Consistency - is it a secret superpower for Independent filmmakers? Ep87

This week I'm talking all about consistency and debating if it's really that important to being a successful filmmaker?   If you're like me then consistency isn't your strength, which feels problematic considering so many thought leaders tout that consistency is the key to success.  So what are the benefits of embracing consistency, creativity, innovation, and the power of diverse perspectives? 

If you're interested in making movies that matter, building a sustainable career, and positively impacting your audiences, this episode is for you. Because I have a counterargument for why being consistently inconsistent can work just as well.

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Transcript

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Welcome to this week's episode of the Moonshine Moonshot Podcast. I'm talking about consistency today and why is consistency important. I think maybe the bigger point is to stop trying to do things the way someone else does them and just do it your own way. The world is full of should. You should do this. I did this, so you should do it that way too. It's just a whole lot of other people's rules, but if you want to succeed, do you have to be consistent? Welcome to the Moonshine Moonshot Podcast. I'm your host, Sue Collins, and if you've landed here, it means you're wanting to find out more about how to make filmmaking a sustainable career. And you're also curious about how to make meaningful work that fills your cup. You're ready to learn how to make movies that matter, build a sustainable career, and have a positive impact on your audiences. So you are in the right place. Filmmaking has so many parts, and I'm sharing what I've learned over the past 15 years producing impact films that reach their intended audience and support real-world change. So let's get started. We're always hearing consistency leads to success, consistency gets things done, consistency gets results. We're always being told this by marketers, by thought leaders, by coaches, well, you know, by pretty much everyone really. But I've got to say, one thing I am not is consistent. Take this podcast, it's due each Tuesday. And most weeks I can make that happen, but sometimes I can't. And then I miss a week. So now I'm inconsistent. So I'm consistently inconsistent. But where's the line? Because if I make it, my deadline, 50 out of 52 weeks, am I consistent? Or did I just become inconsistent? And it's all this talk of morning routines as well. You know, the folks who say, Oh, I get up at 5 30 every day to journal, work out, eat a healthy breakfast, and all this happens before 7 a.m. when I get ready to go to work. Blah, blah, blah. You know the person that I'm talking about. And honestly, I've got to say, I think most people maybe try that for a week and pack it in because frankly, it's like dieting. You know, you go really strong at the start, and then you realize it's just really hard, you don't enjoy it, and even though the benefits might be huge, you just can't keep it up. So, how could consistency help with filmmaking? Well, here's a few points. Visually, consistent cinematography, consistent lighting, color grading, these things all enhance a film's overall aesthetic appeal. A visual visually cohesive film contributes to a seamless viewing experience, capturing and maintaining audience attention. So that's a win for consistency. Narrative cohesion. Consistent character development and plot progression reinforces in audience engagement and their understanding of the film. And a well-structured and predictable story arc, well, it contributes to a more immersive and emotionally resonating film. So again, big tick for consistency there when it comes to narrative. What about collaboration? Well, I think consistency in communication and execution generates a pretty unified creative effort among all the different roles in filmmaking. And when everyone sticks with a shared vision and a standard of quality, the final product is much more likely to achieve that really polished result you want. So collaboration, big tick for consistency. But I think the key is to recognize when consistency is beneficial and when flexibility and adaptability are more appropriate. And I think the bigger point that I'm making here is that you need to find your own way. Because if you listen to everybody else's shoulds, you know, you should be consistent in everything you do to succeed, as an example. Well, if you're listening to that, you could end up putting energy into things that actually just don't work for you. Like the example before of getting up at 5 30 a.m. every day, no matter how tired you are, just to meet some consistency goal around morning routines. But instead of feeling really healthy and energized, you're going to end up exhausted and that will undermine your productivity. So I say it's okay to balance your week in a way that works for you. And, you know, maybe you're a night owl. Maybe your morning routine's never gonna work for you. Look, and I think this is all true of following in the footsteps and your heroes and mentors as well. You've got to be careful with that because they may have got their start, you know, last century, um, last decade, or possibly even only five years ago, but the world moves fast. And the way they went about getting to where they are now, it might not be available to you or simply not as effective now. I mean, take social media. Five years ago, it wasn't that hard to get followers on Instagram, and now it is an extremely time-consuming effort that goes into it, and it's just not as effective in your marketing. So if you're like me, try stuff out, see if it works for you, see if you can be consistent. You know, I'm great at getting to Pilates regularly. I have been going consistently for the last year. It works for me. But if it comes to posting on social media consistently, I suck. I just I can't do it. I just can't keep up with it. So can inconsistency actually be a superpower? Because as I said, I am consistently inconsistent, and yet I have made it to where I am now. Oh, I was just looking for a place where I could learn everything I need to know to make an amazing film that changes the world. It's such a shame that that place doesn't exist. Oh what? Hang on, it does. Oh, if you're looking for inspiration, ideas, tools, and ways to learn how to make movies that matter, head to Moonshine Communications Academy over at Instagram, and all your problems will be solved. Warning, results may vary depending on the questions, and success is not guaranteed. Always read the label Magic is anecdotal and the genie is not included. I guess in certain contexts, because can inconsistency, look, I think inconsistency can open doors to innovation, adaptability, and creative breakthroughs. And here are several reasons why I am in the fight to prove that inconsistency can be a superpower. All right, first one, adaptability and resilience. The ability to be inconsistent and adapt to new circumstances is a critically valuable skill. If you can pivot quickly and you can embrace change, you're going to be more resilient in the face of challenges. And let's face it, independent filmmaking has a lot of challenges. What about creativity and innovation? Creative pursuits often thrive on inconsistency. Breaking away from routine and exploring unconventional ideas can lead to innovation and originality. The willingness to challenge norms and embrace inconsistency can result in groundbreaking discoveries. What about learning and growth? You know, I'm a huge believer in lifelong learning because I think it helps you grow. So embracing inconsistency can foster, you know, continuous learning and personal growth. It, you know, being open to diverse experiences, even if they seem contradictory, can allow you to broaden your perspective and develop a more cohesive skill set. And if you thought about diversity of thought, inconsistent perspectives and approaches contribute to diversity of how you think. This diversity is crucial for solving complex problems and addressing challenges from multiple angles that can generate a more thorough understanding of an issue. And here's a really good one: entrepreneurial spirit. Look, entrepreneurship, inconsistency can be a superpower. Entrepreneurs often need to take risks. They need to try new strategies, adapt to market challenges. Being inconsistent in their approach allows them to test and iterate quickly, increase the likelihood of finding successful solutions. And I would, you know, honestly, I really believe all independent filmmakers are entrepreneurs. Why don't we consider breaking patterns? Because consistency can sometimes lead to feeling bored. Too much routine can make you feel stuck and unproductive. And that's a bad pattern. So introducing inconsistency can disrupt that pattern of, you know, um, routine that's generating boredom, particularly for creatives, and it can get you to think outside the box and find new solutions to problems. Let's think about human nature. Isn't human nature inherently inconsistent? And I think that can be a superpower in social and interpersonal contexts, because understanding and appreciating the nuances of human behavior can lead to more effective communication, collaboration, and relationship building. There's also embracing uncertainty. And I kind of touched on this earlier, but inconsistency in sorry, should I say inconsistent outcomes can come up and navigating that uncertainty? And for individuals who are really comfortable with uncertainty, it can really help you to excel in dynamic environments. And the comfort with the unknown, it actually really fosters adaptability and resilience. And hey, let's just be clear. Filmmaking is an incredibly uncertain environment. There are so many variables at every step. So fostering adaptability is really critical for filmmaking, particularly independent filmmaking. So there are my arguments justifying why my inconsistent or my consistently being inconsistent, you know, is actually a benefit to me and maybe my superpower. And I hope that helps you feel better if you're like me and you struggle to be consistent as well at pretty much most things, and you feel like the world's constantly telling you to be consistent if you want to succeed. Love to know your thoughts on this. Are you a consistent person or inconsistently consistent or just either, either or a mix of the both? Let me know. DM me over at Moonshine Communications Academy Instagram, and I will be back next week to talk to you about more things that they didn't teach you at film school. Speak to you next week. Thank you for joining me today and every week here on the Moonshine Moonshot Podcast. 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