Three Questions with Ceylan

What do you love about working in production, and what would you change or improve?

The role of the producer is to get stuff done, and I love getting stuff done! I would describe production as versatile, ever changing, and energetic which truly suits my personality. I am more productive when lots of things are on my plate, rather than having just one thing I have to get through. I enjoy problem solving, and I am allured by the feeling of accomplishment. In other words, I thrive in organized chaos!

In all honesty, the industry as a whole is not work life balance friendly. You are usually the last person to be done with a project. I think that there are more developments in diversity, green initiatives etc, and although we are having discussions that never really happened in the past there is still a lot more to do to reach a fully integrated system that feels genuine and not performative.

What have been some of your best and exciting memories working on set?

Working on the adidas account was truly the best of times. We were working with a lot of celebrities, different clients and campaigns at the same time, under tough and strict conditions and timelines. Although it was generally intense with crazy working hours, the JL Team was so tight knit, and it truly felt like I was working and traveling with friends. It felt good to have a family that you could celebrate and kick back with after a challenging day. One shoot I’ll never forget was having to work with the Kardashians during Kylie’s first pregnancy. There was a lot of secrecy around the shoot which added another layer of complexity, but the sense of accomplishment the team felt when we were done was worth it.

What advice do you have for the youth interested in pursuing a career in production, and what do you wish you knew when you started your career?

I would advise everyone to always try new things, and be open to new ideas and new processes. There are a lot of opportunities to tap into a variety of aspects of production and they all feed one another. I still find my experience working in the art world extremely useful, even if it seemed irrelevant when I made the switch to advertising. I would also encourage producers to be positive and transparent problem solvers. Putting out fires are part of the task so it’s about how you deal with challenging moments. I can say with confidence that it always works out in the end.