Once there as an office PA, I worked my way up from production coordinator to production manager and eventually producer and head of production. I don't know if this should be a question of how one learns to be a producer but rather how one learns to be a good producer. And the answer is - to be around other good producers and mimic their behaviour. Some of it is learned, and some of it is just built in a person -- like being able to remain calm during pure pandemonium is something you are more or less born with, not something you learn. But the simple answer is I learned from those around me and, in my opinion, they were the best in the business.
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?
Krysia> There was a production that taught me how not to break, which is an essential skill while in production. We had been rolling from job to job, and it was maybe the 3rd or 4th shoot in a row, which meant I was wrapping the 3rd job and filming the 4th job. We had no breaks for weeks, and the exhaustion was setting in.
Wrapping used to require an immense amount of paperwork, especially if you had paper POs (carbon copies). I had four VERY large binders I needed to go through to finish wrapping, and I had finally cleared enough space in the production office for them when the AD took their things and started spreading them out on my table. I had to walk away to stop myself from crying or yelling at this person for taking up space that I had worked so hard to clear for myself. I took a walk, returned, and politely moved their things off my desk. I printed large signs that said 'KRYSIA'S SPACE' and spread myself out. Everyone is just trying to do their job, and there's never enough space to do it in, so you carve out what you can. From that, I learned that when you think you are about to break, you take a walk, make a sign, and keep working.
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?
Krysia> I think that a good producer ends up specialising in a certain medium. As much as a film producer can produce a live event, they require a slightly different skill set, different vendors, and different thinking. Most mediums are skeletally similar, but to be truly good at anything specialising is normally helpful. I tried live events once, and let's just say that the pressure of being unable to reset the camera and go again was far too much for me. You get one shot to make things perfect. That is a lot of pressure.
LBB> What's your favourite thing about production and why?
Krysia> The people. You meet the most amazing, fascinating, fun, caring, and kind people in production. And, since there is usually some travel involved in production, you end up with friends worldwide, or at least in different parts of your city. Everyone has a story, a side project, or a side hustle -- no one does just one thing, and I love that. As soon you get to talking, you'll find that most people on set are way more than just their job. I love that. It means they have enough time actually to live life and explore their hobbies.
LBB> How has production changed since you started your career?
Krysia> Production has changed immensely since I started, mainly because technology keeps updating. We now work with mostly digital cameras, and film is very rare. We moved from paper POs to digital POs. We moved from hot budget to showbiz. We now have cell phones and constant contact with anyone, anywhere, at any time. We have Google Maps to guide us. We used to have paper time cards that had to be scanned, copied, and stored. Now we can do everything digitally. Do you know how many storage units hold old paperwork from jobs? A lot. Every part of production has changed and will keep changing as we find new and better ways to get things done.
LBB> And what has stayed the same?
Krysia> The basic production structure has stayed the same - even throughout the pandemic. You have your client, your director, and your production team. You'll need a camera, most likely sound, and a least some lights. The hurry-up-and-wait mentality is still there, but hopefully, that will change soon. At its core, production is about coming together to build something, seeing it come alive, and then taking it all down. I don't think that will ever change.
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?
Krysia> It is something innate. The truth is anyone can be a producer or call themselves a producer, but being an effective producer takes much more. It is paying attention to every detail even though you've looked it over 12 times. It is patiently listening to the client, agency, and your director as you attempt to hear all sides and then come up with a solution more or less on the spot. It is staying calm even though there might be a literal fire on set. The way an effective producer's brain works is something quite marvellous. If you ever have the chance to travel with a producer, you will see it in full effect. Most of us have a problem turning it off after work because it is in fact, an innate part of who we are.
LBB> Which production project from across your career are you most proud of and why?
Krysia> I don't know if there is one project that I am most proud of. All of them had their moments of learning and have shaped by career.
LBB> And in terms of recent work, which projects have you found to be particularly exciting or have presented particularly interesting production challenges?
Krysia> We are working on a new script for the USTA that I am particularly excited about because it is about something I feel very passionate about - women's rights. But we'll keep that hush-hush until we know more about it. Being part of the FOX/ VW co-branded spot was super fun, as that was the first actual car commercial I got to do with Boomshot. That one presented interesting problems because on older model cars, you can mess with a lot, and the car will still run. But, with newer model cars, if the tire pressure is off (which we needed for the car to run in sand), the vehicle knows there is a problem and will let you know too. It is a great safety mechanism, but it can present issues when trying to film.
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?
Krysia> I've found myself in several bad situations and in places you really don't want to find yourself in. But for the most part, I try to avoid jobs that would get me into hairy situations.
If there is one lesson I could impart to anyone in this industry - your day rate is your day rate, whether it's a cushy stage job or standing in the snow in below-freezing weather for eight hours. Do your best to pick the jobs that won't bring you close to quitting. You get paid the same rate no matter what!
LBB> What are your personal ambitions or aspirations as a producer?
Krysia> To bring a better work-life balance to this industry and ensure that PAs make a living wage and have healthcare. When I first started, staying at work until 8pm or later was quite common. Why? I have no idea - maybe the producer didn't want to go home, or maybe there were some last-minute changes. But the fact is that most businesses close by 6pm, 7pm at the latest. If you are working well past 7pm, something is wrong. There is no reason that a production team needs to be doing 12-hour prep days for a job. So, let's bid more prep time, work normal business hours, and make sure that we are all happy beings. As for better pay and health care - PAs are some of the hardest working folks with the longest hours, no union, and no one to support them. Working 16 - 18 hour days should be illegal; it causes unsafe working conditions. On top of that, if you are going to put someone in an unsafe working position, please make sure they have healthcare.
LBB> As a producer your brain must have a neverending "to do" list. How do you switch off? What do you do to relax?
Krysia> It is pretty hard to switch it off. It leads to wanting to control and plan for all aspects of one's life as if it were a production. I give myself 20 mins to an hour at the end of each day to plan for my life - it can be as simple as making a grocery list for the evening to looking at the whole week and trying to coordinate with friends. I then switch it off and go do what I had planned. For relaxing, there are a lot of hot showers, hot baths, and reading. I find that escaping into someone else's reality through books is a great way to relax.
LBB> Producers are problem solvers. What personally fuels your curiosity and drive?
Krysia> I love being able to bring old problem solves to new situations. Problem-solving is a like a constant game of Tetris in my head. This piece is coming in, and these other pieces are set, but you can see up top that this different odd shape won't land -- what needs to move quickly to make it land correctly. The drive comes from finding new ways to solve the same problem. Production tends to have similar issues repeatedly, but each is always slightly different, so the solution must be particular to the space, client, and director. Finding new and better solves is always rewarding.
LBB> What advice would you give to people who are interested in becoming a producer?
Krysia> If you have yet to be on set, please find someone you know and get on set. The lifestyle is not for everyone - it is long days (aka the 12 - 16 hours mentioned above) and can be gruelling nights. You have to have a ton of patience, and as much as I say everyone can do it, it is not a position built for the faint of heart. Guaranteed someone on set will be upset -- they didn't get all of the equipment they wanted, didn't get the rate they wanted, had to travel, their buddy isn't on set, you told them no, the list goes on. Additionally, a lot of the time, when one is on a project, it becomes your life. I think everyone is attempting to keep better work/ life boundaries, but I know that even now when we are on a job it is more or less an unspoken rule that you are available at all times.
LBB> From your experience what are the ingredients for a successful production?
Krysia> Where does one begin with this question? The devil is in the details. It is everything. Every piece of the puzzle makes for a successful production. Not one piece of the puzzle can be out of place. No role is less important. Everyone has to carry their weight, and then you have a successful production.
LBB> What's the key to a successful production-client relationship?
Krysia> Listening, a client needs to feel heard. Whether the request is taken seriously or executed is a different matter, but they need to feel like they have been listened to, which is really quite simple and keeps things running smoothly on set.
LBB> One specifically for EPs: Producers are naturally hands on - they have to be. How do you balance that in the more managerial role of an EP?
Krysia> I am technically HoP and not EP, but I have to do that same thing in terms of being more hands-off. One of the constant notes of feedback I've gotten from my bosses is to delegate more. I have a massive issue in trusting people to do a good job or do it to the standard I have. It usually takes me two to three jobs to trust a producer to take on the project fully fully. So I've learned a few things about how to delegate better and how to trust. First, ask for a working budget from a producer off the bat - let's see where they are at just going into the job. Second is to ask to be on as many calls as needed. It might be annoying, but this way, you avoid a game of telephone. I also want to be on the phone if the director is on the phone. Lastly, I like to work with producers who are solution oriented. If a producer comes to me with a problem without solutions, I'll immediately get anxious and kick into hands-on mode. If a producer comes and says we have this issue, but here are two solutions, I can keep the anxiety at bay. It is rewarding to work with producers/ new producers and learn new tricks of the trade, and it can be tough when you feel that someone hasn't done a good job. Generally speaking, it is a relief not to be in the nitty gritty all the time.
