As a media producer, you know that feedback is essential for improving your work and satisfying your clients. But sometimes, feedback can be harsh, vague, or even unfair. How can you handle negative feedback without losing your confidence, creativity, or professionalism? Here are some tips to turn negative feedback into a positive outcome in media production.
The first step is to acknowledge and thank the person who gave you feedback, even if you disagree or feel hurt. This shows that you respect their opinion and appreciate their input. It also buys you some time to process the feedback and avoid reacting impulsively or defensively. Thank them for their honesty, their time, or their expertise, and let them know that you will consider their feedback carefully.
Feedback is so important to improve the quality in any media production. It helps you to take a pause and relook at your work. When you look at your output again, from another person's point of view, it gives you a new perspective which may make you to correct or change or improve (whatever you call it) the content. After all, media production is a Creative & Team-driven work and it demands multiple ideas to converse to come out as a great output. Feedback always gives you a chance to improve upon your work in terms of information, communication & overall storytelling. Especially, negative feedback (if you call it 'negative') helps you to relook at your work and make it correct, and engaging, if required, thus serving the objectives.
This is a field where you need two things; thick skin and the ability to self evaluate. You shouldn’t be waiting for other people to give you negative feedback either. You should be evaluating your own work and asking yourself what you can do better next time.
Approaching negative feedback in media production requires a calm and objective mindset. Actively listen to the feedback, identifying valid points for improvement while separating emotional reactions. Seek clarification if needed and involve your team in the process to foster collaborative solutions. Develop a clear action plan, communicate changes effectively, and emphasize the positive transformations made as a result of the feedback. Encourage an ongoing feedback loop to continuously learn, reflect, and iterate, fostering an environment of constant improvement in your media production endeavours.
I believe people who give negative feedback, even if their intentions are to hurt you or make themselves feel better about themselves, are handing us gold. Their criticism is raw and unfiltered. Your friends are going to be much kinder to you, but that does not help. Listen to all the feedback and be honest with yourself. Push your ego to the side and ask if there is any truth to the feedback and learn from it.
How can you turn negative feedback into a positive outcome? To turn negative feedback into a positive outcome in media production, it is essential to remain calm and listen attentively to the feedback provided. Take the feedback as an opportunity to learn and improve. You can propose solutions and engage in constructive dialogue to find a way forward. Once you have received feedback and identified areas for improvement, implement the suggested changes and communicate the improvements transparently. Encouraging ongoing feedback can ensure continuous growth and refinement of your media production process.
The second step is to clarify and ask questions to understand the feedback better. Sometimes, negative feedback can be unclear, incomplete, or based on assumptions. You need to ask for specific examples, explanations, or suggestions to get a clear picture of what the person wants or expects from you. You can also ask for positive feedback to balance the negative and highlight your strengths. Asking questions shows that you are curious, open-minded, and willing to learn from the feedback.
Gaining clarification, and asking for specific examples and references helps dial in differences. Often times this can be done via email, but don't be afraid to get on a quick call to clarify something! Sometimes all it takes is hearing someone make the 'Woosh' sound to know exactly what kind of 'Woosh' they want!
We worked with a national video agency for nearly a decade when they stopped calling us. We later learned one of their clients had wanted us to cross the border into Tijuana without a carnet (paperwork listing camera gear). We said we would not be able to go without a carnet, because the federales could take our gear & insurance wouldn't cover it. The client complained & hired some other crew that didn't know or care about a carnet. After all the work we'd delivered to the agency for a decade, all it took was the word of one irate client to get us blackballed by the agency that never asked for our side of the story. Communication in a communication industry is key.
The third step is to evaluate and decide what to do with the feedback. Not all feedback is equally valid, relevant, or helpful. You need to use your own judgment, experience, and goals to decide which feedback to accept, reject, or modify. You can also seek a second opinion from a trusted colleague, mentor, or peer to get a different perspective. You should avoid taking feedback personally or letting it affect your self-esteem. Instead, focus on the constructive aspects of the feedback and how it can help you improve your skills, performance, or relationships.
Every feedback is valuable. It's always a advantage if you get to know how people react to.something. in most of the cases people just don't bother to give feedback and exit from your chain. Some even influence others with the bit of negativity they carry along. So if you are getting feedback just work on it and show your gratitude for the person really wants you to improve your product or service. Small things matters.
I would caution against what the AI is suggesting here re: modifying feedback. This is bad advice. I have never seen this play out well. If you are going to change feedback, you need to get alignment from the person who gave you the note first of all. Changing feedback or making decisions on what to accept or ignore in a vacuum will unravel quickly - it is best to have that conversation with your client directly and never, ever modify their feedback w/o consulting them and getting agreement first!
In scriptwriting, always look for 'the note behind the note'. In other words, some feedback you may agree with and others not ... but don't dismiss the latter. Even if you don't agree with the note, something in the script prompted the evaluator to make that note, so ask yourself this: I don't agree with the actual note, but what drove them to make that note in the first place? What did they instinctively pick up on? What jarred with them? That's 'the note behind the note'.
Scan through the feedback objectively, act on it based on your ultimate goal. Remain focused and don't change your course to criticism.
To turn negative feedback into a positive outcome in media production: 1. Listen and understand the feedback objectively. 2. Don't take it personally; focus on the work, not yourself. 3. Separate constructive criticism from irrelevant comments. 4. Reflect and evaluate the feedback's validity. 5. Engage in dialogue to gain insights and resolve misunderstandings. 6. Identify areas for improvement and develop an action plan. 7. Seek input from trusted colleagues or focus groups. 8. Iterate and improve based on the feedback received. 9. Communicate the changes made to show commitment to improvement. 10. Learn from the experience to become a better creator.
The fourth step is to act and follow up on the feedback. Once you have decided what to do with the feedback, you need to implement it in your work and communicate it to the person who gave you feedback. You can show them how you have incorporated their feedback, ask for their approval, or request further feedback. You can also thank them again for their feedback and share your progress or results. Acting and following up on the feedback shows that you are responsive, accountable, and professional.
My advice is whatever decision you make, get alignment first before doing the work. The worst thing you can do for your budget is spend a bunch of hours on something your client never agreed to. If you are going to implement their feedback word for word, then great, but if you decide to deviate from their specific requests, get them to sign off, especially if we're talking about BIG changes. There's some tricks and strategies to getting a client to agree to what you want, but if you send them revisions that completely ignore their POV, that is unacceptable.
I believe the action part is the most crucial one. At least from the customers pov. The idea of social media is to reduce/eliminate the distance between customer & service provider/product owner. The respond supported by actions helping to solve the issue asap & real time communication make a customer feel seen/heard & valued.
If you can, work with the feedback provider to address their observations. Make a plan, maybe jointly between you, and revisit their fedback after a while. Have you made progress? Do you feel better about it? Have you resolved their concerns?
The fifth step is to learn and grow from the feedback. Negative feedback can be a valuable opportunity to learn new skills, discover new ideas, or overcome new challenges. You can reflect on what you have learned from the feedback, how it has improved your work or career, or what you can do differently in the future. You can also document your learnings, share them with others, or apply them to other projects. Learning and growing from the feedback shows that you are adaptable, creative, and resilient.
In my opinion, there’s no such thing as negative feedback, it’s someone’s opinion or even insight, that your audience could also share. I see it as constructive criticism. The only way to get better is through analysis and sometimes it’s not always what we want to hear. But most cases then not, it always catapults us to better skills, growing as a creative and helps to minimize similar mistakes in the future. When you get feedback, don’t let it hold you down or make you think you aren’t good enough. You’re great, and there’s always room for improvement. Learn, grow and go harder next time!
One thing I've found in media production is that negative feedback can sting, but it's also a hidden goldmine for growth. You have to learn and grow from it, see it as a roadmap to make your work even better. So, first, take a deep breath and avoid taking it personally. Instead, listen actively, ask clarifying questions, and really understand the critique. Then, step back and analyze the points
Whenever we produce some kind of content or media, it’s bound to receive feedback. There is no such thing as a ‘negative feedback’. Feedback is feedback- positive or otherwise. The best practice is to acknowledge all kinds of feedback. Response to feedback gets more engagement and an opportunity to learn directly from the viewers/audience what’s working for them and what’s not. Sometimes when producing media content (or anything for that matter), we get rather attached to our project and its outcome and when it doesn’t turn out to be desired we get really bummed. What we think would work sometimes doesn’t and what we think won’t sometimes does. The best way is to learn directly from your audience what’s working and incorporate it.
No matter how bad the feedback is, it is a learning experience, and can be explained as such. You learn, and then grow as an individual and as a company.
What we generally call negative feedback is a review of our performances by an outsider from another perspective which are mostly contrary from our viewpoint. It gives an opportunity to see things differently either to correct them or try to correct and educate the perception of the audience where that feedback is coming from. It's an opportunity to reach out beyond ourselves.
The sixth step is to celebrate and reward yourself for handling negative feedback well. Negative feedback can be stressful, demotivating, or discouraging. You need to acknowledge your efforts, achievements, or growth that resulted from the feedback. You can also treat yourself to something you enjoy, such as a break, a snack, or a hobby. Celebrating and rewarding yourself shows that you are confident, positive, and proud of your work.
The best celebration is one that builds confidence and resilience in facing feedback. Our ability to manage feedback is a result of our openness to learn and make improvements from what we have done. But let's not allow this sense of pride to make us feel superior. Because often, excessive pride makes it difficult for us to accept feedback, leading us to react defensively when faced with it.
Negative feedback is generally some comment or observation about yourself or your actions that you feel bad about. It's not necessarily bad - take time to consider that and what you can do about it. Take small steps to improve, ask others to help and celebrate improvements, however small, by yourself or with others. It's a great way to reward yourself for confronting something you find difficult or unpleasant and gives you something to look forward to.
One approach is to dissect the criticism to understand its core. It could be about plot holes, character development, or technical aspects like editing or cinematography. Example "Toy Story 2" the initial version of the film faced criticism due to its story lacking depth. Pixar use the feedback as an opportunity. They revamped the storyline, reworked character arcs, & refined the film's emotional resonance. The result? "Toy Story 2" became a critical & commercial success. Beyoncé's album "4" faced mixed reviews regarding its experimentation & departure from her usual style. Beyoncé later incorporated elements from the criticism, creating her self-titled album, "Beyoncé," which received widespread acclaim for its innovation and artistry.
Try to separate the feedback message from the messenger who is giving it. It's not about losing friends, making enemies or exchanging insults. Properly-given feedback is intended to be helpful to your professional and personal development.
Director Producer Cinematographer New Media Films TV at The Nomad Rides Productions
There are no negative feedbacks. You think its negative because its contrary to what you think. eg. when I have developed a concept or a script and I need feedback - I send it to people who I know and trust will not say ohh its great just to make me feel better or perhaps they are afraid to raise thier voice. I value feedback that is totally contrary - it makes me think of another angle. At the end of the day - you are the decision maker. It is your baby, your story, your concept and your project. You take the final decision but always be open to other ideas and takes and ways of thinking. It will only enrich your project.