For building a production like TAOS, it is paramount that we build strong teams, clear structures, and workflows that allow everyone to do their best work.

In this first article from our Production Managers View series, we take a behind-the-scenes look at how we’re building the TAOS team for success, from defining responsibilities and workflows to creating the foundations for effective collaboration across departments.

@Filipe Teixeira | Props & Environment Production Manager

Having seen the awesomeness that @Everlasting was, when they announced “Taos” I knew that I had to join and help in any way I could! It felt like too cool an opportunity to miss.

See, I’ve been working in the creative industries for quite a while now… 1 year short of 30 to be exact. Done games, advertising, acting on the silver screen + small screen, and the last time I worked on an animation project was back in 2006 for a 2D animated series (which I also did voice acting for).

I joined TAOS at a somewhat later stage of the project as a Production Manager, which is a first in my personal repertoire. I already knew part of the squad from THU and I knew that it would be an interesting experience (shoutout to @Ines Coimbra, @Delcio Gomes, @Fernanda Nevitiv da Costa, and bunch of other good folks that I won’t name otherwise this article will look like a memorial). See, I wanted to get a vibe of how things worked in a production setting, and everything that that entailed. Honestly, I’d wanted to try a production related role for quite some time now.

In essence I love community projects, period. And TAOS is no exception! There's an incredible mix of seasoned veterans and young talent that has just recently started to break into the world. Knowledge sharing is not just encouraged but it’s also built into the processes. Every moment is an opportunity to learn how to do things or to do them better than you’re used to. This allowed me to focus more on bridging different departments, focus on problem solving and checking in on people, which is something I really enjoy. The biggest challenges are mostly about coordinating efforts with folks from different timezones, keeping up to date, doing the odd task for different departments and being on-call for anyone who needs it. Juggling all of this with my main daily duties has been a very enlightening experience!

Ultimately, I like to invest into things that I know that bring something extra to the world at large. Especially in the creative medium. This is not just a project for me and I see it as a think tank, a hub for creatives coming together to build something of which they have complete ownership of, based on a shared love of doing cool things.

And this last part is something that I believe the world sorely needs.

@Iryna Radchenko | Layout, Animation & Editing Production Manager

I am a 3D character artist and Hair artist in the gaming industry. When I led R&D pipelines for hair creation meant solving analytical, technical puzzles, balancing artistic vision with technical constraints, tracking tasks, and navigating cross-department logistics between concept and tech art teams, alongside with producing benchmarks, assets, and managing the outsource team. Also, I have a background in physics. Physics teaches you how to look at a complex, chaotic environment, break it down into fundamental components, and find the underlying structure. All of that has become my secret weapon when I stood in as a Production Manager for the Layout, Editorial, and Animation teams for TAOS.

Transitioning to a space outside your primary hard skills is adventurous. In a short amount of time, I’ve been introduced to the nuances of film pipelines, learning exactly which production milestones must be tracked to keep the production moving smoothly. For me, being a producer means finding the balance between ensuring alignment, keeping a track of the timeline, and genuinely taking care of the people doing the work. Achieving that balance starts with recognizing how we function together. There are three perspectives I could share.

1. Be a safe driver!

First of all, any project, if it is not solo, is a team effort. You should always remember that you are not alone in it; you have people by your side who you can rely on. When we are passionate, sometimes we can forget to do that. But tired people make more mistakes, and stretching yourself too thin can actively damage team communication. Keeping your body and your head in a good place is your responsibility. Think of it like driving: when you drive for too long, your vision naturally becomes narrow. You need to be responsible enough to get out of the car, take a walk, take a nap, or grab a coffee so that you remain a safe driver for everyone else on the road. Extra effort has a time and place, but be wise and self-aware: ask for help, delegate, adjust approaches, etc.

2. Be curious, not judgmental!

Another helpful approach when working with people is to be curious, not judgmental. This is incredibly important, especially on projects like TAOS, which includes people from all around the world, with all sorts of cultural backgrounds, different fields of expertise, and varying stages of their artistic journeys. I’ve seen many times in industry how it impacts a project when production rushes through things without considering the perspective of the people doing the work. Similarly, when an artist gets too hyper-focused on their specific task, their vision narrows, impacting the downstream pipeline. But it is important to remember disagreements come from a good place: people genuinely care about the project. We simply see issues from our own individual fields of vision. So, be curious, not judgemental. Ask questions, try to listen and try to understand.If you focus on building solutions that serve the big picture and are based on a shared understanding, the project will always benefit.

3. Building Our Tribe

No matter how experienced we are, we cannot know everything. That is why it is so beautiful to have a "tribe", a safe space where you can unleash your creative and explorative nature. Many of us on TAOS are doing something completely different from our daily work lives or trying something brand new. Because of that, I do appreciate a lot the environment and mindset that Delcio has built here. He keeps saying over and over: "You can ask me anything. There is no such a thing as a silly question. I would rather explain the same thing to you a few times, but once you understand, you won't need me, you will be able to make the decision for me." That is a wonderful mindset for a leader. I think if you are any sort of a manager/ lead/ producer - building the environment where people feel safe to raise questions and explore new challenges is highly beneficial. 

I feel like we have been incredibly lucky with the team on this project. It is amazing to be a part of such a massive global collaboration, and I will definitely be keeping an eye on everyone’s journeys as we move forward!

@Christin Walther | Characters & FX/CFX Production Manager

I joined the TAOS project in February after Delcio reached out to see if I was still interested in contributing. The opportunity was exciting, I was really happy about the opportunity, since I'd wanted to work on films for quite a while. My background as a producer and supervisor in games provided a good foundation, even though film productions come with their own unique challenges.

One of the first hurdles was learning the language of film production. Understanding the difference between a shot and a sequence, what an HMC (head-mounted camera) is, and the various file types generated by the mocap sessions we had with @Goodbye Kansas was essential. Clear communication is key in any collaborative project, and the TAOS team encouraged an environment where questions were always welcome, no matter how basic they might seem. In an open project like this, proactivity and a willingness to jump in are invaluable.

In the early days, my focus was primarily on the production side. I helped onboard new team members, updated our public Notion page, and familiarized myself with Ayon. I also assisted supervisors in assigning artists to new tasks, monitored progress, and flagged any issues or delays to keep the project on track.

To deepen my understanding of the pipeline, I started working directly on the assets. This hands-on experience gave me insight into the pipeline, helping me anticipate issues and streamline workflows. It also enabled me to better support other artists, as a producer with practical knowledge can bridge gaps and offer more effective guidance.

What truly stood out, though, was the teamwork. The project’s culture was incredibly open, seniority didn’t matter, and everyone was eager to help each other. The open sessions on Discord were a highlight, anyone could join, watch others work on different parts of the movie, and learn in real time. It was a collaborative atmosphere that made the project not just productive, but also enjoyable. TAOS has been a rewarding experience, blending my production skills with the creative energy of an open, supportive team.