In Production: Shawn Lacy

Shawn Lacy went straight into the ad industry from college (despite renowned designer Jay Chiat advising her to go travelling) and started at Y&R New York working on KFC.

She decided to switch sides into production after falling in love with LA when a project brought her to the West Coast. Lacy quickly became acquainted with Noam Murro and they together started Biscuit Filmworks.

Now, the duo have offices in the US and the UK and a roster of directors that Lacy’s very proud of.

Below, Lacy tells shots more about her thoughts on production and how she initially fancied trying her hand at brain surgery.

Tell us about an ad campaign you’ve seen recently that stands out for its production quality and standard…

Campaigns that stand out to me are usually because of the incredible creative concepts and storytelling. Campaigns that make me laugh, think, cry or evoke some sort of emotional response are the ones I keep going back to. Some spots I really enjoyed recently were Under Armor: I Will What I Want-Misty Copeland directed by Johnny Green and Google Chrome: Jess Time directed by Nanette Burstein.

Do you feel the role of the producer is becoming more prominent and crucial today than in the past?

As budgets get more challenging, you have to be more resourceful and creative than ever before. Everything moves so quickly on a commercial timeline these days that there’s no margin for error, and your producer has to be a proven and trusted partner and collaborator.

What’s your most valued production tool (tech or otherwise) and why?

iPhone.

How has the industry changed since you started working in it?

We used to have in-person meetings to get boards because there was no other way to get them unless you met face-to-face with whoever was bringing them over. Imagine, no email! It’s much easier now to get things done, but the pace is also so much more accelerated because we have access to everything at our fingertips that used to take weeks or months to research/complete/deliver. The pace has forced us to be more selective about how we work and who we choose to work with.

How do you relieve stress during a shoot?

Maintain a sense of humour and hire the best producer possible!

What’s your favourite thing to do away from work?

Spend time with my family and swim.

What would you like to see change in the world of production?

More honesty and transparency.

Tell us one way your skills at work transfer to your everyday life…

I have four kids and being able to multitask, stay calm and organised goes with the territory in my home life—for me these skills have been honed over many years in advertising. I’m also great at surrounding myself with the best people.

If you weren’t a producer what would you be doing instead?

I actually thought about becoming a brain surgeon. Really. Then I realised it would be time to retire by the time I’d be done with the schooling.