Lately, I’ve noticed something interesting when speaking with young creatives: they aren’t tied to just one discipline.
I’m starting to wonder whether the idea of being a single-discipline creative is becoming less relevant in today’s industry. More and more, young creatives are building careers that span multiple disciplines, not because they have to — but because they want to. They’re naturally drawn to different mediums, and the industry is evolving in a way that is suited perfectly for them.
Why Are Creatives Becoming Multidisciplinary?
At first, I thought this shift was driven by necessity. The creative industry is competitive, and being versatile does open more doors. If one type of work slows down, having additional skills allows creatives to pivot seamlessly. This is the case for certain creatives.
But there’s something bigger at play here: creative curiosity.
Young creatives aren’t just learning new skills to stay relevant; they’re doing it because they love to create in different ways. The rise of accessible tools—affordable cameras, AI-assisted workflows, online learning platforms—has made it easier than ever to explore multiple disciplines. And for many, it’s not about having a backup plan; it’s about expanding their creative expression.
The Social Media Effect
The rise of social media has also played a massive role in this shift.
Creatives today are not just consuming content across different platforms—they’re contributing to them as well. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and emerging platforms each demand different styles, formats, and ways of storytelling. A filmmaker today isn’t just thinking about cinematic widescreen shots; they’re also considering how to capture something compelling in vertical video. A photographer isn’t just shooting stills—they’re creating motion clips, carousels, and behind-the-scenes content to engage audiences natively on each platform.
This constant interaction with multiple formats naturally encourages creatives to experiment and develop new skill sets. It’s no longer about mastering just one medium—it’s about understanding how different mediums work together in a connected ecosystem.
A Career Advantage
What makes this shift exciting is that being multidisciplinary isn’t just a way to find work—it’s a way to create more work.
It increases opportunities – If you can work across disciplines, you open yourself up to more projects. You’re not reliant on just one market or one type of client.
It strengthens collaborations – A creative who understands multiple disciplines brings a more holistic approach to projects, making them an asset to teams and brands.
It expands client relationships – A brand might hire you as a photographer but later realize they need a filmmaker. If you can do both, your role naturally evolves.
And beyond individual opportunities, there’s the bigger shift in how campaigns are structured today.
Modern Campaigns Demand Multidisciplinary Thinking
Not long ago, a brand might have commissioned a production focused on a single commercial or a hero image. Today, even high-budget productions require multiple platform-native deliverables:
A hero video or TVC
Short-form content for TikTok and Instagram
High-quality stills for digital and print
Behind-the-scenes and process-driven content
A multidisciplinary creative doesn’t just repurpose content for different platforms—they think holistically from the start. Instead of just cutting down a TVC into social clips, they conceptualize each format as its own piece while keeping everything cohesive. This approach makes content more authentic to each platform rather than just a resized version of the same thing.
And as brands and agencies increasingly look for creatives who understand multiple mediums, this shift becomes less of a trend and more of an industry evolution.
Not Just the Future—The Present
The idea that a creative should specialize in just one thing is fading fast. They’re creating across disciplines, building sustainable careers, and shaping the future of content production.
And maybe this is the natural progression of creativity—not being defined by just one skill, but by the ability to express, adapt, and create across different mediums.
What do you think? Do you find yourself working across multiple disciplines, and has it helped shape your creative career?
Written by Chris Coetsee
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