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RECORDING JOBS CONNECTION
ARTICLE |
May, 2002 "SPRING
PRODUCTION" ISSUE |
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Editor's Note: This article was
originally about art and the comics industry, but Frank G in his
LINK OF THE WEEK for 4/26/02 suggested
it was just as applicable to the recording field if you made some minor
word substitutions. Tom agreed to us posting this version of his article
with Frank's suggested modifications. |
I told you
folks last time that I would write about a topic of extreme importance
to anyone trying to get into any field. Now, it’s not like I’m an
expert. I’m still learning how to deal with this devil, but I thought
that I could share some of my “wisdom” with you all about CRITICISM --
how to take it and how to deal with it.
So, I’ve already shared some of my advice/stories about taking
criticism. Things like: don’t get defensive back at
employers or other engineers critiquing your art. Just sit there
and listen (well, you do have to talk!)
I’m not sure if I’ve shared this next advice, but it’s just as important
– maybe more important – than anything else I can tell you: never
apologize for your work. Doing so only undercuts you and makes you look
weak and, guess what, most people will take advantage of that perceived
weakness and jump all over it. It’s just too tempting for them.
I did it once. Apologized for my work. I used the excuse that “I’m
meeting a daily deadline like I’d have to do when I work for you.” And
the person I used this excuse to? Jim Shooter. One of the worst choices
I could make. He handed my pages back to me and said, “I don’t want to
look at this if it’s not your best work.” Not brutal, but it was
effective. I never apologized for my work again.
Just like with recording, when you go into the public for any reason,
you will make mistakes. The trick is NOT to make them again. That’s a
challenge because being objective about your behavior is just as hard as
being objective about your work. I’ve heard SO many people trying to
break in who say, “I’m better than so-and-so. He really sucks. Why won’t
they use me?”
Well, the truth of the matter is that you didn’t stand out and that
maybe you do have some flaws in your work to take into account.
I’ve done the verbal wannabe talk. I’ve been on the outside looking in.
I’ve crabbed about the choices of who’s recording what for whom. The
thing is, you’ve got to be realistic about your art, yourself and your
chances. Don’t let them hear you crab. Don’t let them see you be
defensive. Do it later in a safe place with people who won’t spread what
you said. Crabbing can come back to haunt you, that’s for sure. And I’ll
tell you … the people you think you can trust are the ones who’ll spread
the gossip about what you were saying.
If you’ve got to bitch – do it to the wall.
I’ve made many a mistake while I was trying to break in and many more
mistakes once I was in the industry. The most frustrating thing about
the comics industry is its solitary nature (you work alone at home). Add
that to the fact that you can’t really trust anyone with all your
secrets (except your spouse, I would hope), and you have to be pretty
good at looking in the mirror and asking that face what they need to
work on to be better every day.
Not an easy task.
One of the mistakes I made is that I worked on being a better engineer
every day, but I didn’t do my best to work on being a better person
every day. You need to do both. I was getting better as an engineer, but
my defensiveness of the past was still with me, even when I was
recording a big book like Spider-Man. I abused my power.
Luckily for me, Danny Fingeroth was happy with my work on Spider-Man
and, overall, liked me as a person or my career would have been over. I
said some pretty stupid things to him while working for him. And still,
he tried to work with me and offer me opportunities – like writing.
What a nice guy.
I can blame my fall from grace in the industry on others, but to be
honest, I’m a hot-headed guy and it got me in trouble. I opened my mouth
and said the wrong thing to the wrong person (not Fingeroth – it
happened later). They misinterpreted what I said and took it to be
something bad and threatening. It was neither, but tell that to the
person that’s made up their mind about it. Also, I never would have been
in that situation, if I weren’t so touchy in the first place.
So, it’s my fault and my fault alone.
That event is not the total cause of my gradual departure from the
comics industry. It’s actually just the beginning of a long path of
miscues and strange events, but I think my behavior in that meeting set
the tone for all of that bad karma.
If there’s nothing else I’ve learned in the last five years, its
humility and how to be a bit more patient. Maybe I’ll even get a chance
to use that new personal growth and work back in comics some. Even if I
don’t, I’ll use it to help me on my path into the film industry. I’ll
need that confidence and patience a lot there.
Try to learn those things before you get into the industry (whatever
industry you’re trying to get into), but believe in yourself no matter
what. You deserve that much at the very least. |
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