Producing Tomorrow’s Producers: Michelle Delaney's on Optimism and Practicality

With two decades in the industry, Michelle Delaney has produced global campaigns for some of Aotearoa's most respected brands.

Whether it's capturing the essence of a small-scale documentary or orchestrating large commercial productions, the Supernormal executive producer has intentionally developed strong bonds with clients, creatives, and crew members throughout her career, which included a three-year stint in London.

Name: Michelle Delaney

Production Company: Supernormal

Role: Executive producer

Location: Aotearoa/New Zealand

LBB> What advice would you give to any aspiring producers or content creators hoping to make the jump into production?

Michelle> Start saying “yes” before you know how you’ll do it, then figure it out in the car on the way. Production is 50% confidence, 40% problem-solving, and 10% lunches.. preferably with people you actually like. Relationships are everything.

LBB> What skills or emerging areas would you advise aspiring producers to learn about and educate themselves about?

Michelle> AI tools, budgeting software and how to politely tell a client “that’s out of scope” while still smiling. Also, storytelling still matters, it all starts with a good script right.

LBB> What was the biggest lesson you learned when you were starting out in production -- and why has that stayed with you?

Michelle> It's all in the time spent in prep, double check everything -- details matter, never be scared to fail and own it if you do. Get back up and go again. Every script/project is different which keeps it exciting, everyday is different, to remain optimistic and always staying positive.

LBB> When it comes to broadening access to production and improving diversity and inclusion, what are your team doing to address this?

Michelle> We hire based on attitude and curiosity, not just CVs. Plus, fresh voices make the work infinitely more interesting, and the wrap drinks less predictable.

LBB> And why is it an important issue for the production community to address?

Michelle> The best work comes from a mix of perspectives and backgrounds. Diversity isn’t a checkbox; it’s a creative weapon.

LBB> There are young people getting into production who maybe don’t see the line between professional production and the creator economy. Your thoughts?

Michelle> That line has already blurred, and that’s perfectly fine. While commercial filmmaking often lacks the time and budgets that allow for cinematic craft, it’s far more content-driven. The real challenge is delivering work that’s both authentic and engaging within these constraints. The best producers stay open-minded, navigating the balance between story and craft to ensure that standards are maintained, even in the face of financial and time limitations.

LBB> If you compare your role to heads of production when you first joined the industry, what are the biggest changes?

Michelle> Budgets have gotten smaller, deadlines have gotten tighter, but the coffee is still the same. It used to be a much more specialised industry, with each person in each department having dedicated most of their life to becoming an expert in their field. These days, those lines are blurred, and most people are expected to wear multiple hats. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to stay in your lane sometimes.

LBB> When it comes to educating producers, how does your agency approach this?

Michelle> It starts with making coffee and stacking the dishwasher. If you have that discipline of service to others because that’s the most important skill, then people would love to take you along on the journey. Alongside that, we create a safe environment to fail and learn from those failures by fostering support throughout the journey. But it’s also about doing it over and over again, because no amount of webinars will teach you how to survive a 4 a.m. call time in the rain.

Real learning happens between “we’ve lost daylight” and “we got the shot.”

LBB> There’s an emphasis on speed and volume -- where’s the space for learning craft?

Michelle> Through the whole journey, from script to dispatch and by embracing every individual person along the way. From creatives and directors to crew and everyone in post. A good producer fosters an environment where each person can bring their own voice and skills to the table. Craft survives because good producers secretly care too much to let it get diluted.

LBB> What’s the key to helping seasoned producers develop new skills?

Michelle> Always stay teachable, curious, and open-minded to new ways of telling stories, and embrace the craft. We’re lucky to be in such an amazing, fun industry full of incredibly talented people who can inspire us every day if we allow ourselves.

LBB> What personality traits and skills will always be in demand from producers?

Michelle> Calm under fire, dark humour, and the ability to always get told off for being loud when sound is rolling. The tools change, but the process doesn’t, making the impossible look effortless, ideally before lunch. The thing to remember is not to take things too seriously (within reason), we’re not saving lives, unless you’re in health and safety. And we all need to make time for each other, unless it’s going into OT, lol.

Just have fun.