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OP, I think your best next step is to figure out what attracted you to production in the first place. For me, it was the opportunity to create something in collaboration with others. I also like the combo left brain/right brain - creatively problem solving while keeping track of numbers and dates and all that. Figure out what you like about production and work from there. No job is without stress, so might as well enjoy what you’re doing.
I really appreciate this comment and love production for the same reasons, sometimes it feels hard to find the right workplace with a healthy culture. Hard to tell if it’s the workplace or the job at times! This is a good reminder to check in with myself.
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of production.
Basically your options are: 1) medicate 2) don’t be a producer. The weight feels like it’s on your shoulders because it is - the team is looking to you to pull together and manifest their vision. If you don’t love that, being at the reigns, then maybe this isn’t for you?
Production isn’t ever really a low pressure job
I’m at an agency. If you’re not line producing the shoots yourself, the weight on your shoulders is a BIT lighter. I’ve done both so this agency is easier in that way. But then agency producing comes with wading through the waters with account teams (who often act worse than client) & clients. It also really just depends on the size of the account to the agency. Healthcare vs consumer also makes a difference, but sadly it’s ALL stress 😬
Production is always high pressure, but I think it also depends on the environment you’re in. I made the switch from agency to in-house for a brand and the work life balance is incredible. Definitely helps managing all that stress and pressure.
Maybe try post. After many years as a line producer and then a decade as an agency producer, I’m now mostly on the post side of things and it’s way less stressful than primary. It’s still producing, so it will never be easy, but in post at least you don’t have to be on set much at all or deal with all the variables of a big shoot.
Trust me, being an Agency Producer is WAY more cush than anything on the production side. I worked on the production side for 20 years from features, tv shows, to commercial production. I feel like I retired into agency life, the work/life balance is night and day! I have a super busy account and I’ve never felt the stress I felt on the other side worrying about all the little details, I just watch the LP do it and have great empathy for them.
I second trying post, it’s not necessarily easier but a bit more disaster proof (depending on what it is).
I’ve been a line producer in agency planning entire shoots myself, and I’ve been an agency producer with shitty creatives or account teams, and within that I’ve still had the blessing of a few projects here and there where you’re so involved, the idea is so meaningful, and everyone involved is cutting the ego and playing fair, and it resembles the “reason you got into this”...sometimes it’s worth waiting for that 🤷♀️
Agency producers can definitely have a lot on their plates and need to be on the clock before pitches and launches. But a LOT of the Bush work is delegated to production companies so agency production may be relatively easier to plan.
I don’t know about this so it’s a guesstimate. But perhaps in-house production for a company could be easier to plan for a normal work week.
Not sure who you’ve been working with, but I feel bad that you have never worked with a great agency producer. Or maybe you work in the U.K., where the workflow is totally different. If you ARE on the agency side in the US; no idea how you got that title without knowing your job, but good on you for fooling everyone!
Does working as an artist rep/producer with illustrators (not photographers) interest you at all? I’m sometimes envious of my peers who are managing art and don’t have to deal with shoots 😂
Freelance, baby.
Are you production or agency side?
Agency
Reps work pretty regular hours. If you don’t mind talking to people, may be worth looking at.
If you are looking for low pressure, stay away from production.
If you can stay away from content production. I work on products and websites. It has its stressful moments, but nothing compared to being on shoots.
Go digital - it’s easier