Production leadership
Aya: producing a festival film under pressure
A Tel Aviv University graduation film that screened at TISFF. I led more than 20 crew members, the cast, dozens of extras and a network of partners, and delivered on time and on budget.
- Role
- Lead producer
- When
- 2020
- With
- Tel Aviv University, directed by Ayat Zedan
20+
crew members led
On budget
and on schedule
TISFF
festival screening
The challenge
Aya was the graduation film of director Ayat Zedan at Tel Aviv University. Making it meant aligning more than 20 crew members, a cast, dozens of extras and partners ranging from the university and Arara Local Council to suppliers and property owners.
What I built
As lead producer I wrote the production breakdown, the plan that turns a script into days, places, people and costs. Then I ran the budget and logistics that made the shoot possible.
When things broke
- A key location was cancelled two days before the shoot. I found a workable alternative and rebuilt the plan around it.
- A professional rift opened between the director and the lead actress. I mediated between them so we could schedule pickup shots despite a tight calendar.
What happened
The production finished within budget and on schedule, and the film screened at the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival (TISFF).
What carries over
Producing is systems work: turning a creative vision into a plan, keeping many people and partners aligned, and solving problems in real time without losing sight of the goal.
Operational & crisis-management blueprint
Running a 20+ crew production when the plan meets reality
How structured breakdowns and stakeholder mediation kept a TISFF festival film on schedule and on budget.
Script breakdown & partner matrix
Translated director Ayat Zedan’s script into an operational schedule, budget, and partner network across Tel Aviv University and Arara Local Council.
- Scale coordinated
- 20+ crew members, principal cast, dozens of extras, and municipal partners.
- Producer artifact
- Master script breakdown, stripboard schedule, and contingency budget.
- Operational rule
- Every department knows its exact setup window and fallback plan.
Primary location lost 48 hours before shoot
Two days before cameras rolled, a central location fell through. Rebuilt the shooting order and secured an alternative property without delaying call time.
- Shock absorbed
- Zero lost shoot days despite losing the anchor location 48h out.
- Producer action
- Rapid local-network sourcing, schedule re-sequencing, and crew re-briefing.
- Budget impact
- Absorbed within existing contingency without cost overrun.
Director-actress mediation & pickup delivery
When a professional rift opened between the director and lead actress, mediated between both sides to align on pickup shots under a strict deadline.
- Shock absorbed
- Restored working alignment to complete essential pickup photography.
- Producer action
- 1-on-1 mediation, clear boundary setting, and focused shoot schedule.
- Final result
- Delivered on time and on budget; selected for TISFF.
