POINT 4.
They monitor their work and give effective feedback
After each day of shooting the director, producer, and editor review the day’s work. They know right away what’s working well and what is not. Monitoring the work is highly important to save time, money, and energy. They understand that making a film is not a right; it’s a privilege. They are aware that someone has invested a lot of money and faith that they will produce their best work. They are always interested in doing the best work at the least expense but will not sacrifice the work because it bears the stamp of their name. As they monitor each day’s work they create feedback that is immediate and effective. Actors, assistants, lighting, camera, etc. all want direct feedback because it means their job expectations are clear the next day.
Questions for your organization:
- How often are people monitored to identify what’s working and what’s not?
- Is feedback effective and timely?
- Is there a coaching process that allows people to hear give feedback in a timely fashion and for people to use it effectively?
- Do you hold only “annual reviews”?
POINT 5. Ultimately there is 1 leader who makes decisions
There are often disagreements and differences of opinion on what camera angle to use, the right light, the wording for the script, acting, editing, and so on. Ultimately, there is one person who is responsible for making the final decision and that is either the director or the producer. This is no different than life within any organization. If people are allowed to create and come up with ideas then there is bound to be a difference of opinion. On the movie set, this is welcome but at some point, a decision needs to be made. The director is the leader. The director holds the vision and passes that vision along to the actors and everyone else who helps create it. Steven Spielberg is known for his clarity of vision. He knows what every scene needs to look like. Certainly, the actors add their input into the characters but it is Spielberg who makes the final choices. Film and television are predicated on the vision of the director/creator. The vision is more than just a set of words and sentences. People on the set SEE the vision because it is explained and shown to everyone involved. Organizations work most effectively when their vision is clear and communicated to everyone. On the set, the vision is clearly communicated so everyone knows the direction they are headed.
In addition, the director has the big picture of the project in mind. I know, as an actor, we cannot possibly see the scene the way the director does. He/she sees how we look together, what we sound like, chemistry, etc. When we are performing we don’t have that luxury because we are too immersed in the scene. This is why it is imperative the director communicate the vision in a very clear way.
Questions for your organization:
- How clear is your organizational vision?
- Is it clearly communicated to everyone involved?
- Can people clearly state the vision beyond words?
- Do people truly understand why the vision is what it is?
A movie or television set can teach an organization how to build high-performance individuals and teams whose purpose is to create a great “product” no matter what it is. There is much we can learn from this process.
