We were lucky to catch up with Melissa Kosmaczewski recently and have shared our conversation below.
Melissa, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with something countless entrepreneurs have had to figure out on the fly – how have you dealt with the rise of remote work?
Producing remotely was difficult at the beginning of the pandemic, I missed traveling to shoots, missed the camaraderie of the in-house agency I worked for at the time. However, once the sting of the “new world” wore off, the remote revolution allowed me to leave my corporate position start off my own production company. I live rurally in a small town in central Vermont, there were often times I felt doomed to have a successful career in production because I’m not in a major production hub. Today, all of my prep is done remotely, and I’ve produced photo and live action shoots all over the country. It works because, it works! Communication is key, and a strong network.
Melissa, 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?
I am a Producer with a background in photography and motion production. I have produced commercial photography, video and animation/VFX work for major brands like Keurig Dr Pepper, Truly Hard Seltzer, Philips, Frida Mom, Bai, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Draft Kings and more as a Line Producer and as an Agency Producer. I also own and operate Good Girl Production which I started in 2021. In 2023 I had the opportunity to start art directing. I also got back into filmmaking this year, and directed, edited and produced my first short in 10 years.
My husband farms full time, living in Vermont is a non-negotiable for us. We’ve been here for 8 years, and it’s been an incredible opportunity to work on productions as far as Hawaii, Austin, Miami – all while living the special life we’ve created for ourselves in our small town. Small like – only 300 people live in our town small.
I thrive to empower fledgling industry folk who have a passion to create. My early professions of bartender and comedy club server mean I know how to have a conversation with everyone in the room – no matter how shy or spirited. It’s important to me to treat everyone with respect, whether it’s a PA or an ECD.
I started my career through education, and spent 5 years studying television, radio and film production. If you want to get technical, my dad first put a camera in my hands when I was about 6 or 7, and I truly never put it back down. It was the way my sister and I would spend time, telling stories. From there, it was the grind. Working restaurant jobs all while freelancing to make ends meet. I’ve edited feature length documentary films (go check out Transition by Sas Carey!), I’ve filmed town hall meetings and concerts, I’ve gripped, PA’d, steamed wardrobe – a little bit of everything. Working in so many segments of production helped me build my career as a producer, a deep understanding of how important each department is and what each department needs.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
It’s simple, respect. On my shoots, the hierarchy is thin. While of course, there needs to be a chain of command to maintain order, I show up shoulder to shoulder with my PAs on my sets. If there is trash that needs to be taken out at the end of the day, I roll up my sleeves and change the bag. Also, good meals and snacks help. I don’t mind making an extra investment so that everyone feels taken care of and happy. A happy set means a happy client.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The majority of my clients are word of mouth. Creating strong working relationships throughout the years, every new person I meet on set, or on a call, may open a door years down the road and have opened all of my doors so far. When I went out on my own, my first clients came from photographers I’d established strong relationships with during my time on staff. LinkedIn also is a great help for “cold calling”, while I haven’t had a lead firmly manifest yet, I have expanded my network and have met a wide range of creative professionals across the country. Being in Vermont, word of mouth really is everything.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.goodgirlproduction.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodgirl_production/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissakosmaczewski/