By now, most of us know that working on an AI project at Pencil isn’t just about “setting up the workspace” or generating assets, it’s about building the right team for the job.
Some projects need deep creative concepting, others are pure ad adaptation at speed. Sometimes you're generating hundreds of visuals, other times you're in full storyboarding mode. The tools might be familiar, but the crew never looks the same twice.
How We Build a Team Around the Brief
Every project starts with a Strategist and Producer working closely. Together, they shape the AI workflow and clarify what the project really needs before anyone’s assigned or anything gets generated.
We’ve learned that this early triad is essential. When the Producer and Strategist shape the creative workflow before kickoff, the whole team moves faster and stays more focused. Waiting until after setup? That’s when things get messy.
The Minimum Crew: When It’s Just AD + Creator
For fast-moving adaptation projects — ad variations, localisation, small creative edits — this duo is enough:
- Art Director (AD) → Reviews daily output, briefs next steps, maintains QA
- Creator → Runs the Pencil workspace, handles generation and feedback loops
Lean, effective, and ideal for clear briefs.
Who Steps In When Image or Video Gen Gets Complex
Once a project leans into video, visual storytelling, or concepting, we scale the team:
- CD → Creative direction + high-level QA
- Copywriter → Tone, messaging, agent prompts
Motion/Digital Artist → Enhancing generated visuals, adding polish or movement
I’ll be honest: these kinds of projects have thrown me into totally new creative terrain. Suddenly, I’m talking shot selection, scene cuts, and video pacing - all with editors and filmmakers. Generative tools have unlocked parts of advertising that used to be someone else’s job. And now? It's part of ours.
Core Role Rundown
Strategist
- Defines creative strategy and briefs the creative team
- Maps creative opportunities with AI tools
- Ensures the work aligns with business goals
- Collaborates with Producer, CSM, Sales team, and client to define KPIs
| |
Producer / Project Manager
| - Oversees the full pilot workflow and timeline
- Manages meetings and pilot reviews
- Measures project KPIs: efficiency, cost, turnaround
- Captures and distributes feedback with creative team
- Helps lead weekly client meetings along with CD or AD
- Collaborates with Strategist, CSM, Sales team, and client to define KPIs
|
Client Success Manager (CSM)
- Provides campaign context and pilot objectives
- Ensures asset handoff and meeting attendance
- Gives real-time and written feedback on outputs
- Reports KPI progress (speed, efficiency, cost savings, etc.)
- Keeps stakeholders looped in week by week
| |
Creative Director (CD)
| - Oversees creative quality across all projects
- Approves Pencil workspace setup and weekly output
- Leads concept direction and ensures the creative bar is met
- Strategises with Art Director on AI Creative Solutions
|
Art Director (AD)
- Sets up and monitors workspace with the team
- Briefs creative team, and reviews daily output
- Provides daily quality checks on client decks & feedback
- Presents to the client on AI Creative workflow
| |
Creator
| - Owns the setup of the Pencil workspace
- Delivers image and video generation as per the brief, and using tools like Enhance, Magic Erase, Relight to do basic edits
- Along with creating template deliverables for scale
- Implements feedback, amends, and quality revisions
|
Roles We Flex In (or Out)
Digital Artist (Optional)
- Adds the product in place of AI-generated products, and fixes color tones
- Be the expert in identifying the AI artifacts and product manipulation in the generated outputs
- Enhances generated visuals using traditional software like Photoshop
- Works closely with the AD to refine final assets
| |
Motion Artist (Optional)
| - Adds motion elements, transitions, or animation to bring static outputs to life
- Be the expert in stitching video footages and generated outputs
- Enhances the output using traditional software like Premiere or After Effects
- Works closely with the AD to refine final assets
|
Copywriter (Optional)
- Analyzes data and campaign insights to guide copy tone
- Generates and edits headlines, body copy, CTAs for various channels
- Sets up Knowledge and Tones for Copy Agents
- Helps quality check AI output for brand voice alignment
| |
Final Thoughts
As AI tools evolve, so will our roles. What won’t change is our belief that creative roles still matter, even when the output is automated.
We flex based on what’s needed, not just what’s available. Some projects are scrappy and nimble. Others are complex and require deep creative iteration. This structure helps us meet projects where they are, not over-crew, not under-support, and still hold a high bar for creativity.
