When you deserve credit (and when you don’t)

I’ve worked with Nike, Disney, and Toyota, and none of those logos are on my website. Why? Because I’m not that concerned with getting credit for my work. 

Now you may be asking, “Isn’t getting credit for your work essential to new business as a creative freelancer?” Let me tell you a story. Then you can tell me. 

One time I was producing a music video, and an assistant manager for the artist showed up to set. He had been on a few preliminary emails, pushing paperwork through, and getting contracts sorted out. Helpful stuff, no doubt. But when he showed up on set (three hours into the setup, by the way) he walked right up to the director and shared ideas for shots. In the moment, it rubbed everyone the wrong way, but we brushed him off, and kept the line moving to complete our shot list. Then, just after we called “that’s a wrap”, he was the most vocal person on set–congratulating everyone, shaking hands, and making his voice heard. Meanwhile, the people who made the creative vision come together cleaned up in silence while the assistant manager networked. 

Seeking credit for your work is a major roadblock to doing good work. Because it takes you out of the moment. It puts you in a self-centered place. And it puts the power in someone else’s hands as to whether or not you should be credited at all. 

The alternative option is to be so undeniably good at your job, to be of such service to your team, and to be so essential to the success of the project that no one can deny you credit. No one can take it away because no one can give it to you. When you earn the credit, the project is yours to talk about. In the case of the Nike, Disney, and Toyota projects, I helped out on them for sure. but I’m not positive I had a profound impact on the project, or that the key creatives would remember my name. And jawing for credit from the back of the room would only be a bad look on me.

Personally, I’d never willingly work with that assistant manager again. But the 1st AC who kept his head down and pulled focus masterfully all day? I call him every time I’m in town.