Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Erin McBean: executive producer and managing director at Infinity Squared
Time in current role/time at the company:
Three years.
How would you describe what the company does:
We’re an international Emmy Award winning production agency turning impossible ideas into reality. We represent a roster of incredibly talented and charming directors and screenwriters who approach everything from the principles of entertainment, not advertising to captivate audiences on any screen, in any channel.
What do you do day-to-day:
I oversee all of our productions, manage a team of producers, drive new business and hunt out new talent to ensure we are fulfilling our goal of making people give a fuck about what a brand has to say.
Define your job in one-word:
Varied.
How did you get into the industry, fall in or by design?
I had been working in documentary filmmaking and it seemed like a sure-fire way to become burnt out and destitute so I pivoted into advertising where I got to share my juicy advertising budgets with all of the incredible practitioners I had met on my doco journey. Nowadays, I work across a range of platforms - from ads, to films, to docos and maybe soon a musical too.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Getting people to reply to my emails.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled:
Sexism and ageism. I want to see more powerhouse women of all ages in this industry for years to come!
Previous companies:
I joined Infinity from a Swedish production company called Chimney and before that I spent nine years working in Germany across documentary, publishing, kid’s TV and advertising.
Notable campaigns/initiatives you have worked on:
In ad land I have worked for Volkswagen, Tourism Australia, Westinghouse and more. I’ve line-produced a documentary about arctic dinosaurs, directed a short doco about the sex-life of a solo parent by choice and produced a podcast about pioneering women in Queensland including the first Indigenous cattle station owner and the Anglican church’s only trans priest.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why:
I have an incredible mentor who went from uni lecturer, to work colleague to trusted friend who has been an invaluable source of encouragement, knowledge and wisdom with a very unique perspective on our industry. As a filmmaker and a human being I have found her infinitely inspiring at all levels of my career journey.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours:
Make as much as you can - short films, music videos, documentaries, podcasts, weird animations, your own stuff, other people’s stuff - every project you work on will teach you something and that accumulated knowledge will make you adept at solving production and creative challenges in interesting ways down the track.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
A beekeeper with a farm somewhere near a left hand point break.
My mantra or philosophy is:
Be kind. Be curious.
My favourite advert is:
A commercial that ran in Brisbane in the early 90s for a scrap metal company. I can still sing the whole “Any Old Iron” jingle (bring back the jingle!).
Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to:
I lost my credit card and unsubscribed from all streaming platforms which was a blessing in disguise - now I mostly watch SBS World News in despair and then follow it up with some Below Deck for an escape from reality.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you:
I’m very loud and bad at keeping secrets, so they probably know all there is to know.
In five years' time. I'll:
Still be making stuff.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.