Producing Tomorrow's Producers: Angela Minuty on Why “You Only Fail When You Stop”
Meet Angela Minuty, the film enthusiast with a flair for creativity and a heart for mentoring and helping others. After graduating from Boston University with a BA in Film, she dove headfirst into the freelance movie scene, honing her skills and building a solid foundation for production. After a stint in LA, Angela returned to her roots in Boston, where she transitioned into the commercial world as production manager and ultimately a producer, currently working full-time with Sweet Rickey.
She’s worked with award winning movie directors, as well as brands big and small, and the one thing she notes as a favourite part of her career are the stories. Whether it’s the subject of a dynamic movie / documentary she’s working on or the crew she gets to spend time with everyday, the variety of people and life you get to experience really keeps things interesting and rewarding.
LBB> What advice would you give to any aspiring producers or content creators hoping to make the jump into production?
Angela> My advice would be, don’t stop. I know that sounds so basic but it’s actually a really hard lesson to learn.
Where’s the magic how to become a producer pill? Well unfortunately there isn’t one. Everyone’s path is different and it’s never straight. It's usually uphill, and sometimes you can’t even see the trail. Don’t judge wherever you are on that path, just work hard, learn, improve, NETWORK, and most importantly keep going. This industry can be mentally and even physically challenging at times. You'll likely want to quit at some point. We’ve all been there.
But developing your can-do attitude, creative thinking and grit is integral to becoming a good producer. Our job is to find a way to make the impossible happen, and your training starts now, when you’re trying to make it.
The only way to fail is to stop, so just keep going.
LBB> What skills or emerging areas would you advise aspiring producers to learn about and educate themselves about?
Angela> Some basic skills to start learning now are budgeting and management.
Get yourself some software and play around. Movie Magic, Showbiz, and Hot Budget are a variety of software options that we use. Here are some simple things you could do to start learning the skills needed to budget:
- Ask someone you work with if they could teach you
- Take a class
- Practice by using a job you’re on as an example and see if you can budget what it might cost to produce
- Coordinate and PM before you produce so you really get a solid knowledge base and plenty of practice
- Find a mentor
- Volunteer - every department head would gladly take some extra help with organising and data entry. If you aren’t where you want to be, offer to help! It’s a great way to learn, make connections and level up quickly.
In regard to management, this really is a skill developed over time. You learn by doing, which can be tricky. I suggest you start looking at every job you take and approach it as if you were the one in charge. This will start to help you identify what needs to be done which in turn helps you to learn to be proactive.
Find opportunities to show initiative, organise your colleagues and become a leader. These do not necessarily have to be in the industry. Just practice the skills in every opportunity you have throughout life.
As far as emerging areas, I think it’s important that everyone start to understand AI, both what’s out there now and what’s to come. The way we produce content is already changing at a rapid pace. More is expected for less and we need to use technology to our advantage if we want to stay competitive.
It’s not just about ChatGPT, or creating images though, it’s about changing the very foundation of workflow: calls, meetings, director’s treatment, virtual pitches, emerging VR workspaces, creating content and certainly editing it. Learn, train and become invaluable. The future is already here.
LBB> What was the biggest lesson you learned when you were starting out in production - and why has that stayed with you?
Angela> I started out as a freelancer, and did that for 22 years. My biggest lesson during that time was learning that I was the CEO, CFO and marketing director of my own business called ME. This was challenging to truly understand. I depended on my work ethic, reputation and referrals to get work. I got by for a little while but then a couple location changes later I found myself needing to learn to network and be proactive about checking in.
I wasn’t used to calling or texting people to check on work. I wasn’t good at networking, going to events, or staying in the loop and because of this my road to producing was much longer and harder than it needed to be. You can say I took the scenic road.
If people don’t know you, get out there: join groups, go to events, meet people, and take any jobs that come your way big or small. If your resume needs work and opportunities aren’t presenting themselves then get creative and make your own by volunteering to produce spec spots, indies, student films, etc. Create your own content.
Being able to think outside the box and get creative is integral to becoming a successful producer. It takes initiative, on a consistent basis. No one is responsible to get you work except you. Learn that now and you'll go much farther than you could otherwise.
LBB> When it comes to broadening access to production and improving diversity and inclusion what are your team doing to address this?
Angela> Our intention has always been to amplify diverse voices, with a core belief that a spectrum of experience, background, gender, age, and identity, in front of and behind the camera, is so important to elevate the work and the company.
This core value has been the impetus behind a variety of events at our physical space where we focus on bringing a diverse community of creatives together, reaching far beyond commercial industry professionals. From hosting live concerts with local musicians to events like an exhibition in partnership with the Peabody Essex Museum celebrating a dynamic array of international contemporary female artists, we really want to help nurture the creative community as a whole. These events were not insider industry events.
They were open to anyone interested, in hopes of breaking open the gates of our business and bringing together artists of different mediums: photographers, fashion designers, makeup artists, interior designers, students etc.
We also believe in giving back, so we actively search for sponsorship and partnership opportunities like the 25Forty Project, for the years it was in existence. We mentor local high school students throughout the entire production workflow, we visit classes to present industry opportunities at local colleges, and more recently are excited to have made the connection with the Secret Society of Black Creatives and The Loop Lab to support the great work they do with mentorship, sponsorship, fund development, networking events and more.
LBB> And why is it an important issue for the production community to address?
Angela> Well first and foremost, investing in diversity within the production community is, of course, a matter of social responsibility but addressing diversity and inclusivity is also essential for fostering a robust, and rounded team to ensure diverse perspectives with a balance of experiences.
A team comprised of varied backgrounds brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to the table which is essential in an industry like the film/TV and advertising one. With more people contributing unique ideas, the potential for innovation and originality increases significantly.
Statistically, diverse companies are more likely to be leaders, have greater access to talent and increased engagement which all contribute to increased performance both creatively and financially.
LBB> There are young people getting into production who maybe don’t see the line between professional production and the creator economy, and that may well also be the shape of things to come. What are your thoughts about that? Is there a tension between more formalised production and the ‘creator economy’ or do the two feed into each other?
Angela> Everyone carries a camera and lenses in their pocket now, which has inspired people to explore their own personal creativity and innovate on a mass level that hasn’t been seen before. It's made us really realise how many creative people are out there, with one statistic showing 50 million make up the creator economy.
Industry aside, it’s exciting and pretty astonishing that a new sector of business has sprouted up so quickly. Everyday people can build a brand, produce content and engage with the world. It's caused a substantial impact on the economy and certainly created a fundamental change in how businesses see opportunities for brand visibility. These new ways of engaging with target audiences have become integral for companies.
There are however some downsides to it. Expertise, artistry, and craft have really become devalued. Right now it feels like quantity over quality has become the new norm and there’s often little time or money to create the most elevated version of the project you might be doing whether that be a TV show. movie or commercial. I think this does create tension because people’s livelihoods have been impacted. The new outlook on our industry’s work has been challenged and it can create some level of tension when you’ve studied and trained so many years to perfect your craft.
On the flip side though I’ve also seen our crews and industry creators learn and adapt from these new ways of doing things, which only further refines the expertise that I personally really value. While it can be difficult to deal with the lower budgets, lesser quality, and competing with content creators, there is definitely space for our industry to grow, innovate and discover new ways of doing things. There are certainly pros and cons to both sides.
LBB> On the other side of the equation, what’s the key to retaining expertise and helping people who have been working in production for decades to develop new skills?
Angela> This is such a great point. I have definitely noticed a stigma about being an older crew member on set (especially in the non-creative roles). I personally like to mix up my crews bringing the veterans together with the younger generation.
I think it’s the best way to have people learn from each other since both sides have so much to offer. It's worked out well here. Actually, somewhat recently I spoke to a long time crew members who shared that this way of working has re-inspired them to learn new things both in the industry and out not to mention bringing a youthful excitement back to their work again.
On the flip side of that, some of the up and comers or younger creatives love having a veteran on set who has seen it all. They can help guide them and show off their craft through mentoring and training the next generation. I think it’s so important to bring the two groups of crew together. As we discussed, diversity in all aspects is so very important.
LBB> If you compare your role to the role of the heads of TV/heads of production/ Exec Producers when you first joined the industry, what do you think are the most striking or interesting changes (and what surprising things have stayed the same?)
Angela> Budgets have changed. People wear more hats. EPs need to do more.
Greater expectations.
The biggest change I see is that these EPs and heads of production are picking up a lot more of the work than they may have years ago. When I first started out, an EP had enough on their plate with finding jobs and client relations but now I see the phenomenon I refer to as the trickle up effect.
As we discussed already there are much greater expectations on companies to elevate brands while giving more value for less money. Jobs and companies alike are typically understaffed with everyone wearing multiple hats including the top levels of production. In my experience, many EPs and heads of production are often involved in a greater capacity than ever before.
LBB> When it comes to educating producers how does your agency/production company like to approach this? (I know we’re always hearing about how much easier it is to educate or train oneself on tech etc, but what areas do you think producers can benefit from more directed or structured training?)
Angela> There's plenty of training available in skills like budgeting, industry software and management but not so much structured training in the workplace for education on innovation, client retention, sales and film industry customer service. As commercial producers we are a service based position and while part of our job is to execute the director and client vision, the other part truly is to excel at customer service.
At Sweet Rickey, we try to address these categories by involving the entire staff in all discussions so open dialogue can help prompt advancements and learning. We regularly discuss how to elevate our clients expectations, provide a high level of artistry in our work and give our clients a 1st class experience while doing it.
That being said, I think a more direct and structured training would be super beneficial for anyone, of any company.
LBB> Clearly there is so much change, but what are the personality traits and skills that will always be in demand from producers?
Angela> While budgeting and other technical skills are undeniably crucial, they can often be taught. What truly sets people apart in my eyes are the intangible qualities, the soft skills that define who you are rather than just what you can do.
At the core of effective producing lies the YES mindset, the ability to see solutions where others see roadblocks. While it may seem simplistic, cultivating this mindset is a continuous practice. Many of us are hardwired to see the challenges and decide why something won't work but there's invariably a way forward, even if it requires compromises. Embrace challenges with a resounding "yes" and tackle them head-on with a positive outlook.
Equally vital is the skill of organisation and preparation. While every producer understands the importance of preparation, the question is: How meticulous are you in your approach? Are there recurring mistakes or oversights that could be addressed with a structured checklist? As our proficiency at work grows, complacency can creep in, which leads to avoidable errors. If you commit to constant improvement in the preparation process, you ensure that when unforeseen challenges arise, you're ready to tackle them with clarity and composure.
Finally, clear and effective communication is the cornerstone of successful production. Setting expectations upfront streamlines everything but also fosters an environment where everyone, from clients to production assistants, is aligned on the objectives. This clarity not only enhances our efficiency but also allows for spontaneity and creativity on set.
