A creative executive is someone who oversees a company’s creative output, such as a movie studio or advertising agency. Other titles for this position include creative director and media director, among others. This person will work closely with the producers and directors in charge of ongoing productions for a movie studio, TV network, or similar organization. The creative executive of an advertising agency will direct artists, writers, and others in the creation of material for clients’ advertisements.
Many businesses, both big and small, rely on the work of creative people like artists, writers, and filmmakers. These artists are sometimes freelancers who hire themselves out to businesses for a set number of projects. In other cases, they may be employed by a single company or be under contract with it. They are rarely directly involved with the business’s hierarchy of managers, executives, and stockholders in either case.
The creative executive’s job is to supervise these individuals and ensure that they are meeting the company’s needs. Regular meetings with agents, producers, and high-profile actors, screenwriters, and directors may be required for a creative executive at a movie studio. He or she is in charge of making sure that productions stick to their budgets and deadlines, as well as any changes requested by studio management. This person can also give the dreaded green light, allowing a high-budget production to proceed with studio backing.
The creative executive of a television network faces many of the same challenges as the executive of a film studio. A TV executive must also collaborate with advertisers and marketing personnel to determine where a show will air on a network’s weekly schedule. This can be a stressful job, similar to the movie industry, requiring long hours and decisions that can determine a show’s future. Actors and other artists can be difficult to work with, despite the fact that the majority are dependable and professional.
An advertising agency’s creative executive faces a variety of challenges. In advertising, the creative team focuses on the client’s needs rather than storytelling and performance requirements. The advertising executive collaborates with clients and creative staff, as well as conducting focus groups to get feedback from the general public. The goal is to ensure that the client’s message is delivered accurately and to as many people as possible. The advertising executive, like other creative executives, must ultimately answer to the company’s executive management and their profit goals.