Production//Producer

My first exposure to the production world was on Tuesday at Quietman. Although their office space was not too big, our crowd of 6 was able to really get a close one on one time with Them! It got even more interesting a night later, when I went to go out to eat at a fancy burger restaurant. There I was eavesdropping on a conversation two individuals were having in the seat next to me. To my surprise they were in advertising as well. As my usual extroverted self does, I went to them and asked about what they were talking about and they gave me some great insight! Coincidentally one of them worked hand in hand with John who works at Quietman! They told me to checkout Hungryman and Smuggler, two very big production agencies here. It still baffles me how everything works out in weird ways like this. Even at the 72andSunny alum reunion I was able to meet 2 producers, whom both told me that having big passion projects that have nothing to do with actual work is still great! It was very exciting to get to see former students who were in my shoes looking successful!

On another note, after talking to these producers whom are alum, it made me realize that the SOJC ad program lacks to educate people on what a producer really does. I feel that many people believe that it is just someone who produces content, but in the real world, agencies take the term producer to be something so much more. As a takeaway I feel that it would be great to see more light shed on these roles like the producer and others that are underrepresented in the program!

- Julian Watanabe-Neis