Partners, collaborators and co-conspirators. We've all had them at one time or another even if it was only in grade school. You remember? Your running buddies! The people with whom you hatched elaborate schemes for fun or mischief or both. Drawn together by a common goal, you combined resources and brain power to make life more interesting and satisfying. It was good stuff even if the plans didn't always turn out perfectly. Succeed or fail, it was time well spent.
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Hold on, not so fast.
Creative partnerships are huge undertakings and as an artist, you must carefully consider all the possible triumphs and pitfalls before deciding to join forces with another. More so than in other professions, as an artist, your work product is deeply personal as it is both a reflection of you and a part of you. So if you're thinking about combining your creative mojo with that of another, let's consider a few things first.
1. Do you really need a creative partner?
Before we talk about what to look for when forming a partnership, let's talk about why you might want one in the first place. Collaborations are cool to be sure, but sometimes we tie ourselves to others unnecessarily. Some people do it for the companionship because they imagine it will be easier than going it alone, while other people couple up out of fear. Fear that they don't know enough, aren't talented enough or just plain can't do it all by themselves. And still others do it because they're not thinking about it in the proper framework. Perhaps a partner isn't what you need at all. Maybe you just need a staff.
Before we talk about what to look for when forming a partnership, let's talk about why you might want one in the first place. Collaborations are cool to be sure, but sometimes we tie ourselves to others unnecessarily. Some people do it for the companionship because they imagine it will be easier than going it alone, while other people couple up out of fear. Fear that they don't know enough, aren't talented enough or just plain can't do it all by themselves. And still others do it because they're not thinking about it in the proper framework. Perhaps a partner isn't what you need at all. Maybe you just need a staff.
Staff is a bit of a foreign concept for most creatives because we come from the Do It Yourself School and/or the Church of the Struggling Artist and it doesn't occur to us to run our creative vision like a business, with employees. Do you need a partner in order conceive, conceptualize and execute your masterpiece or can you hire someone to handle the non-creative workload? Can an assistant do the stuff you find distasteful or boring and merely help you achieve your vision? Ask yourself if your potential partner is bringing something to the table that you truly don't possess and in so doing, will elevate your vision to something it will not otherwise be. If the answer is no, you may need to simply give up your Dumbo feather and take flight on your own.
2. Do you both share a common vision?
Once you've done your soul searching and determined that you really do want to have a partner/creative collaborator, the next step is stating, clarifying and re-clarifying your common vision. Two heads are often better than one but only when they're headed in the same direction. In real estate, the three most important things are location, location and location. In partnerships, the three most important things are communication, communication and communication.
Once you've done your soul searching and determined that you really do want to have a partner/creative collaborator, the next step is stating, clarifying and re-clarifying your common vision. Two heads are often better than one but only when they're headed in the same direction. In real estate, the three most important things are location, location and location. In partnerships, the three most important things are communication, communication and communication.
Each collaborator needs to be completely honest and up front about what he expects the journey and the end result to be. If you two want different things and/or disagree about how to get where you want to go, your path will certainly be rocky. Take the necessary time to craft your mission/vision statement, make a plan, and refer to it often. Tack it up on your mirror if you need to. When things get tough (and they most likely will) you'll be glad you took the time to draft this framework. Don't be afraid to make adjustments to the plan as you go forward but be sure each of you is on board with the changes. If your ideas and intentions begin to change, talk about it. Don't assume your partner knows where your head is or can read between your ever-so-subtle lines.
The best collaborations balance the strengths and weaknesses of each partner. Be sure you know what they are for both you and your potential partner.
3. Are your work styles and skill sets complementary?
One of the main reasons for collaborating with another artist is because they bring something to a project that you do not. The trick lies in finding the right combination of styles, skills and aesthetics to produce a fruitful union. If you're both great at the same things and terrible at the same things, maybe this particular coupling is not such a great idea. How do you each handle tough situations? Does one of you tend to tackle things head on while the other avoids difficulty and confrontation at all costs? Are you flexible or rigid, visionary or pragmatic? The best partnerships are those that balance the strengths and weaknesses of each person. Be sure you know where those strengths and weakness lie for you and for your partner.
4. Has she had successful work relationships in the past?
Vetting is a fact of life and finding out your potential partner's work history is part of doing your due diligence. Employers do background checks before making hiring decisions and you too should learn what your potential partner has done in the past. I'm not suggesting you wade through trash cans or interview high school classmates, but gently asking a few key questions of people in a position to know can prove very valuable in your decision making process.
One of the main reasons for collaborating with another artist is because they bring something to a project that you do not. The trick lies in finding the right combination of styles, skills and aesthetics to produce a fruitful union. If you're both great at the same things and terrible at the same things, maybe this particular coupling is not such a great idea. How do you each handle tough situations? Does one of you tend to tackle things head on while the other avoids difficulty and confrontation at all costs? Are you flexible or rigid, visionary or pragmatic? The best partnerships are those that balance the strengths and weaknesses of each person. Be sure you know where those strengths and weakness lie for you and for your partner.
4. Has she had successful work relationships in the past?
Vetting is a fact of life and finding out your potential partner's work history is part of doing your due diligence. Employers do background checks before making hiring decisions and you too should learn what your potential partner has done in the past. I'm not suggesting you wade through trash cans or interview high school classmates, but gently asking a few key questions of people in a position to know can prove very valuable in your decision making process.
5. What other commitments does he have?
Is he already committed to working on three other projects? Is he planning a move across town or across country? Is he getting married, having a baby, caring for an ailing parent, sibling or pet? Everyone has a life but some of us have fuller lives than others. Talk about what's coming up for each of you in the foreseeable future and how these plans will affect your working relationship.
Is he already committed to working on three other projects? Is he planning a move across town or across country? Is he getting married, having a baby, caring for an ailing parent, sibling or pet? Everyone has a life but some of us have fuller lives than others. Talk about what's coming up for each of you in the foreseeable future and how these plans will affect your working relationship.
6. Is she an independent thinker?
If you ask most people this question, the vast majority will say something like 'I always think for myself' or 'no one controls me.' The truth is, we are all influenced by the people in our lives and some of us are more heavily influenced than others. Does your potential partner have an overbearing parent, spouse or friend who holds more sway over her decision making than she cares to admit or even realizes? Will she come to you to solve problems together or will she seek counsel and direction from outside of your partnership? If this behavior is common, you may find yourself in an unintentional and unofficial partnership with the people in her life. While you're thinking you have a pas de deux, you will actually have a menage a trois.
If you ask most people this question, the vast majority will say something like 'I always think for myself' or 'no one controls me.' The truth is, we are all influenced by the people in our lives and some of us are more heavily influenced than others. Does your potential partner have an overbearing parent, spouse or friend who holds more sway over her decision making than she cares to admit or even realizes? Will she come to you to solve problems together or will she seek counsel and direction from outside of your partnership? If this behavior is common, you may find yourself in an unintentional and unofficial partnership with the people in her life. While you're thinking you have a pas de deux, you will actually have a menage a trois.
7. What kind of collaboration is best for you?
I can't tell you how many war stories I've heard from actors, writers, etc. who claim to have found their creative soul mate and rushed head long into establishing a production company or theater company with all the legal, financial and tax ramifications in tow before they've sussed out whether or not they can really work together over the long haul.
I can't tell you how many war stories I've heard from actors, writers, etc. who claim to have found their creative soul mate and rushed head long into establishing a production company or theater company with all the legal, financial and tax ramifications in tow before they've sussed out whether or not they can really work together over the long haul.
Forming an official, legal partnership is like entering a marriage and it deserves careful consideration. Perhaps there's a way to 'date' to see how it goes before you make an official commitment before God and all of your peers. Consider working together on a project-by-project basis first and see what happens. Use this time to discover if your collaborator's family commitments or excessive vacationing will get in the way of working. If the first project goes well, try one more to be certain the first one wasn't a fluke. If the second one also goes well, you can then consider making a declaration of undying love by forming an LLC, LLP or other more permanent business structure.
You spent your time in art school, not law school. Leave the law to the lawyers.
8. What is your exit strategy?
What happens when and if you reach the end of the road? Nothing lasts forever and the time may come when it makes sense to cut ties and move on. That's cool because even some of the greatest collaborations come to an end for one reason or another. One or both of you could lose interest in the work you've been doing together. One of you may be presented with a conflicting opportunity that you just can't refuse. Or you could both get sick of looking at each other's faces all the time. Whatever the reason, having an exit strategy is like having a prenup for your partnership.
What happens when and if you reach the end of the road? Nothing lasts forever and the time may come when it makes sense to cut ties and move on. That's cool because even some of the greatest collaborations come to an end for one reason or another. One or both of you could lose interest in the work you've been doing together. One of you may be presented with a conflicting opportunity that you just can't refuse. Or you could both get sick of looking at each other's faces all the time. Whatever the reason, having an exit strategy is like having a prenup for your partnership.
No one likes to talk about a possible break up during the romance phase but not planning for a dissolution is bad business. Presumably, you will jointly own the rights to your work product. How will you handle the equitable distribution of future income should one of you remain and continue exploiting the work you both created? Will one of you have to buy the other one out? Will your name remain attached to an ongoing project that you co-created even though you will no longer actively participate? If your split is not an amicable one, how will you handle public questions about your former partner and vice versa?
There are myriad ways to handle these issues and many legal documents to have in place to deal with all the eventualities. This is why I strongly advise every artist to get an attorney on board as early in the formation of your partnership as possible. Even under the best circumstances, things can be misunderstood or misconstrued. If at the end of your partnership, you find yourselves throwing art supplies or props at one another, having your artistic, legal and financial interests protected beforehand will make it much easier to part ways.
Hiring an attorney to draft and execute your paperwork may seem like an unnecessary expense for cash-strapped creatives but there's a reason for paying a professional to handle these tasks. As smart and as capable as you are, you may not be aware of all the ways you can be taken advantage of and how to prevent those advantages from being taken. You spent your time in art school, not law school. Leave the law to the lawyers.
Decision made: we're partnering!
OK. You've done your due diligence. You've clarified your vision, communicated your plans, figured out your work style differences and your vacation schedules and you've decided to go for it! Awesome! Creative partnerships can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling propositions. It can be wonderful to have a partner who shares your vision, revels in your success and helps ease the pain of failure. Just remember, partnerships are living, breathing entities that require constant management and maintenance. They often contract and expand in direct proportion to the goings-on in each partners life or career.
You'll have to work really hard to maintain a successful one, but when you do, a great partnership can be one of the sweetest things in life. Good luck!
Hiring an attorney to draft and execute your paperwork may seem like an unnecessary expense for cash-strapped creatives but there's a reason for paying a professional to handle these tasks. As smart and as capable as you are, you may not be aware of all the ways you can be taken advantage of and how to prevent those advantages from being taken. You spent your time in art school, not law school. Leave the law to the lawyers.
Decision made: we're partnering!
OK. You've done your due diligence. You've clarified your vision, communicated your plans, figured out your work style differences and your vacation schedules and you've decided to go for it! Awesome! Creative partnerships can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling propositions. It can be wonderful to have a partner who shares your vision, revels in your success and helps ease the pain of failure. Just remember, partnerships are living, breathing entities that require constant management and maintenance. They often contract and expand in direct proportion to the goings-on in each partners life or career.
You'll have to work really hard to maintain a successful one, but when you do, a great partnership can be one of the sweetest things in life. Good luck!
This is great!!!! May I repost to Artinpraxis.org?
ReplyDeleteJess Solomon
Thanks Jess! I'm so glad you like it and want to share! Please send an email to me: greenlightyourself@gmail.com to discuss reposting. - Patranila
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