Digital BW, The Print

on 10/7/01 4:26 PM, Carolyn  Frayn at carolyn@... wrote:

>> Which brings me to the 'Five Keys To Success'* (in any creative field), in
>> order of importance:
>> 1:  Who you know
>> 2: Who knows you
>> 3:  Your ability to get along with people
>> 4:  Your technical ability
>> 5:  Your talent
>> 
>> The above is neither right, or wrong,...It is a truism.
> 
> That really sucks.

I don't think it sucks at all.

As a filmmaker I had to hire creative people. I could only hire people I had
heard of ('who you know').

I would generally hire people I had worked with ('who knows you') before
because I knew they were good to work with and produced great results (it
was my ass on the line, after all).

I would not hire even the most prodigiously talented person if the hassle of
working with them outweighed their talent. There are two kinds of
troublesome creative types: people who are good trouble (you hire them
knowing they are going to cause you grief, but they're worth it) and people
who are bad trouble (you don't hire them).

I would ONLY EVER hire someone whose technical ability was near-perfect. All
the talent in the world doesn't make up for not being able to focus a camera
or take an exposure reading or boom an interview.

Once the first four bases are covered, then you can start considering how
talented people are.

Did this mean I turned away hordes of talented DPs and soundmen and editors
in favour of the merely competent? OF COURSE NOT. I just hired the talented
people who had taken care of business.

Lots of people have talent. You have to have more than that. So many people
think they have a talent ergo they should be successful. Most of the time
they're wrong on the first count. Those who really have talent don't mind
paying their dues... from apprentice to journeyman to master.

Someone once said that genius was the ability to take infinite pains and I
agree with that. Unfortunately we teach kids today that all should have
prizes and life ain't like that.

-- 
John Brownlow

http://www.pinkheadedbug.com