There is no I in crew - Crewing Manager

Ileana Vázquez is a crewing manager at our Montreal studio. In this Paths interview, she describes her own career journey before giving advice to aspiring production crew members.

Can you tell us a bit more about your role?
Basically, I support the production team by fulfilling all the shows’ crewing needs. I ensure we have good connections with other departments and with the other companies in the group. That way, I can make sure that we have enough work for our crew, and if there isn’t, I talk with our other studios to see if we might be able to arrange an exchange and help each other. So unlike a recruiter who goes outside the company and looks for new talent, my job is to move people inside the group to ensure we keep and take care of our existing employees. I also keep a general overview of the shows’ projected budgets alongside the Finance department but in general, I support all production here and there with different things all the time.

Can you tell us what brought you into that role?
There are many things that attracted me to this position. First, it was new for me; previously, I had always worked in production, literally helping out organizing schedules, chasing people up to fix issues, etc. I had always been on a show before, whereas now I’m working more across the company.

What is your favourite part of your job?
My favourite part is being able to talk with people. I’m a social person and I enjoy being around people and learning from them. So far, I have had the opportunity to learn from several producers, production coordinators and supervisors of different departments about various roles and processes. Having access to this wider vision of how things are being done in each department is pretty cool.

And the most challenging part of my role is also the fact that I am talking with so many people and getting so much information from different sites, trying to be as neutral as possible and objective in my choices to avoid conflicts.

Which departments or people do you interact with the most?
There are three main groups I interact very often with: the producers and department managers, the supervisors and the finance department. I make sure to understand and align my work with the teams’ needs and goals while staying on budget. And since our animation projects are usually long term, we’re often talking about each project for over two years.

Do your responsibilities change throughout a production?
Yes, I’m the busiest when we’re starting a show because needs and schedules can change a lot at the beginning and minor things can have big impacts. A new project is always a bit like a rollercoaster. Starting out, there are many hurdles to overcome and many production needs to meet. The schedules change all the time, sometimes in very minor ways, but other times in major ways. We schedule everything and often call on the support team for help. It’s a whirlwind and I do my best to help in every way I can.

Can you tell us a bit more about your background and how you became a crewing manager?
I come from Mexico and I studied communication and media, and I started my professional life working in production for educational TV. After that, I got an opportunity in an animation studio where I started as a production coordinator and then was promoted as a line producer. I worked in that studio for approximately 7 years before moving to Montreal and starting at Cinesite as a production coordinator, briefly leaving to take on a more senior role elsewhere before returning as crewing manager.

What would you say are the main qualities needed to work in production?
Definitely strong organizational and communication skills, patience, collaboration spirit and a genuine people-first approach. We work with so many people with all types of personalities and we have to be attentive to their needs, their time and even their stress levels. Maintaining a calm and reassuring attitude is crucial; our artists rely on us for support, and any sign of panic or excessive worry on our part will inevitably spread to them. Also, you have to be a problem-solver, a go-getter type of personality.

Are there tools that people need to master to get started in production?
I’d say that it’s different everywhere but all the office suite is a must and every studio uses a specific project management software like Shotgun, Ftrack or others. But mainly, to start working in production, you have to be willing to listen and learn how to do the work.

Which qualities are necessary to work in production?
It’s such a plus when someone’s easygoing and can handle quick changes without getting too stressed out. Our work is often changing and evolving, and we need to accommodate that and adapt quickly. And then, you need to be organized and stay organized and calmed through the chaos.

What are you looking for in terms of schooling in a candidate?
I really don’t think that academic background matters. I mean, it can be a plus in my opinion if you went to an animation school or if you studied film, because it makes it easier for you to understand how film production works than if it’s the first time you hear all the terminology. But again, it is a plus, not a mandatory thing. The most important thing is being interested in production. If you studied animation and want to work in animation but take a position in production to “get your foot in the door” you’re not going to enjoy yourself and will probably end up further from your goal than before.

Are there mistakes that you see juniors making often?
I think that the main thing would be wanting to solve problems by themselves. If you have a problem, you don’t always have to figure it out by yourself; everyone is working as a team. Of course, it’s always the first step to try and find a solution by yourself, but when you realise that you don’t know where to start, it’s a good idea to ask your supervisors. Everyone is going to be willing to help and support you, but it should start with you. Communication is key, so don’t hesitate to ask for help, that’s what the team is there for.

What is the traditional path to get into production, and what entry positions might you start with?
Usually you would start as a production assistant (or PA) then after a while you can be promoted to production coordinator. A production assistant usually assists the entire production, not necessarily the artists, whereas the coordinator is responsible for the materials their team must deliver. A PA will often be asked to take notes during meetings and dailies and to share those with the team to make sure information is available for everyone and that people know what changes have to be made. Coordinators on the other hand, must follow milestones and make sure the team progress follows the production calendar. Coordinators are also assigned to a specific team, so for example, you could be the coord for the Assets team and then move on to Lighting, moving from team to team and learning more about the pipeline.

Is there any advice which would have been useful when you were starting out or that you received which has helped you?
I think that an important thing to remember is that you don’t need to know everything. When I started out, I was so worried because I didn’t understand how everything worked, and I was trying to analyse and understand everything. It doesn’t work that way, everything has a learning curve. You need to take your time to learn and then to apply that knowledge. I wish I had stopped stressing and just asked someone for help when I was starting out. It’s important to know that there are no stupid questions. Ask and someone will always be there to help.