GPN Welcomes Ransom: India's Premier Luxury Service Production Company Joins the Network

What drives the team at Ransom?

We are a diverse group of founders whose experience spans film, photography and fashion. I believe production is one of the greatest jobs in the world, because there isn’t a day when you are not thinking or solving. We are all bound by our singular love for this job, which keeps us challenged, sharp, stressed and motivated—that is the driving force behind the team at Ransom.

Production is an industry of pivots. Can you share a time you had to adapt?

The greatest pivot our industry has seen is how accessible filmmaking has become. A new generation of creators needs nothing more than a phone to make content, and I continue to be amazed by the quality of their work.

This year, my production approach took a 360-degree turn on a project with Nike. We shot for nine days with the Wieden+Kennedy team from Portland and Amsterdam: multiple teams, multiple camera formats, guerrilla-style production and daily pivots. Unconventional, to say the least. By understanding their expectations and aligning with their style, we had an entirely new and exciting production experience.

What makes clients feel secure when they work with your team?

Our core philosophy is to always look at things from the client’s perspective. As a service producer, even when we are managing tough clients, tight budgets or demanding creatives, we look for solutions rather than taking an obtuse approach.

On budgets, we keep conversations transparent so everyone knows the direction and there are never any surprises. We ensure not only a great production experience, but one that stays within budget.

What makes Ransom different from other production companies in India?

Our edge is our decades of experience and global exposure. We have serviced top-tier clients and are the only company in India that can truly claim to know luxury service for the biggest global fashion brands.

Our teams are highly trained from working alongside top international technicians. Nothing is lost in translation, and our systems are completely aligned with international standards. Ransom also has its own directors who work globally, so we have both learned from international teams coming into India and experienced great service standard in different countries. Traveling and experiencing the unique systems and challenges of each country has given us a well-rounded perspective.

What kind of projects show the range of your team?

Our expertise lies in tailoring the production experience to each client’s expectations and budget. This ranges from providing French cuisine to the Louis Vuitton team in the middle of the Rajasthan dunes with a crew of 200, to backpacking for a month across India, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, as a 10-member team making a gorgeous documentary about sustainability with The Mill.

Our team is diverse. We successfully mix industry stalwarts with the new brigade across movies, fashion and television.

Which partnerships have taught you the most?

Two come to mind. The first is North Six, for whom we executed both the Louis Vuitton campaign with Peter Lindbergh and the Dior campaign with Viviane Sassen. Their unique attention to detail and precision makes any crew function like ninjas. They are an absolutely razor-sharp team, and working with them has been an incredibly rewarding partnership.

The second is our Chloé campaign with director Fleur Fortuné and photographer Ryan McGinley. It was our first big service job and remains one of our most memorable. The wonderful collaborators at Division and Insurrection, Executive Producer Valentine Gomes Ferenczi and Line Producer Philippe Dugay, as well as BETC’s Fabrice Brovelli, entrusted us with a mammoth project on an incredibly tight timeline. We created beautiful work together and made lifelong friends.

In a high-tech era, what is the most important human skill for a producer?

For me, production always comes back to two human skills: the ability to predict a problem and the ability to solve a puzzle. Every production comes with unique challenges that can only be resolved through empathy, conversation and teamwork, and I believe those skills are irreplaceable. The instinct of a great producer to achieve the best for a project by balancing creative vision with budget is a singularly human skill.

Why did you join GPN, and what are you most excited about?

We love to produce, and we are greedy for more. As a team, we feel immense satisfaction when a client who comes to India with trepidation leaves with an experience that exceeds their expectations.

Joining the GPN family feels like a validation of the love and hard work Ransom has put into service production for over a decade. We are excited for the trust placed globally in GPN to transfer to us, and to open doors for even more exciting opportunities ahead.