Who am I?
Hello! I'm Jaime Fiestas, and yes, my last name means "parties." I used to live up to such a superpower, but it's time for the new generations to take over.
I was born in Asturias, one of the most beautiful places in Spain. I'm the middle child, so mediating between opposing energies is something I'm trained for. Since I was very young, I've loved drawing and dressing up. Making people laugh is something I enjoy; I have my clown side. I practice and train in Martial Arts: boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I'm terrible at all of them, but I've learned to survive in the classes. I've always liked getting to know and living in different places. I've lived in Pamplona, Madrid, Buenos Aires, London, and Lima.
I'm happily married to Alessandra, a being of light, wisdom, and determination (she also has a lot of patience, but don't let her know I said that). I have 2 cat children: Lili and Kimchi. I used to be a dog person, but since Lili came into our lives, I've been a cat person from day one. I love nature and fantasize about moving to the countryside in the medium term. I'd like to have a vegetable garden.
What can I offer?
COMUNICATION WORKFLOWS
As a Producer, I offer my experience in managing teams, establishing communication flows, organizing the proyect meeting calendars and ensuring that everyone is in the loop depending the scenario. The communication is key , even more now that some studios are working remote. I have experience both sides. For every studio there are solutions for the communication problems. I can ensure, according to the scenario, that I can provide the guidelines for maximizing communication while minimizing the time taken from supervisors and artists.
STUDIOS SETUP
In many of the projects I've been involved in, the production studio was 'built' exclusively for the project. From finding offices to buy the furniture, from hiring the supervisory team to handling visas for foreign talent, from planning software licenses to defining hardware budgets. I've done practically everything and learned from all my experiences setting up studios from scratch. I've been able to experience this in South American countries and Spain, adapting to the local culture and understanding the peculiarities when it comes to getting things done.
ADAPTABILITY AND BALANCE
Having worked in various animation studios and on audiovisual pieces with both low and high budgets has enabled me to adapt to any project. I believe that everyone involved in production decision-making should have a clear understanding of the benchmarks for three basic aspects of a project: Quality - Time - Money. There is nothing more detrimental than having several team members pulling from different corners of that basic triangle. Throughout my professional career, I've managed to ensure that the team understands this balance and works together in the same direction.
TEAM MANAGER
Gestionar equipos es algo que realmente disfruto y creo que soy bueno en ello. Si alguien ve a un médico corriendo en el hospital sabe que algo grave está pasando. Mantener la calma es una virtud que muy pocos valoran. Como productor considero que debemos ser la a muralla que contiene al ruido de afuera para que los artistas puedan tener su mente creativa 100% dedicada. La gestión del feedback, de los problemas técnicos, la comunicación y los estados de ánimo del equipo es un puzzle que disfruto resolviendo.
COMPROMISE & RESPONSIBILITY
As an animation producer, I take responsibility and commitment very seriously. I understand the importance of delivering projects on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. I strive to ensure effective communication within the team, fostering a collaborative environment where everyone's talents are utilized effectively. Meeting deadlines, solving problems creatively, and maintaining transparency throughout the production process are key aspects of my role. I am dedicated to ensuring the success of every project I undertake, recognizing that my actions impact not only the final product but also the satisfaction of clients and the morale of the team.
CREATIVE THINKING & PLANNING
In all the projects I've worked on, I've often found that the best solution is the simplest one. Many times, one is so immersed in something that they're unable to have a broader view of the problems. If you can't see beyond the forest, climb a rock, look at the horizon... and devise a plan. The moments of greatest inspiration come in the face of limitation. The planning process, when you have 1500 shots and more than more than 10K tasks to plan it could seem like a huge task, an it is. But before getting into the forest, machete in hand, I take my time to see the horizon.
TRACKING - FOLLOW UP AND BIDDING SYSTEMS
Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to work on projects with different budgets and expectations, as well as in studios with different production systems. In some cases, I've been able to apply my own system, while in others, it has been provided. From each experience, I've learned something and incorporated it. I've held every position within the department and understand the team's needs. I've worked with Shotgrid, FTrack, Aquarium, Pipeline Pro, and even participated in creating a custom system tailored to the specific needs of the studio. With my experience, it's possible to create a system that meets the requirements of any animation project.
TEAM PLAYER
I haven't worked on any project where one person does everything, whether big or small. Bringing a visual piece to life is a team effort. Everyone contributes their part, and a producer doesn't accomplish anything without the crew and their talent. As the project manager, my job is to facilitate the artists' work so they can focus on unleashing their creativity and delivering the best possible product in terms of quality and timing. I've always been respectful of the team and deeply admire the talent they bring.