Creative Wisdom from Pixar's John Lasseter 7 of 7

John Lasseter’s 7 Points (by way of Scribble Junkies)

7. Surround yourself with creative people whom you trust.

“Bring only those new members into your creative team, whom you consider to be at least as talented as you. If they also have a pleasant and nice character – even better. Most managers don’t follow this approach, as they are insecure. Insecurity and creativity do not get along with each other well. Most managers surround themselves with yes-men, and in result, the audiences get bad films to see.”

…and lastly, as Lasseter once told a group of graduating students at Pepperdine University

“never let anyone kill your dreams.”

As an aspiring artist, don't be afraid to associate with people who are more advanced than you are. There is so much to learn. Be humble and grateful and realize that you will have the chance to pay it forward at some point. Don't be intimidated. Simply realize that they have walked much further down the path than you have. I have been greatly blessed with kind and generous mentors whom I aspire to emulate.

Find a generous mentor. There is no need to copy their art because you are completely capable of creating your own unique work, but go ahead and aquire as much wisdom as you can. Learn the best of what they have to offer. Go ahead and copy their work ethic. Soak up their business savvy. See if they have organizational skills that you can adopt. Pick and choose and learn as much as you can from the best of the best.

Then go do your own work.

Walk your own path.

Here is the rest of the series:

1. Never come up with just one idea

2. Remember the first laugh

3. Quality is a great business plan. Period

4. It's the team, stupid

5. Fun invokes creativity, not competition

6. Creative output always reflects the person on top

7. Surround yourself with creative people whom you trust

Creative Wisdom from Pixar's John Lasseter 6 of 7

John Lasseter’s 7 Points (by way of Scribble Junkies)

6. Creative output always reflects the person on top.

“Poor managers harm the creative process.”

John Lasseter knows from personal experience. After landing his dream job as animator at the Disney Animation Studios in the late seventies, his outspoken individuality and creative extravaganzas quickly made him enemies among mediocre middle managers at Disney. Within a few years, Mr Lasseter became a victim of internal politics and got fired. Committed to go his own way, Mr Lasseter became one of the founders of Pixar in 1986. Twenty years later, following Pixar’s acquisition by The Walt Disney Company, Mr Lasseter returned in triumph as chief creative officer of both animation studios.

“Laughter, being crazy, freaking out, behaving in ridiculous manner are hard work. A manager who spreads his bad mood and who forbids his employees to have fun impairs their creativity, and thus harms the enterprise. I would fire him. Animated movies are not least a bang-hard business. I cannot risk so much money, only because a manager indulging in his bad mood harms my business."

Again - because I teach I automatically think of how this applies to the classroom. I've heard of some frightful behavior by teachers and try my very best to avoid those behaviors. I was in one classroom and someone's phone went off and the whole class whipped their heads around looking at me with those "deer in the headlights" eyes. Apparently their last instructor had charged each student whose phone went off $10.00 for taking her time.

Ahem. While in most settings a cell phone going off can be very rude, most of the classes I teach are for fun. They aren't graduate level courses in hallowed halls. Sometimes there are more important things going on in life than what we are doing in class. 

So this is what we do when phones ring in my class.

We do a dance.

 It's called the cell phone fling.

I was in my son's kindergarden class once and the kids were heads down working hard on math, or something. Suddenly the teacher's phone goes off with some wild dance tune. I was a little shocked. Then a huge grin lit up my face as all the kids got up and did the cell phone fling for about three rings then sat right back down and got back to work. It was the teacher's method of letting the kids get a few wiggles out at random times during the day. We all need to get wiggles out once in a while. 

So - what is the worst "diva behavior" you've experienced in class?

What has been the best kind of surprise you've had with a teacher in class?

(NO NAMES please!)

Here is the rest of the series:

1. Never come up with just one idea.

2. Remember the first laugh.

3. Quality is a great business plan. Period.

4. It's the team, stupid. 

5. Fun Invokes Creativity, Not Competition

6. Creative Output Always Reflects the Person on Top

7. Surround Yourself With Creative People Whom You Trust

Creative Wisdom from Pixar's John Lasseter 5 of 7

John Lasseter’s 7 Points (by way of Scribble Junkies)

5. Fun invokes creativity, not competition.

(paraphrased: It's fun that invokes creativity. Competition can kill it.)

“There is this idea that you put two people, who cannot stand each other, into a room, hoping that all this negative energy leads to a creative result. I disagree. Co-operation, confidence and fun – that is the way.”

“Creative people must believe that all others support them in making a great movie. They need to believe that all people involved understand what they talk about. Creative people are easily bored, moody, a bit difficult to handle. You have to make it fun for them, care for them. Creative people only produce really good work if you creatively challenge them. They have to like what they’re working on. They have to be damn proud of the fact that they’re a part of a particular project. That is again the task of the manager. Each time, you have to give them creative challenges. That’s difficult, but nobody said it is easy to lead creative people.”

This follows on to the last conversation we had - about nurturing a team and how there is an abundance to be shared. This point especially applies to teaching. Each student in a room is unique and comes with their own strengths and their own views. The best thing I can do as a teacher is to nurture my students. I want to help each student feel safe enough to explore and discover his or her own unique strengths.

Fiber Frenzy (photo by Francine)

I think this is a good point to apply to our personal relationships as well. I'm thinking of my children - and how sometimes they want to compete against each other, be it for my attention or to be the boss of each other. Thing go so much more smoothly if I can create an environment of fun.

Think of yourself for just a minute

Do the people surrounding you support and nurture your creativity?

Do you support theirs? 

Here is the rest of the series so far:

Here is the rest of the series:

1. Never come up with just one idea.

2. Remember the first laugh.

3. Quality is a great business plan. Period.

4. It's the team, stupid. 

5. Fun Invokes Creativity, Not Competition

6. Creative Output Always Reflects the Person on Top

7. Surround Yourself With Creative People Whom You Trust

Creative Wisdom from Pixar's John Lasseter 3 of 7

John Lasseter’s 7 Points (by way of Scribble Junkies)

3. Quality is a great business plan. Period.

“There is a crucial rule: no compromises. No compromises on quality – regardless of production constraints, cost constraints, or a deadline. If you get a better idea, and this means that you have to start again from scratch, then that’s what you have to do.

In any creative industry, quality is the sole business plan that prevails in the long run. Many managers fail to understand that, but the spectators understand it. The process is only finished once the creative professional in charge says it’s finished. That does not mean that there isn’t to be any pressure – there’s pressure all the time anyway – but the individual creator always needs to have the last word.”

How this might relate to my career as an artist?

Don't settle for less than my best effort.

Now you know by now that I'm firmly in favor of making BAD ART!

I do not, however, send BAD ART out into the world.

BAD ART is a necessary stepping stone into the wonderful world of GREAT ART! The bad stuff is just a way to let yourself go, to freely play with new ideas and spark creative juices and let them flow in unexpected directions. 

When it comes time to settle down and work on the good stuff - do the best you possibly can.

Strive for excellence in your technique, beauty in your composition, quality in your craftsmanship and just plain DO YOUR BEST. 

(yes, I was a cub scout den mother, thank you very much)

What areas of your art need work?

Where can you improve your QUALITY?

Here is the rest of the series:

1. Never come up with just one idea.

2. Remember the first laugh.

3. Quality is a great business plan. Period.

4. It's the team, stupid. 

5. Fun Invokes Creativity, Not Competition

6. Creative Output Always Reflects the Person on Top

7. Surround Yourself With Creative People Whom You Trust

Creative Wisdom from Pixar's John Lasseter 2 of 7

John Lasseter’s 7 Points (by way of Scribble Junkies)

2. Remember the first laugh.

“A big problem in the creative process is related to the enhancement of your ideas. Revising, retouching, refining is very important, but it carries a danger. If you have a story, a joke, a thought, which you write down, it loses its effect over time. It wears itself out. When you hear a joke for the second time you still laugh heartily, on the third or fourth occasion already less so, and when you hear it the hundredth time, you hate it.”

“I say to my authors: ‘Take notice of the first laugh, write it down if necessary. This may at times be bothersome, but it is important. Many times, good things got lost because people could not remember anymore how it felt when they heard the idea for the first time.”

To me this means keep your ideas fresh. 

How? It's probably different for every artist.

I keep a sketchbook.

• Write down all of your thoughts and ideas and inspirations.
• Journal a bit to capture your thought processes.
• Include test samples for when you are trying out new techniques.

When you get too close to a piece you're working on, gain some distance.

• Put it away for a day or two - there is an art fairy that visits at night an makes things look good again.
• Put it on the wall, walk as far away as you can before turning to view it.
• Turn the piece upside down or look at in in a mirror.
• Go back to your sketchbook and remember what it was you loved about it at the beginning.

How do you keep your ideas fresh?

How do you stay in love with your work?

Here is the rest of the series:

1. Never come up with just one idea

2. Remember the first laugh

3. Quality is a great business plan. Period

4. It's the team, stupid

5. Fun invokes creativity, not competition

6. Creative output always reflects the person on top

7. Surround yourself with creative people whom you trust

Creative Wisdom from Pixar's John Lasseter 1 of 7

John Lasseter

We recently watched a documentary called "The Pixar Story." Lots of great information about John Lasseter and Steve Jobs and all of the creative people who work at that studio. I have to admit that I truly LOVE pretty much every picture they've created and would watch them all even without kids. my favorite is definitely "The Incredibles."

I recently ran across some creative wisdom from Mr. Lasseter here and thought I'd share it with you a bit at a time over the next few weeks.

John Lasseter’s 7 Points (by way of Scribble Junkies)

1.  Never come up with just one idea

“Regardless of whether you want to write a book, design a piece of furniture or make an animated movie: At the beginning, don’t start with just one idea – it should be three. The reason is simple. If a producer comes to me with a proposal for a new project, then usually he has mulled over this particular idea for a very long time. That limits him.

“My answer always reads: ‘Come again when you have three ideas, and I don’t mean one good and two bad. I want three really good ideas, of which you cannot decide the best. You must be able to defend all three before me. Then we’ll decide which one you’ll realise.”

“The problem with creative people is that they often focus their whole attention on one idea. So, right at the beginning of a project, you unnecessarily limit your options. Every creative person should try that out. You will be surprised how this requirement suddenly forces you to think about things you hadn’t even considered before. Through this detachment, you suddenly gain new perspectives. And believe me, there are always three good ideas. At least."

I love this. Don't get so close and focussed on the one piece you are working on now - or don't get obsessed with one little part that you loose sight of the whole. 

What other ways can you think of to apply the "more than one idea" to your work as an artist.

Here is the rest of the series:

1. Never come up with just one idea

2. Remember the first laugh

3. Quality is a great business plan. Period

4. It's the team, stupid

5. Fun invokes creativity, not competition

6. Creative output always reflects the person on top

7. Surround yourself with creative people whom you trust