Honesty is the best policy
I've looked at a lot of folios during my career. Especially students and juniors.
One thing I never do is just be polite. It's really not helpful.
As I say to all the kids I see - you're not showing your book to people to see if they like it.
You're showing it to them to get criticism to help you make it better.
Yesterday I helped judge the final folios of the Melbourne students from the Creative School set up by ADMA.
To help the students get their books as good as they could be my art director and I gave up a very long evening two weeks ago to give the kids some much needed creative direction.
Some of the ideas we saw that night were a bit ropey to say the least.
The finished folios that we judged yesterday however had come a very long way from the ones we'd seen two weeks earlier.
I was very pleased that the girl who I thought would top the class didn't.
And I was even more pleased when the young lady who did top the class said that it was my 'demoralising criticism' that had helped her to succeed.
Tough love. Honest criticism. Straight talk.
Call it what you like, but always remember these words from Donald Trump:
'It's not personal. It's business.'
posted by Stan Lee at 12:58 am
7 Comments:
For those of you interested in the ADMA Creative School it runs for 12 weeks with 2 classes per week.
It's taught by some of Australia's best CDs and senior creatives with a strong focus on one-to-one comms areas such as direct, digital etc.
If you're interested in finding out more about the course contact Kate Furey on (02) 9277 5408.
Be sure and tell her her Stan sent you!
while i absolutely support the need for constructive, necessary and honest critique, stan - i HATE that saying 'it's not personal, it's just business' - it's used to excuse rudeness, selfishness and mindless greed - teaching people less about creative thought and more about sheer bloody-mindedness. however, seeing as you have impeccable manners, i'm sure it's not like that with you :)
I know what you mean Lauren and no it's not like that with me. Honest!
Great post Stan!
Taking criticism and accepting feedback (sometimes negative) is almost non-negotiable in this industry, especially as a creative. The younger you can toughen your skin the better I say.
you're bob-on Stan (and age). I'd go as far as saying that how you handle and react to criticism is a skill in itself. And one you will need to succeed.
Yes, but some CDs are still assholes.
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