Movies That Connect To Our Work: ‘A Quiet Place’

As a digital producer at Gravity Jack, I am continually looking for ways to improve our overall process and procedures in order to maximize efficiency and communication amongst our team. Over the weekend, I found myself taking mental notes on this topic when I decided to go watch the newly released thriller, A Quiet Place (I’m a lowkey fan of Emily Blunt so it didn’t take much for me to be onboard).

When I go to the movies (which is pretty often) I want to maximize my experience, so even I found it interesting that I bought two $17 tickets to the Dolby Cinema which is known for providing a thunderous experience for a movie that is supposed to be silent — totally worth it.

I naturally chose the last row of seats in the corner where I’m least likely to be disturbed by other moviegoers. If I’m paying over $30 to watch a movie, I don’t want any distractions because an uncontrollable rage takes over when people are on their phones or make too much noise and there is a small chance I’ll lose it. Anyways, I digress…

Movies often draw parallels to our current reality. Whether it’s a motivational sports biopic, a post-apocalyptic war zone, or a corny romantic comedy — a great film makes the viewer connect with its content and think about their own life in some aspect. It’s one of the many reasons why we have favorite movies, it reminds us of ourselves.

This mostly happens unconsciously and often times it’s difficult to see the similarities, but if a person sat down to analyze a film they enjoyed, it all starts to make sense. We can have a deeper appreciation for the film and walk away with some lessons from the characters.

Overall, I was impressed with the film and took note of a few survival tips and felt that we could all benefit from the actions of the characters in this film. It’s rare to see a thriller where the characters, for the most part, did everything right as very few mistakes were made. The family in the movie is pretty much stuck living in a tough situation but clearly have their ducks in a row. This level of preparation made me think of my role and how a small agency can and should operate.

 Continue at your own risk.

A Quiet Place introduces a family of five in a world where creatures attack at the sound of loud noises which means being quiet equals survival. In my opinion, it presents an interesting dynamic that applies directly to small agencies such as Gravity Jack. With that in mind, I put together three takeaways that small businesses should keep in mind to increase their chances of being successful and survive.

 
Communication is everything

This is an obvious point, but it sets the tone for the entire movie. Since making any noise poses a risk to their lives, the family relies on sign language to effectively communicate to each other. It’s important to remember that each person is capable of speaking, but can’t — emphasizing the importance of self-control. Clear lines of communication have never been so important in a film. This translates to life at work by making sure all members of the team are in sync with how to communicate to each other and to set that bar from the start.

Know your strengths and weaknesses

There’s a pivotal scene in the movie where a character’s weakness turns out to be a strength for the family. In a small agency, every member of the team has an important role to play. Different members bring in different perspectives, skill sets, and energy. It’s important to recognize when and where a person needs assistance and it’s equally important to have a member provide backup. This ensures a steady workflow and eliminates any weaknesses because the team is solely relying on each other’s strengths. At Gravity Jack, we have software engineers, producers and sales executives where individually, these roles wouldn’t get too far but together, they have the ability to bring in a concept, plan and execute to completion.

Support system / Infrastructure

The leading character’s purpose in the film is to protect their children, survive, and find a way to fight back. The mother and father in the movie remained strong from beginning to end and had methods for communication, day-to-day tasks, training their children, and a plan for emergencies. Not once, in the movie did they waver or lose faith in front of their children. This created confidence in times of turmoil, when tough decisions needed to be made, everyone stepped up and followed the process.

In the office there are times where fires ignite, deadlines are quickly approaching, and team members need a process and leadership to follow as an example. When a new member joins the team and there are solid infrastructures, training programs, and processes for any scenario, it gives the new hire and current employees the tools to be successful. Through this, confidence remains high, productivity increases, and employees know that leadership is protecting them by keeping the company sustainable and finding ways to survive and move forward.

I believe these lessons will increase success for life in and out of the workplace. Go watch the movie if you haven’t already and please be quiet, we don’t want to listen to you struggling to open your sour patch kids for the first 10 minutes.

Written by Gravity Jack’s Digital Producer, Gilbert Sandoval JR.

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