Editor Rob Watzke has cut many of your favorite tv spots over the years, but on nights and weekends, he teaches improvisation. We saw his show the night Helen Hunt played along with Rob and his troupe. The 100% riffed show was amazing. Back in the editing bay, Rob deftly cuts on any tool invented, and works with his agency clients to bring out the best in the footage. We chat improvisation, editing and discuss the birth of the Frankensteinization of multiple versions of edits in one cut. Is it r...
Nov 05, 2015•1 hr 40 min
You recognize the name Andrew Furtado as the deft editor my documentary "I Am Road Comic". He started out as a lowly production assistant, but now directs his own projects, films and edits films like Clive Baker's "Nightbreed:The Director's Cut" . He also produced, directed & edited comedian Kyle Kinane's hilarious special. We chat self-discipline, how to avoid being sent to stop traffic when you're a PA when you really want to hang at the monitor, talk the tech, and more. Be sure to check o...
Oct 25, 2015•1 hr 20 min
Continuing the "acting for commercials" theme, I talk with my pal Jimm Giannini for his take on the commercial biz. Jimm's new web series, "Tyler and Borelli", is the result of him adapting to new opportunities. Here's a link to an episode called "Janet" that's charming, funny and endearing. You can tell these two actors are having fun and connecting. 3 minutes, watch it. Enjoy. We chat about how actors should approach the auditions, why it's important to be honest about yourself and he explains...
Oct 22, 2015•1 hr 26 min
Comedian/Actor/Writer Wayne Federman is my favorite comic, and he's just put out his debut comedy album, The Chronicles of Federman . A box set of three CDs (also available digitally) that spans his 30 plus years of unique, killer stand-up. Judd Apatow, who writes the liner notes, says "Epic, hilarious, inspired and whimsical." And Mr. Apatow goes on and on. Oh, and I must reveal, Wayne is also my best pal. Wayne has acted in dozens of national commercials, with a proportionate amount of them be...
Oct 15, 2015•1 hr 25 min
Commercial helmer Mike Bigelow started out as a motion animator and VFX technical director working on prestigious films like "The Abyss" and "Total Recall" before directing hundreds of commercials. We chat about our mutual love of doing as much in camera as possible, how comedy plays best in a wider shot, and we engage in a little tech talk. Mike is a gentleman and his sly humor makes for a great listen. Enjoy & share with a loved one. Two of Mike's spots we discuss are posted at jordanbrady...
Oct 09, 2015•1 hr 16 min
Josh Forbes is a funny commercial director, whimsical music video director and helmer of the horror hit "Contracted: Phase II". We chat about the differences among his many disciplines of filmmaking. He also tells the tale of being nominated for Best Rock Video Of The Year for "Shut Up And Dance" by Walk The Moon at this year's MTV Video Music Awards. Yet oddly, the filmmaker was not invited to the VMA's, and was forced to buy a ticket . Apparently, Viacom is strapped for cash. I've posted my fa...
Oct 04, 2015•1 hr 28 min
I'm shooting in Toronto and Montreal, so it's just me talking about the process of getting work up here, in my experience. Helen is vacationing in Barbados and will return soon. Great guests lined up for Fall. And my Bootcamp was a huge hit!! Bravo to the filmmakers that attended. Thank you, Jordan
Sep 19, 2015•16 min
I discovered Scott McMahon's Film Trooper Podcast through his tweets, and found the information he provides to be such a valuable part of my toolkit. He also retweets the best film related articles. We chat about his beginnings in the video game industry, and how that lead to him making a $500 feature film called, "The Cube". He also produces Film Trooper presents "Film Marketing Fridays", which you'll find on YouTube. Check out Scott and everything he has to offer. Great guy, great chat. This e...
Sep 09, 2015•1 hr 15 min
What a treat to sit down and chat with Director Andrew Laurich . The man makes inventive music videos, killer commercials and his latest short film, "A Reasonable Request" has been ripping up the festival circuit. Discover how Andrew started in the vault making reels, then shot second unit with Stacy Peralta in Alaska, which then lead to a gig at the helm. Click here to see the short, but do not watch at work or with the kiddies. I've posted some other spots at jordanbrady.com too. And kudos to ...
Sep 03, 2015•1 hr 17 min
For the last 10 years or so, Cinematographer Mateo Londono and I have made dozens of great spots together. Sometimes, we barely talk on set, and instead smile in agreement. After all, we've worked everything out ahead of time, so the shoot day is about executing that plan, and I am free to focus on performances while Mateo captures it. We talk about how style is informed by the creative, of course. And as Mateo has a feature career, we discuss the differences between shooting movies and commerci...
Aug 26, 2015•1 hr 20 min
Jack Plotnick 's philosophy towards creativity is so spiritually aligned with my own, that I think we might have been separated at birth. I've directed Jack in a few commercials, marveled at his acting chops in films like "Meet The Fockers", "Rubber" and "Gods And Monsters". Then I discovered his directorial debut, the feature film "Space Station 76". Jack and I chat about creating one's own content, setting a date to make it happen, and giving yourself boundaries, a theme that's come up on this...
Aug 21, 2015•1 hr 14 min
Steve Chavez, Chief Creative Officer Leo Burnett Detroit, believes that when you focus on the work, the awards and accolades will follow. Talk about respecting the process. We chat about tighter deadlines, fully developing the idea and what he looks for in hiring a director. And so much more. I've shot with Steve before and got the work with him and his team this year for the United Way. I've posted the spots here and at jordanbrady.com for your enjoyment. They star the super-funny Keegan Michae...
Aug 13, 2015•1 hr 47 min
Writer/Director/Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait returns to the podcast with legendary Boston comedian Barry Crimmins to talk about their beautiful, haunting and healing documentary "Call Me Lucky" . The film opens August 7th and you need to see it. We talk about their decades-long friendship and the responsibility Barry felt to speak out against child sexual abuse, after dealing with his being raped repeatedly as a child. Bobcat presents a loving case study of a man determined to speak up against the...
Aug 06, 2015•40 min
Today was extraordinarily heartfelt. I woke up in a funk. It happens. After 8 straight weeks of prep, shooting and working with editors, I caught that Post Shoot Depression. Then we took the train downtown to USC, home of this year's Special Olympics. The happiness I witnessed lifted my spirits. And seeing my wife's documentary play as a part of the events reminded me that as filmmakers, we have a gift that we can share. Watch the documentary "Free 2 Be Me" about the Free 2 Be Me Dancers for fre...
Aug 02, 2015•11 min
I overheard Don Starnes talking on the cellphone outside a Starbucks. Afterwards, I asked if he was in filmmaking, because he gave off that filmmaker's stench. We struck up a conversation, which made it a must to have Don on the show. This episode is heavy on cinema theory, the process, tech talk and gets as specific as what motivates a shot. My favorite rule is "all questions will be answered by the story." Check out Don's work as both Director and DP here and share this engaging chat. Only a f...
Jul 30, 2015•1 hr 16 min
One of my favorite Line Producers and people is Rick Cowan. He's produced many spots that I've directed and he's always provided everything needed and more. He's one of the most knowledgable filmmakers out there, having made three feature films as well. Two of the them have made it to the Sundance Film Festival. Rick was there on set when I started using the term "Respect The Process" repeatedly, and we spend a great deal of this chat discussing how a director can work with her line producer to ...
Jul 17, 2015•1 hr 11 min
Filmmaker Steve Stockman is a successful director, producer and now author. His show "Brew Dogs" is a hit on Esquire TV, he's shot a few hundred commercials, and wrote and directed the feature film "Two Weeks" starring Oscar winner Sally Fields. Steve stresses that we're working in a portfolio business, so he encourages filmmakers at all levels to get out and shoot. He breaks down a "How to" formula for getting into the reality television game. I encourage you all to buy his book, which preaches...
Jul 13, 2015•1 hr 9 min
Senior Producer James Introcaso and I sat down immediately after a successful shoot of our Nat Geo WILD promo for SharkFest. Not SharkWeek, that is totally different. Nat Geo's Sr. VP/Group Creative Director Andy Baker offers the companion piece to this episode over at Andy's The Client Blog , so be sure to check that out. James and I discuss collaboration, ad-libbing and the process of developing of ideas at Nat Geo. You'll be inspired by how James made his first film driving around these Unite...
Jul 07, 2015•1 hr 7 min
Adam Goldberg' s new film "No Way Jose" is available July 7th on DVD and Digital HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Just pre-order now, darn it! It's a very funny "coming of middle-age" film starring Adam Goldberg, who is one of my favorite actors and filmmakers. Adam co-wrote, directed and stars in this wonderful comedy. He also performs original songs and edited the movie. We chat about every facet of his creative process, from the co-writing mechanics with Sarah Kate Levy, to casting, ...
Jul 02, 2015•2 hr 17 min
Filmmaker Dan Mirvish makes great movies, and you've got just a few days left to support his latest film, "Bernard and Huey" . Click now here to support Dan's Kickstarter, then come back and enjoy our talk. We chat about how they came to create Slamdance and the talented alumni of the festival (see: Tres Parker & Matt Stone, Jordan Brady, Christopher Nolan), how he resurrected an Oscar category and his latest project. We share a similar philosophy about how to make your film a reality, and I...
Jun 29, 2015•1 hr 27 min
I've shot a few campaigns birthed by Aaron Cathey over the years. He's funny, prolific and a smart writer of adverting. He most recently won a Dannes Gold Lion for his work on Hotels.com while at Crispin Porter+Bogusky. Aaron is now back at one of my favorite agencies, Barkley. Aaron and I indulge in enjoyable recollections of past gigs, and you'll love learning from the agency perspective how they hire a director, what they look for, the details, etc. I've posted links on jordanbrady.com for yo...
Jun 24, 2015•1 hr 1 min
As a longtime Colin Quinn fan, an algorithm brought me to "Cop Show" , a funny behind the scenes spoof of a fake cop drama. Being hilarious and right up my comedy alley, I sought out the show's producer/director, Mr. J.D. Amato . J.D. and I kick off with some pre-interview tech talk, discuss comedic character traits and he explains his "passion over logic" theory. Great stuff. I've posted a few "Cop Show" links on jordanbrady.com. Guest stars Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, Jim Gaffigan and more po...
Jun 17, 2015•1 hr 12 min
I'm offering my first Commercial Directing Bootcamp, September 13th in Los Angeles. Sign up at jordanbrady.com and learn the secrets to build your career. This is not "film school" - it's far more specific. I've learned so much interviewing directors and creatives over the last 100 episodes, that I thought it was time to share the knowledge. After directing over 700 spots I've developed methods and practices that work. My results are great commecials and that keep agencies and clients coming bac...
Jun 16, 2015•11 min
I wanted this 100th episode to be extra special, and by golly is it. Billy Jones is one of the most sought after 1st AD's in commercials because of his excellent leadership, communication and knowledge of filmmaking. Billy, and those he's mentored, lead with a sense of serenity and control. The 1st Assistant Director schedules & executes the day in a way that helps the Director accomplish her vision, while simultaneously helping the Producer stay on budget. The manner in which the 1st AD com...
May 25, 2015•1 hr 18 min
Director Carolyn Chen has shot hundreds of commercials, always delivering a strong emotion, supported by her stunning visuals. Ever-evolving, she's stayed relevant in a business that loves the flavor of the week. When I discovered her new production company, Production For The People, I had to chat with her. Carolyn has brought her vision, style and experience to the brave new world of Branded Content. We chat about working with editors, her start as a cinematographer, running a shoot via FaceTi...
May 21, 2015•1 hr 26 min
Cinematographer Jeanne Vienne is a longtime filmmaking partner. We've made literally dozens of commercials, two documentaries and traveled three continents together. I admire how she leads her crew with decisiveness and articulate instruction. Jeanne tells how she lights to protect the actors. Of late, she's been shooting mouth-watering table top gigs, so we compare working with fruits and veggies versus actors. We also chat about the trends in cinematography we've seen over our years together. ...
May 14, 2015•1 hr 11 min
Cinematographer Alex Jacobs may be the last director of photography I've ever met that learned while shooting actual 35mm film. A young man, he knows all the tricks of the DSLR revolution, but came up through the ranks with the discipline of the camera department. Ours was an arranged marriage on a promo shoot with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, in which we had 35 minutes to shoot. Alex and I were kindred spirits from the get go. We chat about the process, the way people get filmmaking jobs these ...
May 07, 2015•1 hr 15 min
Obviously I like Grant Spanier since he had me on his podcast, 10,000 Hours . Moreover, I like his unbridled enthusiasm, that get 'er done attitude and his collaborative nature. His music video for "Weightless" by the DJ known as Vaski (Grant directed with his pal Jake Woodbridge) shows his whimsy, while his design work sports the clean look I love. We chat about self-discipline, balancing a multi-faceted creative life, and Grant schools me on the Sharing Economy as it pertains to creative learn...
Apr 29, 2015•1 hr 10 min
Y'all are going to love comedian Derek Gaines. Right before my interview with Morgan Spurlock, I got to chat with Derek, one of the stars or Mr. Spurlock's newest project "Connected" - the awesome first-person filmed series for AOL.com for AOL Originals. Derek and I discuss stand-up comedy, how he got picked by AOL, MTV and his future dreams. Little did we realize how parallel our journey's are. Check Derek out on MTV's "Broke Ass Game Show" as well as his many stand-up clips online. My son Benz...
Apr 22, 2015•30 min
My special guest is the great documentarian Morgan Spurlock , who agreed to be on the show after I stalked him in a parking lot. His films influence the way we eat ("Super-Size Me"), look at marketing ("The Greatest Movie Ever Sold") and helped me appreciate One Direction ("This Is Us"). His CNN show "Inside Man" is a favorite of mine, and I can honestly tell you I've seen every movie he's made. We chat about his newest project "Connected" , an awesome first-person filmed series for AOL.com. He ...
Apr 16, 2015•20 min
