Leslie Harro
Partner | Executive Producer
Havoc Content

1) Every project is a new opportunity to create great work. We have to be better every time we produce a job. Our directors have to continue to express their vision through the bidding process regardless of the past working relationship. There is no room to become lazy or uninspired out of familiarity or complacency.

Agencies and clients are coming back to us whether the budget is 100k or 700k, because they know we are going to over deliver for them. There are times we are seeing the boards and selecting the director with the agency. They are trusting Havoc, not just an individual director, which is the way it should be in order to build a lasting working relationship.

2) Advertising is becoming more honest. Brands are looking for an authentic voice. They are connecting with their audience on a more personal level. It’s a wonderful time to be a storyteller and it’s also more challenging. We aren’t hiring as many actors and shooting what is on the page. We are learning and diving into real peoples lives. From a production standpoint it’s a blessing and a curse. One out of every three jobs we produced this last year included real people. There are many obstacles that come with this, but we are finding our way and telling beautiful stories. I don’t see this as just a trend, I envision this will continue in 2020 and beyond.

3) My goal is always to be of service to my clients. We are striving to build lasting and long-term relationships with agencies and brands. It is an honor to be asked to bid on a project and even more so to create it, whether it’s a :15 digital spot or 3:00 branded content short film. A part of being of service is also making sure we have the talent we need in our Directors. My business partner is incredibly good at bringing in new talent and even more so finding the talent when we have an opportunity in front of us. We need to continue to find Directors with a strong point of view that are willing to put in the hard work every time we produce a project.

4) Here is a recent project we worked on that was direct to our client Garmin. This is an example of finding the right directing talent for a job. We were also very honest with the story the brand wanted to tell. We used real athletes to create this beautiful spot. http://www.havoccontent.com/featured-work

5) I am a Latin American female with an infant son running a company with my partner who is a Cuban American Male. We are proud to have a roster of female and male directors of different ethnicities and colors from all over the world. Havoc is diverse from the top down.

Misconduct is the very reason I wanted to be a decision-maker in a company. I have seen it and dealt with it myself for many years. It’s a similar story over and over, Men and also woman in power taking advantage of their subordinates. I have worked in agencies and I have worked for production companies. I have dealt with abuse from a sexual standpoint and also in pay equality. When I found my voice and no longer tolerated certain situations, I was treated unfairly and even had one company try to silence me with money. It is now time for me to be a part of the change. I have let go of colleagues, peers and working friendships regardless of their talent. There is no tolerance for an unsafe or unfair working environment for my directors, crews or employees.

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