Production Manager (Studio)

📋 Description

• • Speak AI Inc. is on a mission to revolutionize language learning by creating an accessible, human-level AI-powered tutor. Our innovative approach focuses on a conversation-first experience, providing learners with instant feedback and structured lessons to guide them from beginner to confident speaker. Having achieved significant success as the number one language learning app in South Korea and expanding globally, Speak is a recognized leader in AI technology, backed by substantial venture investment from prominent firms like OpenAI, Accel, and Founders Fund. With a distributed team across San Francisco, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, and Ljubljana, we are poised for continued growth and impact.
• • We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Production Manager to lead our video production studio in Los Angeles. This pivotal role is responsible for establishing and maintaining a distinct, high-quality visual standard across all video lessons produced by Speak. You will be instrumental in shaping the aesthetic and operational excellence of our video content, ensuring it aligns with our brand and educational mission.
• • Your responsibilities will encompass the full spectrum of production management, from strategic creative direction to hands-on operational oversight. You will be expected to implement and uphold a cohesive visual style by managing studio operations, collaborating on necessary changes to studio setups, editing processes, and team composition. This role requires a proactive approach to quality control, with a strong emphasis on documenting creative standards to ensure consistency and enable team sustainability.
• • A key aspect of this position involves attending shoots to provide strategic direction and creative oversight. You will empower the studio team with clear guidance on day-to-day tasks while being prepared to make critical decisions that impact the vision and on-screen quality of our video content. Your leadership will ensure that every production aligns with Speak's commitment to excellence.
• • Building a repeatable creative playbook is central to this role. You will meticulously document creative standards, workflows, and quality checklists. This documentation will serve as a foundation for independent execution by the team, fostering increased output velocity and streamlining collaboration. Close partnership with the post-production team will be essential to guarantee that edits, pacing, graphics, and sound design consistently meet the established creative vision.
• • Furthermore, this role presents an exciting opportunity to explore and integrate AI into our production workflows. You will be tasked with identifying and piloting AI tools that can enhance efficiency or elevate creative output, with a particular focus on post-production tools, video generation platforms, and AI-assisted editing techniques. A critical component of this will be discerning when AI genuinely enhances versus compromises quality, and documenting your findings and recommendations for tested tools and workflows.
• • The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the full production pipeline, from pre-production planning and shoot-day logistics to post-production oversight. You should be comfortable managing the operational aspects of production, including overseeing editors and post-production work, and possess the drive to motivate the production team to achieve goals and meet deadlines.
• • We are looking for an individual who demonstrates ownership without bureaucracy, taking full accountability for creative output quality. You should operate with urgency and independence, proactively addressing issues without waiting for explicit permission. The ability to design efficient systems and workflows that facilitate faster collaboration between the studio and learning designers is crucial.
• • On-set, you must be comfortable commanding the set, confidently redirecting talent mid-take, and making swift, creative decisions under pressure. Experience working closely with directors, producers, and Directors of Photography (DPs) on set, and the ability to step in when necessary, is highly valued.
• • A proven creative vision and the ability to direct it across a body of video content are essential. You should possess a deep understanding of what makes educational or digital-first video feel premium, be able to articulate a clear vision for the overall tone and direction of the end product, and consistently deliver at that high standard.
• • Finally, a genuine enthusiasm for integrating AI into video production workflows is a must. Familiarity with AI video generation, editing tools, or automated post-production techniques will be strongly preferred, reflecting Speak's forward-thinking approach to media creation.