Meet Your Makers: Hard Graft in Production with Natalie Lewis
Natalie Lewis is a freelance producer currently working with The Chase Films in Manchester, UK. She has over 15 years experience of film production in advertising and TV.
Starting from the ground up, Natalie has worked in all areas of production internationally, including Australia and New Zealand, as well as the UK. She has worked with clients and agencies across the globe including Qantas, Manchester United FC, Wrexham FC, Honda, RAC, Optus, Ogilvy, TBWA, McCann, JWT and many more.
Her curiosity for great storytelling, and her love of challenges, play a huge part in Natalie’s career and her dedication to striving for the best creative outcome in every production.
LBB> What first attracted you to production - and has it been an industry you’ve always worked in, or did you come to it from another area?
Natalie> Aside from wanting to be a mermaid when I was a kid (all thanks to Disney), I always saw myself being a part of the industry. Moreso than just for work, film and TV was a true passion of mine from a very early age. I dabbled in acting to begin with, realising I could perform my way into a fishtail after seeing Darryl Hannah in ‘Splash’, but having a bit of a knack for organisation and having pretty alright communication skills, I found my calling behind the camera, and kind of fell into the role of producing.
LBB> What was your first role in the production world and how did this experience influence how you think about production and how you grew your career?
Natalie> I was lucky enough to meet director Andy Frith when I was studying in Manchester who was great at providing students with real-world opportunities. He got me onto a few different sets as a proper all-rounder – one minute I was straightening the talent’s hair, the next I was holding a C-stand for the lighting dept.
My first opportunity was on a short film featuring Suranne Jones and Jeff Hordley, shot on Blackpool beach. It gave me a real insight into how each department is key for a shoot to work well and deliver the best film possible. In turn, it gave me a real appreciation for each department and the attention they all need, which in production is vital. Andy helped me get those first jobs to add to my CV, which in turn got me my foot into bigger doors.
Gaining voluntary experience to build your reputation is everything, so if you show up, do a good job and are not precious, people will rehire you and will recommend you. Word of mouth is still the way to grow a career in production, I believe.
LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?
Natalie> By saying yes to an opportunity and throwing myself in at the deep end.
I moved from Manchester, UK to Perth, Western Australia in 2007. When I arrived, I worked in recruitment - my first ever nine to five - and to keep me sane, I had a bash at stand-up comedy (like you do), where I became pals with a bunch of awesome comics and comedy writers.
One guy, Ethan (now known to the world as commentary YouTuber, Ozzy Man Reviews) approached me along with another comedy pal, Werzel, to produce a little web series they’d been writing called Super Dingo. Werzel’s pitch to me from memory was (in a strong Aussie tone) “you’re organised, right Nat? I reckon you could bl**dy produce this series for us. What do ya’ reckon?” Well, I said yes, despite having never done it before.
And that was my first crack at the whip; a three-part, ambitious comedy series, made on a shoestring and pulling in a lot of favours. It was hard graft, and I learned a LOT from that experience. Yet to this day it’s still one of the most fun and collaborative projects I’ve ever worked on.
LBB> Looking back to the beginning of your career, can you tell us about a production you were involved in where you really had to dig deep and that really helped you to grow as a producer?
Natalie> After Super Dingo, I got the chance to work for one of the best production companies in WA, The Penguin Empire. It was Grant Sputore (TPE founder and director) and Kelvin Munro (TPE exec producer) who trained me up in production for TVCs and I quickly moved through the ranks on big jobs from PA to PM to producer, to then helping run the production company in 2017 whilst Grant and Kelvin made their feature film, ‘I Am Mother’.
During that time, I was producing for a roster of four great directors and whilst on a big job with one of the directors in New Zealand for a well-known fast-food brand, I was also scheduling another massive job for him back in Australia.
I was working in different time zones for two large agencies and big clients, with multiple crews and three other directors who all needed attention. With our NZ job, locations were falling through, we were recasting major roles and I had a massive scheduling dilemma on my hands with my Aussie job.
Needless to say, things were full on. I remember the director and I sitting at the dining table of our Airbnb on a Sunday afternoon, prepping for a PPM, both feeling the pressure of it all when we got a call about the job back in Australia, saying we would only be able shoot at the client’s location at a time that made our shoot schedule impossible.
It was in that moment I had to really find it in me to not give up. I told myself, I ain't a quitter. Looking at my director across from me at the table, this gig was important to him. And at the end of the day, I know that the client wants a great result too.
That perspective took my attention away from the stress of feeling like it was all falling apart, to focus my energy on finding a solution. Knowing that we were all aiming for the same thing at the end of the day, to make the best piece of work we possibly could, was integral to keeping me in a positive mindset.
LBB> A good producer should be able to produce for any medium, from film to events to digital experience. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why/why not?
Natalie> I think a good producer can produce for any medium, but I don’t think it is a defining quality of what makes a good producer. I have worked predominantly in TVC and produced a lot of digital content as part of those TVC productions. The process is still the same, but I stay in my lane with what I do because I like the format.
However, it’s important to adapt as the landscape changes - as ads become substituted with content, film ideas become episodic series’ - the flexibility should be there to produce the script for the medium it best fits. All films tell stories, and the fool-proof structure for how to produce any piece of film is still the same, no matter what format is used to tell it.
I’ve always gravitated towards companies that value the art of storytelling, and working for The Chase Films I feel like our values align on this so well. They’re a company that pride themselves on guiding the client through the creative process and are not afraid to explore different mediums to tell the story, even if a client is dead set on a particular format within their brief.
Pitches have been won on the basis that The Chase Films are dedicated to the creative and they’re willing to challenge the format that is different from what was initially briefed if it adds to the script. I’ve always admired that attitude and that’s why I enjoy working with these folks.
LBB> What’s your favourite thing about production and why?
Natalie> Seeing how everyone involved comes together, and all the effort they put in, amounts to something tangible, something that can be seen, experienced and shared by many. I love the comradery, particularly with a tough shoot – and a good crew who all band together, exercising their amazing skills and talents to bring a vision to life and just make it work when the pressure is on.
LBB> What do you think is the key to being an effective producer - and is it something that’s innate or something that can be learned?
Natalie> Keeping a cool head, being able to be assertive and having a solid relationship with your director is key. I think a certain amount of calmness and assertiveness is down to individual temperament, being a producer is not for everyone. But as you gain more experience as a producer, and you see weirder and wilder things over time (and overcome obstacles), you certainly can learn how to adapt better and deal with things in a calmer, more collected way.
I also believe you must always have everyone’s best interests at heart. Not just the director’s, but also the crews, and the clients. And being able to say no when you need to. That is something that should and can be learned.
LBB> Which production project from across your career are you most proud of and why?
Natalie> Oh, it’s hard to choose, but I’d have to say a spot I did with The Penguin Empire for UWA called ‘Pursue Impossible’ is up there. It was a guerrilla-style shoot, I was PM and worked around the clock from my desk in Perth, whilst the crew were literally moving around the globe shooting in four different countries and eight different cities in only eleven days.
It was directed by Grant Sputore, a beautiful spot where our talent had to run for the entire film through amazing landscapes. The VFX were amazing and the effort from everyone involved (which was such a small crew) was phenomenal.
I had to book PA/runners and drivers on location who I’d never met, which was so strange for me to have to put my trust in them to look after the crew. Also, the theatre location we shot the chandelier scenes in, in LA was a steal – I managed to negotiate for us to film there for a fraction of what they’d normally charge.
I’m most proud of this one because I really started to earn and build trust and relationships is key in the production game. This one really tested me on what I was capable of and just how far I was willing to go to ensure we had everything right, especially when I couldn’t physically be on the shoot, or travel with the crew. Seeing the outcome of that spot made all the blood, sweat and tears well worth it.
LBB> And in terms of recent work, which projects have you found to be particularly exciting or have presented particularly interesting production challenges?
Natalie> I recently produced a campaign with The Chase Films where we built an entire office set, ceiling and all, which halfway through the shoot needed to be transformed into a whole other office set. Then we had to “trash” it as part of the script too. It was exciting – to see this whole set come to life from its concept, but also nerve-wracking at the same time, as to whether to we could pull it off.
We had some technically challenging, sliding shots between the two offices that needed a lot of careful thought and so much detail had to go into the studio size, the set measurements, and the camera positioning to get those shots just right. With a big shoot like this and when you’re experimenting with how you’re going to execute it, there is always that moment that creeps in around mid-pre-production, where things are all still a bit up in the air and you wonder how it’s all going to come together.
Then you get a grip and realise it will. It always does. And in this case, it really did. It was a lovely shoot with a great outcome. The client was amazing and that really added to the joy of this shoot – seeing how excited they were to see their set and the actors play out their scripts so well.
LBB> Producers always have the best stories. What’s the hairiest / most insane situation you’ve found yourself in and how did you work your way out of it?
Natalie> We do. And we’ll take those stories to the grave.
LBB> What advice would you give to people who are interested in becoming a producer?
Natalie> Work hard and start from the ground up. There is no better way to understand this industry than to get involved by being a runner to a PA, to prod co-ord to PM and then to a producer. This way, I think you learn to respect your assistants so much more when you’ve been in those supporting positions yourself.
You get to witness the workings of many different departments, how everything comes together on a shoot and who is who, whilst having the least amount of responsibility and plenty of chances to observe, listen and learn.
I would also suggest getting involved with student productions and produce your own short films from the get-go. Learn alongside others who are at the same stage in their career as you and get some creative credits under your belt whilst you’re breaking into the industry to a professional level. Get some basic skills in MS Excel and start figuring out how budgeting works early on too.
LBB> What’s the key to a successful production-client relationship?
Natalie> Honesty, trust and authenticity. Clients come to us to make films because we’re the experts in what we do. The Chase Films’ dedication to honesty and openness with their clients has led to retaining long lasting relationships and I think that comes down to trust.
When there are questions over certain creative choices made by a director or queries about budget line items, it’s important to explain to clients why we stand by what we do and why something costs what it costs.
Also, if a client requests a change in a film and we know it won’t be right, instead of just doing it for the client, I believe it’s better to explain why we’ve chosen to do something a particular way and reassure the client that it is the right choice for the overall production. It can be hard at times, don’t get me wrong, and clients can also give great suggestions that are worth a try, but I don’t think it’s in anyone’s best interests to undermine the creative integrity of a project by simply saying yes to all requests from a client.
LBB> From your experience what are the ingredients for a successful production?
Natalie> A great creative, a solid, loyal crew and a harmonious relationship between producer, director and the client. One of the reasons I enjoy working with The Chase Films is their reputation amongst crew that being on a Chase Films set is a nice environment to work in. But first and foremost, it truly is all about the quality of the creative - that’s most important, more than ever.
Every one of us got into this industry because we aspire to make something that is beautiful, powerful and smart. Every crew member wants to be part of a production that is creatively rewarding, and every client should want a showpiece that they’re proud of too. So let’s keep making good s**t.
