I’ve been reflecting this week on how much of our production process was built around being together, and the impact that remote working has had on our team.
At the core of our business as filmmakers, there’s just no way to create great content without being in the same room.
Here are a few things we’ve learned as a production team over the past few years:
Vision and goals are even more important. When you’re not working together in the same room, it’s even more important to have a north star that everyone is tracking. For us at Atomic Spark, this has been important at a project level as well as company wide. It’s easy to get wrapped up in a particular task and lose track of the bigger picture. Take the time to establish a clear picture of where you’re all headed, and remind each other of this often.
Regular check-ins are critical. Even if the work is getting done, it’s easy to lose track of where each other are. Stress creeps up. Little things become bigger things. When we’re not together, there isn’t the opportunity to be part of each other’s lives in the same way. Make time to talk, and not just about the little fires that need to be put out each day.
Asynchronous written communication skills are essential. It’s so important to be able to share your thoughts and ideas with others using the written word, and doing so has given our team greater flexibility with our schedules and work-life balance.
As a team, we’re on a journey of learning and improving how we do remote work. It’s not been easy.
What have you learned from working remotely?
