Jack of All Trades, Master of None: The Rise of the 'One Size Fits All' Creative
To write or not to write…
I thoroughly enjoy meeting people when I do my public speaking. Their energy, their curiosity—it’s a boost to not only my self-esteem but also to my creative motivations.
More than once, I’ve been asked if I’ve written a book. No, I have not, but I do write essays and post thoughts in my monthly newsletter. They then encourage me to write one. No suggestions on what to write about, but it’s the thought and encouragement that counts.
I bring this up because I was recently talking with a colleague who mentioned that in our filmmaking industry, roles are being collapsed. Now a development executive is expected to research, cast, write, pitch, shoot, edit, and produce a proof of concept. He joked that we should write a book about this.
Again, another skillset we need to excel at.
I bring this up because the creative world is shrinking, alongside the expectation of a ‘one size fits all’ role. Perhaps this is due to AI and the appearance of optimization. Perhaps this is extreme cost-cutting at the expense of specialists. It is likely those two combined.
I believe it’s due to a lack of appreciation of the work that goes into being excellent at the creative work you do. With technology and a global community, it has become easier to access information and resources.
Need a logo? Go to Fiverr.
Need ideas on a new marketing strategy? Gemini has some ideas.
These are ways to make things more efficient for quick fixes.
However, it takes a team of collaborators—all experts in their field—to ensure a larger vision succeeds.
Let me give you an example and a fictional one at that. The tv show MAD MEN. What did Don Draper do? He wasn’t an illustrator. He wasn’t a photographer. He was the “Idea” Guy. He took the client’s needs and found the best way to achieve their goals. He worked with a creative team to succeed.
Today, Don would be expected to conceptualize, illustrate, photograph, write, present, and execute the entire campaign from start to finish. And then write a book about his experience. All this talent would make Pablo Picasso envious, eh? (They are very similar but Pablo was never called an a**hole).
We need to recognize the talents people bring to the table, minus the expectation of creative masters of everything. Generalists have talent in many spheres but often are spread so thin that mediocrity and punctuality suffocates any genius idea that may emerge.
Are we in a losing battle against ones and zeroes when it comes to true creativity? Do filmmakers, producers, DPs, editors, animators and so on all need to become swiss army knives of production AND write a book about it?
To financially survive, many of us will have to. Heads up: my photography skills are woeful because of a lack of patience, but the other tools in my kit more than compensate. So many media professionals will do this to get by. The work will be good, but likely lacking because one person is still held to the laws of physics: there is only so much time in the day.
But I also see that true originality can rise. Remarkable writing (Apple TV’s WIDOW’S BAY and COYOTE VS. ACME), incredible cinematography & set design (THE ODYSSEY), remarkable editing (anything Questlove does), and so on. The algorithm will not create genius. I agree with Werner Herzog on this.
So I will not be writing a book just to write a book. I know that anyone can but anyone can paint as well. It doesn’t mean it’s good. If the muse hits me and I believe I can create something that is impactful and of quality, I may give it a shot. But for now, I am quite content being excellent at what I do: telling stories through film.
#CreativeGeneralist #Filmmaking #MediaIndustry #ContentCreation #Specialists #FutureOfWork #CreativeProcess
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Shannon Malone-deBenedictis is a two-time Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker with over 25 years of experience leading global productions that illuminate the natural world, human resilience, and cultural complexity. Her storytelling spans from the Arctic ice to African coastlines, crafting immersive narratives for Disney+, Netflix, National Geographic, and WB-Discovery. Shannon’s credits include Saving Yellowstone with Dennis Quaid, Brown and Bonded, Secrets of the Whales (Disney+), executive produced by James Cameron and narrated by Sigourney Weaver, and Penguin Town (Netflix), both of which earned Emmy Awards for excellence in documentary and nature storytelling. Known for translating scientific and environmental topics into emotionally resonant, visually stunning films, Shannon has collaborated with experts across the globe. As founder of Padlin Creative, she continues to push the boundaries of impact-driven filmmaking, bringing underrepresented stories to the forefront and mentoring the next generation of visual storytellers.
Learn more at www.padlincreative.com.
