Meet Your Makers: Why Idea Is Everything with Kirsten Clarence
Kirsten started out in the world in fashion, but found her true calling in film making not long after her move to Cape Town in 1999. Her early career as a TV producer at some of the most respected Advertising Agencies in the country deepened her passion for great ideas.
She is a creative partner to both the directors she represents and the agencies & clients they work with. She has shot in far flung locations across the globe and has overseen large-scale international campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands. No matter how big, small or utterly crazy the idea, there are few people out there more qualified, more willing, or more able to bring it to life.
LBB> What first attracted you to production - and has it been an industry you’ve always worked on or did you come to it from another area?
Kirsten> To be honest I sort of fell into production. I studied fashion and after a time in that world I moved back to SA and decided I needed to try something new. Some friends in the industry nudged me into production. I think the phrase was ‘You’re quite bossy, you’d make a good producer’ and I’ve never looked back! I’d like to think that by bossy, they meant organised!
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?
Kirsten> My first job was at Ogivly as assistant to the head of production. She was an amazing mentor and hard task master! I learnt a lot from her and still apply some of her thinking in how I approach problems.
Coming from an agency background, I’m passionate about ideas. Idea is everything, add craft and it becomes magic. It’s the marrying of these two things that excites me!
LBB> How did you learn to be a producer?
Kirsten> I don’t think you ever stop learning to be a producer! But the first steps were on the job training, trial and error and having an open mind. It’s one fo the things I love most abut my job is that I never feel like I am going to stop learning. Producing is not a finite skill, its one that is honed year by year, project by project.
LBB> What’s your favourite thing about production and why?
Kirsten> For me it’s two things. I love that every job is different, so while the skillset of producing is the same, the way we use those skills on each job is different. The other thing I love is that somehow as filmmakers we manage to gain access to the most interesting people and places. It’s this behind the scenes view that I find fascinating.
LBB> How has production changed since you started your career?
Kirsten> One of my jobs when I started at Ogilvy was to cut showreels for pitches. It was all linear editing so every time the CD or MD wanted to change the order I would have to start again from scratch! Many a night was spent poring over those tape to tape machines.
Thankfully technology advances have given us many more tools to do our jobs. However with that it’s become equally easier and more difficult. Timelines seem to be getting shorter and shorter and the list of deliverables longer.
LBB> And what has stayed the same?
Kirsten> The importance of a good idea. No matter how many ways we can execute a concept, what really makes one piece stand out from another is the quality of the idea.
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?
Kirsten> I think being an effective producer means you have to wear many hats all at the same time. Diplomat, magician, collaborator, friend, good cop (or bad cop)…. The real trick is juggling all of this while remaining calm under pressure.
I believe you can learn some of the skills but others are definitely innate. Being able to multitask is one thing that either comes naturally or it doesn’t.
LBB> Which production project from across your career are you most proud of and why?
Kirsten> That’s a tough question. There are a few stand out ones, almost all of which are ones where we pushed the script, sometimes even turning the ideas completely on their head.
LBB> And in terms of recent work, which projects have you found to be particularly exciting or have presented particularly interesting production challenges?
Kirsten> I love technical projects. For me, working with a director to problem solve or figure out how to execute something is one of my favourite parts of the job. We recently did quite a post intensive project involving shooting live action car shots, surreal moments in a volume studio with some CG thrown in. It was challenging but the challenge is what keeps me going.
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?
Kirsten> The best producer stories are the ones we can’t share!
On one project we were shooting in the desert and the mist rolled in from the sea. We lost contact with our helicopter as it was returning from our last run.
The pilot had done an emergency landing and had to walk out of the dunes back to base. It was a tense couple of hours but thankfully nobody even had a scratch. The chopper didn’t fare so well unfortunately...
LBB> As a producer your brain must have a never-ending "to do" list. How do you switch off? What do you do to relax?
Kirsten> I love hiking in the mountains and yoga. Both take me out of my head and switch my brain to pause for a while (and switch my phone off)
LBB> Producers are problem solvers. What personally fuels your curiosity and drive?
Kirsten> My second passion is travel. I have an itch for adventure, to see different places, absorb the cultures and try new things. Being uncomfortable in a new environment pushes you to see things from a different perspective.
LBB> What advice would you give to people who are interested in becoming a producer?
Kirsten> Start at the bottom, ask questions, ask more questions, learn about every department, spend time at post houses, go to gear checks, be punctual and put in the hours. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, be open, be enthusiastic, be humble and most of all be kind.
LBB> From your experience what are the ingredients for a successful production?
Kirsten> A good idea, and an Agency and clients who have a shared vision for the project and push at every step to help make the script better. But most importantly its the people. Work with people who like to collaborate and be challenged. A good production is really the sum of all the parts.
LBB> What’s the key to a successful production-client relationship?
Kirsten> Honest, open communication and trust.
LBB> Producers are naturally hands on - they have to be. How do you balance that in the more managerial role of an EP?
Kirsten> Working with people you value and trust makes the job of an EP so much easier. Identify their strengths and weaknesses and be there to support when needed. I am not a micromanager as I believe empowering the producers who work alongside me, makes them and me better at our jobs.
