PERCEIVED IN THE INDUSTRY
Recently, I’ve been working on letting go of a belief that quietly shaped the way I approached my work:
The idea that my value depends on how the production industry perceives the quality of what we do.
In an industry like ours — where everything is visual, public, and constantly compared — it’s easy to fall into the habit of asking:
What will people think of this?
Is this good enough for the industry?
Will this make us look strong?
Without realising it, the audience becomes other producers, other agencies, other creatives.
And when that becomes your reference point, the pressure never really goes away.
The uncomfortable realisation
Lately, I’ve been sitting with a simple, slightly brutal truth:
Most people are too busy with their own work to think about yours.
Everyone is focused on their deadlines, their clients, their problems, their growth. The industry isn’t watching as closely as we imagine.
And even if someone does notice your work — they move on quickly.
That realisation was strangely freeing.
Because if no one is watching that closely, then the real question becomes:
Am I proud of this?
Did I do my best with what I had?
Does this represent how I want to work?
The shift
When your focus moves from external perception to internal standard, a few things change:
You take creative risks more easily
You stop chasing trends just to impress peers
You make decisions based on the project, not the industry noise
The work feels lighter — and more honest
Instead of performing for the industry, you start building a body of work that feels true to you and your team.
And that energy shows.
What this means in production
Production is full of variables — budgets, timelines, client needs, real-world limitations. Not every project will be your dream brief. Not every outcome will be portfolio-perfect.
If your confidence depends on every project being “industry-worthy,” you’ll live in constant tension.
But if your standard becomes:
Did we show up professionally?
Did we care?
Did we solve problems?
Did we push the work forward where we could?
Then every project becomes something you can stand behind.
A reminder I’m keeping
The industry isn’t your judge.
Other people’s opinions aren’t your scoreboard.
At the end of the day, the only relationship that really lasts is the one you have with your own work.
So lately, I’ve been practising a different question:
If no one saw this except me and the team — would I still feel proud?
If the answer is yes, that’s enough.
Because in the long run, confidence doesn’t come from being seen.
It comes from knowing you showed up honestly — and being happy with what you’re building.