GSJG_Leadership

Orson Welles is arguably one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived. He was a man fueled his desire and consumed by his vision. As a filmmaker he sought out and achieved the impossible and as a storyteller there was no equal. His talents were so extraordinary that envy drove his competition to claim he was not a genius, despite the fact that no one ever claimed he was.

He is just one of many examples of sheer filmmaking talent that I hope to aspire to one day. Yet, I know that his success was not an accident. His achievements were not dictated by others’ influence.

In the student filmmaker world, things are considerably different than they are on a real set. For instance, at school the crew doesn’t care how fast they move or how hard they work. They know they won’t be fired and there is no paycheck depending on their work ethic. If anything, by not applying themselves they are wasting their money and losing out on the opportunity to learn. It’s a place where leadership is just as valuable as one’s talent or filmmaking skills. And most of all, a place where ego needs to stay out of the equation.

My biggest complaint is that, as filmmakers, we are nothing. Yet, no one wants to accept that. I mean, what have we accomplished? No one has revolutionized the wheel, and no one has broken any barriers that haven’t already been crossed before. We are neophytes learning on the go and constantly forgetting the fact that we really don’t know what we are doing. This is because we are constantly crossing new ground, and this month is no different since we are now filming on a format that is foreign to us entirely.

And as we struggle to maintain the crew’s involvement, it becomes apparent who the leaders are. And they are not always the ones who are in leadership positions. I know this is a fact in several of the film crews that are filming this month, my crew included. But, the challenge is not working around that, but trying to get those individuals to assume the mantle and apply themselves in a manner in which they are not comfortable.

As the leader and focal point for my production, I have worked constantly at getting my crew excited about our film and fired up about what we’re attempting to do. Despite the fact that we are listed as a band of misfits we have proven every one wrong and come together as a team that has accomplished far more than I thought we would. Despite this, we still remain so far from being ready to shoot despite the fact that our first day is next week. More than anything, right now I need my Keys to step up and assume their roles as leaders. This is no time to be modest and be ‘friends’ with our classmates. We have a job to do, and that is the most important aspect of this class. This is our Thesis and our time to show that we are competent in our roles and positions – and not sit back and cower in the corner or be too timid to step up. No one man can do this alone – I just hope that I have the leaders in place to ensure the success of this film.

And as men like Orson Welles have proven time and time again. If you want to make your work and your vision to come across on screen, you cannot afford to be modest. You have to want to apply yourself, not be afraid of hurting people’s feeling and you have to want to take risks and chances. This gift of storytelling is extremely hard to accomplish successfully, and as magicians of photography we have to be willing to take those chances if we are to succeed. Otherwise, we fail as leaders and our work becomes irrelevant. I know that’s not how I want to be remembered. And I refuse to accept anything short of giving my best effort to my crew and my audience, whoever they may be.

Now’s the time to step up and now’s the time to set the standard.

“Nobody who takes on anything big and tough can afford to be modest.”
-Orson Welles