As you may know I recently participated in CBC’s filmmaker’s challenge.  It was an interesting experience for me since as a director I am much more comfortable being behind the camera.   My stint on the show involved showing my film, talking about my work and then recieving an intense critique “American Idol” style from a panel of judges on national television.  It was a harrowing but useful experience.

The more I put myself out there as a filmmaker, the more I am critiqued.  As well, the more I am beginning  to understand the importance and power of a good critique.  A great critique can push you and your work into exciting terrain.  A detached eye will see things that you can no longer percieve.   That said, a bad critique can kill your self confidence, water down a strong creative vision and ultimately push you to go places  that you were never meant to visit.

So how to separate what is helpful and useful from the dribble?  A few tips:

CONSIDER THE SOURCE

Stephen King has a great passage in his book “On Wiriting” where he talks about his ideal reader.  King writes all his books specifically aiming to please just one reader.  In King’s case, that ideal reader is his wife.  King explains that you “ain’t gonna please everyone” and it is dangerous to try.  By keeping his ideal reader in mind and mostly soliciting critique from those he would deem of similar sensibility to this individual, King ensures that his work is at least going to speak to someone.

The Baby Cliff films are made for thirty-something men and women.   I am not telling a story to teens or fifty-somethings.   I am not expecting to entertain or please other demographics, if I do that’s great, but they are not my “ideal reader”.  Because I don’t expect to entertain non thirty-somethings,  I also  tend to take their critiques with a grain of salt.  Who is your audience?  Who are you telling your story to?  You can’t please everybody so just try to please that imaginary person, the one you really want to make smile.

IF TWO PEOPLE GIVE YOU SIMILAR FEEDBACK THERE COULD BE SOMETHING TO IT

A good piece of advice came from a writer friend.  He said that if he got the same critique from two different people then he considered it.  If not he considered disregarding it.  I think this piece of advice works for all critiques: creative or otherwise.     For example, if all your past boyfriends have pointed out to you that you are kind of bossy….well then sister… you might be a bit bossy.  There is strength in numbers.  Some of my best opportunites for growth as both a filmmaker and as a human being have come when two different people have pointed out the same flaws.

TRY NOT TO BE TOO DEFENSIVE

This is a tough one.  Especially when someone is attacking your work.  Trust me, getting defensive will only make you look unprofessional and weak.  I force myself to thank everyone who offers me a critique.  I do this even when I know they are totally out to lunch.  I do this because they are taking the time to view and critically think about my work.  They are investing in me.  I also do this because even a bad critique can potentially benefit me in terms of connections made and friendships built.

WRITE NOTES AND LET IT SIT FOR A FEW DAYS

A tool I use when recieving a particularly harsh critique is to take notes.  The act of writing something down seems to access a different part of my brain and functions to distance me from the immediate situation.  In much the same way as shooting video or taking a photo shifts my role from active participant to outside viewer, writing notes can serve the same function .  Distancing myself in this manner lessens the pain of the critique and as an added bonus creates a record of what was said.  I can then refer to and comtemplate my notes at a later/safer time.

LISTEN TO YOUR GUT AND BE CONFIDENT IN YOURSELF

The very reason you are being critiqued is because you made something in the first place!  Don’t lose sight of that and don’t forget to celebrate the act of creating itself.  As the old tired saying goes it is easy to critique and tough to create.  Chances are you know in your gut when you have gone astray, when you’ve left your cut too long or made a really bad music choice.  The more films you make the more critiques you will recieve and the easier the whole process will become.  The other thing that will happen as you make more films is that you will become increasingly more familiar with your own voice.  Once you find that voice,  speak confidently.

Ultimately through your films you are sharing your unique take on the world and the world is a better place for it.  Don’t ever lose sight of that.