We recently connected with Grace Cardozo and have shared our conversation below.

Grace, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I got thrown right into things! I entered the production world in 2022 as Production Assistant and was just told to roll with the punches. It was really excited and very interesting to learn and physically see how much goes into a single photoshoot let alone film production. Once I got my feet wet, I began working with a boutique production agency as a production coordinator where I was a sponge and starting observing everything.

It’s a high-paced environment, especially when small because you end up wearing quite a few hats, but I learned all that I could from. budgeting, talent management, set design, client management and time management. I learned how to apply creative solution and thinking to problems that arose either leading up to the production, during shooting days, and while in post production.

Honestly, I feel that the way I learned was the fast way for someone else to learn the skill — by just jumping right into the job. I had no prior experience that would directly apply to being a producer so getting thrown in was the quickest way for me to learn. The only thing I would change was probably ensuring I took time off between projects (whether it was PTO while working with an agency or breaks between projects as a freelancer) to digest and process the workflow on how the projects went and access how things can improve for the next ones.

I think the most essential skills are time management and client management. When you’re in production and a producer, it is your job and obligation to ensure everything goes according to the schedule and that includes all the prep work, while on set, and post production. Being able to properly mange yours and a whole crew’s time is essential especially if challenges or issues pop up. I feel that client management goes hand in hand with time management because you have to work against a time line, while managing your clients expectations. Additionally, building and maintaining relationships in this industry is key especially with those that provide fiscal backing.

Grace, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Grace Cardozo (GC) and I am a creative producer and tailor. I’ve been producing photoshoots and indie films for the past three years and it’s been a fantastic experience. Back in 2o22, I was working at a small business as the marketing associate when I realized marketing is not for me, so I was looking for a career change. I got connected to my former boss who was working on New Balance Look book photoshoots at the time. I met with her over a coffee on a Thursday and was on set that same Saturday working as a Production Assistant and watching everything unfold. Since then I’ve been growing and learning all that I can to be a more organized, efficient and reliable producer for every project I work on.

Through production, I’ve learned to leverage my innate creativity and problem solving skills to help drive the creative vision forward and bring it to fruition. I help bridge the gap between the creatives (writers, directors, clients, etc.) and the logistics (hiring crew members, managing the budget, etc.)

As a producer, I am most proud of facilitating a crew and team that prioritizes on uplifting and hiring women, and more specifically women of color in the industry to give them a platform for them to showcase their talents and continue to grow. In the film and photoshoot industry, white men tend to be the focus where as on my sets I prefer to do the inverse of what the industry standards are.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think non-creatives don’t understand that most creatives are playing the long game. You have to be incredibly patient and comfortable with not getting instant gratification. Most of the time, we’re working on projects that take months to come to fruition for them to only be seen by yourself and the 4 walls your created it in. You also have to be okay with starting over completely in order to grow or change. You have to be very dynamic as a creative, and I feel that non-creatives tend to favor structure and habitual routines. And please know there is nothing wrong with structure and routine, but as a creative person, that cant be all there is in their life, there has to be space for fluidity, dynamic movement and change, and ultimately the ability to be free.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

That you don’t have to know can you do it all on you own. Whether you’re a business owner, film maker, designer, singer, whatever you might be, you won’t be able to make it on your one.

For one, most industries, especially if you live in a major city, truly reply on who you know and expanding your networks. Relationships are very important when it comes to building a brand or just your imprint on the industry of your choosing. Additionally, it sucks doing it by yourself. I’m not good at everything nor do I like doing everything. As I mentioned earlier I was in a marketing role and hated it because It just didn’t suit my strengths as a creative. However, there is someone out that eats sleeps and breaths marketing, and loves know the latest trend to get people interested in your brand.

Working with people and finding the right people to work with is so essential and can make or break your experience.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @gracecardozo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-cardozo-049a19b5/

Image Credits

B Dominguez
Karon Sanders