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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the creation of a premium creative system and build a dynamic delivery team.
- Company: Exciting early-stage company focused on innovative visual production.
- Benefits: Equity stake with potential for paid leadership as revenue grows.
- Why this job: Shape the future of creative production and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in creative tech, quality control, and workflow automation.
- Other info: Join a warm pipeline with immediate client opportunities and founding-level influence.
We’re building a premium creative systems company that helps consumer brands produce authored, high-performing visuals at scale—without falling into the “template AI” look. We’re entering with an active partner channel and a warm pipeline. Our immediate constraint is execution capacity, not demand. This role is for a technical leader who can build the engine and help form the first delivery team so we can confidently approach and serve initial clients.
This is an early-stage, pre-revenue build role. Unpaid for the initial build phase while we assemble the first pod and close initial client work. Compensated via fair equity aligned to a founding contribution. As revenue begins, the role converts into a paid leadership position (timing tied to client delivery milestones). If you’re looking for a stable salary today, this won’t be the right fit. If you want to build the core system and own meaningful upside, you’ll love it.
What you’ll own:
- The production engine (end-to-end)
- Design and run a repeatable pipeline that covers:
- Client intake & asset requirements
- “Creative grammar” / constraints (our Pattern Break rules)
- Quality control gates (anti-AI-tells)
- The goal is speed with premium finish—not speed at the cost of sameness.
- Build a quality standard that prevents the “everyone can tell it’s AI” problem:
- Implement QC checklists + review loops
- Own the final bar for “luxury enough to convert”
- Build lightweight tooling that makes delivery faster and more consistent:
- Delivery systems that reduce revisions and shorten cycle time
- Help assemble and lead the first delivery pod (freelance-first, then core hires), likely including:
- 3D / CG artist
- Senior retoucher / compositor (premium finish gate)
What success looks like (first 90 days):
- By day 30: Documented pipeline (SOPs, templates, file standards)
- By day 60: Scene library + reusable modules in place; Output velocity improving week over week
- By day 90: Production runs predictably with consistent premium quality; We can approach and serve multiple clients without quality drop; Pod structure is proven and scalable
Who you are:
- Creative-tech taste + quality control: You can spot “template AI” instantly and know how to correct it; you understand compositing/CG/retouch standards enough to enforce a premium bar.
- Workflow + automation: Systems mindset; You translate standards into templates/checklists/modules, and you measure cycle time, revisions, defects.
- Shipping culture: You don’t overbuild. You ship a usable system fast, then iterate.
Nice to have:
- Experience building internal tools for creative teams
- Light ML familiarity (helpful, not required)
- Familiarity with paid social creative specs + e-commerce conversion contexts
Red flags:
- Wants to build a platform before delivering for several paying clients
- Pure ML engineer with no visual taste
- Dismisses retouch/compositing craft—premium finish is the product
Why this is compelling:
- Warm pipeline via an established partner channel; immediate opportunity to deliver real client value
- You’ll build the core IP: the authored creative system + pipeline becomes the moat
- Founding-level influence, equity upside, and the chance to define how modern creative production should work
Technical Director / CTO (Creative Systems) in London employer: Protagonist Productions
Contact Detail:
Protagonist Productions Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Technical Director / CTO (Creative Systems) in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts, attend events, and join relevant online communities. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that dream role.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your skills! Create a portfolio or a personal project that highlights your technical prowess and creative flair. This is your chance to demonstrate what you can bring to the table beyond just a CV.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t wait for job postings to appear. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like us at StudySmarter, and express your interest in contributing to their vision. You never know what opportunities might arise!
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by understanding the company’s mission and values. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their goals, especially in building innovative systems and quality control.
We think you need these skills to ace Technical Director / CTO (Creative Systems) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When you’re writing your application, let your enthusiasm for creative systems shine through! We want to see that you’re genuinely excited about building something innovative and premium. Share why this role speaks to you and how you can contribute to our vision.
Tailor Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in your application. We’re looking for someone who understands the nuances of quality control and workflow automation. Use specific examples from your past roles that demonstrate your ability to build effective systems and lead teams.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and fluff. Make it easy for us to see your qualifications and how they align with what we’re building at StudySmarter.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Protagonist Productions
✨Know Your Creative Systems
Make sure you understand the ins and outs of creative systems and how they differ from standard AI solutions. Be ready to discuss your vision for building a premium production engine that avoids the 'template AI' look.
✨Showcase Your Workflow Mindset
Prepare to talk about your experience with workflow automation and how you've implemented systems in the past. Highlight specific examples where you've translated standards into actionable templates or checklists that improved delivery speed and quality.
✨Demonstrate Quality Control Expertise
Be ready to discuss your approach to maintaining high-quality standards. Share examples of how you've implemented quality control measures in previous roles, especially in creative environments, to ensure a premium finish.
✨Emphasise Team Building Skills
Since you'll be assembling the first delivery pod, it's crucial to convey your leadership style and team-building experience. Talk about how you've successfully led teams in the past and your strategies for making them unstoppable.
