good enough

My very first job in production was as a PA at a company called Broadcast Arts. It was an animation shop in the pre-digital age. It was housed in a big loft space on lower Broadway. It was buzzing with energy. To this day it may be the most creative environment I ever worked in. Eventually they went bust but that's another story.

I rarely run into people from those days with the exception of Steve Shore. Steve was the Sales Rep at Broadcast Arts when I was there and went on to run his own production companies. He is also a frequent commenter on this blog. When I saw him last week at 'Boards, he told me he just found a mix tape I made for him 20 years ago. By the way, that was also pre-digital. No dragging and dropping. Making those things were a real labor of love. 

Steve recently wrote a piece for Ad Week. He posted about it in the comments section on my review of the 'Boards summit. In the article he makes a compelling analysis of in house agency production. It differs somewhat from Bob Greenberg's reasoning but they both believe the time is coming for agencies to successfully bring production in house. We carried on a lively debate about it online.

The Ad Week piece along with our correspondence tempered my views. Unlike Steve I don't think the agencies are fertile grounds for nurturing talent. Although, I do see where it could occur organically through necessity. I'm still skeptical. Steve did however make me see that it's technology that's the game changer. 

Agencies are acquiring executional capabilities to create new models and revenue streams. This is happening in both production and post. On the other side, production and post companies are acquiring ideation skills for the exact same reasons. It is technology that makes this all possible. Keynote. Final Cut. Getty Images. HD Cameras. These are all affordable, accessible and easy to learn. 

I argued with Steve that just because I bought Microsoft Word it doesn't make me Shakespeare. He countered with, you don't really have to be a master of prose to be an effective communicator. He used my blog as an example. I walked right into that punch. Even still, it was a great point and something that touched upon something Greenberg also raised. 

We are living in a generation of good enough. MP3 sound isn't as good as CD but it's good enough. The quality of the popular films on Youtube don't even come close to measuring up to studio films or network TV but it's good enough. 

In the end it comes down to the quality of the idea and the ability to execute it appropriately. The idea can come from anywhere. In today's world there are many ways to realize ideas and countless platforms to distribute them. This means opportunities can be created no matter what sector of the industry you work in. All that is required is initiative, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. The tools are there for the taking. The lines are officially dulled for everyone. 

As a side note, I've preached reverse mentorship many times to help us grasp the future. Despite the emphasis our industry places on youth culture, there is no substitute for experienced insight. Thanks, Steve for the reminder.