Senior Producer, Dazed Studio in London

Dazed Media is the world’s leading independent fashion and culture media brand. Twenty-five years ago, Jefferson Hack and Rankin Waddell set up a magazine that would become a movement: Dazed & Confused. The title became a lightning rod for cultural provocation – radically reframing international style culture. Today, we are an agenda-setting publishing powerhouse and the most efficient way to reach the world’s most influential audiences.

Dazed Media powers an ever-evolving network of premium digital channels and iconic print titles including Dazed, AnOther, Dazed Beauty and Nowness. The company also encompasses a pioneering creative studio, award-winning video production, exclusive events, industry-leading talent network and efficient third-party distribution. Dazed Studio specialises in fashion, luxury and lifestyle communications. We partner with the world’s most ambitious brands and agencies to create brave, pioneering ideas for a global influencer community.

Select clients: Gucci, Burberry, Valentino, Converse, Nike, TikTok, Calvin Klein, Depop.

Role Summary: The Studio team brings the creative, editorial, design and production capabilities of Dazed Media to clients. Dazed Studio works with a multitude of brands across all sectors building and delivering bespoke offerings from advertorials and microsites to events, video and audio productions, seeding and activation of content, contract publishing and creative consultancy. You will be a client-facing, proactive, strategically led integrated producer and will execute and deliver a wide range of bespoke commercial projects ensuring successful planning, pricing, pitching and timely delivery of projects to clients across stills and motion.

Responsibilities:

• Pre-sale: Working closely with the studio creative team and project managers to provide production solutions to fashion, lifestyle and luxury clients. Working with the project management team to bring together relevant creative teams from studio, editorial, photographic, fashion, film, design and marketing & events departments to respond to project briefs. Interrogate client briefs and apply your seasoned knowledge of best practice to set clear objectives and sense check that creative development is within the client’s budget. Join and facilitate internal creative meetings, be a lead point of contact on production action items to meet project deadlines. Develop production timelines with the project management team ahead of clients sign off on timings and delivery. Be a confident, self-starter that can manage day to day production topics autonomously, with support where required from Head of Production. Sense checking creative team’s proposals in regards to costs and timings - flagging what is and isn’t possible and offering solutions to not compromise creative and keeping an eye out for any potential clearance or legal issues. Encourage diversity and consider representation amongst creative team/cast proposals. Work closely with project manager/director to forecast production budgets for sign off. Ensuring an NDA is signed when engaging with third parties in any pitch stages to ensure the protection of confidential information regarding both Dazed Studio and client. Grow professional network of industry professionals (creative and production companies), attend industry events representing Dazed Studio production. Various admin tasks including meeting notes and actions, maintaining schedules, joining weekly production meetings and updating production planner. Where required be client facing in pre-sale stage.
• Post Sold & Delivery: Working closely with the project management and creative teams to ensure that the agreed creative is being pre-produced and planned accordingly within timelines and budget. Work closely with finance team to ensure pre-production costs are with suppliers ahead of shoot. Working with both production companies and self-producing shoots for Dazed Studio. Ensuring relative business affairs agreements are signed upon awarding external creative teams/third party suppliers. Work closely with Head of Production and the commercial and project teams to ascertain and manage expectations for the project before the project is cast / goes into pitch stage. Setting up calls to brief photographer/ director/ production company on studio creative. Be available where relevant to travel/ produce overseas. Work to support Head of Production on sustainable practices. Continue to monitor agreed budget and flag to production manager/director and Head of Production any potential overages or out of scope asks to avoid any after the fact costs to clients. Pre-empt issues as they arise and deal with them effectively with Head of Production ensuring minimal impact on the client relationship or inter-department relationships with Dazed Studio. Support project management team on any pre-bid meetings and/or pre-production meetings. Support producer, junior producer with onboarding and day to day project questions. Attend shoots and client update meetings, preparing relevant documentation to support these (including risk assessments and any Covid-19 requirements). Being aware of contents of the SOW on a project and client deliverables and usage. Comply with union and industry regulations where appropriate (IE. SAG). Work with Head of Production to onboard freelancers/ more junior team members (if/where appropriate). Ensuring invoices have been submitted from vendors on a timely basis. Flagging on a timely basis any issues related to payment for our vendors/suppliers. Commissioning of creative talent and ongoing communication with collaborators ensuring adherence to brief and deliverables. Working closely with creative talent on any client feedback. Manage workflow and input from the creative team. Ensure each project has a signed contract and relevant documentation on file. Being client facing across meetings (calls or in person) and on set. Conducting yourself in a senior and professional manner on set, being an ambassador for both Dazed Studio and the client and ensuring a smooth running set and respectful atmosphere for all shoot attendees and crew.
• Project Wrap: Reconcile project budget and report on financials to Head of Production and project management team. Ensure the filing/archiving of all business affairs agreements. Archive all project budgets on a timely basis. Attend any project close / debrief meeting/ wash up sessions where scheduled with client(s). Support Head of Production with the production team’s queries on business affairs, legal issues, clearance and insurance topics. Contribute to the database of creative talent for Dazed Studio. Support internal initiatives too pending business needs (studio space, Dazed Club).

Skills, experience & personal attributes:

• 5-8+ years experience working as a producer (with project management skills) in a creative environment (whether creative agency/studio, production company or in-house at a brand) working across both stills and motion production.
• Ability to handle multiple work streams.
• Knowledge of business affairs agreements is desirable (from talent to clearances and have working knowledge of APA/IPA rates).
• Be a self-starter.
• Be accountable at owning a production from pitch stage to final delivery and flagging any concerns on a timely basis with Dazed Studio’s head of production.
• Have a genuine interest in creative work and creative production.
• Eager to manage projects spanning formats including print, digital, social, photography, editorial, moving image.
• Organised, reliable and time conscious, solution-focused, proactive, problem solver.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team and enjoy teamwork in a fast paced creative environment.
• Experience working with brands in the luxury, lifestyle and fashion sector is preferable.
• Positive and sunny ‘can-do’ attitude.
• An understanding of up and coming and more established creative talent in the industry and an interest in connecting them with Dazed Studio’s creative team.
• Be interested in the evolution and future of production and staying on top of industry movements/trends (metaverse/NFTs for example).
• Be interested in sustainable practice and supporting sustainable practices on productions whether self-produced or working with a third party production company.
• Experience working on productions on a global basis is desirable.
• Great interpersonal skills with an ability to remain calm under pressure and delivery to tight deadlines working in a fast paced environment.
• Ideally passionate about film, fashion, arts and culture with a keen understanding of the Dazed brand, values, culture and heritage and appreciation of the distinct market value we can offer to our clients.
• Preferably competent in macOS, Excel, Word, Keynote, Google Suite, Google Drive and Monday.

These duties and responsibilities are indicative and not exhaustive but serve to give a realistic overview of the role and requirements. The company reserves the right to change this role description in response to the changing needs of the business. At Dazed Media we promote a working environment in which diversity is recognised, valued and encouraged. We acknowledge the multicultural and diverse nature of the UK workforce and society in general. We are committed to principles of fairness and mutual respect. We particularly welcome applicants from those who are significantly underrepresented in our sector.