What makes a great creative team?
Over the weekend, I saw This Is It (the Michael Jackson movie). A lot of my friends had mixed reactions, but I loved it - mainly becase of how it represented Michael and his creative process in such a raw form. I'm always fascinated with creative partnerships, and trying to understand how creative people work together. What was most interesting about Michael Jackson was the balance between give and take. He seemed to understand when to take leadership - and take his creative team down a certain path to help them understand his vision. But, he also understood when to listen to his team, and consider their ideas and suggestions. Who knows what it was like day to day, but the film really seemed to caputre someone who was passionately in tune with their vision - and had figured out a way to communicate that to a team - and have the team be able to carry out that vision.
What was also captivating about the film - was the seamless communication between Michael and his creative inner circle. By humming two bars of music or waving his hands a certain way - the team understood exactly what he meant.
I've been working on some pretty amazing designs for the past week. They are definitely a challenge, but today, I just wasn't feeling it. Then, just when I thought I couldn't spend another hour looking at Photoshop, priting out designs, and then scribbling all over them . . . one of my creative partners said "just make it sexy". Most people would go crazy because what kind of direction or feedback is that? But, I knew exactly what he meant. He didn't have to say what color or shape or size, I just knew.
When you are lucky enough to find those partnerships - hold them close, treat them like gold, and do whatever it takes to never let them go. It is people like these who can push you, protect you, and provoke you to be someone and do something that you never thought you could.
What creative partnerships or teams inspire you?
