Work Basics: Meetings

Kicking off a new series of blog posts, here is a back-to-basics post on booking meetings.



Booking a meeting at work? Here are some key things to consider when bringing the team together in the animation industry.

EVENT DESCRIPTION

  • Reiterate date and time in event description, don't just leave it to the calendar booking software
  • Reiterate meeting location (boardroom, zoom, google meet, etc)
  • Attach or link applicable reference
    • Animatic
    • Contact sheet
    • Client reference/drawover
    • Network paths
    • Shotgrid playlist
  • State the purpose of the meeting (i.e. why are we gathering?)
  • Meeting title should reflect the purpose of the meeting
    • Ex, "Line 4 Ep 112 Team Check-in" is preferred over "112 Anim Meeting"
  • If applicable, ask attendees to come prepared (ex, having watched an animatic, read a script or document, etc)

WHO

  • Have you checked the calendars of key attendees to ensure the meeting time works?
  • Mark people as optional, can elaborate in event description as needed
  • Ensure the meeting is booked on the correct calendar (ex, if it is on your personal calendar and should be on the Layout calendar, adjust accordingly)
  • At the start of the meeting, quickly recap why we are here and verbally remind optional folks they can leave 
  • If using Gmail: add individual emails, not aliases (sometimes if you add a group and one person declines, it won't show up for anyone else)
  • If there are multiple Prod staff attending a meeting, confirm who is taking notes, who is recording, etc

TIME

  • Ensure there is a reminder that goes off at 5 minutes before a meeting starts!
  • Check meeting length - ok to book a 15-20 minute meeting if that is all you need, no need to stick to half-hour increments
  • Is this meeting booked at a time that works for key parties (i.e. you might have folks in multiple time zones)
  • Does this meeting fall within show or studio guidelines (ex, if your workplace has a No Meeting Wednesdays, you better not be booking a meeting on a Wednesday!)
  • Check - can this meeting be an email instead?
Above: @Soyouwannabeprod has TONS of excellent meeting tips and best practices

ETIQUETTE
  • Verbally remind attendees if we are going to record a meeting and note in event description
  • If you are hosting or leading the meeting, your camera should be on
  • Greet people as they come in, thank them at the end
  • IF WITH CLIENT - set your hangout or chat status to do not disturb (or whatever status will prevent chat notification pings happening in the background)
    • Remind anyone else on your team who might be screen sharing to do the same!
    • Remind the relevant team that their supervisor might be screen sharing with client, and to please hold messages for the next hour or whatever
  • IF WITH CLIENT - do a quick check at start of the meeting to ensure artists are muted (to eliminate b/g noise, some people forget to do this)

MEETING WRAP UP
  • Distribute applicable notes/recording
  • Do a quick recap of action items going out of the meeting 


Further learning

So You Wanna Be Prod has tons of excellent meeting tips and best practices
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

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