Bossing It: “A Company Is Its People, Not Its Logo, Computers, or Walls” with Kamil Rutkowski
Kamil Rutkowski has 20 years experience in the motion picture industry. He graduated from Warsaw University of Technology as MSc and Polish Film School in Lodz. During the years he worked in several companies, eg. Studio 128, Lightcraft , The Chimney Pot where he led DI department and digital film restoration dep. as CTO and DI Factory where he was a co-owner and CTO.
In 2020 he started Black Photon as a co-owner and CEO - post production facility that offers premium-grade feature films and television post production services. He was responsible for R&D, implementing new technologies and technical development of tools and workflows. Created web services and applications for video and audio data management, cinema certificates generation and management like DI KDM, DI View, DI Library. Co-creator of DIVO, CPL-Translator and Fisheye - dailies platform.
He was involved in first DIs in Poland, first 4k DI in Europe and led first digital cinema distributions in Poland. He designs and implements workflows starting from film-set till distribution and archival. Worked as DI specialist and DI supervisor on more than 250 movies.
He is also:
- SMPTE Poland chairman
- The Polish Committee for Standardization member and chairman of Technical Committee for Cinematography
- Member and Polish representative of ISO
- Member of IMFug
- University lecturer on Polish Film School in Lodz and Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School
He has presented his achievements at international symposia and schools, such as:
- New York Film School (New York)
- Polish Film School in Łódź
- Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School
- FMX (Stuttgart)
- InsightOut (Berlin)
- IDIFF (Paris)
- Camerimage
- SMPTE events
LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?
Kamil> I first headed the digital intermediate department in 2007. It was a difficult time for me especially as I went from being a colleague to being the boss in a very short time. I had no way to prepare for this function. But I think I managed. A while later I became head of another department running two in parallel. Unfortunately, I didn't have good references or mentors so I had to go this route on my own.
LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?
Kamil> I worked in several companies before I had my first opportunity to head up a department. I observed the bosses and did not like the behaviour of many of them. I don't like it when a lack of arguments is masked by shouting or a position of power. I promised myself that if I were ever to be a boss, I would strive for dialogue and problem solving by understanding both sides of a conflict. And once I became a boss, this is how I started to act, which I still do today.
LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?
Kamil> It's hard for me to pinpoint a specific moment, but I think one of the most important was founding Black Photon and becoming its CEO. In a fairly short period of time I faced a number of challenges that sometimes overwhelmed me.
However, I am fortunate that my business partners are also my friends and we help each other through the difficult times. I like the African proverb that says: "If you want to go fast then go alone, but if you want to go far then go together." This idea guides me in my life and I try to pass it on to others as well.
LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?
Kamil> I will admit that in the past I did not think of myself as a leader. It somehow happened organically. I think I have a few qualities that make me find myself in this role. I am able to listen to people and try to understand their point of view, I observe the market and I try to keep up with what is happening around us to react quickly.
I don't know what the definition of a good leader is, but I know I still have a lot to learn. Books and conversations with other leaders help me to develop my skills. It would be nice to have a mentor with whom I could discuss difficult situations and discuss options for the future.
LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?
Kamil> I think there are many definitions of leadership that are better suited to certain industries. Working in post-production, we work in services. We have to be attentive to the needs of our clients and also to the needs of our employees.
I think you have to have a set of qualities within yourself to be a leader and not everything can be taught. I don't think that every student who studies management will be a good leader. I think a good leader needs to be able to communicate, clearly define his or her expectations, understand the industry he or she works in, take care of his or her team, but also have the courage to make difficult decisions.
A good leader has to be prepared that if something goes wrong, he or she has to be able to face it, often remaining the only one on the battlefield who can do anything.
LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?
Kamil> I served as CTO for many years and technology is a hobby of mine and is still close to my heart today. In this role many things depended only on me and there was always a way out of any difficult situation through knowledge and hard work resulting in 100% success.
When I became involved in sales, I found it difficult to accept that not every deal would be a success. Like most of us, I don't like failures. But from each one, if it happens, I try to learn something and correct my next actions. A big challenge for me is to ensure that I have enough time for clients, employees and organisational tasks to achieve all the goals I set myself. Lately, I have been looking for and testing AI-based solutions to help me plan my various activities more optimally.
LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?
Kamil> Of course. It has happened many times. There were times when I trusted people who were not trustworthy, defined tasks imprecisely, lost vigilance, or didn't foresee the problems that arose. Every time, I try to learn something from it and see if a new method meets my expectations. Over the years, I have developed a few habits that help me anticipate certain situations by preparing in advance. This doesn't mean that I don't make mistakes, but I try to avoid making the same ones.
We have a rule in our company that we openly discuss the problems we notice within the organisation and talk about our decisions. Every piece of feedback is important for improving our skills, and without an outside perspective, we wouldn't know how we are doing. It's crucial to understand that another person's opinion, even if negative, is given in good faith to help correct actions, not to stigmatise the other person.
LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?
Kamil> I believe that openness and transparency are the only methods for long-term leadership. If you care about building a good team that respects and supports each other while also respecting and supporting their leader, it cannot be done without trust. It's hard to trust someone who is secretive, unreliable, or who sends mixed messages and divides people into "better" and "worse."
I think a good leader knows which information is important for the team and which needs to be kept confidential. They know how to delegate responsibility and hold others accountable. But all of this should always be guided by the good of the company and its people, and by striving toward a well-defined goal that everyone understands.
A leader must be cautious and thoughtful because they face a series of daily challenges, but that doesn't mean they can't be open to others.
LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?
Kamil> Unfortunately, I didn't have a mentor in my professional life who helped me develop my leadership skills. Instead, I was surrounded by people who, in my opinion, did exactly what a leader shouldn't do. So, in a way, I can say that I had mentors who showed me how not to do things :)
I really regret not meeting someone who could have guided me through various situations. Someone who would have told me to check three out of ten different paths because the others are dead ends—someone who, through their experience, could have become my guide.
I try to be a mentor. Some time ago, I told myself that if I had the right knowledge, I would pass it on to others, which is why I teach at film schools and take young people under my wing to help them reach their goals faster or inspire them.
LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?
Kamil> I think the times we live in are exceptionally dynamic. The technological revolution unfolding before our eyes means we're navigating particularly unpredictable waters. This is a significant challenge for a leader.
At Black Photon, we constantly strive to optimise the processes we've implemented, regularly checking if we can improve them. We continually test new tools available on the market to see if we can enhance our services or offer new ones. A range of tools based on ML and AI allows us to enter areas that, until recently, were inaccessible due to high investment levels or the need for specialised skills.
In these times, I feel a great responsibility to steer the company correctly. I try to make decisions based on analysed data, conversations with people around me, and staying up-to-date with trends in our industry. Black Photon was designed from the start to be a small but highly efficient company, allowing us to quickly adapt to changes and take new directions.
Our team understands that our continuous growth through the acquisition of new skills will ensure we safely navigate turbulent waters. Without a good crew, the ship cannot overcome the giant waves.
LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?
Kamil> At Black Photon, diversity and inclusivity are very important. We believe that every employee who joins the team brings a different set of experiences, unique interests, and most importantly, different aptitudes.
We care about ensuring that every employee feels comfortable in their workplace. We fight against exclusion and aim for universal respect and tolerance to be the paramount values within the company. We support initiatives such as Women in Post and FDOP (collective of professional female cinematographers). In Poland, new initiatives and associations like Women in Film are slowly emerging.
LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?
Kamil> I believe that company culture is especially important in the service industry. Our philosophy is that if we collectively foster the right company culture, we will create a place where both we and our clients enjoy coming.
When I give new clients a tour of Black Photon, we always start with our wall of autographs from cinematographers, directors, producers, and actors who have worked with us. I begin the story of Black Photon by saying: a company is its people, not its logo, computers, or walls.
Everything can change, but if the same people remain, the company will endure.
With this approach, both clients (though I prefer to call them partners, as we work towards the same goal together) and our employees feel comfortable getting to know each other, understanding each other's needs, and collaborating more efficiently on projects.
When I think about our company's culture, I think of the rules we've established, open communication, as well as the freedom and trust we share. I believe we have successfully built a friendly and supportive environment together. I am proud of our team and can't imagine a better one!
LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?
Kamil> As I mentioned earlier, I didn't have mentors who helped me along my professional journey, but I had the opportunity to attend a few courses that helped me understand and discuss various aspects of leadership. Over the years, I've read a series of probably standard books by Brian Tracy, David Allen, and a few Polish authors. I've watched hundreds of hours of tutorials on YouTube and read many articles, but I still know that I have a long way to go to reach perfection :)
