Why No Is More Powerful Than Yes

The best decision I made for Parthenon Pictures was saying no. As a filmmaker, you're bombarded with questions. At the end of the day, you, as the producer and the director, you need to be able to answer them. There are times you have to say no.

You always want to set yourself up for success, and being able to say no is very scary. You want to make everyone happy. You want to be able to grow yourself as an artist, and grow yourself as a business owner. Being able to say no is the start of a strong, lasting career.

Director Dimitri Lazaris and Cinematographer Saman Aledavoud collaborating while on set.

There is a lot of times you will need to say no. At Parthenon Pictures, we pride ourselves with the quality of work we produce for our clients. There are times that budgets are not always that high, but the expectation is out of scope. We always work with your budget, because a low budget doesn’t mean cheap work that doesn’t engage. We guide our clients in the best way to tell their story, with the budget they are allocated. There are times though, that the budget doesn’t align with the expectations. Scope can creep, and you want to make them happy- You are setting yourself up for failure. The client will not be happy with the work if you promise something you can’t deliver. As a filmmaker you will be stretched thin, with your reputation on the line. Say no.

I always say you have to take risks. And you know what? Saying yes to risks is what will make you grow, but make sure you're taking calculated risks. You don't want to extend yourself beyond something that you're not ready with, because as a filmmaker and as a business owner, you need to be making the decisions that are best for you.

So when you're ready to say no, say no, but also provide a solution.