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INSIDE Flipbook is our new series promoting the talented individuals that make the studio so great. From artists to producers, every member of the team brings a unique personality and skillset.
In this edition, we spoke with Flipbook Studio’s Production Manager, Daniel Fraser.
What motivated you to work in the motion pictures and film industry?
As long as I can remember I have always been a massive film fan, often bordering on nerd. As I grew up I knew it was an industry that I wanted to work in but with the wide range of different roles, it always felt a bit daunting to know where to start! There’s no quick fix to work things like that out so I’ve been lucky enough to work for some great companies that have helped shape my decision.
When did you start working at Flipbook and why?
I started in June 2018. Having been born and lived in London all my life, me and my wife decided to relocate to Manchester. This was due to the fact that we didn’t foresee any immediate lottery wins coming our way and knew we would never be able to afford to buy anywhere remotely close to London. She is from the north originally so had often told me about how great Manchester was – a smaller, more intimate but still vibrant city when compared to London – and so we took the plunge. I found Flipbook once we’d moved and I quickly found that I was among film fans (often bordering on nerds) which I think stood me in good stead. I haven’t looked back since!
What are your main tasks as a Production Manager?
They differ from day-to-day due to the number of projects operating at different stages on the go at any one time. It ranges from things like talking to the client and working out their vision for the project, deciding what we can achieve within their timeframe and budget. It then follows onto briefing in the team and working with them to develop the idea into milestones that everyone is happy with and then making sure those are stuck to as best we can. Then it’s a case of actually cracking on and moving through those as we begin the project itself. Obviously, things can happen which cause delays, but keeping in regular contact with everyone minimises this from happening too often.
What’s the best thing about working at Flipbook?
As someone who has worked in some large companies and teams before, I love the size of Flipbook compared to those places. There’s a much better connection with everyone when you are all interacting on a daily basis and this only has a positive impact on working together. Everyone knows what is being invested so you all pull together to get the work done to the best it can be. Communication is absolutely crucial and when you are all in the same space (instead of being spread over 5 floors!), it makes things like this that much easier. Some of the bigger companies I’ve worked with, people are there just for the job and have no real passion for what they do. With Flipbook, everyone has a real skill and passion for their specific field and it’s infectious!
What key skills does one need to master to become a successful Production Manager?
I think that communication is key with virtually every job but it rings true in any kind of project management role. You have to be both the face of the company, from a client-facing POV, and also a sounding board for the team internally. Being able to keep everyone informed on what they need to know/do is crucial. Of course, you need to be organised and across all aspects of the project to make sure they are on track but none of that matters if you can’t talk to the team or client to keep things as clear as possible.
Where do you see Flipbook in the next five years?
I’d like to think just finishing up work on the highly anticipated new Christopher Nolan film or something to do with Marvel. But that’s just me…