Greaty thread ggegan!!! I think we all gravitate towards your aesthetic as we become more experienced. Indeed, the film is not "ours", it belongs to the producer(s)/director and if they want to "mess it up", that's their perogative. Our job is to GRACIOUSLY point out possible pitfalls and then do what they want. If you really hate what they are doing, you can always refuse to do it and quit.
Beyond that, do what they want!!
bp