Producing requires balancing creativity with practicality in a way few other roles do. You’re not just helping shape the story, you’re thinking about budget, packaging, scheduling, marketability, relationships, and how to actually get a project across the finish line.
After more than three decades working across international distribution, production, and now publishing, I’ve seen the entertainment industry from many different angles.
From selling films territory by territory at global markets…
to producing projects…
to helping creators develop stories.
Over time, a few patterns become impossible to ignore.
Here are some of the truths the industry eventually teaches you. Feel free to add more in the comments!
1. A great idea is not enough.
The industry runs on execution, relationships, and timing. Many brilliant ideas never make it to the screen.
2. The math always matters.
Behind every creative decision sits a financial reality: budget, recoupment, market demand.
3. Distribution determines destiny.
A beautifully made film without a distribution strategy can easily disappear.
4. Festivals are not a business model.
They can elevate a project, but they rarely guarantee financial success.
5. Casting is often a financial decision.
Recognizable actors or trending talent can unlock distribution discussions and investor confidence.
6. Relationships build careers more than projects do.
Projects come and go. The people who trust you and believe in you stay.
7. The market never stops changing.
What worked ten years ago—or even five—or even last Film Market may not work today.
8. Intellectual property has become incredibly valuable.
Books, articles, podcasts, and true stories increasingly drive development because they bring narrative depth and audience interest.
9. Ego has destroyed more projects than lack of talent.
I’ve seen films fall apart because of pride, politics, or power struggles, or just plain ignorance.
10. Reputation compounds over time.
In a relationship-driven industry, your name eventually becomes one of your most valuable assets.
Despite all of this, I still believe deeply in storytelling.
Because every once in a while, the right story finds the right collaborators at the right moment.
And when that happens, something extraordinary can still be created.
Going to Cannes this year? Let me help you refine your presentation (and mindset) in my very popular Stage 32 workshop.
Which of these truths has had the biggest impact on how you approach producing, and what experience taught you that lesson?
