A Time of Dying Respect

            During the course of the pat two weeks, I’ve contacted numerous professionals in my industry to conduct an informational interview on the topic of negotiating.  I will leave them nameless, but to say the least, my time isn’t worth as much as theirs.  So, I was forced into completing this assignment by interviewing one of my colleagues and fellow small business owner.  But, I think it turned out a bit better than I expected.  I spoke with the owner of Black List Productions, an independent film production company.

            The first topic of negotiation he and I discussed was BATNA, best alternative to a negotiated agreement.  He basically said that he rarely has a BATNA, and that is better for both the client and company to just focus on the project at hand.  He usually tries to maintain creative control to make flexible decisions easier.  He also stated that he keeps work delegation in the back of his mind during negotiations, in case he can’t do something, he won’t lose a client because of it.

            Next, we discussed the idea of mutual benefits.  He flat out said that it is non-existent in the film industry; there is only a queen bee and a worker bee.  I think he may have been over-exaggerating, but he made the good point that no matter how much each person bends, someone will always get the short end of the stick.  He also included that the biggest burden of reaching mutual benefit is general ignorance.  It’s hard to convince someone they are getting a good deal when they have no idea what is good, much less what is a deal.  He had some passionate words to share about a certain religiously influenced organization he was contracted to work for and how the deal went sour because of there lack of common sense and basic principles of business.

            And finally, we discussed the matter of people using dirty tricks, at his request.  He recalled on client that was, “brilliantly a pain in the ---!”  Going on to explain the project in great detail, I gathered that even after a contract is signed, people still try to be manipulative. Many people in the entertainment industry try to get more than what was agreed upon by not respecting the very chain of command that landed them whatever it was they needed.  It has become a growing trend that people don’t know how to separate work from friendships.

            Overall, what I’ve earned from this discussion is that people in this business simply have an apparent distaste for respect of the art of business.  It’s been obvious for decades that a handshake will no longer suffice, but now, it seems like backstabbing is no longer necessary.  People can sign contracts and, while staring their negotiating opponent in the eye, request something that is the equivalent of a Bowie knife being inserted into their side.  Maybe there is hope for legitimate mutually beneficial business transactions, but after this interview, and on this level, it’s looking grim.