Film Pro Productivity

AI is everywhere right now, but most of the conversation sits at the extremes. This episode looks at what actually happens when you try to use AI inside a real creative workflow. Based on a year of daily use, this is a practical report on where AI genuinely saves time, where it actively damages creative momentum, and why judgement, process, and human oversight still matter more than efficiency. “A...

Hard work isn’t usually the problem. Unclear thinking is. When ideas are vague, assumptions go unchallenged, and decisions drift, effort multiplies and momentum leaks away. In this episode, I break down five questions that cut through unclear thinking and stop creative work stalling. These aren’t techniques or hacks. They’re tools for pressure-testing ideas, tightening decisions, and reclaiming ti...

Time isn’t something you manage. It’s something you run out of. And most productivity advice avoids that truth because it’s uncomfortable. In this episode, I break down nine lessons from Oliver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks and look at what finite time really means for creative people. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about choosing better, accepting limits, and focusing on what actually matters...

When should you push through, and when is quitting the smarter move? This episode looks at Bean Soup Theory, a simple metaphor for why capable people stay stuck in projects that stopped making sense long ago. Using Batgirl as a real-world example, I unpack sunk cost thinking, drift, and why finishing something that’s wrong doesn’t make it right. This is about judgement, not grit, and learning to s...

Oversharing can feel like honesty, progress, even connection. But more often than not, it trades short-term relief for long-term problems we don’t see coming. In this episode, I look at why creatives talk too soon, how oversharing leaks power, creates professional risk, and undermines momentum, and why learning to keep your powder dry is one of the most important skills for staying effective long...

Busyness feels productive. It isn’t. Most of the time it’s just noise, distraction, and bad yeses stacking up over years. In this episode, I look at why doing more is often the thing that quietly kills creative momentum. Using Warren Buffett as an unlikely guide, I break down six practical lessons about time, restraint, and long-term survivability. This isn’t about money or hustle. It’s about prot...

Unfinished business rarely looks dramatic. It looks sensible, cautious, even responsible. But beneath the surface, it quietly drains energy, attention, and belief. In this episode, I unpack why half-finished projects, unresolved endings, and drifting commitments cost far more than we realise. This isn’t about laziness or motivation. It’s about self-protection, disappointment, and how unfinished wo...

Why do groups make bad decisions even when everyone involved is intelligent and well-intentioned? This episode uses The Traitors as a pressure test for real human behaviour. By stripping away politeness and certainty, it reveals how trust forms, how beliefs harden, and why productivity often collapses in groups under pressure. The focus isn’t the TV show itself, but what it exposes about informati...

Why does knowing what to do still not translate into doing it? In part two of this two-part series, the focus shifts from diagnosing the intelligence trap to dealing with it. This episode looks at how systems, attention, and environment matter more than motivation or willpower when it comes to sustained productivity. Rather than pushing harder, the episode explores how to redirect intelligence by...

Why do smart, capable people struggle to follow through? In part one of a two-part series, this episode looks at the intelligence trap - the way thinking, analysis, and complexity can quietly replace action. Drawing on ideas from Isaiah Hankel and real creative experience, it explores how depleted mental energy, busyness, and fragmented attention undermine productivity, even when motivation and ab...

In this episode, I explore why finishing creative projects feels so difficult, especially as time, energy, and resources become more limited. Building on the idea of momentum, I introduce the concept of High Impact Actions — small, focused steps that genuinely move work forward instead of draining attention through endless to-do lists. Drawing on insights from thinkers like Cal Newport, Andy Grove...

This episode looks at how toxic people can subtly undermine creative drive. Focusing on subtle human interference rather than platforms or technology, it breaks down a series of toxic archetypes that drain momentum, shut down thinking, and make effort feel risky. The episode explores why productivity collapses in certain environments and why distance, not debate, is often the most effective respon...

Episode 178A breaks down how LinkedIn is now restricting reach and pushing creators toward paid visibility. It’salso a very quick intro to season 15 which launches on teh 25th January 2026. OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity CONTACT: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact IND...

For creatives and freelancers, time and attention are our most valuable resources. In this New Year special, I dig into the idea of enshittification - how online platforms slowly shift from serving users to extracting value from them - and why social media, algorithms, and subscription-based systems are quietly undermining creative focus, ambition, and long-term work. This episode is about recogni...

Many people unknowingly follow “productivity myths” that hinder their progress rather than help it and you may recognise these myths in your own way of working and behaviour. But don’t worry—I’ll also provide clear, practical steps to replace your unhelpful productivity habits with effective solutions. So, without further ado, let’s get started. OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https://www.filmproproductivity.c...

For freelancers and creatives, surrounding yourself with the right people is critical to staying motivated and inspired. Today’s episode dives into the "bad apple effect," how negative influences impact your life and work, and how to remove them to create space for positivity and productivity. OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod FACEB...

Not all clients are good clients. Some clients cost more in time, energy, and stress than they’re worth, holding back your business and creativity. You see, for me – and I’ve done a whole show on this topic – our time, energy, and creativity are our most valuable resources. But what happens when certain clients drain all three—and don’t pay enough to make it worth it? This episode will focus on id...

In today’s show I’ll look into how we can draw inspiration from these ancient insights to combat some more modern business challenges and develop a focused approach to our work. OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity CONTACT: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact INDIE FILM HUS...

What if the only thing standing between you and your breakthrough is you? Today, we’re talking about why so many of us avoid the very actions that could change our lives—and how to stop holding yourself back. OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity CONTACT: https://www.filmproproducti...

Gamification is the process of turning tasks or goals into a game-like experience by adding rewards, challenges, or milestones. It can make freelancing less isolating and perhaps a bit more fun. It involves integrating aspects of game design, such as points, badges, leaderboards, challenges, or levels, into various activities, tasks, or processes. OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https://www.filmproproductivity...

Creatives fail because they overthink and delay action, don’t prioritise effectively, and try to do everything alone. These habits create a cycle of inactivity, overwhelm, and burnout—but they’re all fixable. OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity CONTACT: https://www.filmproproducti...

Today, I talk about 5 key issues that contribute to keeping you from moving forward and getting stuff done. The Mental Weight of Procrastination is Heavier Than the Task Itself . That Small Tasks Can Feel Big When Left Undone Avoiding the Task Teaches You Nothing, But Action Always Does Perfectionism Fuels Procrastination Time is Often an Excuse OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https://www.filmproproductivity.c...

If you’ve ever spent too much time worrying about what other people think, trying to control their behaviour, or stressing over their opinions then you’re going to love this episode. What if the key to freedom was two simple words: Let them. Today, we’re diving into Mel Robbins’ ‘Let Them Theory’ and how it can change the way you approach freelancing, creativity, and life. OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https...

Have you ever looked at another freelancer’s success and felt a pang of jealousy? Or found yourself stuck in a loop of comparing your career to others? Don’t worry—you’re not alone. Today, I’ll be talking about how you can approach your freelance career with grace in order to overcome jealousy. OFFICIAL WEBSITE:  https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod FACE...

In productivity terms "You reap what you sow” means that the effort you put into your tasks or projects directly influences the results you achieve. Essentially, the more effort, focus, and hard work you invest in your endeavours, the better outcomes and rewards you'll experience. So, by that reckoning it also means the opposite - if you put in minimal effort or neglect your tasks, you're likely t...