Animation Guild

Winter 2021

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Working as a Supervising Director for the last four years has been the most fulfilling job of my 16-year career. You might be thinking, " Well, of course! Top of the heap, bigger pay, ultimate power!" Sure, those factors have their appeal. But can I tell you the REAL reason this is my favorite job? Being a Supervising Director has shown me that I am—*gasp!*—a people person. I consider myself fortunate to have worked with the same core group these four years. The reason I have returning staff season after season isn't because our schedule is great, or ecause the pay is hih it's because people want to work somewhere they feel genuinely cared about. That is an element I personally feel is essential to great team management. So what does caring for your crew look like? HIRE A COMPATIBLE MIX Your work environment is a living entity that you need to keep healthy, and I've found one key is to interview candidates in addition to reviewing their work. Gain an understanding of where they're coming from and their communication style. Imagine candidates interacting with your eistin sta and ealuate their fit within your larger crew dynamic on a person-to-person (and not just skill) level. Seek to cross-pollinate veterans, greenies, old pals, and fresh faces who all share a common work ethic and attitude toward the project. BE AWARE OF YOUR CREW'S WORKLOAD Don't use being high on the ladder as an excuse to be oblivious to knowing if a reasonable amount of time has been allotted for a job or where your pipeline bottlenecks are. The studio's answer to problems is often simply "make staff work faster." This is your cue to say "no." Checking assets off a list is good, but having a crew that wants to work for you again is better. Find solutions that balance the production's goals with keeping your team's sanity. TRUST YOUR LEADS Collaborate with your directors and department heads to address problems–you hired them for their experience, so respect them by involving them in decision-making where it applies. It is vital to recognize that empowering those under you does not dis-empower you. Perhaps you'll need to ae the final call, ut employees who get the chance to be heard and feel agency to contribute are far happier than those just being moved around like game board pieces. Following the recent possibility of an IATSE strike and the idea that TAG might also conduct a strike authorization vote, Supervising Director Ashley Long heard rumblings about hostility on productions, persistent crew bullying, and people in positions of power who reacted to potential staff walkouts with threats of replacement or retaliation. This motivated her to share her perspective on the role a supervisor can play in fostering a respectful, supportive work environment. BIG BOSS ENERGY 28 KEYFRAME D I A L O G U E

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