President of Engagedly and Mentoring Complete, helping high performance organizations.
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Film production is exhilarating and fulfilling but can come with major restraints and pressure. Independent filmmakers, just like small business owners, must “do more with less” and compete for attention from potential clients and customers. To be successful, you have to meet strict deadlines, create systems and get the most out of the team you build.
As both a startup founder and filmmaker, I’ve seen that the same principles of people management underlie any great team. You have to identify the right people who can work well together, often in a high-pressure environment with long hours and little room for mistakes. After making several films in the last 15 years, I’ve infused my learnings from the film production environment into my organization and seen fantastic results.
Here’s what I’ve learned about people management and what you can infuse into your workplace:
1. Create a detailed plan.
Filmmakers need a nuanced understanding of their production, from the outset and throughout the process, to ensure that they can make the best movie possible while meeting the constraints of time, talent and finances. I create a storyboard for each scene to know what the framing will look like, which includes details about the actors, special effects, costumes, makeup and set design. This focused plan helps me to communicate the vision to the casting director, locations scouts, designers and technical crews. Before we film anything, we plan out the scene sequences to optimize the use of locations, crews and actors so we’re not wasting time or money.
In the same way, company leaders should create a detailed view of their operations, goals and teams to understand what specifically needs to be accomplished — as well as how, when and who will be involved. Just as I need buy-in and input from department heads to create an intricate car chase scene, for instance, leaders have to communicate the vision and strategy to their teams to ensure that everyone understands what they need to do. After all, if people are waiting for a prop (or an email) to arrive, that’s valuable time and energy lost among everyone.
2. Generate inspiration through feedback and communication.
All teams need to feel inspired and that they’re part of the overall vision, no matter the setting. In filmmaking, you want every team member to be invested in the film and put forth their best performance. This starts by communicating the mission, consulting your people for advice and taking their ideas into consideration. To do this, it’s critical to delegate the level of authority downstream so supervisors and managers can guide their teams. On a film set, directors have to trust that the cinematography crew is filming according to the plan and that the actors, costumes and props will show up as expected.
As part of this, I encourage company leaders to place a high priority on autonomy and respect for their people. Film crews rely on highly-skilled, experienced workers in lighting, design, makeup and stunts, and they could likely earn much more for commercial jobs elsewhere. The same is true for company employees. People need to be inspired by the vision, have an emotional connection to the goal, and feel valued for the meaningful part that they contribute to the collective.
3. Remove the people who are detractors.
Negativity on the set or in the workplace can poison the entire team. If someone is gossiping, consistently tardy, or a poor performer, it brings everyone else’s performance down to their level. This is all about culture, which stems from the top. If you are respectful and conscientious, everyone below you will adopt that same mindset.
However, when a team member detracts from the culture, leaders should have an honest, calm conversation that explains how that particular behavior affects others and contributes to a low morale. If the challenges continue, then that worker should leave. It’s a hassle to let people go in the middle of film production, but it’s necessary to keep the focus on track and support the culture of those who are invested.
4. Above all, be humble.
You’ve likely heard of high-profile producers, directors and actors who are arrogant, self-focused and disrespectful toward others. Company executives and leaders can fall into the same trap. When this happens, team members don’t give their best, and the culture degrades in a way that directly affects job responsibilities and the end result.
The reality is that this film — or company initiative — is not one person’s project. Everyone is working together to reach the goal. Major names may show up first in the credits, but a beautiful film or exceptional product or service relies on every single person who is involved. Show humility and provide praise along the way to recognize the details that contribute to a major project. Just as film credits acknowledge the personal assistants, caterers and numerous special effects teams, company leaders need to take time to credit the critical roles within the organization.
As I like to say, I don’t assume that I have all of the answers on the film set. It’s essential to assemble the best teams possible and then listen to what they say. Your people can help you develop better ideas, move faster and accomplish great feats. If you involve all of your team members — not just the top-name players — and recognize them often, your culture will be better, and everyone will become invested in the vision that you want to create.
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