E14: Adrienn Major — Ditching Retainers: How POD LDN Redefines Post-Production

Retainers? Contracts? Slow approvals? Forget it.

Adrienn Major is breaking every rule of the traditional agency model with POD LDN — a global post-production powerhouse built on flexibility, speed, and trust.

No retainers. No big contracts. Just on-demand creative firepower that scales up or down instantly.

From managing 80 in-house artists and 1,500 freelancers, to building AI tools and automation into her workflows, Adrienn shows what it really takes to stay lean, reactive, and cashflow smart in a chaotic industry.

This episode is a masterclass in running a modern creative business — from scaling teams globally to rethinking pricing models, leadership, diversity, and the role of AI in post-production.

Adrienn Major

Founder of POD LDN, Adrienn shares her journey from growing up in Hungary to building one of the most agile post-production companies in the world. She explains how ditching retainers and complex pricing in favor of flat day rates created speed and trust with clients, and how a massive freelance pool gives POD the flexibility to handle anything from VFX to CGI on demand.

She also opens up about leadership in a male-dominated industry, why agencies need to embrace automation and AI (including creating an AI version of herself), and the surprising lessons she’s taken from The Wolf of Wall Street.

Whether you’re scaling an agency, exploring automation, or looking for inspiration on building flexible business models, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Listen to the full episode now and learn how to scale without burning cash or slowing down.

Topics Covered

00:08 — Introduction: Meet Adrienn Major and POD LDN

01:32 — Adrienn’s journey from Hungary to launching her own company

05:29 — Scaling POD: 80 in-house artists + 1,500 freelancers worldwide

08:31 — Why traditional agencies struggle with reactivity (and how POD solved it)

09:55 — Building a business without retainers or long contracts

12:09 — Flat-rate pricing: £290 per artist per day, £40/hour for smaller tasks

15:16 — How POD helps agencies, in-house teams, and post houses scale flexibly

18:45 — The advantage of tapping into global talent pools

21:41 — Managing a decentralized, international team day-to-day

24:34 — Reinventing workflows: morning check-ins, gamification, and agile leadership

25:25 — How AI and automation power POD’s operations (from onboarding to project setup)

28:52 — Creating an AI version of Adrienn for onboarding and training

32:31 — The future of AI in creative work: threats, opportunities, and collaboration

36:41 — Keeping pace with fast-moving AI tools and platforms

37:11 — Diversity in agencies: challenges and the need for male allies

40:19 — Scaling lessons: staying flexible, keeping overheads low, and cashflow smart

43:16 — Book recommendation: The Way of the Wolf by Jordan Belfort

44:57 — How to connect with Adrienn and learn more about POD LDN