Meet Your Makers: Why Producing Isn't a Solo Act with Lucas Ajemian

Lucas Ajemian is a senior producer at Jelly New York. 

The translator between clients and creatives, Lucas has a natural ability to interpret, communicate, and nurture creative with integrity.

With a background in fine art, Lucas naturally progressed into film and animation, before eventually finding his fit in production. One of the original New York team members, he joined Jelly four years ago by way of some of the best design and animation studios in the business.

As a practicing conceptual artist himself, he brings a certain understanding to the artists he represents, as well as a unique holistic perspective. Staying open to change and always respecting the process carries through both his work as a producer and an artist.

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?

Lucas> My background is in fine art and I was mostly focused on that through my 20s and early 30s. I was a fairly itinerant worker, apart from my personal art practice. I was mostly employed by artists and galleries to assist in creating exhibitions and large-scale art projects. I had a background in film making and started assisting animators and video-makers in that world. I enjoyed the problem-solving aspect and realised I had a knack for interpreting and communicating creative to the benefactors and stakeholders involved.

Being an artist myself helps me to better understand the artists we represent at Jelly, there’s a shared vocabulary around making. They’re all doing personal work and are so generous with their ideas and talents, that I end up learning a lot from them. It’s also fun to draw on my – somewhat niche, but extensive -  interest in art and cultural history and share references and ideas that can inform a novel approach when they’re seeking inspiration.

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?

Lucas> I landed a coordinator job in TV (MTV, VH1) in the early 2000s right as a lot of people were coming out of some of the new animation programs in the US. I’ll admit, coming out of the somewhat wild west of the art world, it took me a while to adjust to the more structured, cooperate way things were done in TV, but over the course of several years, I learned to appreciate the difference. 

LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?

Lucas> It was pretty organic. Working as manager for internal creative services departments - such as in VH1 or Epix - you’re kind of client and vendor. Most of the time you’re advocating for in-house creatives, while managing company priorities that can seem opaque at times. While other times you’re working with outside studios to set milestones and manage costs. It was all about communication really; being the translator in the middle, and having an understanding of timings and creative needs.

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?

Lucas> There have been very few productions I’ve done that felt 'routine'. I approach each one with an appreciation of its somewhat unique challenges and I have a lot of experience I can draw from to meet those challenges – you have to be at the centre of efficacies or inefficiencies of a given process, personalities, client priorities, etc – it’s a stew that’s always different and each one allows you the opportunity to grow, in my opinion.

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? 

Lucas> I guess we can be specialists and even experts in certain things, but a good producer listens and asks questions, with the motivation to learn from your collaborators. It’s never a solo act and for that reason, if you maintain a circle of trusted partners and advisors, you can sort most things out.

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

Lucas> Support and collaboration - working with concepts and the directors. Tracking the details, keeping a tidy process and documentation are all very satisfying, but the working closely with talented people is by far my favourite part.

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

Lucas> I think the decentralisation of remote work has been the biggest change. I used to have 12 and 14 hour days in the studio overseeing teams to get that client review or delivery out. The ability to work with artists from all over the world has been a positive shift allowing us all to better balance our lives and work; clients and production teams alike.

LBB> And what has stayed the same?

Lucas> The rigor and the process has not changed; We’ve got to work diligently to find solutions and efficiencies to deliver creative that exceeds expectations, despite tight timelines and tighter budgets sometimes. And I’m still enthusiastic and fascinated in the individual methodologies of artists and directors, even the ones I’ve worked with for years and can anticipate well. 

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? 

Lucas> Communication and curiosity. With discipline you can dig into the details and systems that keep a project on track, but if you don’t get a kick out of the process and watching something come fruition, it will be a slog.

LBB> Which production project from across your career are you most proud of and why? And in terms of recent work, which projects have you found to be particularly exciting or have presented particularly interesting production challenges?

Lucas> ‘Lost in the Middle’, a graphic novel about childhood grief is something I’m proud of. I’ve never worked on a long form narrative or print project of that scale alongside the animation deliverables. It’s 200 pages. It feels rewarding to work on something that can have such a positive impact on the lives of people - particularly children - among a field of commercials. I don’t see myself as a linear storyteller, so it was fascinating to work on a layered, durational project that wasn’t trying to tell a story in a concise way like many of the commercials we work on are. I loved working with artist Genie and the writers on this, and I learned a lot.

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?

Lucas> The hairiest project I ever oversaw was many years before I was doing the kind of work I do now. It was a series of skywriting artworks over the Grand Canal in Venice Italy. We had done a dry run in the desert in California and saw to every detail and secured permits. But when we did the first flight in Venice the pilot had veered a few metres over San Marco. When he landed he was detained by police and I found myself in the office of local official in charge of aviation begging forgiveness while trying to convince him of the artistic merits of our project. I was 24 and waaaayyyy out of my depth. 

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

Lucas> At this point in my career, my aspirations are focused on continuing to build our team and the portfolio of Jelly projects. 

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

Lucas> I value improvisation and discovery in just about all aspects of my life. As a career, producing dovetails quite nicely when you get to work with visionary talents and craftspeople like those at Jelly.

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

Lucas> Listen and observe. Ask questions. You have the privilege of working with people that have spent years honing their craft and creativity and I’ve found they enjoy imparting some of their wisdom. Eventually, you get to the point where you can see how an execution will unfold from reading a brief and anticipate the small victories and obstacles.

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

Lucas> Communication and great collaborators. Honesty about the limitations you face while aspiring to overcome them.

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

Lucas> Again, communication and honesty. The more you can see the client as part of your collaborative effort, the more rewarding the outcome for all involved.