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

Phil Svitek
  • 4.8 (12)
  • Arts
  • Updated Daily

With 20+ years in the entertainment industry at the top level, I’m Phil Svitek. Join me as I pay it forward, sharing insights from my journey as a filmmaker, author, podcaster, and even high-level executive. Get a 360-degree view of the digital artist’s path to success, blending technical theory, practical wisdom, and personal development. Your smoother journey awaits.

  1. 19h ago

    What Working With David Fincher, Breaking Bad & Mad Men Taught Actor Rob Brownstein

    If you’re an actor or creative trying to build a career that lasts, this conversation with working actor, director and acting teacher Rob Brownstein explores what actually keeps people working over decades: getting better at your craft, knowing when to push for more, staying flexible on set, learning how to collaborate and adapting as the entertainment industry changes. Rob has spent decades working across film, television, theater, commercials and voiceover, with credits including Breaking Bad, The Office, Mad Men, Argo, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy and many more. He’s also the founder of An Actor’s Space, where he teaches actors at different stages of their careers. We talk about why simply following the traditional career ladder can hold actors back, why Rob believes being good still matters more than networking, what working with David Fincher taught him about collaboration, why actors need to be flexible once they arrive on set and one question he teaches his students to ask: Do you want to be right or do you want to be effective? We also get into acting classes, mentors, script analysis, self-tape auditions, finding reliable scene partners and why adapting to change may be one of the most important skills for anyone hoping to stay creative for decades. More Info On Rob:IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0115282/An Actor’s Space: https://www.anactorsspace.com/about 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach?Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing a video, or navigating the artist’s life—I’m here to help.✅ Work with me: https://philsvitek.com/collaborate/ 🔔 Subscribe for movie reviews, creative coaching, and mindset tools for storytellers. 📬 Want exclusive breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content?Join me on:• Patreon – http://patreon.com/philsvitek• Substack – http://philsvitek.substack.com 🎬 My Films• The Love Market – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#lovemarket• Finding Love in Bogotá – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#bogotatrip• The Arbiters – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#thearbiters

  2. 4d ago

    Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga In-Depth Book Discussion: Colonialism, Racism, & Sexism

    If you’re reading Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga and looking for a deeper analysis of the novel’s characters, themes, ending and meaning, this spoiler-filled book club discussion breaks down Tambu’s pursuit of education and the complicated relationship between freedom, colonialism, patriarchy and cultural assimilation. Marisa Serefini (@serafiniTV) and I discuss why Tambu says she wasn’t sorry when Nhamo died, how Nyasha challenges everything Tambu initially believes about education, why Babamukuru is such a complicated authority figure, what Nyasha’s eating disorder reveals about power and control and why the ending transforms the novel from a simple coming-of-age story into something much more unsettling. We also discuss the meaning of the title Nervous Conditions, Dangarembga’s writing style and the central question running through the novel: What does freedom actually mean when every available choice comes with a cost? Plus, we share what we’ve been reading outside of our book club and preview our upcoming reading list: Midnight Train by Matt Haig (October 2026) Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman (November 2026) Prudence Marsh Is Not a Nobody Anymore by Emily Krempholtz (December 2026) Circe by Madeline Miller TBD (February 2027) TBD (March 2027) Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter (April 2027)

  3. 5d ago

    Start Your Halloween Horror Movie Marathon

    Looking for horror movies to watch this Halloween? From slashers and supernatural horror to psychological thrillers, creature features and some genuinely weird movies, I’m highlighting 20 horror films worth adding to your Halloween watchlist. These aren’t meant to be the definitive greatest horror movies ever made. They’re movies I enjoy and think give you a pretty wide sampling of what the genre can do. There are classics like Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Silence of the Lambs and Poltergeist, modern horror movies like It Follows, Barbarian, Us, A Quiet Place and Speak No Evil, plus some stranger picks like Mandy, Possessor and High-Rise. So whether you want something unsettling, psychological, supernatural, bloody or just completely f*****g weird, hopefully you’ll find at least a few movies to add to your Halloween horror marathon. 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach? Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing a video, or navigating the artist’s life—I’m here to help. ✅ Work with me: https://philsvitek.com/collaborate/ 🔔 Subscribe for movie reviews, creative coaching, and mindset tools for storytellers. 📬 Want exclusive breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content? Join me on: • Patreon – http://patreon.com/philsvitek • Substack – http://philsvitek.substack.com 🎬 My Films • The Love Market – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#lovemarket • Finding Love in Bogotá – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#bogotatrip • The Arbiters – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#thearbiters 📚 My Books • Elan, Elan – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#elanelan • Master Mental Fortitude – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#mastermentalfortitude • In Search of Sunrise – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#insearchofsunrise • Hollywood Dreams on a Shoestring Budget – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#hollywooddreams

  4. 6d ago

    Halloween Movies for People Who Don’t Love Horror

    Looking for fun Halloween movies that aren’t too scary? Whether you want family-friendly Halloween movies, spooky comedies, supernatural adventures or something a little more intense without diving completely into hardcore horror, I’ve put together 20 movies to help get you into the Halloween and fall spirit. I’m starting with the most kid-friendly choices and gradually working toward movies that are more serious, violent or scary while still being FUN. We’ll go from Casper, Hocus Pocus and Scooby-Doo through Coraline, Ghostbusters, The Addams Family and Jumanji. From there, things get progressively more grown-up with movies like Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, Sleepy Hollow, Tremors, Psycho, Ready or Not, Deep Blue Sea, Planet Terror and The Shallows. So whether you’re looking for something cozy and nostalgic or want to gradually work your way toward something with a little more bite, consider this your Halloween movie warm-up. 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach? Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing a video, or navigating the artist’s life—I’m here to help. ✅ Work with me: https://philsvitek.com/collaborate/ 🔔 Subscribe for movie reviews, creative coaching, and mindset tools for storytellers. 📬 Want exclusive breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content? Join me on: • Patreon – http://patreon.com/philsvitek • Substack – http://philsvitek.substack.com 🎬 My Films • The Love Market – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#lovemarket • Finding Love in Bogotá – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#bogotatrip • The Arbiters – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#thearbiters 📚 My Books • Elan, Elan – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#elanelan • Master Mental Fortitude – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#mastermentalfortitude • In Search of Sunrise – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#insearchofsunrise • Hollywood Dreams on a Shoestring Budget – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#hollywooddreams

  5. Sep 28

    Stop Treating Successful People’s Advice Like a Blueprint: Success Survivorship Bias

    If you’re a filmmaker, actor, writer, podcaster or creative trying to build a sustainable career, you’ve probably heard successful people tell you to work hard, stay consistent, believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams. But what happens when you follow that advice and still don’t get the same results? I deep dive success survivorship bias and why creative career advice can become dangerous when we treat someone else’s experience like a blueprint. Using the famous World War II “missing planes” example, Josh Macuga’s reflections on not making it in Hollywood and lessons from making my second feature film, Finding Love in Bogota, I look at why we need to study failure alongside success, how hindsight bias can distort the stories successful people tell and why their experience should be treated as evidence rather than a formula. By the end of these 10 minutes, I want YOU to understand the trappings of “success survivorship bias” and be able to create realistic action steps WITHOUT losing your ambition. Topics: Why “never give up on your dream” can be incomplete advice How hindsight bias changes the stories successful people tell What World War II’s “missing planes” teach us about creative success The actors, filmmakers and musicians missing from success stories How Josh Macuga’s Hollywood experience illustrates survivorship bias Why successful people’s experience is evidence, not a formula How to learn from failure without viewing yourself as a failure The questions to ask before following someone else’s advice Why defining your own version of success matters How Finding Love in Bogota taught me to focus on logistics Turning someone else’s advice into realistic action steps Why informed ambition beats blind ambition 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach? Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing a video, or navigating the artist’s life—I’m here to help. ✅ Work with me: https://philsvitek.com/collaborate/ 🔔 Subscribe for movie reviews, creative coaching, and mindset tools for storytellers. 📬 Want exclusive breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content? Join me on: • Patreon – http://patreon.com/philsvitek • Substack – http://philsvitek.substack.com 🎬 My Films • The Love Market – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#lovemarket • Finding Love in Bogotá – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#bogotatrip • The Arbiters – https://philsvitek.com/filmography/#thearbiters 📚 My Books • Elan, Elan – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#elanelan • Master Mental Fortitude – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#mastermentalfortitude • In Search of Sunrise – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#insearchofsunrise • Hollywood Dreams on a Shoestring Budget – https://philsvitek.com/bibliography/#hollywooddreams

  6. Sep 23

    Will People Start Promoting Themselves in Award Speeches?

    Will people eventually start promoting their YouTube channels, websites or personal brands during award acceptance speeches? And if they do, would that actually be smart or would it immediately feel tacky? I dive into how award speeches could evolve as more filmmakers, actors and creators build audiences outside of traditional Hollywood, and whether an acceptance speech could do more than simply thank a list of names. I also share what I’d want to do if I ever found myself accepting something like an Independent Spirit Award, including an idea inspired by Mister Rogers about recognizing the people who helped us get where we are. I look at whether directing viewers toward a YouTube channel, website or behind-the-scenes documentary could actually honor collaborators more meaningfully, turn viewers into long-term supporters and preserve some of what I loved about the making-of documentaries from the DVD era. 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach? Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing a video, or navigating the artist’s life—I’m here to help. ✅ Work with me 🔔 Subscribe for movie reviews, creative coaching, and mindset tools for storytellers. 📬 Want exclusive breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content? Join me on: • Patreon • Substack 🎬 My Films • The Love Market • Finding Love in Bogotá • The Arbiters 📚 My Books • Elan, Elan • Master Mental Fortitude • In Search of Sunrise • Hollywood Dreams on a Shoestring Budget

  7. Sep 22

    Revisiting Coco: Inside Pixar’s Journey From Concept to Box Office

    Revisiting this deep dive into Pixar’s Coco, originally recorded for Popcorn Talk’s Anatomy of a Movie. This isn’t simply a review of whether the movie works. Alongside Demetri Panos and Marisa Serafini, I explore how Coco actually got made, tracing the film from its original concept and Pixar’s research in Mexico through the development of its story, characters, animation, music and depiction of Día de Muertos. We also dig into the filmmakers behind Coco, including Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, the creative decisions that shaped Miguel’s journey through the Land of the Dead, the film’s all-Latino voice cast and its eventual theatrical release and box office performance. If you love Pixar, animation or learning how movies evolve from an initial idea into a finished film, this is a look back at the entire journey behind one of Pixar’s most memorable movies. Originally aired on Popcorn Talk’s Anatomy of a Movie with Demetri Panos, Marisa Serafini and Phil Svitek. To view the show notes, visit: Coco Anatomy of a Movie Show Notes 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach? Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing a video, or navigating the artist’s life—I’m here to help. ✅ Work with me 🔔 Subscribe for movie reviews, creative coaching, and mindset tools for storytellers. 📬 Want exclusive breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content? Join me on: • Patreon • Substack 🎬 My Films • The Love Market • Finding Love in Bogotá • The Arbiters 📚 My Books • Elan, Elan • Master Mental Fortitude • In Search of Sunrise • Hollywood Dreams on a Shoestring Budget

  8. Sep 21

    When Doing More Stops Helping: Why I’m Slowing Down My Content Output

    If you’re a creator struggling with constant content creation, creative burnout, AI, social media algorithms or the pressure to post consistently, this episode explores why posting less might actually help you make better work. I break down why I’m reducing my podcast output, how quantity helped me develop my creative skills, why that strategy no longer serves the same purpose and how I’m shifting toward deeper research, delayed gratification and long-term creative projects. I also explore AI and creativity, the value of handmade work, why difficult projects like Wildwood inspire me and how smaller productive tasks can sometimes become a form of procrastination from the bigger work that matters most. 🚀 Looking for a Creative Collaborator or Coach? Whether you need help launching a podcast, shaping your story, editing a video, or navigating the artist’s life—I’m here to help. ✅ Work with me 🔔 Subscribe for movie reviews, creative coaching, and mindset tools for storytellers. 📬 Want exclusive breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content? Join me on: • Patreon • Substack 🎬 My Films • The Love Market • Finding Love in Bogotá • The Arbiters 📚 My Books • Elan, Elan • Master Mental Fortitude • In Search of Sunrise • Hollywood Dreams on a Shoestring Budget

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4.8
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

With 20+ years in the entertainment industry at the top level, I’m Phil Svitek. Join me as I pay it forward, sharing insights from my journey as a filmmaker, author, podcaster, and even high-level executive. Get a 360-degree view of the digital artist’s path to success, blending technical theory, practical wisdom, and personal development. Your smoother journey awaits.

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