The Role of an Agency Producer: Insights from Rory O'Connell on Creative Production in 2025
In this exclusive conversation at The Commercial Break, Rory O'Connell, a seasoned freelance producer with over 20 years of experience in the commercial production industry, shares his insights into the vital role of an agency producer. Rory has worked with leading advertising agencies, production companies, and even launched a sustainable platform. His experience offers a detailed look into the world of creative production, from the earliest stages of a campaign to its final delivery.
This blog will highlight Rory’s key takeaways on the evolving role of agency producers, the creative process, and how new technologies are impacting the industry. Let’s dive in!
What Does an Agency Producer Do?
An agency producer is the key player between the agency’s creative team and the production company. They manage the campaign’s logistics, ensuring everything runs smoothly from concept to final delivery.
Rory described the role as multi-faceted, where the agency producer:
Bridges the gap between creative teams (e.g., creative directors, copywriters) and production teams (e.g., production companies, directors).
Works directly with clients to ensure their needs are met while translating creative concepts into a concrete plan.
Oversees the project from pre-production (where concepts are finalised and budgets approved) to post-production, ensuring the final product matches the vision and is delivered on time.
Rory pointed out that an agency producer must stay organised and flexible, juggling client expectations, creative desires, and logistical challenges all at once.
Rory’s Past work for Speedo.
The Differences Between Agency Producers and Production Company Producers
While both roles are integral to the production process, they serve different purposes:
Agency Producer: Acts as a liaison between the creative team and the production company, ensuring the creative vision is maintained and that the production aligns with the client’s goals. They are involved throughout the entire process, from concept creation to final delivery.
Production Company Producer: Focuses on the execution of the project. They handle the on-the-ground logistics during the shoot, including managing the crew, locations, and talent.
Rory emphasised that the agency producer is more hands-on in the earlier and later stages of the process, managing both the creative vision and the logistics of getting the campaign executed properly.
How Technology Has Changed Agency Production
The shift to digital technology has drastically sped up production timelines and transformed the way creative work is done. Rory discussed how new tools have improved both the speed and accessibility of work, but they also present new challenges:
Faster Turnarounds: With digital editing software, feedback loops are quicker, and the overall process is much faster than when production relied on film. However, this speed has increased pressure on creative teams, as they now need to think about multiple formats (e.g., social media, TV, online) all at once.
Creative Tools: Rory mentioned that the barrier to entry has lowered dramatically. Tools that once required expensive equipment or professional post-production studios (like DaVinci Resolve for colour grading) are now available on personal computers for free or at a fraction of the cost. This democratisation of tools gives emerging producers and creatives more control over their projects.
Despite these advancements, Rory believes that creative decisions should still be at the forefront, with technology serving as a tool to enhance, not replace, creativity.
Choosing the Right Director for the Project
One of the most critical decisions for an agency producer is selecting the right director for the campaign. Rory outlined the process for director selection:
Understanding the Brief: The first step is ensuring the director understands the script and the creative goals of the campaign. It’s crucial that the director aligns with the vision and can bring something unique to the table.
Director's Treatment: Rory highlighted the importance of director treatments, which are detailed proposals outlining how the director plans to bring the script to life. A great treatment should not only demonstrate the director’s creative vision but also their execution strategy—from casting to technical aspects like lighting and camera angles.
Multiple Options: It’s often the producer’s job to present 3–4 viable director options to the client, allowing the creatives to make an informed decision. Rory stressed the importance of presenting strong candidates that align with the campaign’s creative goals.
Sustainability in Commercial Production
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in commercial production, and Rory stressed that green production practices are becoming the norm.
Sustainable Practices: As an advocate for sustainability, Rory shared his approach to managing eco-friendly production. This includes:
Reducing single-use plastics on set
Using green energy sources like solar-powered generators
Avoiding excessive travel by utilising local talent and crews whenever possible
Recycling and donating unused props and materials instead of discarding them
Client Expectations: Rory noted that many clients now demand that sustainability is integrated into the production process. This shift towards eco-friendly practices is a great example of how the advertising industry is evolving.
For any productions in the UK make sure to follow the guidelines that AdGreen has established.
The Challenges and Rewards of Freelancing
Having spent 70% of his career as a freelancer, Rory shared his thoughts on the highs and lows of working independently:
Flexibility: Freelancing offers the freedom to work across different projects and agencies, allowing producers to gain exposure to various creative processes.
Financial Management: Rory emphasised that managing finances carefully is key to freelancing success. He advised new freelancers to save up to weather lean periods between projects.
Rory also spoke about the lack of job security as a downside, especially during economic uncertainty, but he stressed the importance of building strong relationships in the industry to ensure a steady stream of work.
Conclusion
The role of an agency producer is both creative and logistical, balancing the needs of clients, creative teams, and production companies. Rory’s insights into his career, the evolving landscape of advertising production, and his thoughts on sustainability provide valuable lessons for aspiring producers and industry veterans alike.
As the industry continues to embrace digital tools and sustainable practices, the role of the agency producer will remain integral to ensuring smooth and successful campaigns.
Want to hear more from Rory? Watch the full conversation below:
This was an episode brought to you by ‘The Commercial Break’ a livestream series with industry professionals among commercial production, hosted by myself.
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