Being an art director sucks.

Yes it does.

When the account team asks for the 29th time to make the logo bigger while the writer stands behind you arguing with them that the logo should have an ® mark every place it appears, not just the main logo on the cover.

When it’s 10:49 pm, and Shaq and Co. are about to beat Detroit, but you won’t be seeing that game since you’re still at work.

When it’s your kid’s play and you can’t be there because leaving ‘early’ at 7:00 pm means you’re not a ‘team player’ but the account exec booked at 6:45 just because ‘I have to be somewhere.’ No shit. And I don’t?

When it’s midnight and you’re ready to crash, but you just remembered you still have to prepare an invoice for last week that's due tomorrow along with your time sheet.

It's times like these that being an art director sucks.

Even if the art direction on this particular piece was brilliant, if I do say so myself, and the account team and/or client doesn't know sod-all about color. But hey, I'm just an art director. ¿Qué sé yo?

And so it is after years of beating my head against this proverbial wall of suckdom that I need to take on a new creative outlet. One which allows me to have around 78% say over the final piece, not the 34% currently afforded most ADs. Hence, the start of my scriptwriting pursuits. (Check out the link to the right for more on that.)

Sure, an editor reading it might have comments or suggestions that just might improve it. Or, when it’s in production, the studio could have some notes. Some might suck, some not. But it wouldn’t be that bad though. Know why?

Because the damn idea was entirely mine to begin with, that’s why.

My script is not focus group driven. It's not ‘different’ than what the client thought it was going to be. It doesn’t have brand guidelines to adhere to. (Maybe some product placement, but that's for another time.)

If I want the car to SPIN out of control and CRASH through the barrier with the occupants EJECTED through the windshield onto the highway and landing in a BLOODY MASS, then I will.

Tell you what though: if it makes you feel better, I’ll let you pick the color of the shirt of the driver who was ejected. After all, I'm all about give and take.

But hey, I’m just an art director. What do I know?

More to come.