Directors and producers of advertising and entertainment content discuss how their roles, responsibilities and skillsets have evolved to meet the needs of an evolving marketplace. Business models and diversification were among the many topics addressed. On the diversification front, we find out how a commercial production house extended its reach to become the go-to production studio for Amazon, turning out series such as Transparent, Mozart in the Jungle, Goliath, Patriot and I Love Dick. We also hear how an indie filmmaking studio expanded into the brave new world of branded content. A leading agency shares how its production department has grown in size and scope, not only in terms of working with outside vendors but also bolstering its in-house production capabilities. In terms of new business models, a company has gained momentum by offering opportunities to new, up-and-coming directorial talent, translating into a mix of branded business that is largely client-direct but also entails some select collaborations with ad agencies, meshing the worlds of advertising and entertainment. And new ownership has breathed another storytelling dimension into a company, with work that stirs the soul and has carried implications for brands and corporate clients.
Panelists: Nathy Aviram, chief production officer of McCann New York; Wendy Lambert, president/creative director/director at MediaVision; Peter Lang, owner/director, PICROW; Tim Perell, president of Process; and Ryan Hunter Phillips, creative director of Madison + Vine. Panel moderator: Robert Goldrich, editor of SHOOT.