Bossing It: Michael Gregory on Surrounding Yourself with Good People
Michael is the founder of NOISE studio. Set up at the end of 2022 after leaving the MILL as ECD. Prior to that he spent 6 years at MPC LA and 10 years at MPC London.
A creative director with exemplary aesthetic sensibility, expertise on leading teams through large-scale projects, and long-standing relationships with top directors. A Central St Martins design graduate, Michael brings a detailed and original vision to his craft. His impressive portfolio of work includes some of the industry’s most acclaimed commercials, including the double Cannes Gold Lion winning and triple VES winning Samsung ‘Do What You Can’t’ spot directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen.
In 2021 Michael picked up a VES award for best animation for a commercial he directed for Arm and Hammer. Michael has over 20 awards for Visual Effects. Those include Cannes Gold Lions, VES, British Arrows, D&AD, AICP, Shots, LIA, Shark, EPICA, Clio and a Darts Trophy from the Dog and Duck.
LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?
Michael> My initial foray into leadership began in the bustling environment of kitchen work at the age of 14, where I quickly advanced from washing dishes to managing my own section. I really enjoyed the team spirit and togetherness you have in a kitchen. It taught me timing, clear communication, quality and camaraderie.
After graduating, I started working as a runner at MPC in 2003. Whilst there I got to witness, and later be involved in some incredible commercials like Sony “Paint”, Miller “Downhill”, Basement Jaxx “Where’s Your Head at”, 3 “Three Pony”, Cadburys “Gorilla”. The teams involved in these projects were some pretty iconic industry leaders. It was infectious. From the directors to the agency, production and VFX producers, and lead artists. This is where I mastered the art of fine craftsmanship.
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?
Michael> Well I think everyone wants to be a good leader. Or think they are. I’ve witnessed the good, the bad and the awful. Talent retention is always a good marker for the quality of leadership. Good leaders are the ones that make you feel special, wanted and appreciated. Ones that want to see you do well, grow and progress.
Personally I set myself very high expectations in my own work. I think this inspires people to produce work and ideas at a similar level. I love to nurture talent and watch people grow. Come in hungry with raw talent and explode. It’s great. This is one of my favourite parts of leadership.
LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?
Michael> Part One – Early Days
My first moment of “ok, I got this” was when I was asked to make a music promo for Channel 4 Street Summer season. Google street view had just come out. The director Neil Gorringe set the brief. He wanted to scroll down the street exactly like you do in google but zoom in and the scene needed to come to life. We worked out how to shoot it. It was very technical, involved many different camera rigs. I was super nervous the night before the shoot. It was a “if this doesn’t work it's game over for me”.
I remember wrapping day one and going back to the office and putting a rough comp together. The mad idea worked. Phew. The spot looked great and I got a British Arrow and presented my work at an industry event in Amsterdam alongside ILM and Weta. After that I had full confidence in my ability and leadership. Sometimes you have to take a chance. I learnt to trust myself, and to trust my team.
Part Two - Now
Celebrating our first birthday. It was very emotional. We made it whilst working with great people on really good creative. We learnt so much. We all chipped in, doing multiple jobs. Everyone went above and beyond x1000.
At the beginning the balance sheet was taking a hit. We kept pitching on jobs that either died or were awarded to a different director. It tested me for sure but I had to keep positive and confident both for myself and the team. It was maybe job 6 that landed and after that we got a lovely run of luck. We will forever be grateful to everyone that helped us in our first year.
I know one thing; if someone you know starts a business, ask them if you can help, share it on social media channels and spread the word. They need all the help they can get. It’s not easy.
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?
Michael> Being a leader is not something I aimed for, I just found myself in charge of larger and larger teams as the shows I lead got bigger, bringing more responsibility. This naturally progresses you in an organic fashion. You go from managing two artists to teams of 20, then 50.
As a VFX supervisor in a commercial house you are doing a lot of leadership jobs. Internally you are running the team of artists making sure the shots are progressing. Externally you are in direct communication with the director/s and presenting work to the agency. I realised I had it in me when the work looked great and the directors/agency/client called me with their next one.
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?
Michael> For sure charisma, natural confidence, and the ability to inspire others are inherent traits. Everything else can be taught or gained from experience. I like to think I can improve incrementally as I learn myself. I like the details.
One example of this is a lesson in the nuances of communication and its impact on team members. One of the juniors told me when they got an invite from me for a meeting without any context, they were nervous for two days leading up to it. I also pushed it a day just before. This created anxiety in someone for no reason. I learnt from this. A good example of bad leadership. Next time in the title it said “General catch up”.
I believe that with strong work ethic, team work and leading by example, everyone has the potential to develop into an effective leader, regardless of their starting point.
LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?
Michael> Since starting my own company, NOISE, there are many new challenges for me. I know the creative side of visual effects well but not the operations side.
Engineering, pipeline, software, hardware, payroll, tax, staff benefits, building insurance, rendering…the list goes on. I had to learn and understand all these processes. This was challenging. The old saying ‘surround yourself with good people’ It’s 1000% true.
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?
Michael> I think in the early parts of my career I was very scared of failure and that came at the cost of my own health. I would work sick. I thought I was invincible. My body told me otherwise. I understood the importance of looking after yourself and your mind.
Another example is not a fail but there is certain creative that comes in with a terrible schedule but the creative is great. When you take those jobs you know the hours will be long. It’s important to make sure the team are onboard. We all want to work on the good ones but when your repeatedly burning the midnight oil there is a sense of guilt. I can’t learn from that though. I’m always up for great creative + great director. When I’m not my time is up!!!
LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?
Michael> There is time for both. I think if you ask anyone that works with me I’m generally transparent and authentic. I like to ask everyone their opinion and like my ideas to be challenged. For sure there is time to be considered. It depends on the situation and who you are talking to. Some things are better left untold if they can cause upset for no growth or value.
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?
Michael> I can’t say I had a specific mentor but as mentioned already, along my journey so far I have seen some amazing leaders, and some awful leaders in action. I learn from behaviours I see, adapt what inspires me and notice things I know I will avoid at all costs. Also as a VFX supervisor I’ve got to work with some brilliant directors. How they develop scripts, bring an idea to the screen, dialling in performance on the day, motivating the cast and crew to deliver their best. Some of those you could say are my mentors.
LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?
Michael> It’s a perfect time to be small and nimble. We are a core team of very senior talent that work from our office in Los Angeles. We have a brilliant team of engineers and software developers who have built a very flexible cloud infrastructure and pipeline for us. This means we can rapidly scale up or down based on the projects we have.
At a flick of a switch we can go from 10 artists to 30. When we do need to crew up we also have a great “freelance” talent roster that consists of people we have worked with for years so we can confidently scale up without a drop in quality. Being cloud based means we are not location dependent. This means we can tap into a global talent pool.
LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?
Michael> Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values, hiring practices, and overall, we try to create an inclusive workplace culture where all our employees are valued, respected and able to contribute their unique perspectives.
We implemented flexible policies that accommodate diverse needs, such as flexible working hours, remote work options and family-friendly benefits. Our team (and leadership team) comprises of people of different ethic backgrounds, genders, and generations. Prioritising diversity and inclusion within our studio is crucial for fostering innovation, creativity, and overall success for sure.
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?
Michael> Post covid in North America VFX is a new world. Artists have moved out of the city for a better work/life balance. I fully understand this and support it but it comes with challenges, one of those being a lack of strong company culture that includes everyone.
At NOISE we set up in a way that allows for a mix of both worlds. We have artists that want to be in studio five days a week. Some come in two days a week and some work remotely. We have a cloud setup/pipeline that can have people working on the same image sequence regardless of location. Last month we had half the artists in our LA studio. The others scattered across North America and Europe.
You can’t manufacture culture. Luckily a lot of us have worked together for over a decade. For those that are remote we have dailies once a day (one hour a day where you go through all the shots on the show). You only really get to know people in person. Breaking bread is so important. For those in studio we take lunch together. I’m always looking for ways to bring people together more. We try and do wrap dinners when we can. It’s nice to close out a job that way.
LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?
Michael> Desert island discs. So inspiring. They combine two of my favourite things; music and people. Hearing people from all walks of life explain their journeys. A wonderful insight into a specific field you have no knowledge on.
Last month Dr Nicola Fox from NASA was on (she was awarded NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2020). Stephen Graham was on there a few years back. Very successful actor who struggled with mental health in his 20’s. I didn’t know this until I heard him on this show. I really understand that sometimes not everything is ok with people.
Books of course. Shoe Dog is a good recent one on starting up a company.
I am also very fond of the Roger Deakin's podcast. I little more industry focused but hearing from some great minds also….
I like to hear about peoples journeys in life. We all make decisions that take us on a journey.
