Today we’d like to introduce you to Zack Williams.
Hi Zack, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I suppose my production story started in high school, where I was fortunate enough to learn photography on film in a legitimate dark room. We learned the basics of SLR cameras and how to develop a print from start to finish. The process of capturing an image (or a story) and physically brining it to life was a process I truly enjoyed. We dabbled in some video production as well and that really led to studying media production in college. I got a ton of hands on experience in the studio, control room, edit bays, and out shooting. A lot of my friends and classmates would call me to help them shoot or edit and I quickly became one of the two or three that really took production seriously in our class. I think my professor really saw this work ethic in me and recommended me for my first true “production” job after graduating, as a production assistant for Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy (two of arguable the most successful producers in all of filmmaking.) I learned as much as I could from watching them as well as their head of television development over two years of working in their office. Frank caught wind that I enjoyed shooting and asked me to shoot some projects for him for ESPN and Studio Ghibli. After a while, it was clear it was time for my next step and I actually made what some would call a “backwards” transition into advertising production.
I have spent the last decade or so production and directing advertising and marketing content for brands ranging from Apple to Patron, Acura to BET, and plenty of products and companies in between. In the middle there, I worked in-house for an electric car startup here in Los Angeles called Faraday Future, where I was responsible for all marketing content for our brand launch at CES in 2016. I take a lot of pride in this launch because we have zero money for media, but through our launch event and booth at CES, we garnered 3.5 Billion media impressions over the week and certainly “won” CES that year.
I have continued to produce and direct content, both for advertising agencies and brands directly, and look forward to continuing to make great work for the near future. I do hope to make some shifts into the sports world and help tell some newer, unique stories across the country and globe about the impact that sports have on so many individuals.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I see my road like I see any project. I have a plan but nothing ever goes EXACTLY as the plan says. Those twists and turns are the fun part though. So much of being a producer is problem-solving and finding the right solution for whatever is presented to you. Oftentimes, those solutions lead to a better outcome than originally planned.
I do think I’ve been lucky to meet some incredible people along the way that have helped me throughout my journey, but a lot of it also comes down to simply working through roadblocks and finding the right way forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
If you were to look at my LinkedIn profile or resume, the easiest answer to what I do is that I am an advertising agency producer. However, as my career has progressed, that title simply starts the description and I have tended to add a few hats onto each project that I work on.
One thing that everyone that I work with will say about me is how many different “hats” I like to wear. What I mean by this is I like to get my hands on as many steps of the production process as possible. I have been known to physically shoot some of the content pieces that I produce. Many times, I’m asked to actually direct them as well. Sometimes, I also edit these pieces or help in crafting the story in the edit. While this may sound “normal,” in the world of large-scale production, most people focus on one step. I enjoy being a part of all of them and that is definitely something that I take a lot of pride in. While I may not be the best director or editor for every project, by understanding the process and what goes into each step, it has helped me become a much much better producer that can relate to everyone for whatever project comes my way.
What are your plans for the future?
I have spent a lot of time in consumer advertising, which has been changing a lot recently. While there are tons of new opportunities for content on social media platforms and various formats here and there, my passion really lies in longer-form storytelling.
Therefore, I would love to work on some projects that focus more on story and less on selling. If I can combine this search with my passion for sports, I think I’ll be in a great place!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.zackwilliams.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/zackjwilliams
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zack-williams-8bba1044/
