Phil Cooke Podcast
146 episodes - English - Latest episode: 15 days ago - ★★★★★ - 35 ratingsHelping leaders navigate their career and calling in today’s distracted media-driven culture. Do you have a message or story that could influence the world? Get expert tips from Hollywood producer and media consultant Phil Cooke on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production and more – and the faith to make it happen. Find out more at PhilCooke.com. His philosophy? Get your ideas out there and change the world in the process.
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Episodes
My Rules for Attending Meetings
September 03, 2019 14:00 - 19 minutes - 27.7 MBProductive meetings can happen if handled properly! Phil Cooke shares tips on how to conduct effective meetings and how to use meetings to your advantage. Bonus tips: How to attend other people’s meetings and advance your career to the next level. (If you’ve got an upcoming meeting at a Hollywood studio, a church, or with a client, watch for these extra pointers!) Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-p...
X-Men Producer Ralph Winter Interview
August 20, 2019 14:00 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MBKnown for X-Men, Star Trek and Fantastic Four franchises, Hollywood producer Ralph Winter’s projects have grossed over $2 billion. In this interview with Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com, Ralph shares behind the scenes stories plus tips for up and coming producers on how to leverage their talents in the film and television industry. Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefe...
Why Broadcast TV Matters
August 06, 2019 14:00 - 11 minutes - 15.6 MBWith Netflix, Hulu, Disney and others battling for online platforms, there is still a place for broadcast television. Phil Cooke https://philcooke.comshares why broadcast TV may be right for you to share your message or creative idea. Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here:https://youtu.be/DjSnJKR5FL4 Do you have a message or story...
Why Small Could be the Best Thing Ever
July 23, 2019 19:19 - 21 minutes - 30 MBStarting small with your ministry, non-profit or entertainment company? It may be the best thing ever – and give you an advantage over larger organizations in today’s digital age. Phil Cooke https://philcooke.comshares why he believes small matters and how it can work towards your success. Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here:https...
Simon Swart – How You Can Succeed as an Independent Filmmaker
July 09, 2019 14:00 - 38 minutes - 53.7 MBProducer Simon Swart shares how to be a successful indie filmmaker in Hollywood in this interview with Phil Cooke. https://philcooke.comGain insight on financing independent movies, the future of faith films, and the distributing and marketing strategies that can help guarantee an indie success. Executive producer of “I Can Only Imagine” with a long career with major Hollywood studios, Simon is the president and CEO of Nthibah Pictures. Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for ...
Creative Design: What I Learned at the Helsinki Design Museum
July 02, 2019 14:00 - 15 minutes - 21.5 MBHow is creativity connected to design? Showcasing industrial design, fashion and graphic design, Phil Cooke’s recent visit to the Helsinki Design Museum inspired thoughts about creative design that will encourage artists and designers in your creative pursuits. https://philcooke.com Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BtxMkfyX-Q...
Best Office Spaces for Creative Teams
June 25, 2019 14:00 - 11 minutes - 16.5 MBIs your open office driving you nuts? Phil Cooke shares tips on creative office designs that will yield the most productivity for your team, plus insight on how a good design can help circumvent sexual harassment in the workplace. https://philcooke.com Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/DjSnJKR5FL4 Do you...
Ben Field Hillsong Interview: How to Fulfill Your Dreams in your Creative Career
June 18, 2019 14:00 - 34 minutes - 48.3 MBBen Field shares his career path to Head of Film and Television for Hillsong Church in this interview with Phil Cooke. Fulfill your purpose in media with Ben’s insight on following your dreams, managing creative teams and building your skillset for film and television. https://philcooke.com Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xd...
Building Teams: 5 Things Leaders Get Wrong
June 11, 2019 14:00 - 20 minutes - 28.5 MBBuilding effective teams is an important leadership skill that many leaders get wrong. Here are my 5 key mistakes that are holding many leaders back from the amazing work their team is capable of. https://philcooke.com Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for le...
Church Hospitality – 8 Seconds to Make an Impact
June 04, 2019 14:00 - 9 minutes - 13.1 MBGetting new visitors to church can be hard. Keeping them can be even harder. Phil Cooke helps pastors understand the importance of first impressions in an 8 second culture. Technology has dramatically changed the way we live. We live in an 8 second world where people are so distracted, they make decisions about people, churches and even pastors – within the first 4-8 seconds. For pastors, this means you must be intentional about training your teams and your people to create a culture o...
Leading Creative People: Interview with Bobby Gruenewald
May 28, 2019 14:00 - 23 minutes - 32.9 MBPhil Cooke interviews Bobby Gruenewald about his concept of the “abundance mindset” that he applies in leading creative teams. Bobby serves as Pastor and Innovation Leader at Life.Church, a multisite church based in Oklahoma; and is the founder of the YouVersion Bible App with over 500 million unique downloads globally. He is passionate about exploring new ideas and finding practical ways to leverage them for the global Church. Quick takeaways from this interview… “The fruit [ide...
Why TV Graphics Can Make or Break Your Program
May 21, 2019 14:00 - 13 minutes - 18.3 MBTV graphics greatly impact your audience’s perception of your message. Phil Cooke shares how to make effective graphics for your livestream church services, videos and television programs. Your graphics are far more important than you may think! With non-linear editing it’s amazing what we can do with television graphics, but the original purpose has not changed. We use graphics to convey information beyond what the speaker is saying. I was preparing some graphic design notes for a cli...
How to Create a Creative Work Culture
May 14, 2019 14:00 - 20 minutes - 28.8 MBGood leaders know that a positive work environment is more important than vision, especially when it comes to leading a creative team. Phil Cooke shares 10 tips to creating a vibrant creative culture in your ministry or organization for your creative team to reach their best work. It’s no secret that culture is more important than vision.I’ve worked in creative, vibrant cultures where original thinking is valued and wonderful things happen. On the other hand, I’ve worked at organizatio...
How to Be Creative Even When It’s Risky
May 07, 2019 14:00 - 15 minutes - 21.9 MBCan you be creative on a deadline? Most creative professionals work within schedules and time frames – the television episode shooting in two days, the fast-approaching deadline for a film to be locked, or a ministry video due for a Sunday’s service. Phil Cooke offers techniques on delivering creativity under fire when you don’t have the luxury of waiting until the mood strikes. We often think that creativity is something that’s inspired, beautiful, and only happens when the spark stri...
10 Secrets to Improve Your Public Speaking
April 30, 2019 14:00 - 22 minutes - 31.8 MBAs a leader, speaking skills are critical to your career. Whether you need to inspire your team, preach to your congregation or captivate an audience as a keynote speaker for a major conference, Phil Cooke offers ten tips to improve your ability to speak to groups. Conquer this list and you’re on your way: 1) Stop using “fill in” words like “um,” “ah,” “like,” or “aaah.” In my opinion, few things make a speaker look more amateur than using fill-in words. Don’t be afraid to simpl...
Stop Following Your Dreams
April 23, 2019 14:00 - 18 minutes - 25.8 MBAre you wasting time pursuing a dream? Passion isn’t enough to get you where you want to be in your career. Phil Cooke offers sound advice to help you discover what you are wired to do – and avoid getting derailed along the way. Jiminy Cricket (“When you wish upon a star…”) would not be happy with me, but the truth is, I’m getting tired of people wasting their lives following dreams they’ll never achieve. I have screenplays on my desk from writers who “have a dream” about writing...
Faith and Hollywood: An interview with Dan Rupple
April 16, 2019 14:00 - 29 minutes - 40.2 MBCEO of Mastermedia International Dan Rupple shares insight into affecting Hollywood as well as tips for those considering a move to Los Angeles in this interview with Phil Cooke. Known by many as one of the founding members of the Christian comedy team Isaac Air Freight, Dan Rupple has over four decades of media experience as a respected producer, writer and speaker. His Hollywood experience includes ten years as supervising producer with CBS television (“The Price is Right,” “The Late...
5 Keys to Successful Fundraising Videos
April 09, 2019 16:00 - 10 minutes - 15.3 MBDonor development and fundraising is critical for your non-profit organization to succeed. Phil Cooke shares five important keys to producing successful fundraising videos that can engage potential donors with your vision and encourage them to partner with you in the mission of your ministry. Hundreds of nonprofit organizations and religious ministries use fundraising videos to tell their story. It’s a powerful medium, and along with other projects, our team at Cooke Media Group produc...
The Power of Momentum to Advance Your Career
April 02, 2019 14:00 - 15 minutes - 21.2 MBMomentum can catapult your career or leadership, particularly if you’re a creative professional. Phil Cooke shows you how to maximize it when it happens and how to make it work to advance your career. Few people really understand the power of momentum, and how to take advantage of it when it happens. Momentum is serendipitous – which means it happens outside of our control. But if and when it happens we need to recognize it and use it for our advantage. What is momentum? It may b...
Writing for Television with Showrunner Dean Batali – Part 2
March 28, 2019 11:00 - 22 minutes - 31.5 MBShowrunner Dean Batali shares how to be a successful writer and producer for network television in this interview with Phil Cooke. With a long career in Hollywood, Dean is known for That ‘70’s Show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Good Witch, Ties That Bind, Nazareth, and Chonda Pierce: This Ain’t PrettyvilleTV movie. He’s also a co-writer of the book Watching TV Religiouslywrittenwith Kutter Callaway. In part two of this interview, Dean shares practical tips for writers wanting to break int...
Writing for Television with Showrunner Dean Batali
March 19, 2019 14:00 - 21 minutes - 29.9 MBShowrunner Dean Batali shares how to be a successful writer and producer for network television in this interview with Phil Cooke. With a long career in Hollywood, Dean is known for That ‘70’s Show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Good Witch, Ties That Bind, Nazareth, and Chonda Pierce: This Ain’t PrettyvilleTV movie. He’s also a co-writer of the book Watching TV Religiouslywrittenwith Kutter Callaway. In this interview, he shares his story of breaking into Hollywood and offers tips for crea...
Stop Giving Advice to People Who Don’t Ask for It
March 12, 2019 14:00 - 7 minutes - 11 MBEver offended someone by giving unsolicited advice? No matter how noble your intentions are, giving advice when it’s not asked for can backfire on you. Here’s Phil Cooke’s advice – on not giving advice! I’m embarrassed to say that it’s taken me most of my life to understand this, but it’s true. Except in very rare situations, giving people advice who haven’t asked for it just doesn’t work – no matter how noble your intentions. In fact, they will often be offended and your very relation...
Is It Time To Change Your Ministry Name?
March 05, 2019 15:00 - 18 minutes - 25.8 MBChanging your business, ministry or non-profit name can re-invigorate your organization. Phil gives a checklist for leaders to think through before changing your name while considering brand equity before making the switch. https://www.cookemediagroup.com Sometimes the need to change a organization’s name is obvious, but more often, leaders can’t always put their finger on a good reason. In many cases, there’s so much brand equity and goodwill in a name, it’s not worth changing, but in...
Legal Issues for Filmmakers with Entertainment Attorney Sam Curphey
February 26, 2019 15:00 - 26 minutes - 37.3 MBAre legal issues holding your film project or idea back? Phil Cooke interviews Hollywood-based entertainment attorney Sam Curphey about contracts, memos and other legal topics filmmakers must deal with. Sam Curphey represents producers, writers, directors, actors, rights holders, and on-screen and new media talent. He is a guest lecturer on entertainment legal topics at Act One and at Biola University and a member of the State Bar of California. He has been the production attorney for...
7 Tips for a Great Interview
February 19, 2019 15:00 - 13 minutes - 18.9 MBA podcast or media interview can impact your career in profound ways, offering the opportunity to share your expertise and enhance your reputation. Phil Cooke offers seven tips to help you be more articulate when your interview opportunity comes along. With the rise in popularity of podcasts, your chances of being interviewed are going way up! If you’re a designer, leader, filmmaker, teacher, coach – whatever you do, your reputation and credibility can be heightened by being able to ar...
The Damage Caused by Leaders Driven by Emotion
February 12, 2019 15:00 - 6 minutes - 8.58 MBAre your leadership skills hindered by your mood? Phil Cooke takes a hard look at how emotions impact and often damage a ministry or organization. How do you come in to work? Angry, happy, sad… Over years of coaching pastors and leaders of ministries and non-profits, Phil has seen the tragic consequences of leaders driven by emotion. You cannot project your emotions onto your team. If your mood changes from day to day or moment to moment, no one on your team knows how to respond ...
Can Christians Be Successful in Hollywood?
February 05, 2019 22:00 - 26 minutes - 37.2 MBInterested in a successful career in Hollywood? Phil Cooke interviews Hollywood Prayer Network founder Karen Covell with tips on the spiritual aspect of how to be survive – and thrive in Hollywood. Jim and Karen Covellstarted the Hollywood Prayer Networkas a prayer ministry in 2001. As active industry professionals, their vision and mission is to encourage Christians to pray for believers and non-believers working in the entertainment industry in Hollywood. A career in Hollywood ...
Should your Church Live Stream?
January 29, 2019 22:00 - 11 minutes - 16.2 MBWill live streaming affect your church attendance? Phil Cooke consults many pastors and ministry leaders on navigating a changing media landscape, and one of the big changes is live streaming. If you’re hesitant about live streaming, here are a few big picture things to keep in mind: The church will always be a place where people engage.It’s so much more than listening to a sermon online; there will always be a place in people’s lives for attending an actual church. Streami...
Fired after 40 – How to Recover Your Career
January 22, 2019 22:00 - 13 minutes - 18.1 MBIf you’ve been fired after age 40 because of a lay-off or company downsizing, don’t panic. You have skills, experience and talent and you can recover your career. Here’s advice from Phil Cooke… If you get fired later in your career, here’s the first thing to do: Get up to speed on the world and do it fast. Recognize that while you’ve been living in a work bubble at your place of employment, the world has been changing. If you get fired or laid off, get up to speed quickly on technolo...
How to Tell Your Story Well
January 15, 2019 17:00 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBAre you able to tell your story well? Leaders and those who want to impact the lives of others should master the art of storytelling. Phil Cooke offers three critical keys to help you tell the defining story of your life more effectively. Telling your story is important and it can have a profound effect on others. Whether it’s motivating or encouraging, somebody needs to hear it. Make sure it’s the most effective story with these three critical keys to telling your story well… Be ...
How to Implement Change
January 08, 2019 22:00 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBAre you able to speak the language of change – or is the power of tradition holding your team or organization back? If you’re surrounded by people stuck in the “we’ve always done it this way” mentality, Phil Cooke offers insight to overcome their objections and move them toward your change initiative. Although there is power in tradition and traditions do matter, we need to remind ourselves that traditions are reminders, not destinations. People change, styles change, technology change...
How to Shoot a Great Interview
January 01, 2019 22:00 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBFilming interviews or short videos well is a skill every producer or filmmaker should gain. Phil Cooke offers 10 keys to shooting a good interview which can become a powerful tool to market your ministry or nonprofit organization. How good are you at interviewing people on camera? No matter how great the camera shot or well-lit your set is, if the interview is not skillfully conducted, your overall video will not be good, and you’ll miss out on gaining an emotional connection with your...
Branding your Church or Nonprofit Part II
December 25, 2018 22:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBPhil Cooke offers practical tips on producing short videos and using social media to establish your brand and gain followers in Part II of this series on branding. What do people think of when they think of your church, business or nonprofit? Strategic branding can establish an emotional connection with the audience you are working to reach. Here’s a recap of “Branding your Church or Nonprofit Part I” points to keep in mind about branding: Get on the radar. Visibility is just as...
Branding Your Ministry or Nonprofit Part 1
December 18, 2018 22:00 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBBranding your business or ministry is a way to distinguish yourself in the marketplace. Phil Cooke shares insight on church branding to position you for greater impact in today’s society. If God has called you to impact culture, then people need to know about it! If nobody knows what you’re doing, you’ve failed. There are two big reasons for branding: Branding establishes an emotional connection with your audience – donors, members of your church, members of your community. Ever...
Freelance or Fulltime Employee – Which is Right for You?
December 11, 2018 17:00 - 7 minutes - 10.8 MBAre you wired to freelance? The success of your career depends on making the right choice between freelancing and full-time employment. Phil Cooke offers questions to consider as you determine the best fit for yourself and your future. While some people are wired to be a freelancer, others are better suited to be an employee. For example, fulltime employees get insurance benefits, a regular salary and the stability of knowing they have a fulltime job. Freelancers have more freedo...
Why Self Awareness Will Save Your Career
December 04, 2018 17:00 - 10 minutes - 14.8 MBAn accurate perception of your leadership skills can significantly affect your career. A lack of it can get you fired! Here are important tips from Phil Cooke on how to improve your self-awareness. How do other people see you? Is your view of yourself and your leadership abilities, talent, behaviors and attitudes in synch with how everyone else perceives you? An accurate self-assessment is important for your career as a leader and a team member. Most people are fired because they...
Church Media Checklist for Holiday Programs
November 15, 2018 22:49 - 16 minutes - 22.7 MBChurch media directors know a Christmas production or Easter pageant can easily flare up into a nightmare. Here’s a checklist from Phil Cooke https://philcooke.comto help you produce a professional program that warms people’s hearts – without losing your sanity. Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here:https://youtu.be/ypkm8KVC5b0 ...
How to Make the Most of a Holiday Weekend
November 14, 2018 22:59 - 19 minutes - 18 MBTime off? Make the most of your holiday weekend and increase your productivity with these tips from Phil Cooke. Bonus: Find out how an attitude of gratitude can help your work environment and impact your business and career. Everybody’s busy and it’s important to take a break to recharge and refocus. What do you do when you have time off? Thanksgiving, Christmas and other long weekends offer a chance to pause and gain a fresh perspective. Here are ideas to consider when you have time off… 1. ...
What to Do When People Don’t Recognize Your Talent
November 13, 2018 23:00 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBAre you a creative person? Especially in Hollywood, you’ll eventually run into people who don’t see your potential or think your ideas are valuable. Walt Disney, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and more in Hollywood have faced rejection and criticism as producers, actors and directors. Even novelist Saul Bellow was dismissed as a “dud.” He went on to win the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for Literature plus other awards. What do you do when people don’t recognize your talent...
Practical Creativity
November 06, 2018 22:00 - 22 minutes - 30.8 MBCan you schedule creativity? Most highly creative people have a regular routine. In this episode, Phil Cooke shares truths and practical ways to inspire your imagination. Everybody is creative, but research shows that most significant creativity drops at age six! Creativity is the currency of this culture. In a time when CEO’s are looking for creative employees, these truths from Phil Cooke will spark your imagination and even help you schedule your creative moments: Inspiration ...
Freelancers - How to Build a Career that Lasts
November 06, 2018 17:40 - 17 minutes - 23.6 MBBuilding a long-term career in the film and television industry can be a struggle. Talent matters, but there are other things that lend towards success. In this episode, Phil Cooke offers 4 keys to freelancers for a creative career that lasts. Creativity is a volatile business. Phil has been in Hollywood since 1991 and has seen directors, actors, art designers and even studio executives in the film and television world burn out. What’s the difference between a person that succeeds and ...
How to Shoot a Better Short Film or Video
October 25, 2018 21:21 - 20 minutes - 28.7 MBShort films and videos are the number one marketing tool in America for companies, non-profits, ministries and even film studios. A 3-6 minute short film can tell the story of your cause or organization in a powerful way. 46% of people who see a short video want to find out more. They’re interested enough to take the next step. The key is doing it well. Here are 5 tips from Hollywood producer and media consultant Phil Cooke to shoot better short films and videos - plus bonus tip...
How to Deal with Insecure People
October 24, 2018 19:01 - 14 minutes - 20.3 MBInsecurity is the single biggest problem in the workplace today. It runs rampant in Hollywood, in business, even among church leaders. If you’re dealing with people who drive you crazy at work, here’s Phil’s checklist to find out if insecurity is the source – and then his tips on how to deal with a petty and insecure person. Petty and insecure people… Continually have to remind people they are an experienced professional. Take every opportunity to take a swipe at others at work. Domi...
Is My Work Outdated?
October 24, 2018 18:53 - 10 minutes - 14.1 MBAre your skills becoming obsolete? As a writer or director, business or ministry leader, it’s important to keep up with current trends and styles to stay current in your career. Phil Cooke shares 5 ways to help you keep your skills relevant in a changing culture. Study the industry. Take the time to read trade magazines and see what other people are doing. In the film and television industry, lighting, shooting, directing and even editing styles change. It’s important to pay attention to t...
Dealing with Rejection
October 24, 2018 18:52 - 14 minutes - 20 MBHow do you respond to rejection? Filmmakers, writers, actors – anyone in a creative field can experience failure and rejection. Your response can either destroy or make your career. Here are 5 tips from Phil Cooke to help creatives manage criticism and grow from it. Don’t over think it.The work that you do may not be a problem; it may just not be a good fit for the project. Timing, chemistry, style, size – it all comes into play. More often than you think, rejection has nothing to do with y...
The Art of Pitching
October 17, 2018 20:28 - 20 minutes - 28.3 MBDo you have a script, a movie, a book or just a great idea you need to pitch? Hollywood producer and media expert Phil Cooke shares 10 tips on pitching your dream in this week’s podcast. How do you make your dream their dream? Here are 10 principles that can help you pitch your idea successfully. Bring multiple ideas. A great idea is the worst thing in the world if it’s the only one you’ve got! Do your homework. Search Google, read the trade magazines, find out what their goal is. It’...