Management kills Art!

An Art director has a unique responsibility. That is to direct Art.  How do you direct art? Tell someone what to do? No. That stops the work being art and it becomes labour. An art directors role then is about relationship.

Sounds complex. It is. To say an art directors role is relationship means this.  An art director is a conduit of creative intent. The director has intent and so do the artists. The art directors ability to read these intentions and align them with each other is his key role. The result is not a common goal or vision, this would undermine the director. The result is achieving the directors vision with common gain for the artists.

The first thing I saw as an art director on a film set was artists making what they were told to make or what they thought was expected of them. For most the expectations were low. Few were making what they wanted. What they all wanted was to make something great!  What was stopping them?

I remember a young woman carving Roman capitals. When I suggested we go crazy with the depth of detail and accuracy I was stunned by her response.  She said 'Are we allowed to make it that good?' She proceeded to shock everyone with how beautifully she could carve. Why had this talent remained hidden?

Too often Art directors see their role as one of management. Management kills art! Art should never be managed. What artists need is creative intentions and energy that they can channel into their work. Most artists have little or no access to the director so they need a conduit to his energy. They need an art director who knows this is his role.

There is a lesson here for all management.  If we replaced a few project managers with 'project conduits' we would have a far healthier more dynamic and engaging workplace and better work as a result.