Hannah is Founder and CEO of Grey House Productions, a very value-driven human-centric company, she comes on the show to share an enormous wealth of information on the business as it unfolds in a production house.

 

Key Takeaways

[:30] Heather introduces Hannah and asks her to share how she made her way from studying photography to founding Grey House Productions

[6:11] Hannah explains how she keeps it all together — business and life — and it’s all about the team! But she also touches on the automation aspects that Grey House has been integrating to streamline operations.

[8:21] Salsa dancing as a follower will help you turn off your ‘Type A’ personality for a while!

[9:43] Clients come from three main avenues and Hannah details all of the ways brands come to work with the Grey House team.

[11:37] Brands are getting smarter about creating and diversifying their shorter-lived content, and this may explain the increase in brand-direct work found at production houses.

[12:37] Heather shares her perspective on the evolving client/agency relationship which opens up the floor for Hannah to ask her own follow-up question!

[14:17] Hannah and Heather discuss the increasing creative control that brands are requiring as well as their requesting for creative input and guidance from photographers as opposed to agencies.

[17:40] Client service might be the differentiating factor in a world where lines are blurred.

[18:45] Hannah also talks about how she selected the company’s core values as well as the name. But Team Grey House has recently come up with a ‘top ten non-negotiables’ and Hannah breaks down the interesting and profoundly human way this came about.

[23:10] Hannah explains the estimating process at Grey House as well as how she keeps an eye on all the moving parts.

[25:53] Sometimes, more than one photographer will be bidding for Grey House, and Hannah is adamant about not sharing any information during the bidding process.

[28:11] Hannah asks Heather what the bidding process looks like on her side from estimates to treatments.

[32:09] How does Hannah foster creativity in the bidding process? It turns out that the estimating process may be super creative in itself!

[36:35] Motion is something that is only surprising to Hannah when it is absent! She talks about the lack of a solid motion understanding among photographers.

[39:28] Hannah’s secret sauce is strategy and Heather shares what “Elder silence” means.

[42:12] Hannah answers Heather’s two closing questions: favorite thing to do on a Sunday, and if you weren’t a producer what would you be?

[43:29] Heather thanks Hannah for coming on the podcast!

 

Thanks for listening.

 

In an industry where the rules are always changing, it’s helpful to hear from those on the front line. Heather Elder is the visionary behind NotesFromARep’sJournal.com; visit her website for industry updates, stunning photography and video, and the artists behind the work.

 

Mentioned in this episode

Elizabeth Ernst

Paul Elledge

Leasha Overturf

Grey House Productions’ Top Ten Non-Negotiables

Tim Tadder’s blog post on taking on the Director title

 

More about our guest

Hannah Soto at Grey House Productions

Hannah Soto on LinkedIn

 

More about your host

Heather Elder’s Bio

Heather Elder’s Blog

Heather Elder on Instagram

Heather Elder on Twitter

Heather Elder on LinkedIn

Heather Elder on Facebook