German-born Filmmaker Marc Schölermann started his directing career at the age of 13 shooting his own Super-8 movies in the basement of their family home. After graduation he pursued a career in film production, working his way up from location manager to assistant director on various national and international feature films, among them the James Bond movie “Tomorrow Never Dies”. Always envisioning a career in directing, he studied at Filmakademie Ludwigsburg and was ultimately signed by German ...
Jan 11, 2019•59 min
Filmmaker Ben Dolphin, a majorly talented Director and Cinematographer, always stays on the cutting edge of filmmaking technology. He shares his transition from choreography to gaffing to shooting and beyond. His specialty is capturing wonderful moments from smiles to liquids of any viscosity. You'll love Ben's story that he shares so openly. Check out https://bendolphinproductions.com/ for his stellar work. Enjoy. Jordan This chat runs 1 hour 11 minutes. My Commercial Directing Bootcamp for Jan...
Jan 04, 2019•1 hr 12 min
Filmmaker Paulina Lagudi wrote and directed "Mail Order Monster" - a sweet, rare gem of an indie for the whole family. Oh, she produced it as well. Paulina and her Director of Photography Cooper tell us how they made the movie a reality. From casting to finding distribution, this episode is a crash course on getting your indie film made and released. "Mail Order Monster" is on iTunes and streaming everywhere. It'l be in Walmart on DVD in February 2019. Enjoy, Jordan Commercial Directing Bootcamp...
Dec 21, 2018•1 hr 21 min
Director Amir Farhang started his professional career as a writer and creative director for top agencies such as BBH, CP+B, 180, and W+K working for major brands such as adidas, Johnnie Walker, Burger King, Sony, Coca-Cola, Google, Nike, Brand Jordan, Volkswagen and Acura. His first ad wasn’t even an ad—it was a TV show for Axe and MTV called Gamekillers which enjoyed a two-year run. Following that, he created a one-hour special for NBATV and adidas called The Brotherhood as well as The Rocket P...
Dec 07, 2018•1 hr 41 min
Director Erica Eng won awards early on in her career, yet chose to still work her way through the ranks. Recently, Erica she was one of six fellows handpicked out of 400 applicants to participate in the Commercial Directors Diversity Program (CDDP). Through the program, Erica created a “Homeboy Industries” PSA starring the Emmy-nominated actor, Richard Cabral. She was also chosen for SHOOT Magazine's 16th Annual New Director's Showcase, where her film "Poison" was screened at the Directors Guild...
Nov 28, 2018•1 hr 5 min
The uber-fabulous Meredith Thomas is always working as an actress yet she finds time for her charity work, producing and organizing stellar events. In fact, Meredith arranged everything for the "Disconnected" + "I Am Battle Comic" double feature Friday, November 16th, 2018 at the Van Nuys/Reseda Elks Lodge to benefit Elks' Families in Need, the VA. Free admission for Active Duty Military, Veterans and First Responders. Just show up with an ID. All others still just $10 and it is all for a great ...
Nov 16, 2018•1 hr 30 min
While his official title on the Contagious LA website is "Premier of the Cabinet", Jordan Flack is a producer, EP, talent scout, problem solver and all 'round bon vivant. Jordan returns to the show to talk about what has changed in the business. Always great to have him on the show. Thank you, Jordan This episode is an hour of great chat. Commercial Directing Bootcamp is January 19th, 2019 and you get a free copy of my sensational book Commercial Directing Voodoo when you arrive....
Nov 08, 2018•1 hr 2 min
Nia Peeples is well-known for her successful, prolific acting career, so when a mutual friend said she wanted to come on the show, I leaped at the opportunity. Instead of tech talk and behind the scenes stories, we dove immediately into her personal journey, which she openly shared. The result is a deep conversation of self-realization, personal growth and living in the moment. Nia's new book is "The Little Apple Tree" all about relationships and she'll be doing an LA reading Nov. 10th. Check he...
Oct 30, 2018•1 hr 21 min
"The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man" is Filmmaker Tommy Avallone's latest documentary. And Tommy is back to chat how he made the movie and what he indeed learned from everyone's favorite comic genius. Pre-order today on iTunes. Enjoy! Jordan This episode is a whopping hour and 23 minutes of love. Next Bootcamp is January 19th, 2019. Sign ups are happening fast....
Oct 25, 2018•1 hr 24 min
Director Todd Heyman is quite prolific, staying busy and in demand despite remaining freelance versus signing with any one particular production shoppe. Todd began his career by developing marketing campaigns for top Hollywood studios. His first film as writer/director was a finalist at the Tribeca Film Festival, and landed at HBO. From there... well hey just listen to our chat. I've posted the Nike spot we dissect over at jordanbrady.com so head on over. Thanks, Jordan Commercial Directing Boot...
Oct 18, 2018•1 hr 19 min
Actor/Model/VO Artist Jimmy Fanzo didn't get his heart transplant just so he could play hipster Santa in my Fiat spots a few Christmas' ago, but it all did happened. Learn Jimmy's journey into the biz and how I knew the moment he walked in the casting session that he was the guy, despite no white hair, no belly and no beard. And we become instant brothers. Check out the Fiat spot at jordanbrady.com and fellows, be sure to click BreakTrueCamp to see about an incredible experience Jimmy has put to...
Oct 12, 2018•1 hr 6 min
LA-based director Jens Gehlhaar’s spots for Nissan, Square, Skylanders, and Sodastream are just a few examples of his design sensibility and impeccable ability to merge immediacy, timeliness and humor through a variety of different projects. As a creative director, Jens has worked on a broad range of styles and concepts for Coca-Cola and MTV, KCRW, and This American Life, creating perfectly crafted visual stories. Also, he is the first guest to have invented his own font. Check out his work here...
Oct 04, 2018•1 hr 24 min
Kiran Koshy is both an agency Creative Director and Commercial Director. His story is compelling because like many of us, he followed his bliss into filmmaking. His journey just earned more frequent flyer miles. His voice as a storyteller rings out so loud and clear in his work. You'll be inspired by what he accomplishes with little money, so be sure and check out the spots at kirankoshy.com or what I've posted at www.jordanbrady.com . Enjoy. Happy 5 year anniversary to Helen and I! Jordan Oso D...
Sep 28, 2018•1 hr 32 min
Commercial Director Clay Williams makes the kind of spots I see on tv and salivate over. His humor is sly, subtle and understated even when the premise is crazy. Clay shares his thoughts on filmmaking, working with improvisational actors, crew and more. Once an agency creative at TWBA/Chiat/Day, Clay started directing and never looked back. His collaborative nature is something we should all aspire to. Check out this spot for First Bank then leave a comment at www.jordanbrady.com - enjoy. Thanks...
Sep 21, 2018•1 hr 31 min
Director Toby Wosskow hit it out the park with his spec spot for BMW and shares his tedious plot that made it work. Not only did BMW run the spot on their site, but the agency hired him to shoot everything under the sun, including the Foot Locker's "House of Hoops x Nike" for the NBA finals this year. Since our interview, Toby's film "Sides of the Horn" was just picked up by Sir Richard Branson personally. The short is the first film to tell the story of South Africa's poaching war from both sid...
Sep 07, 2018•1 hr 8 min
PRETTYBIRD President & Co Founder Kerstin Emhoff is recognized for her successful and enduring relationships with top agencies, clients, artists and managers, and her experience and unique style across various mediums and platforms. Under her leadership, PRETTYBIRD has collected Grammys, Emmys, D&AD Awards, Cannes Lions & Grand Prix, Clio’s and MTV Video Music Awards – in addition to being named Creativity’s 2015 Production Company of the Year. You'll love this chat I promise. Jordan...
Aug 24, 2018•52 min
"Half The Picture" Director Amy Adrion stops by the podcast to talk about her amazing, insightful film. HALF THE PICTURE consists of interviews with high profile women directors including Ava DuVernay, Jill Soloway, Lena Dunham, Catherine Hardwicke and Miranda July, among many others, who discuss their early careers, how they transitioned to studio films or television, how they balance having a demanding directing career with family, as well as challenges and joys along the way. Buy/rent/watch e...
Aug 09, 2018•1 hr 30 min
I love chatting with innately funny people, and Tal Wagman is one such a person. We met shooting our wildly popular "Built To Amaze" campaign for Toyota via Saacthi. Now Tal has moved his humor mill over to Zambezi working on Vitaminwater and Venmo. We chat about RottenApples , a website database that informs us whether or not a film or show is tied to a person accused of sexual misconduct. It's a great resource. I've alos posted a fun spot of Tal's at www.jordanbrady.com . thanks, Jordan This r...
Aug 03, 2018•1 hr 32 min
The Moon Unit is a creative services boutique that helps storytellers develop ideas into words, gorgeous visual treatments, mood boards and pitch decks and more. Katniss and I skyped to cover a lot of ground. After describing a great pitch and treatments, we dive into how a director can best manage her career. Click the links and check them out. Thanks, Jordan Commercial Directing Bootcamp is August 25th, 2018 in LA so sign up now. Oh yeah, Voodoo is on Audible. More on that later. Use the code ...
Jul 28, 2018•1 hr 8 min
Mr. Marc Kelly 's is a Director, 1st AD and more. When I saw his name role up in the credits of " Blindspotting ," I cheered and had to hear more about this film. Marc takes us behind the scenes with filmmaking tips and tidbits, working with Director Carlos López Estrada , Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal and the crew. Then we delve into race, inclusion, gentrification, and karaoke. The opens this weekend. Please support this film so it goes wider to audiences that need to laugh and learn. Thanks, Jor...
Jul 20, 2018•1 hr 12 min
Director Liz Hinlein shares how she has successfully navigated her career making brand films, VR gigs, tons of spots and her feature, "Other People Children." You've seen Liz's Dove Real Beauty starring Shonda Rhimes, I promise. We chat about the commonality in directing these various gigs, staying humble while leading, and the fun in teaching others when we've learned. And because she's also a talented cinematographer, she gives y'all plenty of tech talk in this episode. I've posted some of Liz...
Jul 13, 2018•1 hr 25 min
Filmmaker Ramaa Mosley directs commercials, documentaries, feature narratives and more. Like myself, she believes we do different jobs for different reasons and creates her own opportunities. You'll love the part of this chat when she explains how originality is overrated. I disagreed but then came around. Ramaa is also the Executive Creative Director and one of the Founders of Adolescent Content, fostering filmmaking careers of Gen X and Gen Y filmmakers. Check out Ramaa's work here and enjoy t...
Jul 06, 2018•1 hr 34 min
Veteran comedy director Rick Friedberg has written a book you must buy. You learn and laugh as this "rule book" for success tells you, as the title says, how to survive the Hollywood machine. We chat comedy, managing a career, and a long-lost project we shared together and so much more. Buy the book on Amazon , click here or off www.rickfriedberg.com today! thanks, Jordan Commercial Directing Bootcamp is August 25th, 2018 in sunny Santa Monica. Learn more at www.commercialdirectingbootcamp.com T...
Jun 23, 2018•1 hr 20 min
Dynamite directing duo Jeff & Pete , aka Jeff Gonick and Peter Novosel, are following their dreams by leaving their cushy advertising agency jobs as creatives to become helmers of comedy commercials. And boy are they good. Landing at top shoppe Caviar, they've helmed funny stuff for Dr. Pepper, SunTrust and more. Plus their fun fellows. After their origin story, we chat about their process and how they love the treatment phase of pitching. (Huh?) And collaboration, not just with each other b...
Jun 14, 2018•1 hr 41 min
Commercial Directors are not well-served by montages of shots. Advertising agency folks and clients want to see you can tell a good story in :15, :30 or :60 seconds. So for years, I have resisted the montage reel. But friends, this weekend I succumbed to the siren of the montage. After listening to the new breed of filmmakers, like Oren Kaplan and Matt Enlow (Of Just Shoot It Podcast fame) and others, I realized it's part of the schtick of being a director. And who knows, maybe I'll get a gig fr...
Jun 12, 2018•6 min
Filmmaker Tony Ladesich proves my point you do not have to live in New York or LA to be a working filmmaker. Tony shoots national commercials for Sprint, all while living in beautiful Kansas City. We discover we know some of the same filmmakers there, as well as we share a positive outlook toward balancing personal projects with our professional ones. A great chat. Click his name to see his great stuff. If you need podcast editing, my son Jake Brady is open for business with his Podcast Wax . Gi...
Jun 08, 2018•1 hr 13 min
Whenever he's shooting a commercial, actor David Lautman spends his time between takes studying every crew member's job and how she or he does it. This film school by astute observation, combined with his infectious personality has helped David branch into directing. We chat about writing our own stuff to shoot, doing those Tongal contest spots and the importance of not waiting for the golden ticket. Be sure to check out Spoof Troupe , his sketch group on Youtube. Enjoy! Jordan Commercial Direct...
May 31, 2018•1 hr 6 min
Joseph Matsushima stopped by to talk about the Blocker AR app. Blocker is an augmented reality director's viewfinder. It makes it easy for filmmakers to communicate their vision. Place 3D characters on set or in your living room, frame your shots. The website says to then create storyboards to share, but I'll use it more for previsualization. I tried it and it is badass and in the iTunes store. Thanks Joesph for walking us through the app. Thanks, Jordan Respect The Process fans a whopping save ...
May 24, 2018•24 min
Filmmaker Demetris Campbell started shooting with the fabled Fisher-Price PixelVision 2000, an early video camcorder that recorded onto audio cassette tapes. Then his wife got him shooting for her wedding clients. Now Demetris runs Doughnut Media and has gathered a slew of clients. His social videos are top-notch. Check out their Vimeo page or pop over to jordanbrady.com and be happy. We also chat about diversity in filmmaking and creating one's own opportunities, a subject near and dear to my h...
May 17, 2018•1 hr 10 min
Commercial and content director Robjn Taylor has always made films sense he can remember. And that passion is still alive. You hear it in his tone when we talk about career, being a DIY filmmaker, and tricks of the trade. I love how Robjn is finding his voice as a filmmaker and honing that with each spot he makes. Very evident in his work. Check out his site and the spot I posted at jordanbrady.com. thank you, Jordan This episode last an hour an 17 minutes. Commercial Directing Voodoo is your ti...
May 03, 2018•1 hr 18 min
