What can Product Managers Learn from Film Directors?

Lets discuses “Blade Runner,” Ridley Scott didn’t run the camera, or write the screenplay, he even didn’t act in it, but he did make sure that the “vision” of Harrison Ford’s character caught our “emotions and our intellects.”  Again, he was responsible for the vision and to make sure it all worked together.

Just like any project there is always somebody, lots of bodies, telling you what you should and shouldn’t do and this can work against you when it comes to making decisions.  So, when it comes to the keys to success it is better that one person takes the rains rather then a whole bunch of people.  Product managers share the same vision as film directors do with three key experts, “business director, experience director and technical director.”  When it comes to the limitations of the vision, the experts are allowed to be creative.

Just like in any other professional setting, workers know what their position is and they stay there, the same with the film industry, they do not hinder someone else skills.  The director has so much on his or her plate that they need to know the crew is doing their job, so the director can keep his attention on the “big picture.”

It’s not up to the camera crew to decide what shots need to be filmed or not.  The director is responsible for the budget but the camera crew would be consulted on the difficulty and the cost.  Think of the famous speech that Rutger Hauer wrote in “Blade Runner” this is a demonstration that it takes more then one person to make a film, but a “creative team.”  A creative team, which uses all professionals to the full degree of their creativity.

It is comforting to see that the word ‘vision’ is being used in the film industry again.  Think of the vision it takes for a software company to come up with a new product, like the AppleiPhone, it encourages feelings to think about what can be done.  It is easy to lose your vision, so you need to be carful.  Because this “vision” the director has is the “key to success.”  He or she is responsible for the image and should only be restricted by the budget.