Classical Management in the Film Industry

Henri Fayol’s Theory Of Classical Management in the Film Industry

While there is many independent workings in the film industry there is no such thing as the human relations approach.

In Katherine Miller’s book Organizational Communication Approaches and Processes We look at Henri Fayol’s Theory of Classical Management and how this relates to the film industry through Gail Resnik’s book All You Need to Know About the Movie and TV Business.

While Gail and Scott’s book was made in 1996 it still approaches modern management teachings in the film industry, because classical management has never truly left Hollywood and is still engraved into it’s structure and model.

SO LETS GET TO IT!

Summary Of Henri Fayol’s Classical Management TheoryHenri Fayol’s Classical Management Theory describes two aspects of management. One aspect is the ”elements of management” which which deals with what managers should do, as well as the” principles of management” which deals with how the managers should enact on the elements. It shows exactly how a classical organization should run, how they are structured, and how how rules deal with these structures. (Miller, 19-23).

Summary Of Above The Line Vs. Below The Line

In All You Need To know About the Movie and TV Business Gail Resnik talks about the job titles of management and employees in Above The Line and Below The Line jobs, points out key factors to hierarchy, and how the jobs work. This gives me useful information to prove that Henri Fayol’s Theory Of Classical Management applies to Gail Resnik’s book.

The Elements Of Management In The Film Industry

There is five fundamental elements of management which are: planning, organizing, command, coordination, and control (Miller,19-20). These can all be broke down by each fundamental element and can be applied to Gail’s book by pointing out the elements through management jobs in the film industry, as well as breaking it down to a kind of hidden hierarchical structure.

Planning Element in the film industryEverything involves planning. Pre-production is all about the end goal and what you need for that goal. It comes down to the producer and executives to decide on what is needed and how much it will cost. It’s then its up to the above the line and below the line employees to keep that amount of money under the maximum amount they can spend. The Costs of labor with talent and employees are made, props,design,locations, and licenses are paid off. All of this is done before one scene even gets filmed.

Organizing element in the film industryThe arrangement of film industry talent and employees are very hierarchical, but is not brought in the film industry (Resnik,37). Throughout the film industry there is mostly a horizontal communicative system along with some vertical branching, but this is also how the ranking works. Much of the hierarchical vertical from above the line to below the line employees then branches to their specific subgroups which are ruled by managers of those groups. The organization of employees are very complex, but well organized, as to allow smooth communication and labor flow.

Commanding element in the film industryThe third element of management is the commanding element in which Fayol describes as the element in which managers set tasks for employees in order to meet organizational goals. (Miller,19). This is what the film industry is all about, you could think of it as a “big monster”, because there are so many job titles and subgroups on one film that it all gets done by the whole. Yes, one is important, but a person has to stick in his subgroup and his job title, because there are rules that one must follow by their manager that allows them to stick to one specific task.

Coordination element in the film industryCoordination is the element that allows activities of the organization to unify to a single whole (Miller,20). It’s true that everyone in the organization is unified to a degree to accomplish the goal of creating the film. While there is a complex network of employees and communication structures, everything still comes down to one unified goal.

Control element in the film industryThe last element in Fayol’s theory of classical management is control. Control is the comparison between goals and activities that keeps the organization functioning (Miller,20). All managers In their specific departments or an hierarchical line has activities and goal control and know how and when things get done.

Principles of management – The Principles of Organizational

StructureInstead of discussing what of management there is how management functions (Miller,20). There are six principles that Fayol follows:• The first principle is ”Scalar Chain”, which means that the hierarchy and communication should be vertical (Miller,20). This is mostly true

when it comes to film, but in some cases both can go vertically • The second principle is the “Unity of command”, this means a employee should receive orders for a particular task from one supervisor

only (Miller,20). This happens regularly in the film industry, because your main supervisor will be head person of your department.• The third principle is the “Unity of direction”, which make activities with similar goals placed under one single supervisor (Miller,20). This

is true and happens especially in film, because there are many jobs in pre-production, production, and post-production that there has to be single supervisors in the subgroups to manage and keep the group in line.

• The fourth principle is the “Division of Labor”, this means work can be accomplished if employees are assigned to limited number of tasks (Miller,20). This is agreeable, because labor in the film industry is assigned to a small number of specialized tasks that the employee learns and sticks to that task throughout his/her job.

• The fifth principle is ”Order”, meaning there should be an appointed place for each employee and a task within the organization (Miller,20). This is is also valid when it comes to the film industry, because every employee is appointed usually one task and always is appointed a place within the aspects of production.

• Lastly, the sixth principle is the “Span of control” (Miller,20). This means managers will be most effective if they have control over a limited number of employees (Miller,20). This is also what happens in film industry, because most managers are only in charge of their specified subgroup of employees, meaning smaller subgroups that make up a larger picture.

The Hierarchy of the Film IndustryMost of the film industry runs through Fayol’s Classical Management Theory in which hierarchy runs mostly vertically, but with few exception there is a ”gangplank” that links horizontally at some hierarchical level(Miller,20). Throughout the above and below the line employees there starts to be a branching effect in which subgroups are made, this is done by trickling down from Producer all the way to the gaffers (Resnik,35-67).

The Principles of Organizational Power

The next three principles of management deal with power within relationships in the organizations (Miller,21).

The first principle of power is “centralization”, which mean that central management has control over decision making and employee activities (Miller,21). This is true, because producers throughout the subgroups do have control over the decision making through the employees (Resnik 35-67).

Authority and Responsibility Principle

TThe second principle of power is “authority and responsibility”, this means that managers should hold authority to the organization and have their own characteristics (Miler,21). I think this relates to the fiml industry, because characteristics go a long way when your training and supervising your employees.

Discipline PrincipleThe last principle of power is ”discipline” in which all organizational members should be obedient to the rules of the organization and to the managers who enforce them (Miller,22). This does happen to the film industry, because is employees aren’t obedient to there managers and to the organization then there will be no communication and it could ruin and prevent the industry from getting anywhere.

Principles of Organizational RewardThe next set of principles regard the rewards in organizations which include Remuneration of personnel, Equity, and Tenure stability (Miller,22). The first of the three principles is “remuneration of personnel”, which means employees should be rewarded with appropriate salaries and benefits. In the film industry pay is presented fairly with work, except the A list actors and above the line which can be drastically boosted (Resnik,35-36).

Equity Principle in Film Industry

In the “equity” principle employees should be treated justly (Miller,22). This isn’t always the case in the film industry, because many actors and employees should be treated better then they usually do, but in many cases employees are where they want to be and are treated with respect even with hierarchy over their heads.

Tenure Stability in Film IndustryThe third reward principle is “tenure stability”, which means the organization should guarantee sufficient time on the job for employees to achieve maximum performance. The problem with this principle is that there are usually long hours in the film industry, sometimes even 12 hours long work days (Resnik,57).

Principles of Organizational AttitudeThere are three principles of Organizational attitude, Subordination of individuals interest to general interest, Initiative, and Esprit de corps (Miller,22).

• The first principle of reward is “subordination of individual interest to general interest”, which means An organization can be effective only when the interests of the whole take precedence over the interest of individuals (Miller,22). This happens in the film industry, because everyone is under one goal which is to finish the production processes and complete the film.

• The second principle of reward is “initiative”, which means managers should value and direct an employee’s efforts to work in the best interest of the organization (Miller,22). This happens in the film industry, because the managers in the subgroups always make sure their employees are in the best interest of the organization as a whole and contribute to that specific role in production.

• Lastly, the third principle is “Esprit de corps”, which means all for one and one for all (Miller,22). This is definitely what one f the values is for the film industry, because without ones work getting done it can stop and halt production. Everyone has to be included and needs to put in their effort.

Summary of Henri Fayol’s Theory of Classical Management

There are many ways that Fayol’s Theory can compare to the film industry and just like the theory, the film industry itself can be highly structured and very complex. It’s full of archaeal and classical management perspectives, but as it follows classical ways, to me, it’s still one of the best industries to be in. There are three questions I would like to still figure out though.

• How would Fayol feel about today’s modern film industry still using classical approaches?

• Is there some other organizational approach in the film industry?• In the future will be organizational changes to the film industry?

Work CitedMiller, Katherine. Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes. 7th ed. Stamford, CT:

Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

Resnik, Gail. All You Need to Know About the Movie and TV Business. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Print.