The power of a supportive work environment in VFX: Emmy Award winning Executive VFX Producer, Clare Cheetham, talks nurture and care
Meet Clare Cheetham an Emmy Award winning VFX Producer at Coffee & TV, whose credits include HBO’s Chernobyl, The Martian and Apple TV+ film Tetris. She’s also a mother, a wife and a caring friend and colleague who knows the importance of prioritising the health and well-being of your team.
Her background as an artist gifts her with a deep understanding of the creative experience and all of the nuances that go with it. It’s that understanding, that creativity is not a ‘one size fits all’ experience that motivates Clare and the team at Coffee & TV to create a nurturing and positive working environment that allows their artists to work in a way that best works for them.
Here Clare speaks with us about the importance of supportive work environment in VFX studios, and in her own words ‘Look after your artists and the clients will naturally be taken care of.'
Clare received an Emmy Award for her VFX Producing on HBO’s ‘Chernobyl’
“Believe me, over working artists, does not work! This does not get results. All this leads to mistakes, which leads to longer hours, which leads to more exhaustion. Tell me how anyone can be creative in that type of environment. ”
Clare Cheetham: I have worked in a variety of facilities over the years, some good, some not so much, some large and really quite small. But to be perfectly honest it has been the environment that kept me in certain facilities and also drove me out of others. Maybe it is because I started my career in this industry as a VFX artist that has driven me to seek out the best possible environment for artists to work in. Somewhere where they are encouraged to be creative, have fun, be inspired and can collaborate freely.
Clare: Personally, I am a morning person, always have been. I get my best work done before lunch, so working long hours into the night was never something that would work for me. But every artist is different, for some it is 11 o’clock at night when they get inspired, and have that eureka moment, when finally, they can work their way around their shot, with the far from perfect ‘green screen’ with the fuzzy hair issue.
Basically, everyone is different, we need to be creative as a VFX team and creativity is not something you can turn on and off, it does not just run from 9-6pm, because these are our working hours. I believe that flexibility is needed to get the best out of a team. I know one artist that sometimes just needs to get out into the open air, if he hits a problem. This may be taking a break at 11am to go for a run, for an hour or so. Another artist that often works later into the night, because they like to take a couple of hours out, when their kids get in from school. These seem to be very simple,yet obvious practices, because instantly you know that these people are happier, due to this balance in their life.
Clare was the Executive VFX Producer on Apple TV+ film Tetris starring Taron Egerton
Clare: I know there are always looming deadlines, but first, realistic good scheduling is essential. I feel if the crew are treated like adults, are conscious of not only their needs, but also the needs of their team and the project. Knowing they need to be there for the meetings that require them and be in the office when needed, however if it makes more sense to work from home, then do so. Flexibility does work, as long as everyone adheres to the realistic deadlines.
But believe me, over working artists, does not work! This does not get results. All this leads to mistakes, which leads to longer hours, which leads to more exhaustion. Tell me how anyone can be creative in that type of environment.
Make sure artists are on the right projects that are inspiring them, growing them, even challenging them.
“This probably all sounds very straight forward, even logical and do you know what, it is. So why is it not happening more often?”
TAR is one of Coffee & TV’s first Oscar nominated film projects
Clare: Childcare - being a working parent, I have watched far too many talented people step away from this industry, because they could not work family life around it. I had many years of guilt, for not giving enough time to my job, or enough time to my kids. Left in environments where I was made to feel that I could not mention my children. I am happy to say I am now somewhere that is full of working parents, who enjoy sharing news, stories and experiences of their family life.
This probably all sounds very straight forward, even logical and do you know what, it is. So why is it not happening more often? I have been extremely lucky to have found somewhere where I am allowed to put all the above into action, because Coffee&TV (a B Corp company) have been doing this for years, (they have the awards to prove it). Maybe it is because its founders were also once artists in the industry and just get it.
Look after your artists and the clients will naturally be taken care of.
Clare and husband Jonathan Cheetham at the Coffee & TV studio on the announcement of the launch of the Film & TV department