5 Lessons We Learned in 2025

It’s 2026 - a good time to pause and look back at 2025. 

It was a year of quiet growth and steady acceleration. In 2025, FA Production completed 30 projects, averaging just over two projects per month. For us, that turned out to be a healthy rhythm: enough momentum to keep the business moving forward, without overcommitting or burning the team out.

In this blog, we're sharing the five lessons that stood out the most. Let's jump right in.

1. You can actually stick to your call sheet

In Vietnam, it’s almost an open secret that call sheets are often treated as… aspirational. Timelines are there “for reference,” overtime is expected, and squeezing two shoot days into one is seen as efficiency.

We decided to approach this differently.

Our rule is simple: if we can’t plan it properly, we won’t shoot it.

We don’t cram two shoot days into one. We don’t hope things will go smoothly on set. And if the call sheet says wrap at a certain time, we aim to wrap at that time.

Throughout 2025, there was only one project where we couldn’t finish within the planned two-day shoot and had to add another two hours on a third day. Even then, this wasn’t a surprise. We had already identified the risk internally and prepared a contingency plan in place.

We’ll share more details about this project once it’s fully completed, but the takeaway is clear: respecting the call sheet isn’t unrealistic. It just requires discipline, honest planning, and the courage to say no to impossible schedules.

2. Pre-production trumps post-production

First, a note: this isn’t a competition. Ideally, you want enough time for both. But if timelines are tight (as they often are), pre-production should always take priority.

A useful metaphor we like:Pre-production is laying the foundation of a house. Post-production is interior design. You can repaint walls and change furniture all you want, but if the foundation is weak, the entire project can collapse.

Good pre-production means:

• clear objectives

• realistic schedules

• intentional visual language

• risk mitigation strategies

In 2025, the projects that felt smoothest in post were almost always the ones where pre-production was given enough breathing room. When things went wrong, it was rarely because of editing or color grading, it was because decisions were rushed before the shoot even began.

3. AI is playing a bigger role whether you want it or not

“AI is taking all our jobs.”That’s the main narrative we see everywhere, and here’s our take: AI is here to stay, and it’s only going to get better. 

Resisting it doesn’t help. Learning how to work with it does.

In 2025, we had opportunities to experiment with generative AI tools such as Hailuo and Kling. The results genuinely surprised us, not because they replaced human creativity, but because they expanded what’s possible in visual exploration and rapid testing.

This is not to say AI can replace our creativity. It can only support it. If we can learn how to integrate AI thoughtfully, treating it as an assistant who we can bounce ideas off, rather than the main creative outlet - we will be a lot better off.

4. People trump systems

Throughout 2024, we invested heavily in refining our workflows and systems, from pre-production checklists to post-production pipelines. But in 2025, we encountered a slightly uncomfortable truth:

At a smaller scale, people matter more than systems.

A great workflow won’t save a project if the people running it are exhausted, misaligned, or under-skilled. On the flip side, a strong team can often make things work even when the system isn’t perfect.

This realization shifted our focus. Instead of endlessly optimizing processes, we started investing more energy into:

• upskilling our team

• clarifying roles

• improving communication

• creating a culture where doing good work feels natural, not forced

This is the biggest eye-opener for us: good systems support people, they don’t replace them.

5. The importance of continuous learning

Perhaps the most important lesson of all, not just this year, but always: learning doesn’t stop once you’ve “figured things out.”

2025 reminded us that the industry keeps changing: cameras evolve, software updates, audience expectations shift, and new tools (like AI) get integrated faster than ever.

Staying relevant doesn’t come from chasing every trend. It comes from maintaining curiosity, being humble enough to admit what you don’t know, and making learning part of the job, not as an afterthought.

Looking ahead

2025 wasn’t about big leaps or dramatic pivots. It was about consistency, reflection, and gradual improvement. As we move into 2026, we’re carrying these lessons forward, refining how we plan, how we collaborate, and how we grow. 

And with that, we end the blog here, we wish you a very happy and healthy year ahead!