Film Pro Productivity

Carter Ferguson
  • 4.9 (20)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Are you a creative who wants to do more, create more, and live more? This is the podcast for you. Join 30-year film pro Carter Ferguson as he shares practical strategies and real-world insights to help you boost productivity, sharpen your focus, and achieve greater success. Discover how to streamline your creative process, build better habits, and unlock your full potential. 

  1. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: WHY NOT FINISHING THINGS IS COSTING YOU MORE THAN YOU THINK #184

    1H AGO

    UNFINISHED BUSINESS: WHY NOT FINISHING THINGS IS COSTING YOU MORE THAN YOU THINK #184

    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 work reshapes how we think, decide, and create. Trying less isn’t laziness. It’s often a response to being burned too many times. Carter Ferguson LINKS Official website: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity Contact: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact Indie Film Hustle: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg QUOTES “Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.” William James “Making a movie is like building a house of cards in a wind tunnel.” Terry Gilliam  “Movies don’t get made by inspiration. They get made by solving problems, one after another.” David Fincher “If you want an easy life, don’t make films.” Ken Loach “The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” Samuel Johnson “Where there is distraction, there is diminished power.” James Clear “The world breaks everyone, and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” Ernest Hemingway THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY The McCommitments – The Scottish Saviours of Soul. A celebration of the classic soul music from and inspired by the iconic movie  The Commitments. Totally live by an 11-piece band. On tour across Scotland in 2026. www.themccommitments.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/themccommitments REFERENCES The Traitors Your Best Year Yet – Jinny Ditzler The Zeigarnik Effect  Please check out my friends shows: FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS PODCAST with Stephen Koepfer and Paul Varacchi (etc) THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST with Giles Alderson (etc.) THE HORROR CUT with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt WILDE WORLD with David Wilde FILMMAKING CONVERSATIONS with Damian Swaby MUSIC & CREDITS A Himitsu Music: Adventures by A Himitsu Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8 Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/ahimitsu https://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A

    24 min
  2. FIVE LESSONS ABOUT LIFE AND TRUST WE CAN LEARN FROM THE TRAITORS #183

    FEB 22

    FIVE LESSONS ABOUT LIFE AND TRUST WE CAN LEARN FROM THE TRAITORS #183

    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 information, bias, emotional control, and short-term thinking – and how misunderstanding these patterns quietly drains energy at work and in life. QUOTE  “Productivity collapses when attention shifts from truth to comfort.” Carter Ferguson (Host)  LINKS Official website: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity Contact: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact Indie Film Hustle Network: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg QUOTES “The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.” Stephen King “The one who controls the narrative controls the group.” Marshall McLuhan “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Aristotle “Where there is fear, there is haste.” Seneca “He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.” Confucius “What is avoided is rarely escaped.” Baltasar Gracián “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.” Jean-Luc Picard THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY Fraser Coull of Silly Wee Films www.copsandmonsters.uk https://www.instagram.com/copsandmonsters?igsh=YWdlaHh4dGczb2s2&utm_source=qr https://www.instagram.com/sillyweefilms?igsh=aGFmNHpudjFnMHBh&utm_source=qr REFERENCES The Traitors (UK & US) Information asymmetry Confirmation bias Group decision-making under uncertainty Emotional regulation and perceived credibility Short-term safety vs long-term trust Please check out my friends shows: FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS PODCAST with Stephen Koepfer and Paul Varacchi (etc) THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST with Giles Alderson (etc.) THE HORROR CUT with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt WILDE WORLD with David Wilde FILMMAKING CONVERSATIONS with Damian Swaby MUSIC & CREDITS A Himitsu Music: Adventures by A Himitsu Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8 Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/ahimitsu https://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A

    19 min
  3. THE INTELLIGENCE TRAP: WHY SMART PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH PRODUCTIVITY Part 2 #182

    FEB 15

    THE INTELLIGENCE TRAP: WHY SMART PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH PRODUCTIVITY Part 2 #182

    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 changing structure, protecting attention, and designing conditions where progress becomes the default instead of a daily fight.  “Motivation is unreliable. Systems are what keep work moving when energy drops.” Carter Ferguson (Host)   LINKS Official website: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity Contact: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact Indie Film Hustle Network: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg  QUOTES “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” Stephen King “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” James Clear “Your focus determines your reality.” George Lucas “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle “Success is the product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.” James Clear “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” Vincent van Gogh THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY JAMES MCCREADIE & DEBBIE MAY REFERENCES The Science of Intelligent Achievement – Isaiah Hankel Deep Work – Cal Newport Systems over motivation Attention as the primary bottleneck Environment shaping behaviour Habits and structural change Please check out my friends shows: FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS PODCAST with Stephen Koepfer and Paul Varacchi (etc) THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST with Giles Alderson (etc.) THE HORROR CUT with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt WILDE WORLD with David Wilde FILMMAKING CONVERSATIONS with Damian Swaby MUSIC & CREDITS A Himitsu Music: Adventures by A Himitsu Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8 Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/ahimitsu https://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A

    22 min
  4. THE INTELLIGENCE TRAP: WHY SMART PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH PRODUCTIVITY Part 1 #181

    FEB 8

    THE INTELLIGENCE TRAP: WHY SMART PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH PRODUCTIVITY Part 1 #181

    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 ability are high. This episode isn’t about fixing anything yet. It’s about noticing what drains your energy, what work expands when focus collapses, and how intelligence can start working against progress instead of supporting it.  “Smart people don’t stall because they lack discipline. They stall because they see too much.” Carter Ferguson  LINKS Official website: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity Contact: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact Indie Film Hustle Network: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg QUOTES “Being intelligent doesn’t automatically make you effective.” Isaiah Hankel “Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.” Cal Newport “Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” David Allen “The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Stephen Covey “What we call interruptions are really the enemy of deep thought.” Herbert Simon “What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.” Dwight D. Eisenhower “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” Daniel J. Boorstin THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY JAMES MCCREADIE & DEBBIE MAY REFERENCES The Science of Intelligent Achievement – Isaiah HankelDeep Work – Cal NewportThe intelligence trapFinite mental energyBusyness as avoidanceAttention fragmentationPlease check out my friends shows: FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS PODCAST with Stephen Koepfer and Paul Varacchi (etc) THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST with Giles Alderson (etc.) THE HORROR CUT with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt WILDE WORLD with David Wilde FILMMAKING CONVERSATIONS with Damian Swaby MUSIC & CREDITS A Himitsu Music: Adventures by A Himitsu Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE Music provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8 Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/ahimitsu https://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A

    17 min
  5. GETTING STUFF DONE with HIGH IMPACT ACTIONS #180

    FEB 1

    GETTING STUFF DONE with HIGH IMPACT ACTIONS #180

    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, and James Clear, I explain how choosing clarity, leverage, and focus over volume helps creative people manage friction, protect energy, and actually complete the work that matters. 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 HUSTLE: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg QUOTES: “Vision without execution is hallucination.” — Thomas Edison“Clarity is power.” — James Clear“The tasks with the biggest impact are often the ones we resist most.” — Leo Babauta“Increases the output of others.” — Andy Grove“If you don’t produce, you won’t thrive – no matter how skilled or talented you are.” — Cal Newport“Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.” — Cal Newport“Concentration is the secret of strength.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” — Michael Porter“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney“Action is the foundational key to all success.” — Pablo Picasso“Done is better than perfect.” — Sheryl Sandberg (referenced)“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” — Peter Drucker----------------------------------------------------------- This episode is sponsored by a terrific supporter and friend of the show Matt Herbert. ----------------------------------------------------------- Please check out my friends shows: FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS PODCAST with Stephen Koepfer and Paul Varacchi (etc) THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST with Giles Alderson (etc.) THE HORROR CUT with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt WILDE WORLD with David Wilde FILMMAKING CONVERSATIONS with Damian Swaby ----------------------------------------------------------- Thanks: A Himitsu Music: Adventures by A HimitsuCommons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQEMusic provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8 –––Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.comhttps://www.facebook.com/ahimitsuhttps://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A

    24 min
  6. HOW TOXIC PEOPLE POISON CREATIVE DRIVE #179

    JAN 25

    HOW TOXIC PEOPLE POISON CREATIVE DRIVE #179

    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 response. 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 HUSTLE: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg QUOTES: “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Suzy Kassem“Clarity is power.” – James Clear“People who care about tone more than truth usually have a reason.” – Hannah Arendt“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – William James“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Sally Berger“Where there is no respect, there is no energy.” – Peter Drucker“Stay away from people who belittle your ambitions.” – Mark Twain----------------------------------------------------------- This epsiode is sponsored by my good friend and long time supporter of the podcast Petra Kolb. Thanks Petra! ----------------------------------------------------------- Please check out my friends shows: FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS PODCAST with Stephen Koepfer and Paul Varacchi (etc) THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST with Giles Alderson (etc.) THE HORROR CUT with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt WILDE WORLD with David Wilde FILMMAKING CONVERSATIONS with Damian Swaby ----------------------------------------------------------- Thanks: A Himitsu Music: Adventures by A HimitsuCommons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQEMusic provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8 –––Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.comhttps://www.facebook.com/ahimitsuhttps://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A

    31 min
  7. THE ENSH*TTIFICATION OF LINKEDIN - A SEASON 15 UPDATE - #178a

    JAN 14

    THE ENSH*TTIFICATION OF LINKEDIN - A SEASON 15 UPDATE - #178a

    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 INDIE FILM HUSTLE: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg QUOTES: The enshittification of platforms isn’t a bug. It’s the business model.” Cory Doctorow“You haven’t failed. Your audience hasn’t vanished. The system has just decided it’s time to charge you.” Carter Ferguson, Film Pro Productivity“If effort no longer matches outcome, you’re not imagining it. That’s pattern recognition.” Carter Ferguson“Posting more won’t fix it. Trying harder won’t fix it. The system is no longer designed to reward that behaviour.” Carter Ferguson“Stop feeding the machine. Downgrade social media to a noticeboard and put your real effort where you have control.” Carter Ferguson“The cost of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” Henry David Thoreau ----------------------------------------------------------- Please check out my friends shows: FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS PODCAST with Stephen Koepfer and Paul Varacchi (etc) THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST with Giles Alderson (etc.) THE HORROR CUT with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt WILDE WORLD with David Wilde FILMMMAKING CONVERSATIONS with Damian Swaby ----------------------------------------------------------- Thanks: A Himitsu Music: Adventures by A HimitsuCommons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQEMusic provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8 –––Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.comhttps://www.facebook.com/ahimitsuhttps://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A

    15 min
  8. STOP FEEDING THE MACHINE - START CREATING STUFF THAT MATTERS #178 [Special]

    JAN 1

    STOP FEEDING THE MACHINE - START CREATING STUFF THAT MATTERS #178 [Special]

    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 recognising the trap that today’s platforms have set, stepping away from systems that no longer serve you, and refocusing your energy on work that actually matters - work that is significant, honest, and genuinely representative of you as a creative. 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 HUSTLE: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg QUOTES: “The enshittification of platforms is not a bug. It’s the business model.” Cory Doctorow  “When growth becomes impossible, companies turn to extraction, and quality is the first casualty.” Cory Doctorow  “Before long, you’re not making films. You’re making content.” Elliot Grove “When you build on someone else’s platform, you’re building on land you don’t own.” Douglas Rushkoff “The most important thing a creator can do is make something that matters. Everything else is noise.” Cory Doctorow ----------------------------------------------------------- Please check out my friends shows: FILM FIGHTS WITH FRIENDS PODCAST with Stephen Koepfer and Paul Varacchi (etc) THE FILMMAKERS PODCAST with Giles Alderson (etc.) THE HORROR CUT with Stephen Kerr and Gary Hewitt WILDE WORLD with David Wilde FILMMMAKING CONVERSATIONS with Damian Swaby ----------------------------------------------------------- Thanks: A Himitsu Music: Adventures by A HimitsuCommons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQEMusic provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8 –––Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.comhttps://www.facebook.com/ahimitsuhttps://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A

    55 min
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4.9
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About

Are you a creative who wants to do more, create more, and live more? This is the podcast for you. Join 30-year film pro Carter Ferguson as he shares practical strategies and real-world insights to help you boost productivity, sharpen your focus, and achieve greater success. Discover how to streamline your creative process, build better habits, and unlock your full potential. 

Information

  • Creator
    Carter Ferguson
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    190
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Carter Ferguson
  • Show Website
    Film Pro Productivity