Meet the team: Jack van Deursen

Commitment, flexibility and teamwork are some of the qualities of our crew. Unlimited Productions offers the creative and technical expertise to make your event memorable and effective. Because you might not know all the faces behind Unlimited Productions, we’d like to introduce the team to you, one by one.

Next up: Jack van Deursen

Hi! Who are you and what’s your role?
I’m Jack, 51 years old and I’m project and production manager at Unlimited Productions.

How did you end up at Unlimited Productions?
Some 30 years ago I started out as a sound engineer and along the way I came in contact with many rental companies/suppliers. Eventually, I became co-owner of an Audio and Lighting rental company which is where I started my career as project/production manager. In 2005, this company stopped existing and I started my own technical production company together with Olivier Monod de Froideville: Livetime Productions. Last year, Livetime Productions and Unlimited Productions decided to join forces and merged. Since then I’m part of the Unlimited Productions team.

Can you tell us a bit about your day?
This is very hard to summarize in a couple of sentences because my days vary a lot, not one day is the same. Some days I spend doing all sorts of pre-production tasks like calling suppliers and making production plannings at the office. Other days I spend a lot of time on site as production manager, overseeing and managing all the different disciplines that are part of the production, such as lighting, sound, rigging and all other kinds of technical things that need to get done.

What’s the best part of your job?
Working in a team. I really enjoy being challenged by others, being confronted with different points of view and different ways of doing things. Working with a team allows me to share ideas and insights and to share knowledge. In this way, we can all learn from each other and make our productions even better and bring them to a higher level.

What makes working for Unlimited Productions great?
At Unlimited Productions I’m able to work with a really varied group of people that have all kinds of different experiences, approaches and expertises. There’s a good mix of young enthusiastic types and older, experienced veterans that balance each other out in a very good way. This is how we create a dynamic environment where everybody can learn from each other but everybody can also perform in their own expert field.

What makes Unlimited Productions different from other technical production companies?
An eye for detail, creativity and always trying to make life easier for our clients.

What has been your favourite Unlimited Production so far?
Of course there are multiple, but some of them stand out. For example, I really enjoyed the National Tattoo. This is a production where I’m really involved in the creative process from beginning to end. This production consists of several parts and you work on multiple shows within 1 production, each with their own character. At the end of the production period, it’s nice to look back on a satisfying result. The MH-17 Memorial was another really special production for me. It was an honor to be able to contribute to an event with so much emotional weight. Another production is the Avond van de Filmmuziek because it combines film with a big orchestral production (I love big orchestras) and last but not least the Inauguration of King Willem-Alexander because it’s one of those once in a lifetime moments in history, that is special to be a part of.

What advice would you give to anyone who is thinking of organizing an event?
Call us. 🙂

What do you do in your free time?
I like to keep it simple. I have two crazy cats, a great girlfriend and I like to enjoy a cold beer or a prosecco from time to time.

What inspires you?
I get inspired by really clever solutions that others come up with, or which I can contribute to, in order to come to success as a team. Whether I’m at an event or a concert, I’m always observing and looking for details that stand out so that I can use them in my own work (and at the same time learn from these experiences).

If you did not do your current job, what would you like to do?
I’d love to be a sound engineer. Before I got into event production, I studied sound engineering. I love the creative process to make sure that an ensemble, big or small, sounds really good. I love creating a really great sounding mix, it’s a true art.

What is one word that you would use to describe your team?
Solution-oriented.

Looking in the line of your job, what are you most proud of?
When I get the feeling that the client and the visitors had a really good evening/event, that is what makes me feel really proud. Or when my contribution to a production visibly leads to a better end result. I love the feeling that I was able to make a difference, no matter how big or small. Making a difference that’s what matters most.

Please come up with a question for your colleague that will get the interview next.
What bucket-list event would you like to do the technical production for?