Projects as Collaborative Endeavors
Ben Gaskell (talented Director of Photography and best hipster I know) recommended I read Cinematography for Directors in my quest to be a better cinematographer. I’m still working my way through, but I’m immediately struck by the emphasis on collaboration. In fact, that is part and parcel of producing film. The various areas of expertise are too wide and too varied for a single shooter to be a master of all aspects. By finding a team (even if its only 3–4) and giving them decision rights in their respective areas leads to superior performance in each area instead of a generalist handling all of them.
The Director’s role is paramount. He or She is the one that casts vision for the entire project, but also drives each member of his team to produce a superior product. It’s his job to push the actors, DP and other roles to produce the best film that they can. The Director has to get everyone moving in the same direction and moving well.
In film-making, the division of labor is so respected that everyone on set knows to look away at the end of shooting a scene because the first pair of eyes the actor should see is the Directors. That way, no other opinion can be transmitted non-verbally to the actor and impact the performance. Because it’s not their role to do so.
In short, the principle of division of labor and the role of the visionary/leader is key.
It strikes me how often workplaces in the real world miss the opportunity to create an innovative product/creative environment by heading in the opposite direction. Decision by committee and a lack of true, sole ownership is evident all over Washington. From what I hear anecdotally, the same problem applies in other geographic areas as well. Perhaps its time organizations began to actually empower project owners, give them specialized experts beneath them and get out of the way.