Do you thrive or crumble under pressure?
We are all familiar with the race against the clock to meet a client's tight deadline. Only a buzzer-beater can clinch the win—and you’re holding the ball.
When you deliver on your promise, it’s like the victory after a nail-biter. (We can almost hear the roar of the crowd now because, let’s face it, we celebrate when we win too.)
But if you lived each day with that same intensity, you’d burn out in no time.
Realistically, you can’t avoid pressure to deliver high-quality, on-time work. But you can develop winning strategies to ensure you are prepared when the pressure is on. After all, great things aren't created from your comfort zone.
Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Under pressure is where you prove you are the best person for the job … or the worst.
Over the past 40 years, we’ve developed a tried-and-true process—from preproduction to postproduction and beyond. Our experience means we can see around the corner for our clients and identify when a project starts going down the wrong path. We can predict when we need to adjust so our client doesn't feel the pain.
That starts with detailed preproduction planning.
We create and organize shooting schedules, shot sheets, contact information, and project notes for our whole team to reference at any point during the project. This single source for information keeps us all on the same page and prepares us for production.
Film production moves fast. You invest everything in your one-, two-, or three-day shoot. Stakes are high, and a thunderstorm, an actor in a traffic accident, or an 800-watt light not firing shouldn’t derail your investment. We build plenty of patience, expertise, and a little plan B and plan C thinking into each project.
While a solid plan is incredibly important, all the planning in the world can’t prepare you for everything. When you hit a bump, you need a structure to lean on. Otherwise, everything falls apart.
Don’t build your house on sand.
In tandem with our process, we’ve developed infrastructure to support our workflow in times of high pressure. Our shared video server and file system manage the complex, multiplatform, collaborative environment we throw at it, supporting our work across diverse applications and file formats.
Inside each project, those sometimes-random file formats and sources have standardized file structure and naming conventions. At a moment’s notice, anyone on our team could log on and pull the most up-to-date assets. This means no duplication or wasted time. No one has to differentiate between Filename_FINAL_UPDATED_FINALFINAL.mov and Filename_FINAL_UPDATED_FINALFINAL_THIS ONE.mov.
This system also allows any member of our cross-functional team to hop on a project—meaning things can quickly move from edit and graphics to color and audio post. The work can be handed off smoothly even in emergency situations, should something arise.
Attitude is everything.
Our processes and systems only work if the team does.
It can be extremely difficult to keep a positive attitude when project pressures are mounting, and everyone feels it. When we keep our attitudes positive, it is contagious—not only among our team members but also with our clients. That does wonders for creative problem-solving, which is always helpful during times of stress. On large, high-visibility projects, things can go south, but our attitudes don't have to.
The time it takes to develop and implement structure and contingencies is a valuable investment in your work. When you’re a trusted partner, you develop the endurance and tenacity to thrive—not crumble—under pressure.