Why Are You Still at a Big Ad Agency?
I used to work at a big ad agency. Great coffee, stunning decks, the occasional rooftop client barbecue where someone always pitched a podcast no one would make. You know the drill.
But lately, I’ve been watching the work shift—radically. And today, after seeing what Sora 2 can do, I’m calling it: the agency model isn’t just bloated. It’s starting to feel like a comedy sketch with too many characters.
You Don’t Need the Castle Anymore
Here’s the truth: the only reason to stay at a big shop used to be access. Gear. People. Budgets. A place where someone else handled scheduling. That made sense when shooting anything meant trucks and cranes and spreadsheets with too many columns.
Now? I can open an app, describe the vibe, and get a video with synced sound, movement, even dialogue that fits the mouth. I don’t need a production department. I don’t need to “loop in post.” I can do it all—on my phone. While eating a toastie. That’s not hypothetical. That’s what I did yesterday.
The Myth of “Creative Infrastructure”
Agencies will tell you the process protects the idea. That structure makes things better. But that structure also eats time, waters down good instincts, and turns a 6-second social ad into a three-week slog.
AI doesn't just skip steps. It removes entire layers. You can write, direct, cut, and ship—all before your old team finishes the WIP doc. And you’ll still have time to second-guess your colour grade like a proper filmmaker.
Freelancers, Indie Creators, Tiny Studios—It’s Your Time
I’ve worked with incredible people in big agencies. But now? I work faster, looser, and weirdly—better. The pressure’s still there. The client’s still waiting. But I don’t spend half my day explaining what I meant in slide 43.
This isn’t about “disruption.” It’s about ownership. You can now make serious, high-impact creative without asking permission. You can pitch with proof. You can shoot without shooting. You can say “I’ll have that to you tomorrow” and actually mean it.
My Setup?
A phone. A laptop. An overworked cat.
And a new rule: if I can type it, I can make it. No approvals needed.
But lately, I’ve been watching the work shift—radically. And today, after seeing what Sora 2 can do, I’m calling it: the agency model isn’t just bloated. It’s starting to feel like a comedy sketch with too many characters.
You Don’t Need the Castle Anymore
Here’s the truth: the only reason to stay at a big shop used to be access. Gear. People. Budgets. A place where someone else handled scheduling. That made sense when shooting anything meant trucks and cranes and spreadsheets with too many columns.
Now? I can open an app, describe the vibe, and get a video with synced sound, movement, even dialogue that fits the mouth. I don’t need a production department. I don’t need to “loop in post.” I can do it all—on my phone. While eating a toastie. That’s not hypothetical. That’s what I did yesterday.
The Myth of “Creative Infrastructure”
Agencies will tell you the process protects the idea. That structure makes things better. But that structure also eats time, waters down good instincts, and turns a 6-second social ad into a three-week slog.
AI doesn't just skip steps. It removes entire layers. You can write, direct, cut, and ship—all before your old team finishes the WIP doc. And you’ll still have time to second-guess your colour grade like a proper filmmaker.
Freelancers, Indie Creators, Tiny Studios—It’s Your Time
I’ve worked with incredible people in big agencies. But now? I work faster, looser, and weirdly—better. The pressure’s still there. The client’s still waiting. But I don’t spend half my day explaining what I meant in slide 43.
This isn’t about “disruption.” It’s about ownership. You can now make serious, high-impact creative without asking permission. You can pitch with proof. You can shoot without shooting. You can say “I’ll have that to you tomorrow” and actually mean it.
My Setup?
A phone. A laptop. An overworked cat.
And a new rule: if I can type it, I can make it. No approvals needed.