Behind the Visual with Mark Hanson

How did a Burlesque show lead to Monica Zaffaron becoming a producer? In this episode we hear how the woman responsible for Trybe Production Collective started off as a dancer, model and actor and made a living at it for four years in Europe as well as some time in America. She talks about what it was like being on German TV, touring Germany as a singer in a band, and the time she faked played bongos for a tv appearance where a ver...

Until very recently Julie was the Managing Art Producer at Havas in NYC, so she has a lot of wonderful stories! We talk about her time in Italy where she was taken to a room with no windows and questioned as she was trying to fly out of the country, her favorite shoot which was for Jaguar, producing her first big shoot for Volvo with basically no help or experience. We chat about how she grew up knowing she wanted to be in advertis...

Courtney tells us how she created the successful production studio Salt Paper Studio and the meaning behind the name. We discuss one of the coolest things to happen to her, which involves Adobe, what unusual thing would be in the rider of her contract (I stole this question from my friend who does the Rocker Dog Podcast – Go listen to it). We also talk about how she finds new clients, what new service they are going to start offeri...

Nina started out in her early teens as a booker for punk rock bands, so she always had the spirit of a producer and entrepreneur. In this episode we talk about the model with no shoes, none at all! We also discuss how she started as a photo studio manager which led to her eventually starting her own production business. There are stories of difficult shoots, one involves large fires in the Pacific Northwest, favorite shoots, shoots...

There are so many good things on this podcast, I don’t know if I can list them all here. Mike talks about the time he was in Italy and a 10-foot wall of dirt magically appeared overnight in front of the photo-shoot location and what they had to do to have it removed so they could shoot. We discuss how his career path went from going to Seminary school to almost becoming a history teacher to ending up as an art producer at Leo Burne...

Alessandra and I talk about the time she thought a famous musician was going to blackball her for something she did. We also talk a lot about travel and cool places to travel, including the country that really surprised her and made her almost move there. We chat about her love of photography and how that has really served her well at Travel and Leisure.

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

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Liz and I talk a lot about AI on this episode and the positive and negatives of this new technology. She knows a lot about it and I was very interested in what she had to say. We also talk about a class she is starting for photographers, which I would love to take, what it’s like being self employed, are printed promos worth the time and money, and her great advice for any artist!

So go take a listen and let me know what you think.

Sarah has some great stories, everything from a multi-day shoot for a schizophrenia drug that took place in the abandoned wing of a working, possibly haunted, mental hospital, to her dream project (listen to find out what that is), her favorite project so far, which involved Ebola, and the story of the dancing toe mascot that was for a nail fungus drug!

I know you are going to enjoy this episode and these great stories!

So go take ...

Ashley is a classically trained artist and a world traveler! In this episode we talk about the time she found herself on her own in Italy and ended up having a meeting at a café with two Advertising legends. We talk about her time at the Clio Awards and what were some of her favorite ads and projects including the Clio’s 60th anniversary video where advertising people became the subjects and were in front of the camera instead of b...

Dwight left Virginia after college and drove to NYC with $20 in his pocket and by the time he got to Manhattan, he owed New York $17! He then went on to assist some of the top photographers in the world like Mary Ellen Mark, Bert Stern, David LaChapelle and more before doing his own thing as a photographer and shooting for Seventeen, Marie Claire, etc. He even talks about one photographer who dressed in drag for a shoot and then we...

In this episode Ken and I discuss what he's been up to since we last spoke, which was during Covid lockdown. Ken has moved to a new city and state and has joined a new agency. We also discuss the good and bad of AI for photographers and what Ken thinks about source books. It was fun catching up with Ken and we had a great conversation. So check this one out and be sure to let me know what you think about it and like it, thumbs...

Erica Ptohos is the SVP, Group Creative Director for TBWA\World Health and she has some great advice and stories for you in this episode. Erica talks about shooting in an active mental institution and one project that really hit close to home for her. You will also hear her advice (Which is great advice) to anyone wanting to get into advertising and design, how she got into this whole career, why she thinks going to college at Hart...

We talk about everything in this episode as we catch up on the changes in Erada's life. Her new Design and Creative Production Agency, Shooting in NYC, being a photographer and the stereotypes that come with it, therapy, price of apartments, dating, and a lot more!

It's a really fun episode that I know could have lasted so much longer. Be sure to let me know what you think about this one and like it, thumbs up it, follow, comment a...

Mary talks about working at Martha Stewart Living and not even knowing who Martha Stewart was when she took the job. We also discuss how she handled a client paying her invoice and then two months later, asking for part of the money back, due to no fault of Big Leo, what to look for if you’re looking for an agent, as well as what is expected from the artist she represents. There is a lot of information in this one for anyone who wa...

Tony has done it all! We discuss a shoot where the talent had Secret Service protection, what it’s like to shoot with Mary J. Blige, multiple times, how to put together a 45-day shoot and what it really takes to be successful as an agent. We chat about times when your expense account was so large you could fly from NYC to San Francisco just for brunch, and many more interesting stories about working in Los Angeles and New York City...

Griselda left her home country of Mexico and came to NYC with only a dream and almost immediately landed a job with worldwide advertising agency TBWA. She has since worked with celebrities, traveled, for work, to other countries, secured Bacardi as a client and can tell you all about how to run social media at a major advertising agency. Griselda was a lot of fun to talk to and very enthusiastic, which is always fun for me. So go t...

Do you want to know what Will Smith is really like to work with? Brian tells you in this episode. We also discuss almost getting beat up by Ghost Face Killah, working with Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Wu Tang Clan, BeBe Winans, Randy Moss and a lot of other artists. We spend time talking about Culture wars, growing up, how some recording studios used to leak music, and a whole lot more. This was a great chat, that I know could have go...

Have you ever asked a celebrity to watch your coat and bag so you could go spend time with friends? Barbara has, and it was a huge country music star, who waited around on her to come back and get her things. This is just one of the many great stories Barbara McKay tells during our chat as we discuss her book ‘Coming Home’ which you can find at www.BarbaraMcKay.com which is filled with great stories and great recipes for food you a...