By Gordon Durich
A film crew is like a microcosm of society. The players and each of their communications play a role, pun intended, in the synergy of a successful creative collaboration. Whether it’s a documentary crew of five or a feature film crew of fifty.
Jeffrey Bays, director, radio producer and author of a new book “Creatives Working Together: Communication and Cooperation for Media Professionals” may be for “Industry” types but also for anyone working in a team environment.
As a producer and having worn many other hats of actor, set dresser, PA (Production Assistant) and realizing these jobs need to be covered- and by yourself, if necessary, this book I discovered from a meeting hosted by From The Heart Productions. It grabbed my attention.
This book looks at conflicts in relationships. For example, between a writer and director over the script. Fights over artistic standards, procedures or time and resource constraints are addressed in such creative collaboration.
Budget, rewrites, rushed schedules, actor performance, the DP wanting takes than needed- and safety issues. These are all crucial considerations in production.
Bays offers solutions to situations of conflict, such as encouraging calm, apology and forgiveness. Accepting that humans are fallible and not perfect. Most importantly, collaboration on a solution.
Bays outline personality types such as grandiosity, displaying a lack of empathy prevailing and creating problems on a set.
The best advice? Protect yourself. Important to know. And reality. Personally, I can relate, having worked with toxic colleagues, in the entertainment and other businesses.
Australia has on-staff psychologists to address the challenge of productions’ casts dealing with themes of high-stress situations.
Rumor has it that Barbra Streisand, as a director, was very “hands on,” straightening a crooked lampshade, on set, and even straightening paintings on the walls. I get that attention to detail. As long as it doesn’t impact the mood or vibe on the busy set -where everyone has their responsibilities. Such as set dressers where “Tinkering is a thing.” This notion reminds me of the subject of our documentary about the Museum of Interesting Things’ founder Denny Daniel.
Teamwork and overarching leadership – and the nuts-and bolts-involved- are covered in one chapter, a very useful consideration for industry professionals. But can also be applied to other industries, I believe. “Creatives” are the book’s target audience and Bays defines this now rather bandied about title. It’s interesting this noun can be applicable to those not only working in the arts, but in business and engineering, which this writer did not even realize. The book focuses on the arts, which is understandable and relevant. And a Creative- an audio visual player- having delved into roles as graphic designer, actor and beyond.
Bays’ book is dedicated to “all those creatives with the courage to persevere against unbelievable odds.” And to that I say, Amen! The book is a valuable reference guide for both professionals- and students.
“Creatives Working Together: Communication and Cooperation for Media Professionals” by Jeffrey Michael Bays (Master of Arts in Cinema Studies, from La Trobe University, Australia). Published by Routledge.
