Meet Your Makers: The Human Element of Production with Elran Ofir

Elran Ofir is an Israeli born American producer, EP and founding partner at Nimble Beast. After attending Art Center College of Design in Pasadena he cut his teeth working the desks of major Hollywood producers. He then transitioned to on set work and line producing major commercials before reaching his current evolution as a Nimble Beast.

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?  

Elran> I’ve had a fascination and love affair with filmmaking since birth. Being an immigrant from Israel, movies and TV were my introduction to American culture. Growing up, I inherited my work ethic from my immigrant parents who came to the US with $300 and a baby in search of the American dream. Luckily for me, they found it. As I’ve grown in my career, I increasingly love engaging in the nuts and bolts of creating material, from the short form world of ads to full-length features. Nothing energises me more than being part of a team that makes memorable moments.  

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?

Elran> As cliche as it may sound, I got my start fetching coffee for a successful producer. I worked my way up to the desks of a few other A-list producers and also PA-ed on sets. These various experiences spanning the entire gamut of roles have helped me understand the needs of every role in production. It gives me perspective to see each element as it fits into the bigger picture. Prior experience is key to being an effective executive producer, and I have gained this insight from seeing leaders with prior experience start from the bottom and work their way to the top. 

LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?

Elran> My journey to becoming a producer has unfolded in three distinct ways: through my academic work at Hunter College and ArtCenter College of Design, by voraciously watching films and by gaining hands-on experience in the real world. In school, I learned how to load a 16mm camera, edit on a Steenbeck, and studied under the masters of contemporary cinema. This served as the foundation that helped me navigate 4am calls telling me that I can no longer use the location planned, or making a production look more expensive on a limited budget. Sometimes it includes pulling out all the stops, so when a director says “I need a miracle”, I make it happen. School can act as a foundation and give you a strong base of knowledge, but only real world experience can make it a reality. My job is to conduct the ‘orchestra’ of a production so everything runs without a hitch. And you have to do all this while leading a team from behind, who sometimes need your creative input and sometimes they just need you to give them space to do their best work. This mostly applies to the producer’s biggest responsibility: supporting the director by any means necessary. In my experience, this principle applies to everything from student films to low budget music videos, all the way up to million dollar commercials. The challenges are the same - only the scope gets bigger. With all due respect to my professors, sitting in the trenches is the best way to learn how to produce.  

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?

Elran> About six years ago, I was called in by a friend at an agency to replace a few shots for their national broadcast campaign. To give a little context, there were corporate big wigs threatening to sue the agency and the tension was palpable. Within two days, I had to quickly gather a crew, cast multiple actors, secure the location, and complete the vital missing shots. As nerve wracking as it was to be fresh out of school and strapped to a tight deadline, I found it exhilarating to be problem solving and pushing the limits of what was possible under the circumstances. And if you’re wondering, not only did we get it done, we were able to film alternate takes and angles to ensure the client was able to choose from several options. The lesson I learned was to think on the fly and just roll with what you have available. It was a process of making three types of lemonade with one lemon.

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? 

Elran> To say that the media/entertainment landscape has grown significantly would be a gross understatement. The market has changed and adapted so much over time that any good producer will need to adapt alongside it. I do not want to be restricted by a niche set of skills as some A-list producers have. Creating a project where any image can be striking is an important goal, regardless of whether it will be seen on a phone screen or in a cinema. Any short or long form project is telling a story. Being dynamic during the process of effectively bringing the director’s vision to life allows for the flexibility to operate in an ever malleable media landscape. Nimble Beast was started with the awareness of our strengths and the discipline to focus on what we excel at. We all lift each other up to create the best possible version of both our individual and collective vision and that’s what’s afforded us the space to grow our enterprise as a whole. 

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

Elran> The best part of producing is the 24 hours leading up to the first day of shooting. It’s so exhilarating that I don’t even need my morning coffee. Through hiring talented people who bring their best and plan every detail, we lay the foundation for the unexpected and wonderful to happen; those magic moments when the right idea falls in your lap exactly when you need it, or the light glimmers in a way better than anyone could have foreseen in pre-production. It’s those special times when the film Gods smile upon you. My goal is to empower my crew and talent so that at the end of the day they feel they’re able to move mountains. It never fails. 

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

Elran> The lack of excuses provided by the evolution of technology. The tools that are at our fingertips today would sound like science fiction to someone working in our industry 15 years ago. We can put talent in any environment using virtual production and we can work with an editor who lives across the country in real time. We can strategically roll out the end product with the click of a button per the client’s request in various markets and platforms. 

It’s not about ease, but scope. The truest thing about today is that our tomorrow is so much more exciting than the tomorrow of 10 years ago. The toy chest is not only getting bigger, but is being filled with more new and exciting solutions everyday. We have never been so well-equipped to push the boundaries of creativity and what’s possible. 

There is a constant debate over AI taking over the film and advertising industry. I don’t really see it as a threat. Ultimately, a computer can’t replicate the range of human emotion. I think creatives will outlast AI because nothing can replace the spark that comes from human creativity and collaboration. 

LBB> And what has stayed the same?

Elran> The human element. Despite all the new tools we are learning and using, it all sits on a foundation of human creativity and the need to communicate. On set, people come together with their various talents and skills to create something that will communicate with the rest of the world. It’s a process that I enjoy and try to make as enriching for my team as possible. It’s only by celebrating the human element is when we can create something special. Be it the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, newest film blockbuster or commercial - it’s all about communicating a story, emotion, thought or message. That has not changed and will never 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?

Elran> I find that school and real world experience gave me the ability to know what to do, but my intuition gave me the ability to know how to do it. If a producer can’t trust his gut, it will come out during production. A good foundation for a producer is an innate curiosity and humility. A producer has to bring a wide spectrum of learned skills and abilities to a project - that is the benefit of experience. Humility is knowing what you know and what you know you don’t know. It’s only then that you can support and lean on the people around you. Curiosity keeps a person searching for answers and keeps them open to being surprised. The world is often smarter than we are. One can find solutions walking through LACMA or Target the same way that they can find it by looking at film and TV references. I’ve always been a personable leader and go-getter, which has helped me foster long term relationships. With these relationships, I am able to read beyond someone’s resume or reel and build on their attributes to bring the best out of them and produce the best possible outcome. 

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

Elran> It’s not a single project. I’m most proud of having started Nimble Beast with partners who are at the top of their game in their respective fields. Each of my partners have years of experience working in the US and Europe. Jose is an exciting visual director with a background in elevated sports work and the ability to seamlessly across many cultures. Marcel Sawicki (aka Schildberg) has directed international spots in Europe for Toyota and Red Bull, among others. He recently scripted a Cold War spy film on Netflix. The Bonnan Brothers are a creative director duo who have done hilarious and touching work as ad men in Chicago and are now taking that experience into directing. Tom Kubik, is a US veteran and photographer and director, who has done eclectic experiences that range from dealing at the World Series of Poker to shooting portraits of president Barack Obama.

The moment we put our trust in each other and decided to go at it as a group was my biggest success. We’re taking our fate in our own hands and have adopted a real “one for all and all for one” attitude. (Apologies for the Three Musketeers reference.)

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

The New Balance ad that I recently produced for Nimble Beast director, Jose Ho-Guanipa. With Jose, everything was seamless. He had a clear vision and was able to execute on it with a high degree of precision. This is rare for a commercial that size shot in a heavily trafficked area of Los Angeles. Despite being the production centre of the world, LA can be challenging at times to film in. I am still amazed by the job Jose and director of photography, Colin Oh, did working within the strict parameters that had to operate under. But that goes back to what I said about moving mountains. After we were done, we not only made a great project, but solidified partnerships with talent for future projects.

I’ve had creative directors at numerous agencies compliment us on it and the way it captures the spirit and architecture of the Los Angeles skyline. If you’re able to get that kind of result, you’ve done your job as a producer.

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?

Elran> I almost got stabbed at the Slauson Street Train Station by an unhoused person once during a shoot. What could’ve been an ugly situation turned into a moment of empathy and understanding. We deescalated the situation through talking and being respectful. The production gave him food from craft services and some petty cash. I quickly realised he was struggling to survive and was simply scared and upset that we were invading his living space. All of my other hairy stories are covered by an NDA.

I only mention almost getting stabbed, because you don’t want to know what it’s like to intern for a Hollywood producer. 

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

I want Nimble Beast to grow into a company of one. I remember being in film school and watching the Director’s Label DVD’s. Music videos and commercials were shown as pieces of art and appreciated as such. We would look up the directors and production companies responsible for that amazing work and do anything to be a part of that. I want Nimble Beast to have that opportunity as well; to be seen as a high watermark by up-and-coming talent and inspiration for young creatives. 

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

Elran> I have a serious movie habit. You could call it an addiction. I could live in the movie theatre. It’s where I go to relax, decompress, and share a communal experience. It’s interesting because as a producer you see things with different eyes, watching the movie and the audience reaction at the same time. I’m also prone to the usual pastimes of the 21st century (doom scrolling, TV, and social media). My girlfriend is a therapist and social worker. I hear some pretty horrible stories from her and I know how privileged I am for what I have and what I get to do for a living. 

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

Elran> My passion for storytelling. I’m always trying to tell stories in new and interesting ways. You never know how a great story can come about. It’s the act of discovery that gets you across the finish line. Also, I try to constantly remind myself that there are lots of other people out there who are creative and do great work, so I better get to it and create my own opportunities.   

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

Elran> The advertising and production business is not all about award show parties and rubbing elbows with celebrities. The glitz and glamour is just a small percentage of this job. Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. As a producer, you can go from the lonely existence of working completely isolated by yourself when you are in prep to being surrounded by people on set looking to you for everything and then back into isolation, cueing up your next job. It can be a rollercoaster ride at times and is by no means a conventional career or stable way to make a living. Make sure you have the passion to sustain and overcome those truths. I didn’t get into this line of work because it’s cool or glamorous or because I could make tons of money. I did it because I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. Do it because you wanna work with great people on executing great ideas together to the best of your ability. Hopefully, it resonates and the audience connects with it.

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

Elran> The people. You have to have the right team around you. The moment those pieces fall into place, 80% of your job is done. The rest of it is making sure everything moves in the right direction and those professionals play their best. That requires you to anticipate needs and think a few moves ahead, so that your collaborators can work on the problems that are in front of them to the best of their ability.

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

Elran> Trust. As a creative producer, it’s all about establishing a relationship early on in the process and creating a safe environment for everyone to share ideas and communicate freely. There’s no trick to this. It’s a gut feeling backed by a proven track record. The work must speak for itself, but you have to be authentic in your approach to people. I’m there to help our client reach a certain outcome. Trust of our client is never owned, it is rented and rent is due every day. The moment the client trusts you, we start playing on the same team and focus on our mutual goal.

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

Elran> Becoming the managing director/EP at Nimble Beast, I’ve taken on many new responsibilities that I did not have as a producer. I now pay a lot more attention to branding and strategy for the company and work closely with directors to nurture their careers and vision. It really is no different from the time that I was getting coffee and working as a PA on set. It’s a natural progression in my career to grow and gain new experience, while using everything I learned along the way. From running errands to running meetings, the principles stay the same: do your best, think ahead, be open-minded, try to see opportunity in challenges, always be optimistic, and don’t forget to look to the people you’ve surrounded yourself with. If you’ve chosen wisely, the rest falls into place.