I’ve been producing shows for over 10 years now. I’ve worked with a myriad of people to put them up. I’ve had some complete disasters limp along to the stage with others so wonderfully produced that it was as effortless as moving water down a stream.
A lot of what makes a production is a good production team. Each member brings something to the table – good or bad – and the production itself can hinge on how well those people can communicate with each other, execute what needs to be done, and work towards a common vision. But what happens when members of that team are not necessarily interested in the work that’s being produced? How does that affect your ability to put something up that reaches its full potential?
Establish a Vision Early (And Be Honest)
It’s important to realize what kind of production team you are. Are you a production team that really just a bunch of actors/creative types getting together just to showcase your work? Are you all looking to make a profit on the show and is that more important than what you’re putting up? Is this production a vanity project that serves nothing but soothing the aching ego of its producers/actors? Is this production a stepping stone to the next big project or is this the end-all-be-all goal for your team? Answering these types of questions collectively should put everyone on the same page and thus working together should be a little easier when you’re all working towards the same goal.
Just as it’s important that the collective vision be established and true, each person involved should be honest with themselves and to each other as to what they want to get out of the project. It’s okay for people to initially not know what they want; if that is the case, then those people shouldn’t have a strong opinion about how the work should be done or accomplished – just get the work needing to be accomplished done. Everyone involved should contribute ideas and be supportive of the overall team’s direction the entire time the production is going. Once that person knows what they want, they should check that need against the unifying vision and verify if they can continue working on it.
More On Being Honest (Artist’s Edition)
Artists are a special species of animal; we like to believe that our work means something not only to ourselves but to the rest of the world. Be it a beautiful painting, a life-like sculpture, or an emotional play, artists add priceless value to their work and will fight to ensure people understand that what they put into it is to be shared and appreciated. If you fall into this scenario, I have more advice for you:
Only work with people who work to value your work.
Don’t waste your time and other people’s time by producing work you don’t believe in or work with people that don’t seem to share your vision for your art. When things go wrong (and they will – they always do), those people will most likely will not “pull their own weight”. Instead, find those of like mind, motivation, and passion to produce your work. It may take more time but the results and the journey will be savored and pleasantly memorable.
Producing For Production’s Sake
If you don’t necessarily care that those working with you care about your art, then stop calling yourself an artist. You’re a producer. Treat the production process just as that – you’re putting in valuable time and effort into producing something that hopefully pays you back in other ways (money, fame, groupies, etc.). The talent involved means less than the outcome. This doesn’t mean that the talent isn’t important nor does not have to be top notch but rather the execution of achieving an outcome supersedes the creative process to get there. This is totally fine provided all members involved accept this operating model.
Conclusion
Creating art and producing art can work together or against each other. Be honest when producing art and you can achieve your desired results with ease and integrity.