Cuppa with a Executive Producer – Darryl Bolton
Meet our UNIT EP – Darryl Bolton We enjoyed a cuppa with one of our most well-known and loved UNIT EP’S Darryl Bolton and talked all things UNIT.
What inspires you and drives you as an Executive Producer?
As an Executive Producer in post, I love getting scripts and better still, winning them and ensuring the client and our team work well together and have a good experience, especially nowadays with tight budgets and schedules. It’s important that I can help take away some of the stress from the client and give them a good experience.
Proudest achievement?
My proudest moment was getting into advertising from a comprehensive school background, at the beginning no one would have me! Most people I met at the start were from Oxbridge backgrounds, and I felt a little out of place but I was given the opportunity throughout my career to work with some of the biggest names in advertising. It’s been a roller coaster, but I have loved every minute of it and have made some fantastic friends for life.
What first inspired you to get into this career?
I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do. I remember my father suggesting that I try advertising. One of his clients was Leo Burnett when they were in St Martins Lane. I wrote to the top one hundred agencies, not knowing what I wanted to do but to find out more about the business. I had seven replies and three chats: Geers Gross, Ogilvy & Mather, and Benton & Bowles. I was fortunate to be offered a position at B&B as a Creative Management PA. And that’s really where it all began for me. Cut to 40 years later and I’m still loving the industry and work. I’ve been at UNIT coming up to 12 years now, which is the longest place I’ve ever been, so I must be doing something right.
What makes a good producer? And more widely, what are the key elements of a successful production?
A good producer plays a crucial role in the success of a project. A good producer can lead a diverse team, motivating and guiding them toward a common goal. Effective communication with the team, and ensures everyone is on the same page. A combination of strong leadership, effective planning, teamwork makes for a successful production.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far in your career?
The most valuable lesson I have learned is to be honest and respectful to everyone and to admit our mistakes, we’re not perfect. We can’t know everything, especially these days with technology changing so fast.
What am I watching now?
I really enjoyed Killers of the Flower Moon. A true story that is thought-provoking with a great cast & production design.
