Anton O’Donnell didn’t just dream of making a film, he actually did it. No budget, no fancy equipment, no industry contacts. Just pure grit, a five-grand credit card limit, and a script he believed in more than anything.
In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Anton to unpack the unbelievable journey behind 'Concrete Jungle', the grassroots Glasgow gangster drama that hit #1 on STV Player with zero marketing budget and a team of volunteers.
It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s proof that if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way.
From rejection letters and self-doubt to bootstrapped filming, night shifts as a bouncer, and teaching himself to edit trailers during lockdown. Anton’s story is the ultimate example of backing yourself when no one else will.
And while the industry said “no”, the public said “hell yes”.
This conversation is for anyone sitting on an idea, battling imposter syndrome, or wondering if it’s too late to go all in. Spoiler: It’s not.
🎬 A must-listen for creatives, self-starters, and anyone chasing something bigger.
 
Key moments include:
✔️ How he turned rejection from writing competitions into motivation
✔️ Filming a pilot with no budget, no crew, just belief and borrowed spaces
✔️ Why resourcefulness beats resources every single time
✔️ Behind-the-scenes: balancing two jobs, debt, and passion
✔️ The moment Concrete Jungle hit #1 in the UK and what happened next
✔️ The power of showing up, asking questions, and not letting fear win
✔️ Why visualising success is useless without action
✔️ Building something from nothing (and not waiting for permission)
✔️ The pivot: from series to film, and what’s coming next
✔️ His 3 life lessons for anyone chasing a dream that feels impossible
Subscribe to Success or Excuses for more raw, straight-talking conversations with people who’ve built, rebuilt, and kept going long after everyone else gave up.
 
Follow James Fleming:
LinkedIn → James Fleming
Instagram → @successorexcusespodcast
YouTube → Success or Excuses
Website → The Power Within Training
 
Follow Anton O’Donnell:
Instagram → @anton.odonnell
TikTok → @anton.odonnell
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/anton-o
Watch Concrete Jungle → STV Player
Get in touch with Anton for investment, partnerships or collabs
 
Timestamps:
[00:00] Meet Anton O’Donnell- writer, actor, creator of Concrete Jungle
[01:45] The first draft: where the idea came from and how it evolved
[04:30] From rejection emails to “let’s just do it anyway”
[06:15] Bootstrapping the pilot episode with £5,000 and a dream
[08:20] Balancing creative ambition with night shifts and burnout
[10:40] Getting people to believe in your vision (when you’re unknown)
[13:00] The STV breakthrough: hitting #1 with no budget or promo
[16:45] How COVID changed the plan and why the film had to happen
[18:50] Learning by doing: editing, sound, filming, marketing
[21:10] The power of grit, trial and error, and believing in the process
[24:40] What Anton wishes he’d known at the start
[26:00] Future plans: from Concrete Jungle to what’s next
[28:15] Final advice: Anton’s mindset rules for anyone with a creative dream

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