leadership dot #2082: in conjunction

If you pay attention to the opening credits of movies, you will notice that they are longer than they used to be. Whereas one major studio used to bankroll an entire show, now you will see multiple production companies involved in presenting the film.

I first noticed this when I saw The Greatest Showman, brought to the theatre by three production companies. I thought this may be an anomaly given all the technical aspects of filming a musical, but it is not out of the norm. The Post, a basic drama, required six production companies. Shape of Water and Three Billboards each had three while Jumanji was produced by four different entities.

I think about the competitive nature of the movie industry, yet somehow it has become routine for multiple companies to collaborate instead of compete. They have pooled both fiscal resources and human talents to make something that would not be possible without a joint venture. And it’s not just a few companies; for the five films mentioned above 17 different production firms are involved.

How can you take a lesson from this and find ways to partner with those inside your industry? Your collaboration could become a showstopper for all of you.


The Post: Dreamworks Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Amblin Entertainment, Participant Media, Pascal Pictures, Star Thrower Entertainment
Shape of Water: Bull Productions, Double Dare You, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Three Billboards: Blueprint Pictures, Film 4, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Greatest Showman: Chernin Entertainment, TSG Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox
Jumanji: Matt Tolmach Productions, Radar Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment