Confession: I have really high expectations sometimes. It causes trouble. Think of me like a foodie — except it’s not a meal that I over-criticize. I’m hard-wired to look for improvements in planning, process, execution, etc.
In filmmaking, especially, I look for improvements at every turn. This, I suppose, is a good trait to use as a producer and director. How could I have improved the pre-production? What do I need to work on to make filming easier and better next time? Did I build a solid team, equip them well, reward them for their hard work? How did the project, as a whole, turn out?
Other times, I have to remind myself that most of here in this world are just trying to do our best work — hoping that what we do today might improve the next time. We’re constantly evolving, seeking, and improving. We yearn to do our best with what we’ve got — each time we set to work.
No one is perfect because we’re human. That is, sometimes, what also makes us beautiful. The fact that we keep trying and trying to make the world a better place — often against all odds — amazes me. We pour ourselves into these projects with passion and dedication that confounds and maddens the people who love us.
To me, it seems easy to be a critic. I’m not talking about professional critics, who might invest everything they have into being a trusted critic. I mean the everyday critics who sit comfortably, judging another person and their work, with so little invested, and a skewed vision of what their criticism will achieve. People who offer suggestions because they think, somehow, what they have to offer will change your world for the better. I’m talking about people like me who see opportunities for improvement, get excited about them, and want to share — but haven’t quite figured out the best way to go about it (for whatever reason).
It fascinates me.
Filmmakers (and leaders, for that matter) ask for feedback, don’t we. Can we handle it when someone finally offers constructive criticism that might, in fact, make things better? Do we stop what we’re doing to listen, really listen, to what’s being offered? Do we thank the person who’s taking a huge risk in offering constructive criticism? It is a risk, you know, because they could have just walked away and not said a word — that’s much easier to do.
It takes me a minute to break down the walls of self-preservation when constructive criticism is coming my way. I have to pause so that I can actually hear what’s being offered. I make a decision that goes something like this, “Oh, here comes feedback. I need to stop, pay attention, and receive this information without judgement. I can decide what to do with it later.”
I suppose, in the end, we can find peace in knowing that we’ve done our best. If we keep doing our best at every turn, perhaps we can look that critic in the eye with confidence and say, “Thank you for your opinion. I’ll take it into consideration.”