Two months ago, I wrote the first installment of “Production Parallels,” which focuses on the similarities I’ve noticed between teaching and producing. In fact, the more I dive into this the more I find that there are so many similarities, producers might do well to think of their role as being part teacher! For example, both exceptional teachers and producers understand the importance of feedback: they know they need to offer it, structure it thoughtfully, and make it visible so their audience can genuinely benefit from it. Let’s look at each of these in turn.

For years, I was the one standing in front of a classroom, explaining difficult philosophical theories and working with students to assess the implications of these theories for how we all live our lives. I spent hours–no weeks, months… years–perfecting lesson plans, creating assignments, and figuring out how to make abstract concepts come alive for my students. Teaching, as it turns out, is more than just delivering information—it’s about structuring it so people can understand it, then managing as you deliver it. It's about facilitating discussion while ensuring that everyone stays on track. This experience is something I think producers, who lead teams and meetings on a daily basis, can relate to. So, here is a first installment of best practices in teaching that have a parallel in production.

At Deducers, we tell our students that a crucial part of a producer’s job is to educate clients on the creative process. Often, clients don’t know the studio’s creative workflows, and they don’t understand the time it takes to get a job done or to do it right. At times, it seems like many have beliefs about creative requirements that are very far from the mark. This can be frustrating, and it can lead to diminished morale within the creative team, inefficiencies in the creative process, and lost profits for the studio.

How can we manage their expectations and help them learn?

Lately it seems like everyone is buzzing about AI and what the prospect holds for our livelihoods. Change is imminent. It’s hard to deny this fact, but the question everyone wants to know is, “Will it be for the better?” Since our work at Deducers focus on production, what Rebecca and I have been pondering is, “What will AI mean for the creative industry generally and producers more specifically?”

We’ve all been there as producers. You stand at the helm of an ambitious 3D animation project. The team has been toiling away for months, their creative energies pouring into every frame, every texture, and every light shadow when an email from the client lands in your inbox filled with feedback that could shape the project's next phase. . . What do you do?

A few reflections on our first year and on what’s to come!

The importance of connection is why, at Deducers, we are meticulous about how each lesson is structured, craftered and delivered. We are dedicated to fostering our students' ability to assimilate the material to their own lives and the realities they face on the job. . .

We are excited to announce that Executive Producer, Darren Jaffe has joined our team! Darren brings with him a wealth of experience producing at top notch studios across the nation. He is currently EP of Advertising and Games at Digital Domain. Darren will be teaching “Blaze” in the Fall of 2023 and is currently providing expertise for our course solutions. Welcome, Darren!