Producing Tomorrow's Producers: The Power of Kindness with Camilla Carey
After studying a bachelor of arts majoring in film studies in Sydney, Australia, Camilla immediately began her career in production. Since then, she has worked with multiple globally recognised photographers, directors, artists and brands both in Sydney for the first five years of her career before moving to New York City. She has extensive experience in talent management, marketing, and end-to-end production of multi-media projects ranging from small stills shoots to high profile commercial campaigns.
She has worked on campaigns for a wide range of clients from Uber Eats, Chase, Wingstop, Panda Express, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Zelle, Pepsi, Johnnie Walker, Audi and Toyota.
LBB> What advice would you give to any aspiring producers or content creators hoping to make the jump into production?
Camilla> Adaptability and a thirst for knowledge are essential. Being open-minded allows you to explore new techniques, technologies, and ideas, which can set you apart.
Building strong relationships with clients is crucial for repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. Going the extra mile, no matter how small the task may seem, demonstrates your dedication and professionalism. It’s important to remember that we’re in the service industry and your client comes first.
Additionally, networking plays a significant role in the production industry. Building connections with other professionals can open doors to new opportunities and collaborations. Don't hesitate to reach out, attend industry events, and participate in online communities to expand your network.
Keep pushing forward, honing your skills, and seizing opportunities as they arise.
LBB> What skills or emerging areas would you advise aspiring producers to learn about and educate themselves about?
Camilla> While there are no traditional skills a producer can learn, continuously educating yourself and staying adaptable will help you be better equipped to navigate the changing landscape of production. Understanding what digital production tools are on offer such as estimating software, accounting software and collaboration tools is super important. More and more often we are collaborating remotely so understanding how you can effectively communicate with team members remotely is essential.
It’s also important to stay informed about current cultural and social trends, as they can influence audience preferences and content consumption habits. Being aware of cultural sensitivities and social issues can help you create content that resonates with diverse audiences.
Oh and having a good organisation system, something that works for you.
LBB> What was the biggest lesson you learned when you were starting out in production - and why has that stayed with you?
Camilla> The most significant lesson I learned when starting out in production was the power of kindness. In the fast-paced nature of this job, where demands on your crew and vendors are constant, expressing kindness and gratitude goes a long way. It's an invaluable tool that helps maintain positive relationships and fosters a collaborative environment.
Another crucial lesson was the importance of approaching challenges systematically rather than emotionally, emphasising the need for patience. This mindset has been instrumental in navigating the complexities of production effectively.
LBB> When it comes to broadening access to production and improving diversity and inclusion what are your team doing to address this?
Camilla> In our efforts to enhance diversity and inclusion in production and widen access to opportunities, our team is taking several steps. Being part of a certified WBNC production company means that these values are already deeply embedded in our ethos.
Additionally, many of our clients now mandate diversity and inclusion quotas, prompting us to continually assess and improve the diversity of our sets. This ongoing commitment keeps us focused on finding ways to create more inclusive and diverse environments within our productions.
LBB> And why is it an important issue for the production community to address?
Camilla> Because our crews must reflect the diverse world in which we live in. We work on a lot of campaigns where the clients are pushing for their talent to be more diverse and inclusive, this must be mired in the people who are helping to bring these stories to life.
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?
Camilla> I think for the time being there is tension between formalised production and the creator economy. When a client can easily see the impact their campaigns will have in these more relaxed formats through number of followers, audience traffic and engagement what their campaigns, I can see why it is enticing.
I do think however, that audiences are becoming tired of the creator economy as the lines begin to be blurred between content creation and branded content. I think the pendulum will swing back in favour of professional production.
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?)
Camilla> As weird as it sounds, so much of our job is on email and communication is so important, particularly in pre-production. CC’ing a junior producer on emails is a great way for them to visually see and understand the importance of a clear and communicative email correspondence.
Having a good budgeting program is also important.
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?
Camilla> I have worked for photographic agencies that also produce. Although there was a stream of production work to be done, I always had other tasks such as marketing, being an agent for photographers, web development and accounting that have all helped me to become a more well-rounded producer. Understanding the intricacies of a small business helps to see the bigger picture on the projects you produce.
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?
Camilla> Staying up to date with technology for so many reasons - trends on social media, the new software to making billing and other processes faster and more efficient. List could go on…
LBB> Clearly there is so much change, but what are the personality traits and skills that will always be in demand from producers?
Camilla> A natural-born leader who has excellent communication and management skills will always be in demand for producers. Organisation is key and persistence to explore every avenue to find a solution is super important. Being a producer is an extremely personable job and at the end of the day, we are in the service industry so kindness and a can-do attitude are imperative. How you approach and manage your relationships is half the job.
