the creative process and teamwork

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How is ego an issue for creativity when working with others as in, for example, making a movie, playing in a band or any art that involves more than one person for it to be made (which many do)?

Working as an individual makes it easier to have a single cohesive vision, but working with others brings many different perspectives and may result in the best final outcome for more people.

But when judging the quality of the work it becomes hard when different ideas of what's objective and subjective collide.

Give any ideas you have on this topic:

― A Nairn (moretap), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 21:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Working as an individual makes it easier to have a single cohesive vision, but working with others brings many different perspectives and may result in the best final outcome for more people.

And sometimes it ends up being half-assed because too much time was wasted arguing over which "perspective" is the right one and not enough time was spent on making the actual project come together.

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

it is crucial not to do creative work with insecure people; they can't separate criticism of the final product from criticism of their ability to contribute to it. i'd hope you get to choose the team--if not it can be a nightmare.

― Orbit (Orbit), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

working with creative team when in a work environment can be great because professionals are taught to express ideas and criticism constructively. and can be genuinely well thought out. most of the time.

when it comes to music, i've seen some of the most awe inspiring clashes you could image (guitarists getting thrown across the room etc.). i think it's prolly due a obv. lack of "team work" training and less of a willingness to compromise.

in both caes ego can be a huge factor. the factor in alot of cases.

― dyson (dyson), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Is it ever really possible to have many people have equal say, or is it always best to have some sort of director.

― A Nairn (moretap), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:11 (twenty-two years ago)

also sometimes i've just had better ideas than anyone i was working with! and it was frustrating because they felt entitled to some bullshit "democratic process" whereby their retarded opinions carried just as much weight.

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:12 (twenty-two years ago)

(multiple xposts)

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:12 (twenty-two years ago)

yes, a benevolent dictator is absolutely necessary.

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:13 (twenty-two years ago)

i have a good team - i've been extremely lucky and it took a lot of trial and error to get to the point we're at. a level of trust in each other's ability and ideas is essential otherwise just forget it.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

"guitarists getting thrown across the room"

fuck!

― g--ff (gcannon), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I *love* that image.

― Orbit (Orbit), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:24 (twenty-two years ago)

hahaha i can think of a band where that would be entirely possible

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:24 (twenty-two years ago)

(small guitarist, tall everyone else)

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:25 (twenty-two years ago)

dwarf tossing for the new millennium!

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:25 (twenty-two years ago)

i have an mp3 that is really really relevant here, a lesson in "how not to work with others". elvis might have it in electronic form and kindly upload it.

( i can't find my copy of "Wake Up and Smell the Fucking COFFEE", an argumentative ballet between two guitarists in the studio.)

― Orbit (Orbit), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm ashamed to say that the collaborative creative efforts I have been engaged in have been even less successful and rewarding than those where I reigned as auteur supreme.

Perhaps creativity is overrated? just slightly?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:33 (twenty-two years ago)

overrated compared to what? sex and beer?

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:34 (twenty-two years ago)

yes

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Sometimes the tension of conflicting ideas results in something much better than if one idea were to have it's way.

― A Nairn (moretap), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:46 (twenty-two years ago)

i believe at least two main people working together is always better.
examples:
The Clash versus solo efforts
KISS vs solo efforts
The Jam vs solo efforts
Elton John and Bernie Taupin, who by splitting up ruined both Elton John and Alice Cooper, who Bernie went on to write a terrible album for
The Beatles vs. Paul (ShootMeNow) McCartney

― Orbit (Orbit), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

for example, making a movie

Depends on how much of a control freak you are and how fortunate you are to find OTHERS who are willing to submit THEIR egos to that form of punishment.

Also, the ability to control or subvert collaboration is directly connected to how well you know how to do everyone else's job.

― ModJ (ModJ), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 23:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Ok, as a follow up to the above: How should one go about dealing with someone in their team that is too egotistical?
Trying to be equally egotistical ends in clashes and some thrown guitarists. Being submissive results in it just being the one person's project and view. How does the egotistical person become a benevolent dictator as opposed to just a dictator?

― A Nairn (moretap), Thursday, 5 February 2004 05:23 (twenty-two years ago)

When considering creative partners, it can be helpful to distinguish, not between egotists and non-egotists, but between those who are willing to keep going and those who are determined to stay put.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 5 February 2004 05:39 (twenty-two years ago)

it's a process and with no movement forward nothing gets created.

― A Nairn (moretap), Thursday, 5 February 2004 08:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, exactly. Beware of people who say, 'This is what I like, this is what I hate, and that's all there is to it'.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 5 February 2004 09:50 (twenty-two years ago)

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