Collaboration

In the filmmaking world collaboration is how the film gets made. The writer, director, producers, DP, all your key department heads, actors, editors…everyone is apart of it. But what happens when one of these people gets on a power trip and thinks they know better then the rest, you usually end up with some upset and dispassionate people that are trying to make a film they don’t care about anymore. It’s probably the biggest fear of most filmmakers, someone telling them what to do and how to do it and it all going against how they work or how they see the film. Sometimes that fear is realized and other times it isn’t. I know as I’ve been planning my films that that does begin to creep in. How could it not? I mean a lot of times you hire people because either they are your friends or they were recommended by a friend. Then you’re completely blindsided when they behave in a way that you weren’t expecting or wanting. Or you get a producer who’s all about team playing then decides that he doesn’t like things in the script because they are to much of this or too much of that. What would his mother think? So, how do you guarantee that this won’t happen on your set? Well, sorry to tell you, you can’t, but you can do your very best at cutting it off before it takes too much of a hold. Sometimes you have to fire someone, other times you have to sit down and really find out what’s going on and other times you just have to tell them to shape up or get off the project. This is the nature of the work. Everyone has an idea and they want their idea to be loved and used. When it’s not and they can’t accept it they push and try to force it upon you, especially if it’s someone in power. The best thing is to make everyone feel their ideas are wanted but that not every idea will work for this particular film and there for will not be used, they’ve been heard but that in the end it’s your decision as director or producer. Now, if you’re the director and not the producer then this needs to be established from the moment the partnership or hiring happens. Do you and producer both agree on the same vision and direction for the film? If not, problems will happen. The director needs to have the producer some what on his side, if they are totally opposing one and other then everything I said above more than likely will happen. Just remember there is no guarantee but you always have the power to sit down and try and work it out, if that doesn’t work, you might have to fire someone or you might have to walk away. The power is in your hands don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, this isn’t your only chance at making a film, remember that. Sometimes it’s just not the right combination of people, because it all comes down to the collaboration.