Services / Motion Systems · Step 03
Creative production retainer: tools, training and support
Keep the tools working, keep adding new ones, and see the hours saved every month.
Monthly · a reserved block of time
What it is
Production tools are not finished when they ship. Software updates break scripts, templates change, new channels appear and the team finds the next repetitive step. The retainer keeps all of that moving without a new project every time.
Each month covers a reserved block of time for maintenance, new tools and training, plus a short report on the hours your tools saved. That report is what keeps the investment visible to the people who approve it.
When a retainer makes sense
- 01You rely on production tools and need someone accountable for keeping them working.
- 02There is a steady queue of smaller automations, not one big build.
- 03New designers keep joining and need to learn the tools.
- 04Leadership wants to see the return on production tooling every month.
What the retainer covers
01
Maintenance
Fixes and updates when software versions, templates or file conventions change, so the tools keep working.
02
New tools
The next automations on your ranked list, built inside the reserved monthly time.
03
Training
Onboarding for new team members and refreshers when tools change.
04
Monthly hours-saved report
A short report on what the tools did that month and the time they saved, in a form you can forward upwards.
How it works
01
Agree the block
A monthly block of reserved time and what it is for. Reserved means your priority work does not queue behind other clients.
02
Work in your channels
Requests come in through your own channels and tools. No ticket portal unless you want one.
03
Report monthly
Each month closes with the hours-saved report and the plan for the next one.
04
Review quarterly
Every quarter, you and I review whether the block is the right size and what should move in-house.
Variant
Retainer, including fractional creative direction
For teams that need senior creative ownership as well as tooling, the retainer can include fractional creative direction: setting the standard for motion and brand, directing live work, and developing the team, part-time and on a recurring basis.
It runs on the same monthly block, so tools, training and direction come from one person who knows the pipeline end to end.
Who it's for
Good fit
- Teams that already use custom production tools, mine or someone else's.
- Organisations with a steady stream of small automation needs.
- Leads who need ongoing, reportable proof that tooling pays back.
Not a fit
- Teams without any production tooling yet. Start with an audit.
- One-off fixes with no follow-on work.
- General IT or software maintenance outside creative production.
Questions
What is included in a creative production retainer?
A reserved block of monthly time for maintaining your production tools, building new ones and training your team, plus a monthly report on the hours the tools saved. It can also include fractional creative direction.
Can the retainer cover tools built by someone else?
Often, yes. I review the existing tools first and tell you plainly which ones are worth maintaining and which are cheaper to rebuild.
How is the hours-saved report calculated?
From the baseline measured before each tool shipped, multiplied by how often the tool was used that month. The method is agreed with you up front, so the numbers hold up when you share them.