A Phil Svitek Podcast - A Series From Your 360 Creative Coach

BB Yang—named one of Animation Magazine ’s Rising Animators of 2026—joins the show to break down her journey from South Korea to Vancouver, and from struggling graduate to 2D FX Supervisor working on beloved Snoopy projects like Camp Snoopy and Snoopy in Space . In this conversation, we go deep into what it actually takes to build a career in animation—from unpaid freelance work and learning new s...

In creative industries, we’re constantly told to be flexible—to say yes, move fast, and make it work no matter what. But over time, that “flexibility” starts to create something else entirely: rushed timelines, unnecessary stress, avoidable mistakes, and ultimately… worse work. This video breaks down why the issue isn’t really about “boundaries” in the way we often think about them. It’s about sys...

This month in book club, Marisa Serafini (@serafinitv) and I explore one of the most enchanting and quietly powerful reads we’ve picked: The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. Blending magical realism, historical fiction, and contemporary storytelling, this novel unfolds across dual timelines—1920s Europe and present-day Ireland—following three characters whose lives are mysteriously connected through a...

Mark Roberge breaks down the thinking behind Fan Flowy and how artists can stop letting new followers go cold. We talk about automated DMs, email capture, text messaging, fan funnels, and why direct engagement matters so much for independent artists trying to build real support. 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach? Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing...

Everyone wants to be the next big thing—whether that’s the next Ryan Seacrest, Rachel Zoe, or whoever they admire—but very few people are willing to do what it actually takes to get there. In this episode, I break down the biggest misconception I see across creators, artists, and entrepreneurs: trying to skip the process and jump straight to the result. We look at what people miss when they idoliz...

Lately, I’ve been on a mission to call out hypocrisy and the kind of “accepted wisdom” that doesn’t actually hold up under scrutiny. In this episode, I break down the disconnect between what we’re told on a personal level—about money, success, and responsibility—and how those same rules don’t seem to apply to corporations, institutions, or even the people giving the advice. From the illusion of “s...

In this monthly creative update, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my journey as a filmmaker and 360 Creative Coach—sharing both the wins and the realities of building a 2D animated feature film, The Arbiters . Over the past month, I’ve been deep in developing a behind-the-scenes feature for the project, refining how we communicate a complex creative process, and continuing to push forward with...

Mark Roberge shares why fake growth, inflated streams, and empty views can actually hurt an artist more than help them. We talk about the difference between optics and real engagement, how algorithms interpret weak audience behavior, and why a smaller audience that truly cares is far more valuable than inflated numbers. This is a must-watch for any artist trying to grow online without getting fool...

Mark Roberge breaks down one of the most important mindset shifts for independent artists: your creative project is also a business. We discuss why talent alone is not enough, how artists need to think like founders, and what happens when creators reject the entrepreneurial side of their career. If you’ve ever struggled with the business side of being an artist, this conversation will help reframe...

Mark Roberge explains why so many artists make the mistake of trying to go global too fast. Instead of chasing attention everywhere, he argues that artists should first build a real foundation in their own backyard. In this clip, we talk about local support, predictable income, early adopters, and how hometown momentum can eventually snowball into something much bigger. This is a valuable conversa...

Descript is a powerful tool for editing audio and video, and its AI Social Clips feature promises to make it easy to turn long-form content into short clips for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts. But in my experience… it’s not nearly as intuitive as people make it sound. Most tutorials only demonstrate the feature with a single host, which works well enough. But if you're workin...

Mark Roberge joins me to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable career as an independent artist. As the founder of the band Prospect Hill , co-creator of Fan Flowy , and co-author of The Indie Artist’s Compass , Mark brings two decades of firsthand experience from touring, label deals, setbacks, rebuilding, and now helping other musicians grow smarter. We discuss how Prospect Hill...

What do you do when the algorithm hasn’t found you yet? In this clip, Genevieve LeDoux talks about building Star Forest the slow, intentional way — without relying on a viral moment. She shares why her team refuses to force content that doesn’t feel right, how they think about pipeline and sustainability, and why community matters more than empty reach. She also explains how kindness and curiosity...

How do you build a massive creative world without getting overwhelmed by the size of the vision? In this clip, Genevieve LeDoux shares the origin story of Star Forest — and how it all began with a simple observation from her son during the pandemic: “I like Queen, but I don’t know what a Bohemian Rhapsody is.”That moment sparked a deeper question: why wasn’t there music for kids that felt elevated...

After mentoring college students and attending countless panels with filmmakers, artists, and entrepreneurs, I’ve noticed something important: underneath almost every question is the same desire. Certainty. Students and emerging creators want to know that if they pursue their dreams, they’ll land on their feet. They want someone to offer a clear roadmap — a guarantee that things will work out. But...

I had the chance to see Academy Award–winning director Chloe Zhao speak at Emerson College’s Los Angeles campus, and her insights were some of the most thoughtful I’ve heard about filmmaking and creativity. In this episode, I break down the biggest lessons from her talk — including how losing two years of footage from her first film forced her to surrender and start something new, a decision that...

We love talking about motivation. The inspiration. The spark. The late-night surge of “this is it.” But motivation is unreliable. It comes and goes. It depends on mood, sleep, stress, validation, weather, momentum. Discipline doesn’t. In this episode, I explore the idea that discipline will take you where motivation can’t — especially in creative work, fitness, business, and long-term goals. Motiv...

When it comes to concept art, there are a lot of ways to do it. You can design by theme. You can isolate characters first. You can tackle environments in batches. You can refine one visual language until it’s perfect before moving on. That might even be the “better” way. But for The Arbiters, we’re doing something different. In this episode, I break down our concept art process — specifically why...

There’s a phrase I come back to constantly: The work isn’t hard — it just takes time. And internalizing that truth changes everything. In this episode, I break down what that slogan really means — not as a motivational quote, but as a practical framework for creative work, career growth, fitness, relationships… anything that requires consistency. So often we interpret slow progress as a sign that...

This is a clip from The Wanger Show #285 — “She-Hulk & House of the Dragon Both Premiere + The Last of Us Looks Cool” — originally streamed live on August 22, 2022. (Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/Xj5jhe5F-zs?si=oHBCa32RPc2s2Qca ) In this moment from the larger episode, Phil shares a surprisingly simple hack for saving money on Adobe: just ask. Instead of accepting the full renewal price,...

This month in book club, Marisa Serafini (@serafinitv) and I dive into one of the most quietly mind-bending works of speculative fiction we’ve read: I’m Waiting for You and Other Stories by Kim Bo-young, translated by Sophie Bowman and Sung Ryu. Structured as two pairs of interconnected stories, this collection explores love stretched across galaxies, time distorted by relativity, godlike creators...

The debate around Scream 7 has become much bigger than a horror franchise. After Melissa Barrera was fired following her public support of Gaza, many fans began calling for a boycott — arguing that the studio’s ties to Israel represent support for policies they believe amount to genocide. But is boycotting the film enough? In this episode, I break down the discourse surrounding Scream 7, Melissa B...

Phil Svitek reframes the AI hype through a Shark Tank lens: successful products solve specific real-world problems—or build a clearly better mousetrap. He argues many AI pitches feel nebulous, and he challenges AI leaders to define the concrete problem, the measurable improvement, and the sustainable value instead of racing toward vague goals. 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach?  Whet...

Phil Svitek draws a hard line between subjective taste and objective deliverables. Whether it’s a 30-second commercial, character limits, missing required text on a graphic, or word/page counts—he explains why blowing objective parameters kills trust fast, even before anyone judges the “quality” of the work. 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach?  Whether you need help launching a podcas...

Phil Svitek highlights Cinando as a film/TV industry database similar to IMDbPro but geared toward producers, investors, distributors, and co-productions. He notes the platform’s value and gives props to the newly modernized website—making this a great moment for newcomers to explore it. 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach?  Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story...