You Gotta Hear This! A Podcast for Video Creators & Storytellers

Paul Steven Forrest
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

You Gotta Hear This! is the go-to podcast for video creators who want to master the art of storytelling. Hosted by writer, director, and creative coach Paul Steven Forrest, each episode dives into practical techniques, insider tips, and real-world strategies to help you shape raw footage into powerful, engaging stories. If you’re ready to level up your storytelling skills, this podcast is for you!

  1. 3d ago

    Ep 75 - Secret Sauce: Beating The Algorithm

    Everybody’s trying to beat the algorithm. More views. More likes. More followers. More reach. But if you’re a working creative, there’s another algorithm that may matter a whole lot more. People. Because when a producer needs a great camera operator, editor, audio person, director, designer, or crew member, they usually don’t start by asking who has the most followers. They ask somebody they trust: “Know a great ______?” It’s not much different than needing work done around your house. Know a great plumber? Know a great electrician? Know a great painter? That’s the human algorithm. In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, Paul shares why your reputation may be more valuable than your reach—and how the way you work, the way you treat people, and the experience you create can keep your name moving from one conversation to another. Because your brand isn’t what you think about you. It’s what other people think about you. Key Insights: Why likes and views don’t tell the whole story. The difference between visibility and reputation. Why referrals still drive the production business. What it means when your reputation precedes you. Why how you make people feel matters. How to become the person people recommend when someone asks, “Know somebody great?” Social media can help people discover you. But people help people trust you. And sometimes the best algorithm you can build isn’t online at all. It’s the network of people who are willing to say your name when you’re not in the room. That’s the Secret Sauce. Connect with Paul at: paulstevenforrest.com

    Ep 75 - Secret Sauce: Beating The Algorithm

  2. Aug 18

    Ep 74 -Secret Sauce: Get Ready For Your Moment

    Sometimes opportunity gives you plenty of warning. And sometimes the phone rings and someone says: “Need you to sub-in tomorrow?” Suddenly you’re confirming the call time, showing up at a location you’ve never seen before, meeting a crew you may not know — and being expected to deliver. That’s the thing about your moment. You usually don’t get to decide when it arrives. In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, I talk about why all those smaller jobs, unexpected assignments, long days, mistakes, and lessons along the way are preparing you for opportunities you can’t see coming. Don’t pass up the small jobs. They may not feel important at the time. But every one of them gives you another experience to draw from when somebody finally hands you a bigger opportunity. And remember that podcast where we talked about Just Say YES? This is where that comes back around. When your moment arrives, you may not feel completely ready. You may even be scared. That’s okay. Be ready to say yes... no matter how scared you are. Because you’ve been getting ready for that moment longer than you realize. Key Insights: Why opportunity rarely arrives on your schedule How small jobs prepare you for bigger ones Why experience builds confidence you can’t fake What to do when you're asked to step into something before you feel ready Why sometimes you just have to say YES! Connect with Paul at: paulstevenforrest.com

    Ep 74 -Secret Sauce: Get Ready For Your Moment

  3. Aug 11

    Ep 73 - Secret Sauce: Staying In Sync

    Great creative teams develop a rhythm. They learn how each other thinks. They anticipate what’s coming next. And eventually, they can communicate in shorthand. “Let’s do what we did on the Santa Monica shoot.” That may be all it takes. Because when you’ve worked together long enough, you don’t have to explain every detail. Everybody knows what that means. Everybody starts rowing in the same direction. That’s what happens when a creative team gets in sync. In this episode of You Gotta Hear This!, Paul talks about why staying in sync matters — not only between the people on your team, but between the pictures, words, music, sound, and emotion of the story you’re creating. We’ve all experienced what happens when something is out of sync. The picture says one thing while the sound says something else, and almost immediately your brain knows something isn’t right. Creative teams can feel the same way. When the producer, director, camera crew, editor, client, and everyone else involved in the project are working from different ideas of what they’re trying to create, the audience can feel it. But when everyone understands the story, the goal, and each other, something changes. The work gets better. Communication gets easier. And the team begins moving together. Key Insights: Why great creative teams develop their own shorthand. What happens when a team—or a story—gets out of sync. Why shared experience builds trust • How communication becomes easier when everyone understands the goal. Why being in sync doesn't mean everyone thinks exactly alike. How collaboration can become part of your secret sauce Because your Secret Sauce isn't only about what you bring to the project. Sometimes it's about how well you help everyone else bring their best to it. The best creative teams don't just work together. They learn to move together. And when everybody is rowing in the same direction, you can feel the difference in the work.  Connect with Paul at: paulstevenforrest.com

    Ep 73 - Secret Sauce: Staying In Sync

  4. Aug 4

    Ep 72 - Secret Sauce: I Never Went To Film School

    What if your greatest education never happened in a classroom? In this episode, I share why I'm actually grateful I never went to film school. As a music major in college, I found myself producing two full-scale musicals—experiences that unexpectedly became my bridge into television production. From there, every assignment, every edit session, every production meeting, and every conversation with talented professionals became another lesson. The editors I worked alongside became my professors. The producers I worked with became my mentors. The projects themselves became my classroom. Looking back over more than four decades in television and media, I've realized that curiosity has always been one of the most valuable skills I've ever developed. Instead of pretending to know everything, I kept asking questions, watching how experienced people solved problems, and learning something new on every project. If you're waiting until you feel "qualified" before pursuing your next creative opportunity, this episode is for you. In this episode you'll discover: Why curiosity can be more valuable than credentials. How real-world experience accelerates creative growth. Why asking questions is a strength, not a weakness. The importance of learning from everyone around you. And how every project can become another step in your creative education. Whether you're just getting started or you've been creating for years, your next lesson may be waiting on your very next assignment. You don't have to attend film school to become a better storyteller. Stay curious. Keep asking questions. Keep learning. Because your greatest education may happen while you're doing the work. And that's where your secret sauce begins. Let's continue the conversation at: paulstevenforrest.com

    Ep 72 - Secret Sauce: I Never Went To Film School

  5. Jul 28

    Ep 71 - Secret Sauce: Soak It All In

    Have you ever had one conversation change the way you looked at your work forever? For me, it happened during a visit to Capitol Records in Hollywood. A record producer friend invited me to sit in on a recording session, and before the musicians arrived, I found myself talking with the recording engineer about the microphones he was setting up. I asked what I thought was a simple question, and his answer has stayed with me for decades. It wasn't really about microphones. It was about paying attention. It was about curiosity. And it reminded me that some of the most valuable lessons in a creative career don't come from a classroom—they come from asking one more question. Looking back, I've realized that's how I've tried to approach my entire career. Whether I was working in a television station, sitting in an edit suite, directing a live broadcast, or producing a documentary, I wanted to learn from the people around me. I watched how they solved problems. I listened to the questions they asked. I paid attention to the little decisions that made a story stronger. One habit that shaped me was staying through the credits at the end of every movie. While everyone else was leaving the theater, I was studying the names. I wanted to know who edited the film, who composed the music, who designed the sound, and why the same names kept appearing on projects I admired. That's when I discovered a simple truth: excellence leaves fingerprints. If you pay attention, great work will teach you how it was created. In this episode, I want to challenge you to become a creative sponge. Whether you're a filmmaker, communicator, leader, musician, or storyteller, every conversation, every project, every success, and even every failure has something to teach you. The people who continue to grow aren't necessarily the most talented—they're the ones who never stop learning. They stay curious. They ask one more question. And they keep soaking it all in.   Our conversation doesn't have to stop here. Visit PaulStevenForrest.com for more resources to help you tell stories that engage & connect.

    Ep 71 - Secret Sauce: Soak It All In

  6. Jul 21

    Ep 70 - Secret Sauce: Shaping Your Reputation

    Your reputation isn't built by what you say about yourself. It's built by what other people say after you've left the room. In this episode, Paul explores why your secret sauce isn't just a skill — it's the consistent value you bring to every project, every client, and every relationship. From a behind-the-scenes television story to the quiet habits that make people want to hire you again, you'll discover why reputation is one of the most valuable assets you'll ever build. Who you know may get you in the room... what you know helps you do the work... but it's your reputation that gets you invited back. You'll learn: Why talent alone isn't enough How your "secret sauce" shapes your reputation. The difference between being remembered and being recommended. A television production story about trust, excellence, and showing up. Simple ways to strengthen your reputation starting today. Key Takeaway: Your secret sauce shapes your reputation. Every project, every conversation, and every interaction leaves an impression. The question isn't whether you're building a reputation—it's whether you're building the one you want. Next Steps: If today's episode challenged you, take a few minutes this week to ask three people you trust: "When you think about working with me, what's the first thing that comes to mind?" Their answers may reveal strengths you've never recognized—and opportunities to become even more valuable.   Connect with Paul at: paulstevenforrest.com

    Ep 70 - Secret Sauce: Shaping Your Reputation

  7. Jul 14

    Ep 69 - Secret Sauce: What's Yours?

    Every successful creative seems to have something extra. Not a better camera, more expensive gear, or a more impressive title—but a unique value that keeps people coming back. I call it their secret sauce. Years ago, when editing technology was changing, I realized I needed to grow or risk getting left behind. Learning to edit wasn't just about mastering software. It was about becoming more valuable. Little by little, I discovered new ways to make every story stronger, and in the process, I refined my own secret sauce. But here's the challenge: before you can refine your secret sauce, you have to know what's already in it. Think about the people who keep hiring you. Why do they call you back? What value do you consistently bring that makes their work better? Sometimes the answer isn't what you think. As one of my favorite freelance camera operators taught me, your greatest value may not be your technical skill—it may be your attitude, your work ethic, or your ability to make everyone around you better. This week, call five people you've worked with and ask them three simple questions: Why did you hire me? Why do you keep hiring me? What do I bring that makes the project better? Then listen. Because here's the truth: You know the recipe. Other people know the flavor. Your secret sauce isn't just what you do. It's the value you bring...and how you make everyone around you better. 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-gotta-hear-this/id1805367166 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0vYCMlY3JtM0u2LoQFWQ60 📚 More creative resources, courses, and tools at: paulstevenforrest.com

    Ep 69 - Secret Sauce: What's Yours?

  8. Jul 7

    Ep 68 - Connect The Dots: Shoot For The Moon, And Work Backwards

    Every great creative project begins with a vision. Years ago, while working with a television director in Dallas, I learned a simple principle that has guided my work ever since. Before anyone picked up a camera or planned a shot, he'd gather the creative team together, talk through the assignment, kick around a few ideas... And then say, "Let's shoot for the moon... then work backwards." That wasn't a call to be unrealistic. It was a reminder to start with the biggest idea you can imagine, then build the plan that makes it possible. In this episode, you'll discover why beginning with the end in mind changes the way you approach creative projects, solve problems, and lead teams. Instead of settling for what's easy, you'll learn how aiming higher often leads to better, more innovative solutions. Whether you're producing videos, leading a ministry, telling stories, or building something new, this simple mindset can change the way you create. Let's connect these dots. 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ 🌐 More resources: https://paulstevenforrest.com 📖 Get the book You REALLY Gotta See This!: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/you-really-gotta-see-this

    Ep 68 - Connect The Dots: Shoot For The Moon, And Work Backwards
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You Gotta Hear This! is the go-to podcast for video creators who want to master the art of storytelling. Hosted by writer, director, and creative coach Paul Steven Forrest, each episode dives into practical techniques, insider tips, and real-world strategies to help you shape raw footage into powerful, engaging stories. If you’re ready to level up your storytelling skills, this podcast is for you!

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