Your team is everything!
It’s taken a very long time for me to finesse my skills in this business.
I’ve had to learn how to let go of my ego. I had to stand up for myself, be confident, and learn to let things go even if I thought my way was better. I ebbed and flowed from position to position, knew how to lead when I’m supposed to and take a step back when I’m not. I managed my teams successfully and learned all my skills in the process of all of that. Luckily for me, several of those things come more naturally to me than others.
One thing that I feel as a department head that’s most crucial is to know your team’s strengths and weaknesses. In addition, you shouldn’t be afraid to utilize them or pass them over to someone else. I truly believe one of the most detrimental things you could do to your team is try to suppress them by doing everything yourself. Or only allowing them to be a conditional teammate. Let go of your ego and give a teammate the freedom to be creatively expressive and always treat everyone equally. You can be a boss and a leader but when it comes to collaborating, you all come together as one.
I would rather have another teammate shine and take over than have a half-assed job just to prove something to myself or someone else.
However, with that said, one issue where I DO have a very hard time implementing this method is when it comes to wigs. I have found it hard to find artists that have the skillset working on wigs, much less apply them and make them look super realistic. At times it frustrated me (on the inside) but I’ve learned that with some patience and time, you can teach people, show them what you expect, and always have the last look before the actor leaves the trailer.
With that said, I’m still learning. I have a keen eye for wigs and I don’t want them to leave without looking absolutely realistic. Some might see that as being too controlling or being too much of a perfectionist. I know there have been many times I’ve frustrated people. But I don’t see it that way. I see it as my reputation, my team’s reputation, and our future careers on the line.
I’ve always been very professional about how I approach people with my changes and I’m always trying to be uplifting. I’m constantly pushing myself to be excellent and trying to elevate myself and my team. I want to do big shows and movies that are creatively challenging and push me every day. I want to win awards. I want to be one of the best in the business.
I strive to be the best unapologetically and I want a team that feels the same.
