5 Key Traits of a Great Creative Producer

As I've grown in my career I often find myself feeling like a fresh-faced newcomer while at the same time weathered from being on many tough projects. This combination of both exciting challenges and grueling projects has shaped my perspective and deepened my love for producing creative ideas.

With that, I've picked up a few key traits that I hang my hat on and truly believe are key to the success of any Creative Producer.

1: Connections are Key

At the heart of a successful Creative Producer lies the ability to build and maintain connections. A good producer understands the importance of networking, forging relationships with creatives, and assembling the right team for each project. Their contacts are a treasure trove of talent, enabling them to assemble an exceptional team at a moment's notice. The value of their network extends beyond mere contacts; it opens doors to collaboration, fosters innovation, and facilitates the seamless execution of ideas.

Make sure you maintain an ever-updated rolodex of connections, copy over all the names and contact info from every call sheet, and follow up with people you loved to work with on social. You never know when you're going to need to call on that bear wrangler in Oregon again...

2: Push the Creative

While in some settings Creative Producers have been expected to remain silent, merely executing others' visions. I believe that a great Creative Producer fully embraces the "creative" aspect of their role, actively contributing to the ideation and innovation process. Armed with a wealth of creative references and a discerning taste, they become an integral part of the driving force behind groundbreaking work. By not being afraid of pushing creative boundaries and challenging the status quo, they inspire their team to achieve new heights of excellence.

While I've definitely pushed the limits and butt heads at times, I've also built lasting trust with the creatives I work with that willingly bring me into the conversation to build something together.

3: Always Over-Communicate

In the fast-paced world of production, communication is the glue that holds everything together. A good creative producer recognizes the power of effective communication and goes above and beyond to ensure clarity and alignment. Daily recap emails, regular check-ins, and triple-confirming crucial details are all part of their toolkit. They understand that assumptions and overlooked details can lead to costly mistakes. By over-communicating, they eliminate ambiguity, minimize errors, and ensure every project runs like a well-oiled machine.

4: Social Content Matters

While broadcast campaigns often hog the spotlight, the significance of social content should never be underestimated. A great Creative Producer recognizes the importance of social media as the future for engaging audiences. They understand that even with limited budgets and production support, social content has the potential to make a lasting impact.

I've always championed social media content and been the first person in the room to volunteer to take on the task of producing it. Because of this, I've been able to broaden my portfolio of work with exciting projects and work with fascinating talent, where others might have been focused on the large and more traditional work.

5: Learn From Mistakes

Let's be blunt. As Creative Producers, we are not exempt from making errors, just like any other member of the team. However, the key lies in how we respond to these mistakes and being able to acknowledge that mistakes happen.

Conducting post-mortems and thoroughly examining failures allows us to understand the flaws that occurred and identify ways to avoid similar mistakes in the future. By embracing a culture of learning and self-reflection, we can transform our mistakes into valuable lessons that drive continuous improvement.

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The role of a creative producer is multi-faceted and demanding. It requires a unique blend of qualities that go beyond organizational skills and project management. By cultivating strong connections, pushing creative boundaries, over-communicating, valuing social content, and embodying adaptability and resilience, a great Creative Producer can truly make anything happen.