Producing Tomorrow's Producers: Glenn Paton on Charm, Charisma and People Pleasing

Glenn Paton is managing partner at Leagas Delaney. Originally from a journalism background, Glenn started out as a runner at advertising agency, Mother. He became a producer at BBH and then took up the position of head of film at Grey. 

Glenn kicked off his directing career with the short film ‘H Positive’, which received acclaim and festival laurels at Cannes, Berlin and Raindance, amongst others. He was nominated for Cannes ‘Young Director of the Year’ and has directed music videos for Chase & Status, Katy B and Frank Turner, as well as commercial films for Patek Philippe, Ballantine's and Amazon. 

In his role as managing partner, Glenn now oversees all production at Leagas Delaney.

LBB> What advice would you give to any aspiring producers or content creators hoping to make the jump into production?

Glenn> Think about why you want to become a producer. Are you visually orientated in the things you watch and like? Having a sense of taste is the one factor that separates creators and aspiring producers. Do you understand why directors choose to shoot at that particular time of day? Why that location? Why that cast? Can you see yourself working it all out? Can you predict the problems before anyone else? 

Take the time to learn to do things well rather than just fast. Fast is the enemy. While you’re learning, try to take off the blinkers and understand all the angles to a production. This will help you see the bigger picture and be able to offer more value to the entire production.

LBB> What skills or emerging areas would you advise aspiring producers to learn about and educate themselves about?

Glenn> If you are already thinking about becoming a producer, I’m sure you’ll be surrounded by other people that want to make things. Try to make a short film. Hire a Super 8, a VHS camcorder and a Bolex camera. As a collective team, appoint yourself the producer and immerse yourself in every aspect of how to make the film. Learn from every step. Ask Kodak to let you shadow to see how negative film is developed. Know the difference between your ISO to your f-stops on a digital camera. Work out how it all comes together.

There’s a great competition from Straight8 Doing these types of things will help create a laser-focus onto where your talents truly lie. For example, are you enjoying pulling everything together/seeing it as your “baby”? Or are you paying more attention to the nuances of narrative or cast? Doing these small exercises will plant the solid foundations that you will always look back on fondly.

At Leagas Delaney, I always try to show the young production assistants what makes a truly good commercial, music video or short film. I sit with them and take them through compositions of shots or why this would be a (welcomed) headache from a Producer’s perspective!

LBB> What was the biggest lesson you learned when you were starting out in production - and why has that stayed with you?

Glenn> Give a shit. Never presume. 

LBB> When it comes to broadening access to production and improving diversity and inclusion what are your team doing to address this?

Glenn> This is really important to me as, being a kid from Essex, I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t had the faith in myself to fight for my place. I now mentor a lot of young kids near where I live - kids that aren’t from nepotism but clearly have that spark in them. Going into schools, explaining how the industry works and how they can get experience is a personal goal of mine.

From an agency perspective, diversity and inclusion isn’t something that people should just talk about. We pride ourselves on having so many employees from different ethnicities and backgrounds. The work is better for it, and the conversations are far richer because of it.

LBB> And why is it an important issue for the production community to address?

Glenn> It’s been an issue long before I ever started in this industry and I hope we’re going some way towards changing the conversation. To isolate the issue within the parameters of what producers do, we absolutely need diverse voices from a range of backgrounds to make sure we’re creating work that’s relevant, inclusive and worth watching. Without this we become an echo chamber of one demographic – and that’s old news.

I think the industry needs to be mindful that just because someone didn’t go to private school or whose parents aren’t already in the industry doesn’t mean that talent still can’t rise. Without unique talents and fresh perspectives we’re on the road to hell.

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?

Glenn> Technology has changed the conversation. Things can be done cheaper and faster but there’s a reason why talent is recognised. You can’t just teach talent. It’s an inherent thing buried in a lot of us. As I mentioned before, don’t be the master of none. Learn how to do things well – learn all of the angles to your role. Understand why things cost what they do and why people are employed over others for certain roles. Budgets are soon forgotten, but great work lasts.

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?)

Glenn> I still believe that giving a shit is the one major driving force that’s still alive and well. You want to work for, and with, people that care. These type of roles aren’t 9 to 5 and aren’t necessarily for everyone but I really enjoy talking to EP’s and working out how to make things together. It’s like a ton of nerds with great experience all come together to make something brilliant.

I remember my first head of TV getting so worked up about a shot sequence within a commercial. She wouldn’t let it go and she was right. It completely changed the tone of the film and she wouldn’t give up on it. (Of course the shot sequence in question made the film in the end!).

LBB> When it comes to educating producers how does your agency 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?)

Glenn> Structured learning is important for young producers. I try to allocate at least one hour a day to teach production assistants skillsets in production. Production assistants learn so much on set, but there are always gaps in experience if the fundamentals aren’t learnt. For example, can you walk on set without contracts being agreed beforehand? What if the celebrity talent doesn’t turn up? What do you do? Who is insured? The list goes on and on.

The IPA and APA Production Knowledges courses are all encompassing and I believe everyone should take them. Get your agency to pay for them!

LBB> It seems that there’s an emphasis on speed and volume when it comes to content - but to where is the space for up and coming producers to learn about (and learn to appreciate) craft?

Glenn> I think this sits within learning from the people with experience above you. Young producers need mentors. It’s fundamental to everything. You need to know the rules in order to break them and I think that’s the big thing lacking in our industry for the young future producers these days.

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?

Glenn> Age should never be a factor if you have charisma and an inexplicable desire to understand culture, technology and people. No matter people’s age or experience, you should always want to learn new things. Why don’t you know about NFTs? Why aren’t you visiting experiential galleries? Have you been to the LGBTQ+ museum in Granary Square? If not, why not? People need to dig deeper.

In my experience, it isn’t age that ends people’s careers. It’s when they lose the desire to keep learning or they find the work repetitive and this leaves them jaded. It goes back to the diversity topic... if we keep our work fascinating and new then there should be no reason to leave.

LBB> Clearly there is so much change, but what are the personality traits and skills that will always be in demand from producers?

Glenn> People pleasers. Charm. Charisma. Energy. Positivity. And the irresistible urge to dress oneself exclusively in Rick Owens clothing.