The Producer's Seat
The Producer's Seat is for church media leaders who are ready to stop reacting and start leading. Each episode explores what it really takes to think like a producer — and build a media operation that serves your church without burning you out.
Episodes
10 episodes
The Lies We Believe About Our Own Job
Most church media leaders hold at least one belief about their role that works against them. In this episode, Dan Wathen names six of the most common — and cracks them wide open with personal stories and real responses from media leaders across...
Lost in Translation: Why the Pastor's Vision Never Makes It to the Screen
Have you ever finished a project — put real work into it — and then the pastor saw it and it was completely off?Not because you did bad work.Because somewhere between his vision and your edit, something got lost.In this ...
Stop Trying to be the Big Church
Copying Elevation isn't a strategy. It's an identity crisis.In this episode, Dan challenges one of the most common — and quietly destructive — impulses in church media: the moment your pastor comes back from a conference and says "I want...
Church Media Budget Rejected? Here's Why
The problem usually isn't your budget. It's your pitch.In this episode, Dan shares two real stories from his career that reframe how church media leaders should approach budget conversations — and six practical strategies for walking out...
Your Media Team is on Life Support
If you've stopped noticing the warning signs, that's one of them.In this episode, Dan walks through five red flags that signal a church media team is in trouble — not technically, but relationally and culturally. These aren't gear proble...
Your Reputation is Hurting Your Church Media Career
Your talent got you the role. Your reputation will determine how far you go.In this episode, Dan addresses one of the most overlooked leadership issues in church media — the quiet damage that happens when people can't count on you to res...
Your Church Made a Mistake Leaving TV
Everyone went digital. Not everyone should have.In this episode, Dan makes the case for what many churches quietly abandoned — broadcast television. While digital platforms get all the attention, there's a loyal, older, underserved audie...
From Tech to Leader — Your 90-Day Roadmap
Getting the job was the easy part.In 1999, Dan landed his first media director role, confident in his technical skills. What he didn't have was the leadership ability to back it up. It's one of the most common gaps in church media — and ...
The Permission Trap — Why Your Church Media Projects Stay Stuck
You're not stuck because you lack talent. You're stuck because you're waiting for permission that's never coming.In this episode, Dan breaks down the single biggest thing holding church media leaders back — the habit of waiting for perfe...