Episode 12
Creativity Under Constraints (ft. Immediate Group)
Ryan Bergmann is the founding partner and creative director of Immediate Group, a Toronto video production company built for the digital age. Ryan and his team work with agencies and brands, from BMW and Toyota to Walmart, developing ideas and concepts that maximize viewer engagement, and they carry a standing mandate to support charities and non-profits whenever they can.
In this early episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, Ryan joins Dario and Kyrill for a conversation about how creativity actually changes when the ground shifts under it. They dig into making creative work under real constraints, the protocols that keep a shoot safe and organized, why giving back should be part of how a studio operates, and the perennial question every aspiring filmmaker asks: is film school worth it?
Key Takeaways
- Constraints are part of the brief now. When only so many people can be in a room, every creative concept has to be built around that limit from the start, not bolted on later.
- Decide who is in the room. If a shoot can only hold a set number of people, you have to choose deliberately who is talent, who is crew, and who is client, based on what the project actually needs.
- Protocols scale with the project. The exact safety rules depend on the size and budget of the shoot, but every production should run on a clear, agreed set of them.
- Build giving back into the business. Immediate Group treats supporting charities and non-profits as a standing mandate, a reminder that purpose can be part of how a studio operates rather than an afterthought.
- Film school sells connections more than technique. Ryan’s take is that the most valuable thing film school gives you is not the gear or the theory, it is the lifelong contacts and relationships.
- Adaptability is the real creative skill. The studios that thrive are the ones that treat a moving target as a creative problem to solve rather than a reason to stall.
Creativity Under Constraints
Ryan’s central point was that creativity does not happen in a vacuum, it bends around whatever limits the moment imposes. Video production depends on getting people together to shoot, so when the rules change on how many people can be in an enclosed space, that limit becomes the first thing every creative brief has to solve for. If only a handful of people can be on set, you have to decide deliberately who among them is talent, who is crew, and who is client, and that call flows directly from the client’s marketing goals. It is a good argument for designing the whole thing around its real constraints in pre-production, and for understanding how a production actually comes together before you lock the concept.
Protocols That Keep a Shoot Organized
Ryan also walked through the protocols a production needs to have in place. The specifics shift with the scale and the budget of the shoot, but the principle holds: every project should run on a clear, agreed set of rules rather than improvising safety and logistics on the day. That is really a production process question, and it ties into both what a shoot costs at different scales and the broader work of tightening up your production process so the same standards carry from job to job.
Giving Back as Part of the Business
One thread that set this conversation apart was giving back. Immediate Group carries a standing mandate to support and collaborate with charities and non-profit organizations whenever possible, and Ryan and the Lapse team traded notes on the initiatives they each run. It is a reminder that a studio can be built with purpose baked in, not treated as a marketing add-on, which connects to the ongoing tension between passion and business that runs through so much of this show.
Is Film School Worth It?
Finally, Ryan took on the question every aspiring filmmaker asks: do you need film school? His answer was nuanced. There are real benefits, but the most valuable thing you walk away with is not the equipment training or the theory, it is the lifelong contacts and connections you make there. In an industry that runs on relationships, that network can matter more than any single skill, which is exactly why building genuine connections is worth as much attention as the craft itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ryan Bergmann?
Ryan Bergmann is the founding partner and creative director of Immediate Group, a Toronto video production company. He is a director and producer who has worked with brands including BMW, Toyota, and Walmart.
What is Immediate Group?
Immediate Group is a Toronto video production company for the digital age, working with agencies and brands on content that maximizes viewer engagement. It also holds a mandate to support charities and non-profits. Site: immediategroup.ca.
How do constraints change the creative process?
When only a limited number of people can be on set, the concept has to be designed around that limit, and you have to decide deliberately who is talent, crew, and client based on the client’s goals.
Does a production need safety protocols?
Yes. The specifics vary with the scale and budget of the shoot, but every production should run on a clear, agreed set of rules rather than improvising on the day.
Is film school worth it?
In Ryan’s view the biggest benefit of film school is not the technical training but the lifelong contacts and connections you build there, which matter a lot in a relationship-driven industry.
The Hosts
Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov are the co-founders of Lapse Productions, a Toronto video production company, and the hosts of Creatives Grab Coffee, a weekly show about the business of video production.
About
Creatives Grab Coffee is a podcast about the business behind video production: sales, strategy, pricing, team building, and everything that happens off camera. New episodes every week on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Lapse Productions is a Toronto-based video production company serving tech, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing clients with corporate, promotional, event, and testimonial video. New to commissioning video? Start with our guide to the types of corporate video.
Immediate Group is a Toronto video production company for the digital age, working with agencies and brands to develop ideas and content that maximize viewer engagement. Led by founding partner and creative director Ryan Bergmann, the team also holds a standing mandate to support charities and non-profit organizations. Learn more at immediategroup.ca.
