Team Work as it Relates to Film

Team work is important in every area of entertainment. Whether it is music, television, or film, it is impossible to deliver a professional product without the help of others. I learned this very quickly in my undergraduate courses. I was required to deliver several film projects. When producing a short film or anything like that there are a few people that you simply must have. There are the actors of course, the director, the cameraman, the sound operator, and then editors.
The obvious statement would be, "You must get along with team members." The problem sometimes isn't getting along with team members, it's just getting team members. I remember my frustration senior year when I was required to do a program excerpt for senior project. I was the writer, the director, the main character, and the sound and video editor. My problem wasn't getting along with team members. I got along fine with my non-media buddies who volunteered to hold the camera steady and act.
I cannot stress how important it is to constantly network and find people who have similar interests. Jim Collins explains that disciplined people, "First ask who, then ask what." If I would have been able to collaborate with others, I wouldn't have spent countless hours trying to piece my project all together. It would have been executed better as well. Having people who want to work with you before a project even comes up is the ideal situation.
Now the question may be, "How can I find people to work with before I even get a project?" Network and build relationships! Volunteer and get involved in projects that others are working on. You'll be surprised at how many people feel obligated to return favors. Once you start working with the right people, you will eventually find the ones that work the best together and have similar interests, visions, and messages to convey.

Collins, J. (n.d.). Jim Collins - Articles - Good to Great. Jim Collins - Home. Retrieved November 2, 2010, from http://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/good-to-great.html