Why Collaborating with Clients Outweighs Impressing Clients
On episode #015 of the Filmmakers In Advertising podcast, producer Codey Wilson shares a lesson learned the hard way and the system CRY implemented to prevent the same mistakes from happening again.
An Agency Producer acts as the go-between between the agency, the client, and the production.
There's a reason agencies have this role, so there's a good reason you'll want it, too. An Agency Producer (most often) serves as the liaison between their agency in a creative producer role and the production company that has been brought on to shoot the commercial.
So, why would we need an Agency Producer when we are a production company? If you're working directly with the client and don’t have an agency attached, then your company will still benefit from someone taking on the responsibilities of this role.
For us at CRY, that means someone in my position operates in a hybrid producer. If we’re hired by an agency, I’m a production producer, helping our directors and editors to deliver to the agency. However, if a client comes directly to us, once we approach pre-production, we hire an outside line producer so that I can step back and operate as an Agency Producer.
So, how did we learn to get this right? Well, after one production we received some tough feedback...
I felt sick. I was the acting Agency Producer, and this was not the experience I wanted for our client.
After some self-reflection and a series of debriefs, I realized I was more focused on impressing our client rather than collaborating with our client.
We hired talented and capable people, a line producer, production coordinator, Office PAs, all who would have done whatever was necessary to help us succeed, but I guess I just couldn’t stand the idea of not looking busy. I came up as a Production Assistant where you are given the impression that if you’re standing still then you must not be doing your job.
Here’s the ironic part: The idea of me removing myself as the Production Company Producer and acting as an Agency Producer so that this would NOT happen was my idea!
We went into this thing delegating me as the Agency Producer, week by week stripping me of my usual responsibilities leading up to production, just to free me up so that I could do this one thing, free of distractions.
I thought I was helping, but I didn't make sure our clients were collaboratively integrated. I didn't facilitate an environment for creating, and I ultimately lost sight of the role that only I was there to play.
So here's what we implemented to make sure it didn't happen again.
Always be easily accessible. Your client shouldn’t have to look far or wait longer than a few minutes to be able to get ahold of you or talk to you, especially once pre-production begins.
You have to make sure both sides are getting what they want and need. You are your client's advocate, and there may be times where you have to say NO to your own company on behalf of your client.
Whether in development, production, or post, no matter how much space you think you're giving for your client to have a voice, do more. There is a lot of money and branding at stake.
Check-in. Ask if the process is as collaborative as they want it to be. If they're not telling you to stop asking, then you may not be asking enough.
Give your client such a positive experience that they can’t imagine calling anyone else when they’re ready for their next commercial.
~ Codey Wilson, Producer at CRY
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Listen on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LfSDYcSX7rpCDEgDfKnLp
See the show notes and links at FilmmakersInAdvertising.com
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