Unreasonable Hospitality in VFX
In today's video, we're diving into a unique and powerful concept that can revolutionize how you approach your projects and client relationships: Unreasonable Hospitality. Inspired by Will Guidara's book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, I’ll explore how going above and beyond in the VFX world can create lasting relationships and elevate your work.
We'll discuss Guidara’s principles—radical generosity, human connection, attention to detail, and creating magical moments—and how they can be directly applied to visual effects and creative services. From delivering unexpected value to nurturing strong client relationships, these ideas can set you apart from the competition.
We'll also look at how Guidara’s experiences in the restaurant industry, particularly at Eleven Madison Park, translate into our world of filmmaking and VFX, touching on pop culture references like The Bear, where these principles are vividly portrayed.
If you’re eager to elevate your VFX work or just interested in a fresh perspective on customer service, you won’t want to miss this!
Transcript
Hi, and welcome back to VFX for Indies, I'm Paul DeNigris. I'm the CEO and founder of VFX shop, Foxtrot X-Ray, and we provide visual effects and mentorship to independent filmmakers and creators. In this video, I want to share something a bit different, but highly relevant to anyone working in the creative world, especially those in the visual effects industry like us at Foxtrot X-Ray. We're going to talk about a powerful concept called unreasonable hospitality and how this idea can transform the way you approach your projects and client relationships.
It all comes from a brilliant book by Will Guidara, a world-renowned restaurateur, and it's called Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect. First, let's talk about Will Guidara. Will is a hospitality visionary who, along with his team at Eleven Madison Park helped transform the restaurant into one of the best in the world, reaching number one on the 50 Best Restaurants list in 2017, and receiving three Michelin stars. That's like the restaurant equivalent of winning an Oscar or the Palme D'Or at Cannes. But what made their success truly unique wasn't just the food. It was the exceptional level of care they provided to every single guest. Will captured these insights in Unreasonable Hospitality, which is all about the idea of going above and beyond to deliver more than what's expected.
Sounds simple, right? But when applied thoughtfully, it's a game changer.
If you've ever watched the Emmy winning TV series, The Bear, you've seen these principles in action. The second season episode titled "Forks" really explores the importance of hospitality, drawing directly from Guidara's book, which Richie can actually be seen reading at one point in the episode. It's no surprise that Guidara himself is now a co-producer and writer on the series.
In the book, Guidara shares the transformative impact that radical hospitality can have on any business. And it's not just limited to restaurants.
The same principles that turned Eleven Madison Park into a world-renowned restaurant can apply to visual effects and really any creative service industry. Let's dig into this idea.
Guidara's first key point is the concept of *radical generosity*. The idea of giving more than what's expected. In the restaurant world, it might mean a special off menu dish or a complimentary dessert. But how does this apply to VFX? Well, imagine delivering a project where you've refined a key scene beyond the agreed upon scope.
Or maybe you offer creative alternatives that solve problems the filmmaker didn't even realize they had. In visual effects, it could be as simple as going the extra mile with texture work or lighting to elevate the look. For me, that sometimes takes the form of spending a little extra time on a shot because I realize how important that particular moment is to the client and to their film.
That's something you just get a feel for as you talk with a filmmaker and more importantly, listen to them.
So let's talk about the importance of that *human connection*. In Guidara's world, it's about making the guest feel seen and understood. In VFX, this means building strong relationships with filmmakers, directors, producers. VFX isn't just about executing someone's vision. It's about collaborating and solving problems together.
By deeply understanding the filmmaker's goals and vision, you can offer creative solutions that align with their story.
The trust built from these personal connections can lead to long term collaborations. It's not just about the work. It's about how you make your clients feel throughout the process.
Guidara emphasizes the importance of *empowering your team*. In his restaurant, staff were encouraged to take initiative in delivering exceptional service. In VFX, it's about trusting your artists to find innovative solutions to creative challenges. When your team feels ownership of their work and the freedom to make decisions that enhance the project, you'll often find that the final product exceeds expectations.
Empower your VFX artists not to just execute tasks, but to think creatively and to offer improvements that can make a huge difference in the final output.
Attention to detail is everything in VFX, just like in hospitality. Guidara talks about how small, thoughtful gestures can create memorable experiences for guests.
In visual effects, attention to detail can mean the difference between a good shot and an amazing one.
If it's not perfect, it doesn't go out.
Whether it's tweaking lighting to perfect the integration of CGI in live action, finessing the textures, or adding subtle details to make effects more realistic, these small touches don't go unnoticed.
Filmmakers will remember the extra effort you put into perfecting their vision and putting energy into the details they themselves may have overlooked.
In the world of VFX, *exceptional service* can set you apart from the competition. Good VFX work is expected, but when you provide that unreasonable hospitality - being proactive, anticipating and solving problems before they arise, and exceeding expectations - that's what filmmakers will remember.
They'll come back to you, not just because your VFX is great. but because you've made the whole experience seamless and enjoyable. That's your competitive edge.
Guidara teaches us that hospitality doesn't have to stop at the obvious. It can extend *beyond what's expected.* For VFX studios, this means being a true partner in the filmmaking process, not just a vendor. You can offer pre production advice to help filmmakers maximize their budgets, or guide them through how certain effects can enhance their story.
When you're invested in their vision from the start, you're earning their trust to excel at what you do, leading to the possibility of collaborating on bigger projects in the future. Or you could offer to do a final QC of the film after it's been through the colorists hands, to ensure that all the VFX works well in context and no new issues have cropped up during color grading.
What "going beyond the expected" looks like will be different for each creative and each project. The important thing is to consider how you can add value to your relationship with the client.
Lastly, Guidara's idea of *creating magical moments* can be applied directly to VFX. Think of those times when you deliver a shot that just blows the director away, where they say, "This is better than I even imagined." Moments like that create lasting emotional impact. Maybe it's solving a problem they thought was impossible or delivering an effect that perfectly captures the emotion or the story point they were aiming for.
Or maybe it's when they need VFX to save the day because the limitations of time and money on set made them compromise something that ultimately hurt the movie.When a VFX team can deliver on those types of shots, it's magic indeed. And these magical moments build loyalty. And that's how you turn a client into an advocate for your studio.
So what can the VFX industry learn from Will Guidara's book, Unreasonable Hospitality? Whether you're delivering VFX for a low budget indie film or a big budget blockbuster, these principles- radical generosity, human connection, attention to detail, and creating magical moments- can elevate your business and foster long term relationships with filmmakers. Here at Foxtrot X-Ray, we're committed to serving our clients' stories and to making them feel cared for and nurtured throughout the process. We've been where they are: in the weeds, eager to finish their project, but not sure if there's enough money and time to pull everything off. And maybe a little unsure of the whole VFX process.
And it's our job to help them through to the other side.
Hey, if you found this video helpful, please be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel for more insights into the world of visual effects. And if you're using the principles of unreasonable hospitality in your business, tell us about it. We'd love to hear from you. Until next time, keep creating and we'll see you in the next video. For Foxtrot X-Ray and VFX for Indies, I'm Paul DeNigris. Thanks so much for watching.
