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The Directors in association withLBB Pro User
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The Directors: Leah Hariton

19/09/2022
Production Company
Los Angeles, USA
155
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The Intellectual Property Corporation's Leah Hariton on her love of food, lifestyle and design

Leah Hariton is an accomplished director and creative executive. Over the last two years Leah has directed the Sonic Drive-In commercial campaign, and has showrun, and directed episodes for, the last four seasons of the award-winning series Selena + Chef on HBO.

Leah was previously the executive vice president and co-head of current programming for the Intellectual Property Corporation. In her role, she oversaw a range of unscripted content: documentary series, competition series, features, and specials.

Her work has included the Emmy award-winning Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, the true crime series Injustice with Nancy Grace, Chrisley Knows Best and the groundbreaking Secret Lives of Americans.  

Over her 16 years of experience, Hariton has had the opportunity to work with nearly every broadcast, cable and streaming network including ABC, CBS, FOX, Bravo, E!, USA, Discovery Inc. Networks, A&E Networks, and Viacom,. She has created hundreds of hours of content ranging from documentary, competition, ensemble documentary, comedy, renovation, talk, dating and limited documentary series.

A Los Angeles native, Leah studied communications and journalism at the University of California at Berkeley where she graduated magna cum laude.


Name: Leah Hariton

Location: Los Angeles

Awards: Emmys- Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath- Outstanding Informational Series or Special


LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?

Leah> I am excited by scripts with a tangible feeling and emotion that evoke a particular aspect of shared humanity.


LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

Leah> I approach the treatment first from my personal relationship to the material and expand the treatment outward from there to create a picture of the spot and the feeling we will evoke.


LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?

Leah> Research is fundamental and crucial stage of any production whether you are familiar with a brand or product or not. Advertising is about drawing connections between a brand and their intended audience and as a director, I need to have a very clear understanding of both to be able to form the best approach to my work.


LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?

Leah> In my mind a good director has a strong working relationship with every single member of their team – from the brand CMO to production assistant on set.   


LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?

Leah> Food, lifestyle and design are my passion and particularly when done with beautiful raw cinematography, naturalistic lighting and kinetic movement.


LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?

Leah> That unscripted work is somehow easier or less creative medium to work in that scripted. To be able to meet and work with real people and induce them open up and reveal their most sincere truths without the incentive of being paid takes enormous interpersonal skills that translate incredible easily to scripted work. Those of us who’ve done the work for the past 20 years are also used to working in a variety of environments with all kinds of people and often with a fraction of the resources provided in a scripted medium.


LBB> Have you ever worked with a cost consultant and if so how have your experiences been?

Leah> Ha! I’ve never worked with a cost consultant and never needed to. With my background in documentary and unscripted television I’ve never had the luxury of overspending. We are masters of doing more with less.


LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?

Leah> Over the past 20 years, I’ve had every crazy problem you can imagine on set. Celebrities refusing to work until they are given final edit, lightning strikes on location, hurricanes, cast members assaulting other cast members, traveling crew on foot for 15+ miles on consecutive days, and cast and crew members crying in my office. Whatever the problem, it requires a cool head and a clear-eyed Plan B, C & D to solve it. I always say that at this point in my career, the only thing that surprises me is when things go exactly to plan.


LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

Leah> I generally err on the side of openness and collaboration because I think that’s how the strongest ideas rise to the top. However, I think recognizing those moments when too much openness can threaten the creative is critical and knowing the difference only comes from years of experience.


LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?

Leah> We should be working as an industry across the board to expand the variety of perspectives both behind and in front of the camera. I think this has to start with opportunities and exposure to production from a young age which makes apprenticeships on set absolutely crucial.


LBB> How do you feel the pandemic is going to influence the way you work into the longer term? Have you picked up new habits that you feel will stick around for a long time?

Leah> I think we’ll continue to do some prep and development work remotely as it enables you to work with the best team at all times, regardless if where they may be in the world prior to starting production. I also think a good portion of edit will continue to be done remotely for the foreseeable future.


LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats - to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)? 

Leah> It’s not the sexiest part of my job but I’m always thinking about the final deliverables when creating the treatment and plan for the shoot. At the end of the day, it’s about working with the client to make decisions about what deliverables should take priority when it comes to time and resources.


LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?

Leah> Part of my job is to always be aware of the tools at my disposal to execute our shared vision and I love to add newly developed technology to my toolbox. But just because a tool is new does not always mean it’s the right tool for the job at hand. I like to work closely with my DP and producing team to find the right approach to each project.

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