Production is Art

     I once heard that 86% of the touring production folks were, at one time or still were, in bands themselves. I will post, for the benefit of people like Ed Stetzer, that I don’t know if that is accurate or not as I haven’t read the study that was conducted to get that number. I can understand that statement, as I was one of the people that were more heavily involved in music than in production.

     In audio you are conducting the dynamics of the mix as a conductor would a symphony, which I did take conducting class in college (part of the double major in music and communication) and know what the tempos and hand motions look like. If you aren’t actively mixing it would be good to remember what Jason Farah once told me, ‘mixing’ is a verb.

     In lighting, you are creating ambience and feel. You are drawing people in as the impulse of lights flow by. Redirecting attention as well as keeping people engaged.

     Video draws in the concentration and attention to the details of what’s being shared or played. It connects you to what may be far away. In film they say the eyes tell the story. I’ve heard it said that the eyes are the pathways to the soul.

     All areas of production shape and shift the atmosphere and feel. The worst thing you can do in the production world, or any job for that manner, is to think that you are just making something happen. Be engaged, full on, and make things better than when you found them. What you do could be the difference between life or death, between life changing and just another moment.

     Art is subjective, it won’t always be accepted, and it is all in the eye of the beholder. But do remember one thing, Production is a team role. It’s not just you; it’s a team (band/speaker and the conglomerate of production roles) that is making art together. So, to think you are painting this masterpiece alone is a fatal error to your goal. That will mean people want to speak into your art, guess what, you’re not Picasso. Think of the team it takes to make a movie. That’s how Production is as well. 

     It’s not about you. Remind yourself that. It’s not about you, but the end goal and the team you’re going to make that trip with.

     May your art be beautiful and life changing in whatever picture you are painting. Figuratively speaking of course.

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Cheers!