© Leigh Beisch - http://www.leighbeisch.com
A few months into her new Art Production business, Julia Cunningham seems to have found a groove. Apparently, it is true that the more things change the more they stay the same. Thank you Julia for your latest insight into what it is like out there on your own.
Here is what she has been thinking about lately.
“Since starting my own Art Production consulting business I’ve have the opportunity to work for different organizations. Within a short amount of time it’s become apparent that no matter where you work in advertising, certain facets of production remain constant: All projects will need to be estimated upside down, right side up, and sideways before the actual project is approved. The production calendar will need to be pushed back to accommodate the deadline of a last-minute media deal, and undoubtedly budget maneuvering will be necessary due to an unforeseen client change, additional usage, or a prop that will make or break the creative.
I actually take comfort in knowing that although every agency has a different philosophy, different operations, and varying degrees of hip social activities to make the “best companies to work for” list, these day-to-day issues are universal.
As I’ve become accustomed to various working environments, I find the best way to overcome the obstacles (no matter how expected they may be), is face-to-face collaboration. After spending a few weeks working on a project in the solitude of my home office, I yearned for co-worker interaction. I miss bouncing ideas off others or being able to swing by someone’s office to ask, “Do we have client approval?” I realize we live in a digital age, and that email, instant messaging and cell phones should be sufficient… but as speedy as our digital age has become, it still doesn’t beat an in-person project regroup. To me, these are mini problem-solving sessions with a little support group thrown in.
Working in your PJs from time to time and doing a load of laundry while sending emails definitely has its perks, but getting out there and working face to face is not only necessary for networking, but for exploring new and better ways to work. “