The Filmmakers Podcast

Creativity, Burnout & Mental Health in Filmmaking with Matt Follows, Dom Lenoir & Conor Boru


Listen Later

Today’s episode of The Filmmakers Podcast takes a slightly different turn. Instead of focusing on a particular film, this conversation dives deep into a topic that affects all creatives - mental health.

Host Dom Lenoir is joined by director Conor Boru and former filmmaker Matt Follows for an open, honest, and insightful discussion on what it means to take care of your mind while navigating the challenges of the creative industries.

After 20 years as an award-winning creative director and writer at agencies like Wieden + Kennedy and M&C Saatchi, Matt transitioned from advertising to filmmaking, directing commercials and branded content for Nike, MG, and Gymbox, among others. He also wrote screenplays, sitcoms, and a sports documentary featuring Paralympic champions Ade Adepitan and Stacy Kohut.

Realising the production life wasn’t quite paradise, he retrained in NLP, Clinical Hypnotherapy, and advanced psychotherapies, becoming a Complex Trauma Specialist in Harley Street. Today, he’s a sought-after coach, trainer, and speaker for major brands like FOX, Bentley, and Toyota, helping top creatives unlock performance and resilience.

In this episode, Dom, Conor, and Matt explore why mental health is just as important as talent or hard work, share practical strategies for getting through tough times, and even offer simple tricks - like how to put your phone away to focus on creative projects.


Get in touch with Matt here:

Matt Follows Peak Performance Psychologist & Coach For Creative Brains

Find Conor Boru's work here:

Conor Boru | Director | London

OTHER LINKS

FOOD FOR THOUGHT documentary out NOW | Watch it FREE HERE.

A documentary exploring the rapid growth and uptake of the vegan
lifestyle around the world. – And if you enjoyed the film, please take a
moment to share & rate it on your favourite platforms. Every review
& every comment helps us share the film’s important message with
more people. Your support makes a difference!


PODCAST MERCH

Get your very own Tees, Hoodies, on-set water bottles, mugs and more MERCHhttps://my-store-11604768.creator-spring.com/

 

COURSES

Want to learn how to finish your film?

Take our POST PRODUCTION COURSE https://cuttingroom.info/post-production-demystified/

 

PATREON

Big thank you to:

Serena Gardner

Mark Hammett

Lee Hutchings

Marli J Monroe

Karen Newman

Want your name in the show notes or some great bonus material on filmmaking? Join our Patreon for bonus episodes, industry survival guides, and feedback on your film projects!

 

SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Check out our full episode archive on how to make films at TheFilmmakersPodcast.com

 

CREDITS

The Filmmakers Podcast is written and produced by Giles Alderson @gilesalderson

Edited by @tobiasvees

Logo and Banner Art by Lois Creative 

Theme Music by John J. Harvey

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Filmmakers PodcastBy Giles Alderson

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

57 ratings


More shows like The Filmmakers Podcast

View all
Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,064 Listeners

Scriptnotes Podcast by John August and Craig Mazin

Scriptnotes Podcast

2,430 Listeners

The No Film School Podcast by No Film School

The No Film School Podcast

420 Listeners

Happy Sad Confused by Josh Horowitz

Happy Sad Confused

1,278 Listeners

The Empire Film Podcast by Bauer Media

The Empire Film Podcast

542 Listeners

Awards Chatter by The Hollywood Reporter

Awards Chatter

1,338 Listeners

Soundtracking with Edith Bowman by Edith Bowman

Soundtracking with Edith Bowman

158 Listeners

The Screen Show by ABC listen

The Screen Show

6 Listeners

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast by Directors Guild of America

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

739 Listeners

IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit by Chris O'Falt

IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit

102 Listeners

The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna by Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

969 Listeners

Team Deakins by James Ellis Deakins, Roger Deakins

Team Deakins

1,121 Listeners

Script Apart with Al Horner by Script Apart

Script Apart with Al Horner

206 Listeners

Kermode & Mayo’s Take by Sony Music Entertainment

Kermode & Mayo’s Take

322 Listeners

The Louis Theroux Podcast by Spotify Studios

The Louis Theroux Podcast

615 Listeners