Prod Tip #006: Respond with “closing thread” to everyone cc’d in an email chain to indicate that no further notes or feedback is needed.
This is a good sanity check for everyone that they no longer have to keep an eye on an ongoing discussion and the team can move forward.

Prod Tip #007: Stay offline and away from work when you’re on you days off.
Burn out is REAL. Take care of your mental health by signing out of work-related apps and tasks when you're not supposed to be working. Chances are, you're working for free too --would it really be worth sacrificing your health? Even if it's just emails, reading chats, or scheduling --those are still stresses and it adds up. You need a break, your brain needs time to decompress from high pressure, and your body needs rest. So, pick up a hobby, plan a weekend, watch a show, do anything or do nothing. You'll be just as productive by Monday after a break.

Prod Tip #008: Book meet and greets with the crew joining the team on their first day.
Small things that go a long way: setting aside time to meet new team members. It sets the tone right at the beginning of their time on the project, it gets the team excited to work with everyone on the show, and it's a quick and easy way to clarify the line of communication and the expectations for them on their first week. I highly encourage this even if it's hard to squeeze in another meeting on a Monday. It only takes 5 to 15 mins.

Prod Tip #009: Yes, you have the right to be here and to be treated with respect regardless of your position or title.

At some point in your career, you will face confrontations, get rude responses, or be on the receiving end of passive aggressive emails. I want you to know that at no point is it ever okay for anyone to demean you or make you question your self-worth. It's 👏 not 👏 okay 👏. Not knowing something doesn't mean you're stupid, a mistake doesn't mean you're useless, a misunderstanding doesn't mean you're incapable, and asking questions should not make you feel like the dumbest person in the room. Unfortunately, in this industry, egos come into play and stress brings out the worst in people. More often, it comes back to Production because we are the ones asking for an answer or a delivery --and it comes to us in a negative way. This doesn't mean you deserve to be treated like sh*t. If you're feeling this, please talk to your direct managers or HR. We're all here to make a show together, and having different roles doesn't mean we're less of a human being. We are equals; We just have different jobs.

Prod Tip #010: Keep on learning. Ask questions. Watch Shotgrid tutorials. Read books. Sit with a Supe for a walk through of what they do.
As Prod, you almost have to be a jack of all trades. Balancing the soft skills of working with people with the expected admin tasks, and at the same time trying to understand (to some extent) the technical aspects of the pipeline. There's so much to absorb and the only way to be able to take it all in is to keep finding ways to learn and better your craft. You can't expect to master it all in 1 year, in 1 project, or even in just 1 studio. Actually, it never ends! Hah! It's one of the reasons Prod is never boring and I don't know about you, but that's why I like it.

— end of notes —