The producer and director of the award-winning SEARCHING, Sev Ohanian and Aneesh Chaganty, share their recipe for successful collaboration

Key Insights

A producer identifies the right talent to go with the right project, focusing on their combined creative strengths and the possibilities for financing.
Collaborating with a kind and humble director promotes a positive working environment and supports the creative outcome of the film. This is a director who knows what's at stake, appreciates the opportunity, takes initiative, wants to be there for the film and has a strong vision, but is flexible when needed.
A good producer understands story - they can look at the inner workings of a script and know where it excels and where it doesn't. But don't just point out problems - be ready to make suggestions to improve it!
The best directors are skilled at problem solving. Choose collaborators who can identify issues, come up with solutions, and proactively address any challenges that arise.
While a director should always have a strong vision, flexibility is key to the filmmaking process. A good producer can support and guide this vision.
Creative tension is normal in filmmaking, but there’s always a respectful way to communicate, find a middle ground and ultimately a better solution.
Meeting one-on-one with your director during pre-production to actively discuss the script page by page is an excellent way to share ideas, address questions, and become creatively aligned before principal photography starts.
Stay true to the project - many things will happen through the life of a film, and the producer will need to stay the course and bring everyone else along with them.

Aneesh Chaganty

Writer/Director

Aneesh Chaganty is a 25-year-old writer/director whose two-minute short film, a Google Glass spot called SEEDS, became an internet sensation after garnering more than one million YouTube views in 24 hours. more...

Sev Ohanian

Writer/Producer

Sev Ohanian is a writer/producer who’s been a producer on 13 feature films – including Sundance films Fruitvale Station, Results, and The Intervention. more...