The other evening I attended a group of people practicing various arts—photography, writing, acting, etc.—who are interested in collaborating. I made a suggestion that, to my surprise, stirred up a few of them.
I suggested we set a broad theme for a small project that we would do either individually or as a collaboration with one or more others. Then we could put together all the things people came up with and that would be a collaboration, too.
A few of the members recoiled at this suggestion.
One said he doesn’t like to do exercises.
Another said he has to get to know people for maybe six months, to find out what they are all about, before he would even consider a collaboration.
Maybe this was a clash of cultures. I’m from Germany originally although I grew up in the States and have lived in the UK for over 20 years. All those countries tend to have a 'let's get on with it' approach. The objectors were from the Latin countries which typically take a more leisurely approach.
ONE GOAL, TWO VIEWS
Our goals were not actually different. I also want to get to know someone and what they are all about but I think the best way to do that is to look at the art they produce and to try out a short-term collaboration.
Spend a month drinking coffee or wine with somebody and you’ll find out what they’d like to do or what they think they do. Spend an hour looking at their work or a day trying to collaborate and you’ll learn what they actually do.
ARE ARTISTIC EXERCISES MEANINGLESS?
In turn, I was shocked by their rejection of an exercise as something that has no meaning.
One thing I realized after a few years of writing a variety of scripts (sitcoms, TV movies, stage plays) is that even if you are assigned a topic, parts of you will shine through. You can’t help it.
It’s tempting to dismiss each other’s viewpoints but sometimes the best collaboration comes from understanding a different way of looking at things.
Maybe I’ll make my exercise having coffee with the objectors.
They won’t know it, but we’ll be collaborating.
(Collaboration is one of the many topics you’ll find covered in my book, “Your Writing Coach,” published by Nicholas Brealey and available from Amazon or you other favorite book seller.)
