Well, I guess it depends on how define sucessful multi-tasking. The problem with multi-tasking is you focus on too many things at once and all suffer in some way. They slip away from you. I think that happens for everyone. You priortize and delegate.
Some people, not everyone and not necessarily me, felt that Whedon had too many balls in the air in 2002-2003, and that's why Firefly fell apart, Buffy S6 went offkilter, and Angel was a bit lop-sided. (Now I disagree a little with that view - but then I loved Buffy S6 and the second half of Angel S3, was actually fascinating, and I loved Firefly. I also believe they would have done that regardless. But the people who argue it, have valid points - stating Firefly got cancelled. Buffy lost viewers, as did Angel.)
I don't know - Whedon is a collaborative writer/story-teller working in a collaborative industry - we can't really just blame him if we don't like what is being created or just thank him if we love it. Also there are market pressures in the works that affect things. This is a long-ass way of saying that I think you may have a valid point.
What I do know is that there have been delays on Dollhouse. That he is struggling with it - but I think that would happen anyway. Also Dark Horse and IDW are sort of being lenient with Whedon - they know full well that he can jump ship whenever he wants and his gold as long as he stays. So it is in their best interest to cater to Whedon, plus the owners/editors are fanboys who adore Whedon.
Add to that - Whedon actually trustes his co-plotters on the Buffy S8 and Angel comic enterprises. He loves Brad Meltzer (I think it's Brad) - who is his co-plotter on Buffy. Brian is a long time fan favorite comic book writer. And plotted out a good portion of the comic plot. Brian Lynch on Angel - also has Whedon's love. So that's two. And the other's he hand-picked.
You are right however - he's a horrid micromanager. Always has been. He rewrites scripts. The best sci-fi shows usually have micromanager head writers - I know RTD on Doctor Who - rewrites everyone's scripts but Stephen Moffit, who is taking over. And Whedon re-wrote just about everyone's but Minear, Fury, Espenson, Noxon, and to a degree Goddard. Although I may be wrong about that. I know he re-wrote two of Doug Petrie's =- he and Noxon did. Fool for Love -was written mostly by Whedon and Noxon, Beneath you - Whedon rewrote and redirected the final scene. And Selfless - Whedon rewrote bits of, but left most of it alone. Also Whedon rewrote bits of Seeing Red, Dead Things, Gone, and Smashed. As well as Grave. Because it was important that certain themes get addressed in the right way.
But wonky process - partly due I suspect to the industry in which he is working.
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Some people, not everyone and not necessarily me, felt that Whedon had too many balls in the air in 2002-2003, and that's why Firefly fell apart, Buffy S6 went offkilter, and Angel was a bit lop-sided. (Now I disagree a little with that view - but then I loved Buffy S6 and the second half of Angel S3, was actually fascinating, and I loved Firefly. I also believe they would have done that regardless. But the people who argue it, have valid points - stating Firefly got cancelled. Buffy lost viewers, as did Angel.)
I don't know - Whedon is a collaborative writer/story-teller working in a collaborative industry - we can't really just blame him if we don't like what is being created or just thank him if we love it. Also there are market pressures in the works that affect things. This is a long-ass way of saying that I think you may have a valid point.
What I do know is that there have been delays on Dollhouse. That he is struggling with it - but I think that would happen anyway. Also Dark Horse and IDW are sort of being lenient with Whedon - they know full well that he can jump ship whenever he wants and his gold as long as he stays.
So it is in their best interest to cater to Whedon, plus the owners/editors are fanboys who adore Whedon.
Add to that - Whedon actually trustes his co-plotters on the Buffy S8 and Angel comic enterprises. He loves Brad Meltzer (I think it's Brad) - who is his co-plotter on Buffy. Brian is a long time fan favorite comic book writer. And plotted out a good portion of the comic plot. Brian Lynch on Angel - also has Whedon's love. So that's two. And the other's he hand-picked.
You are right however - he's a horrid micromanager. Always has been. He rewrites scripts. The best sci-fi shows usually have micromanager head writers - I know RTD on Doctor Who - rewrites everyone's scripts but Stephen Moffit, who is taking over. And Whedon re-wrote just about everyone's but Minear, Fury, Espenson, Noxon, and to a degree Goddard.
Although I may be wrong about that. I know he re-wrote two of Doug Petrie's =- he and Noxon did. Fool for Love -was written mostly by Whedon and Noxon, Beneath you - Whedon rewrote and redirected the final scene.
And Selfless - Whedon rewrote bits of, but left most of it alone.
Also Whedon rewrote bits of Seeing Red, Dead Things, Gone, and Smashed.
As well as Grave. Because it was important that certain themes get addressed in the right way.
But wonky process - partly due I suspect to the industry in which he is working.