Amanda Widoniak

About Amanda Widoniak

Production is production is production. At an early age, I discovered I was a producer by nature. I loved organizing events and by the time I was in high school, I was a leader in our blossoming video department. I’ve continued this passion professionally for over 15 years here in Los Angeles while producing everything from branded content and various video productions, to concerts, to events. One of my favorite aspects of production is leading my team while also collaborating with various other departments to achieve our goals together. I am proud of all my reports and take delight in learning about their goals to help them achieve them both as individuals and as a team. A piece of that puzzle is discovering what my team members are passionate about. When incorporating what we love to do the project the task no longer feels like just a job. Empathy plays an integral part in how I work with my team, and I expect that to spread through to my colleagues and reports. I believe in leading with fairness, kindness, and strength, and having a positive work environment. Although I\'ve worked in this industry since the days of linear editing, the beginning of “new media”, and through the age of TikTok I am still very eager to continue to grow as our industry changes with technology, trends, and cultural climate. The best investment I can make is the people I manage and the planet we live on. In my free time, I work on neighborhood cleanups and sustainability efforts. I\'m a highly energetic person with a strong work ethic and am proven to thrive in a fast-paced environment. I\'m capable of managing projects from inception through execution, leading production teams to success, and assuring positivity in the office and field. I sincerely look forward to connecting with you. Let\'s make something fantastic!

Experience

1. Director of Production Services

   Buzzfeed

   Oct 2022 — Present · Los Angeles, CA, US

   Manage three departments overseeing 30+ staff and freelancers across Cobranded, Media Brands, Editorial Production, and Stage teams in LA and NY- Streamlined physical production processes, improving workflows for Branded and Editorial Productions- Partner with team leaders across various departments to align and develop processes for improved and updated operations systems- Provide final budget and concept approval for all Branded videos – overseeing approximately $2.5 million in production costs in 2023- Present quarterly budget reviews to VP, SVP of Branded Studio, and analytics teams- Lead weekly check-ins with Branded and Editorial Production teams and direct reports- Oversee all programs in Airtable, including concepts, budgets, and timelines – approximately 2350 records in 2023- Led teams in producing approximately 100 programs, 230 videos, and photo productions- Continuously collaborate with Pricing Team and Branded Operations on new formats and products- Execute contract and legal release sign-off on behalf of BuzzFeed- Collaborate with the Accounting Department on more efficient practices supporting both teams.

Education

• Wayne Hills High School

  Diploma

• Boston University

  BA of Film and Television