What I learned… in architecture, with Camilla Zucchi of Nucco

As production partner at Nucco, I work closely with the Creative Partner to deliver all Nucco projects. I manage a team of producers and help manage the creative team, ensuring work meets the highest standards and targets.

I understand you’ve got a jam-packed CV…

Yes, I come from a very different environment to the agency world. Before Nucco, I worked in the museum sector and following my Master’s degree, I started working in the design and architectural industries.

I worked for a top architectural firm in London, supporting a team of architects on project management tasks for each project. When I started, I was in my 30s with experience in the museum world, but I was looking for something more creative and more challenging.

It was a big change. Projects were incredible from a design point-of-view, we had clients from all over the world and all the challenges of large-scale projects.

I imagine it’s quite a high-pressure environment.

My first few months were a shock to the system. I was used to a more relaxed environment. This was the exact opposite. I had very little induction, and I just had to figure things out myself.

It was a challenge, but it pushed me to find new ways to adapt, learn and input on projects.

The fast-paced environment, the budgets and project sizes allowed me to learn quickly about the role and the industry. Attention to detail was a must, and learning to adapt to different teams, leaders, and clients was critical.

People often say that high-pressure environments are good training. Would you agree?

The role taught me quite a bit both from a practical and emotional point of view.

I learned to adapt quickly to different situations and interact better with different audiences (clients, team members, and leads). I learned to be practical and proactive under challenging situations and find ways around problems that seem impossible at first.

Do those lessons still help you in your work at Nucco?

A lot of my learnings from my previous jobs informed my career at Nucco and helped me along the way.

Having very little knowledge of animation and video production and the agency world, I had to learn fast and solve a lot in a short period. My previous experience allowed me to respond quickly, understand many of the new challenges, support my peers, and manage my team effectively.

In my previous role, I was exposed to the detail of running large-scale projects and dealing with many individuals from different departments. It helped me understand how a company functions, and it allowed me to implement new structures and systems at Nucco.

Should young producers learn from your example? Would you recommend a varied experience base for a young producer building their CV?

Working for different companies and creative industries can be an excellent tool for producers, and I would strongly encourage this. It allows individuals to understand patterns within industries, risks and differences, adapt to very different situations, learn how to problem-solve, and switch between different audiences.