Ivica Šúrová

The dentsu Creative Academy is a platform offering learning modules and creative inspiration for all dentsu creative employees. Interviews are featured to promote new modules as they are launched on the platform, to get know our people, and to connect our colleagues around the world.
This month’s interview features Ivica Šúrová, Production Manager in the Czech Republic. Ivica has curated the Video learning module and responded to the below interview on the topic.
1. First up, how did you begin your career in production?
My passion for production developed at a young age when I started experimenting with a camera and photographed everything around me. After graduating from art based college, I started working at Isobar, part of dentsu, as a Project Manager. Outside of work, I was still creating and producing so began step-by-step building this passion into my role within dentsu.
After a while, I was focusing purely on production-tuned projects and now I lead and consult all production projects that are created in Isobar Czech Republic. Every project is unique and I am constantly learning new skills and techniques to do with technology and creativity.
2. Which part of the production process do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy having an overall creative view of a project, from the assignment – to the final output.
It's a great opportunity to see the path of a video or key visual from start to finish. Watching the process is fun, but of course the really fun part is starting with the pre-production phase. The preparation is exhausting, but as soon as the last flap clicks or we clap together on the set, that's the best feeling of all.
3. What is your favourite project you’ve worked on? And why?
Each project is interesting, so it is difficult to choose only one. In recent months, projects have had to adapt to the current global situation.
Due to the crisis, one project in particular has had to shift their campaign launch for Spring / Summer 2020, to only go into production this Autumn. I’ve found that when you go through these moments with client, your bond grows stronger and the project certainly grows near and dear to your heart.
4. Was getting into production difficult? If so, how did you overcome this?
It was a natural process for me. Of course, there were moments when I was learning from my own mistakes, but gradually these moments became less frequent and I gained strong awareness of my ability.
5. What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in production?
Being creative, well-organized and able to communicate is the key to success. Of course, one should have base-level knowledge of what production entails.
6. Are there any filmmakers or creatives who you follow and have been influenced by?
I regularly follow the work of most production agencies in Czech Republic and abroad. The production scene, especially in our republic, is relatively small and so it’s not difficult to find your way around the great creatives. I am primarily inspired and influenced by our own dentsu creative department. Seeing a creative idea emerge from an insight, then transformed into a production output by the team you work most closely with is inspiration in itself.