What would Ridley do?
I have always tried to picture myself as Ridley Scott, someone I admire for the impact he has made on a global and industrial scale with movies like Alien, Thelma and Louise, Blade Runner, and Gladiator, and many more, alongside his timeless commercial work. Remember the Hovis commercial with the memorable tagline, “it’s as good today as it’s always been,” or Apple’s iconic 1984 Super Bowl Commercial? His name carries quality, expertise, and cultural impact, making him a titan in the worlds of enterprise and entertainment. Although I don’t make feature films, what I do is help build and grow brands. Yet, I choose Ridley to be my mentor and inspiration.
We both started our careers in London as designers and took to creating and making. Through art schools, then in commercial advertising and broadcast television, this was the place for creativity, for connecting with audiences. Much like Ridley, I embraced technology as an amplifier and practical experience as an accelerant. We both apprenticed as designers, although in 1963 when he cut his teeth on Z-Cars and Doctor Who, as a practical set designer, by the time it was my turn in the late '90s it was all digital. Through our experiences, we both got opportunities to direct. Ridley said, “I think, at the end of the day, filmmaking is a team, but eventually there's got to be a captain.” Having a chance to conduct and harness the talents of many is not for everyone, and it certainly wasn’t for me early in my career, as I focused on my craft. In 2001, I worked as an artist on Black Hawk Down, one of many Ridley brought together to see through his vision. I realized at this moment that to impact at this scale I would need to bring people together, and that began my journey to being a “captain”.
I have discovered great brands are like movies; they deliver innovative product and experience, harnessing the extraordinary efforts of people that come together with a common purpose and a vision or “brand” mission and values. If they don’t have that same common purpose and mission it all goes amok, then you have no direction, cue the director…
Individuals and teams of diverse talents, skills that range across a broad spectrum. Imagine when making a film you are bringing together the skills of writers, producers, finance & studio executives, distributors, technical operators, craftspeople, all who have different priorities in their roles - not unlike brands today.
If you are enticed to lead, you need their context, experience of their contributions, and be able to allow each and everyone the ability to do their best work to get the job done, and they need to be aligned on the same vision. This has been my experience of all the companies that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of. Just as a film that fails to assemble the appropriate cast & crew for its intended storyline ultimately flounders at the box office, similarly, companies falter when they don't align the right personnel with their vision and goals.
“It takes a village,” is a phrase used, most often, when you are on a film. Brands today can easily over-leverage one type of skill and neglect others, and it's easily done. In my experience, those most easily excluded are the creators, artists, and builders, those that understand the audience need over the business want - without them, there is no business.
Keep a broad and diverse team and give them a voice. You don’t get there if you don’t; your 'movie' won’t be seen and never be remembered, and it's unlikely you’ll make another, and you certainly won't build 'brands' like Ridley has.
Ridley's work across categories is commendable, where he can jump from futuristic, sci-fi to historic reenactments. I’m born with boundless curiosity and have never wanted to rinse and repeat, but take one experience to the next exploring new categories or stories, from entertainment to technology to healthcare. I see the basic understanding that, although the products are different, the audience is much the same, the talented people who contribute alike and the benefits delivered universal, this allows great freedom.
Today’s leaders have to have the context and ability to understand a very broad set of skills. They are the directors who need to harness the talents around them and bring them all together as one, to make up the whole from the sum and drive a vision and a worthy and innovative product experience.
Making a movie is an endeavor, much like building a brand. Out of thin air and nothingness, thousands of people come together to create magic in light, sound, and story. Making a 'great' movie is miraculous, as is making a great brand. So, someone with the credits Ridley holds to his name over the span of his career makes him a worthy mentor. I have spent my life making products and have always strived for greatness, from art to commercial advertising, to building and propelling iconic brands. I strive to build and create 'product,' and much like Ridley, I want it to be great.
Ridley Scott
