Freelance Art Producer Feature: Susi Paz
The advertising world is always changing. Clients always want their next campaign to be ahead of trends and stand out amongst a sea of creative content. The art producer role is pivotal in the success of projects, and behind every campaign is an art producer meticulously crafting the perfect atmosphere, sourcing talent, and ensuring every detail falls seamlessly into place. They are the invisible hands that turn imaginative concepts into tangible works of art, serving as the vital bridge between advertisers and photographers.
Oftentimes, agencies will work with freelance art producers who have the challenging task to not only jumping into a new campaign, but a new agency, often working with creatives and producers for the first time. They must be nimble and adaptable in order to actualize the vision of a client. We created the site FreelanceArtProducer.com years ago, in an effort to make finding a freelancer easier, and also to help freelancers get their name out there to more agencies. As the end of the year approaches and agencies are looking for freelance work to complete quick end-of-year projects, we wanted to highlight some of the freelancers on our site and share their answers to questions about their work, trends in the industry and some of their favorite past projects.
Our current feature is Susi Paz. For over two decades, Susi Paz has been a dedicated image and footage researcher, copyright clearance specialist and shoot producer, collaborating with an extensive array of organizations, governments, and sectors across the globe. Susi’s work is as diverse as it is impactful, spanning book projects, advertising/UGC campaigns, magazine and newspaper publications, film/documentary productions, and digital media initiatives (Google, TikTok, Meta). Additionally, Susi is also deeply involved in the world of finance, partnering with FX trading platforms and the banking industry. Her expertise bridges the gap between creativity and strategy, bringing unique and effective visual solutions to every project.
What inspired your transition to freelance? What factors influenced your decision to branch out independently?
I kind of just fell into it. I was doing a lot of maternity covers in the UK after being full-time for about 10 years. Then I was a word-of-mouth kind of producer/researcher and it hasn’t stopped since.
What is your favorite part of the job?
Seeing peoples work, meeting people and having a laugh. The job can be stressful and making it fun where possible really helps.
Being a freelance art producer offers flexibility, but surely comes with its challenges. Can you share one major advantage and one challenge you've faced in your freelance journey?
One advantage is the freedom to work in any part of the world and one disadvantage is cash flow.
Being an art producer means managing a lot of different people and projects simultaneously, what is your trick to balancing it all?
Communicate communicate communicate. It also helps to create a To-do list in the morning and to refer to it throughout the day.
Financial stability can be a concern for freelancers. Do you have any tips or practices that have helped you maintain consistent income and manage your finances effectively?
Diversify
Best practices for collaborating with other creatives as a freelancer?
Paying them quickly and sorting out a PO as soon as possible. I don’t mess people about when it comes to money.
How would your team describe you?
Dunno, I’ve never asked.
How do you stay connected with other art producers?
I run private groups that have over 800 freelance creatives on there. Mainly producers, agents, location scouts, casting directors and all are in different parts of the world. Our locations are: UK, France, Germany, Middle East and the US. Get in touch if interested in joining.
How do you find new talent?
Looking and listening to everything and everyone.
When you’re on a creative call, what do you look and listen for when selecting talent?
Be good at what they do, being able to listen and ask questions. Having a personality also helps.
How do you stay updated on current trends in the industry?
I keep’em peeled and then experiment.
What are some emerging trends you've observed in the creative visions of recent projects? And, how do these align with the industry's broader trends?
Budgets are getting tighter so people are getting more creative. Oh yeah and that little thing called AI, I think it might take off ;)
What is the project you are most proud of and why?
The majority of them. I mostly work on large scale campaigns/projects that I see when I am at an airport, in another country or on TV. I like it when I see my work in the public domain.
How do you stay creative when you’re not working?
I do something completely different.
As freelancing often requires constant upskilling, are there any courses, books, or resources you'd recommend to budding art producers?
Start as an assistant and learn everything you can from them.
How do you gather feedback on your work, and how has it helped you refine your craft?
I have had many clients come back to me to work on their projects and when a new prospective client approaches me, they usually start with “so and so have recommended you and I was wondering what your availability is like?” I think that is good feedback.
As we approach year-end, what are your predictions or insights into how the industry might evolve or change?
More democratized content creation, and sustainable productions that are also inclusive and diverse with people can help move everything forward.