Art and other arts...

Hi David,
Often I think that the real gift in our business is being able to sell the client on allowing us to do the best possible job for them. Not always as simple as it sounds.

Occasionally we are approached with what I like to call the, "ransom note;" only instead of words torn from a magazine and pasted, the client asks for a combination of elements that don't make a coherent whole. Even worse is the situation when the client or client's client suddenly tries to hijack the project midway at checkbook-point and begins to make unwise directorial or cinematographic decrees.

Very often we get to work for truly gifted clients; great art directors, writers, people with unique vision who are a joy to collaborate with; sometimes the client has more passion than talent in the specifics of our business. It's producing great work for the latter that can be a challenge and really pivotal to our careers. Resist too stridently, and we may get on the "do-not-hire-hard-to-work-with" list. Knuckle under and produce sub-standard or compromised work, and we may never get to show what we can do and be regarded as artless hacks.

The secret is making the client feel great about allowing us to do superior work; then everybody wins.

Good shooting!
Leo
Director/Cinematographer
Southeast USA