My friend and filmmaker Craig Melville has travelled the world directing comedy ads, television and films. He's profilic - over 120 episodes of broadcast television and more than 200 commercials for clients such as Pepsi, Disney, Expedia, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Target, McDonald’s and Honda. Craig has won at Cannes, Grand Prix at Spikes Asia, Grand Prix at Mumbrella BeFest, Australian Film Institute Awards, and multiple Australian Directors Guild Awards - with work regularly...
Jun 28, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 481
Sister Christian Kendrick and Lawrence T. Lewis are in-demand producers that find time to host an excellent podcast called the Producers Happy Hour. (My episode is here and it's a gem.) Each has worked all over the world and at every major production company going back a few decades. They share irreverent and brutally honest insights about the film production industry. Check it out here and well as a new course " The Art of Script Breakdown ". I gobble up their production tips on TikTok and IG ....
Jun 23, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Composer, songwriter, writer and director Chris Edgar has written music for film, theater, TV, and digital series. He's scored award-winning films, including The Breakout: A Rock Opera (Best Screenplay), Steve's Quest: The Musical (Best Animated Series, Best Music Score), and Ghost in the Gun (Best Music Score) His most recent feature project is "Playing With Beethoven," in which the actors performed the film's score live on set, and which recently made its nationwide theatrical debut. Click his...
Jun 13, 2023•47 min
Hayden5 was dreamt up on the fifth floor of NYU’s Hayden Hall in 2005. As film school freshman, Milos Silber and Todd Wiseman Jr, became collaborators, conquering the challenges of scrappy, New York City production. Today, Hayden5 is a powerful in video production, offering soup to nuts services. Todd explains the company's unique approach that allowed them to scale big time, and still offer consistent quality filmmaking. Peep the showreel . From Video Drop Kits to standardized production guidel...
Jun 06, 2023•55 min•Ep. 477
My new pal Chuck Canzoneri claims he is the world's oldest working Production Assistant. Chuck works at P.A. Bootcamp and they have a session coming up June 10th and 11th in North Hollywood. It is a great program, as you'll learn. I did a guest lecture there once, but have no dog in the fight other than your success. 5 SPOTS LEFT!! So excited for our Second Annual Filmmaker Retreat in Joshua Tree . Join us Sept. 28th to Oct. 1st in the desert for a transformational experience. "Define Your Voice...
Jun 02, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Here's what Film Threat says of my guest filmmaker Cory Choy 's new film "Esme, My Love": "Choy morphs his film from slice-of-life relationship drama to jarring thriller with skill, contrasting peace with severity with ease. Paired with a compatible score, this is a solid feat in filmmaking." Adn here's a nice piece about the June 2, 2023 release in MovieMaker . A founding member of Silver Sound , Emmy Award-winning Cory has constantly searching for and thinking about new and better ways to reco...
May 24, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Filmmaker Alon Isocianu and I discuss his many tools as a filmmaker, the importance of pre-viz and possibitly of soon sharing his treatments, among other topics. Alon's work is highly imaginative, visceral & visually poetic. I'm a sucker for how Alon blends together elements of live-action, motion design, 3D animation and VFX. He is also the co-founder and Creative Director at REACTIV , a motion design & animation studio in Toronto. Check out Alon's site here . EVENTS & COURSES So ex...
May 09, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 475
Jaime Cabrera is an award-winning Creative Director at Innocean. He's got a wondeful book I devoured called " What's The Big Idea? An Idispensable Guide To Becoming A Kick-Ass Creative Director." Somehow Jaime finds time between steady gigs to host the popular podcast "Confessions of a Creatvie Director" - everywhere you pod. Check out Jaime's site by clicking his name and dive in! As a Commercial Director, I love the insights Jaime offers, it's like having the answers to the quiz. EVENTS & ...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 29 min
Steve Fuller is an Emmy award-winning Director, whose work shaocases an expertise in the integration of design and live-action to the production process, coupled with an ability to lead projects from conception to completion. Comfortable in a variety of mediums and genres, Steve's creative through-line is visual storytelling. His commrcial directing credits including major campaigns for McDonalds and Anthem Healthcare. Steve has also worked with an impressive group of clients including Infiniti,...
Apr 18, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Little Farm is Erwin Fraterman 's editorial boutique in Los Angeles, where he and his team can do everything under one barn roof. He and I, along with Thom Reimerink, just did a successful mad dash for RAM Trucks and Razorfish Pubicis to deliver a fully cut, mixed and colored film, with VFX no less, in a mere 29 hours. We talk about the process, the editor-director-agency relationship and so much more. We met on a Buick campaign back in 2018, but now that we've been to war together, the bond is ...
Mar 23, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Cinematographer Darrell Wonge tells his story from player professional basketbaall around the globe to getting hurt and watching YouTube to learn a new craft. And he's mastering it fast. Darrell's quickly gained extensive experience in fashion, beauty, alcohol and sports. Competent in capturing high quality images while displaying confidence and professionalism. Being a former professional athlete that has traveled around the world, he brings that same work ethic to every project as a filmmaker....
Mar 09, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 471
Filmmaker Digby started out as a New York PA and put in his time rising through the ranks on crew. Now he and his partner Ramon "Ra" Nunez run Baby Lion , A Black and Latino-owned creative production company, bringing authentic, cultural insights to every project. We dissect Digby's Resident Evil promo , shot live in one, four-hour take on the Santa Monica Promenade. I suggest you watch it now. We also have a serious discussion about racism in our industry and the lack of equality regarding oppo...
Feb 26, 2023•1 hr 14 min
Showtime declared Pat Hazell one of the five funniest people in America. His 25 years of experience as a writer, producer and director have made him a go-to guy for new American theater. Pat is one of the original writers for NBC’s Seinfeld , a Tonight Show veteran, a critically acclaimed playwright and a contributing commentator to National Public Radio. He is recognized for his genuinely funny Americana humor and his salute to nostalgia. His podcast "Creatvity In Captivity" he interviews the t...
Feb 18, 2023•1 hr 22 min
Filmmakers that have taken any of my courses, either online or attended our senssational Commercial Directing Bootcamp or Filmmaker Retreat in Joshua Tree, are welcome to a free zoom Q&A about those spec spots. Dan Sorgen, Copywriter/CD, will join me. Many filmmakers have used his SpecBank.com to find scripts written by agency creatives to shoot. Imparitive if you're not a great copywriter. And why should you be? EVENTS & COURSES Zoom Q&A Spec Spots . Free with any course. DM for lin...
Feb 08, 2023•9 min
Producer/Director/Writer Christin Baker had directed five feature films and co-launched seminal lesbian steamer Tello Films before becoming CEO of DIVAboxoffice.tv , a new streaming platform serving up premium lesbian and queer women's content. Given her experience making movies and distributing them, Divaboxoffice.tv is sure to be a hit with it's LGBTQ+ women's audience. Christin and I chat about her journey. Here's a nice article about the launhc and please check out the programming and please...
Feb 04, 2023•53 min•Ep. 467
My friend Daniel Cardenas is a talented director and producer, cranking out commercials and videos through his own Bakerbuilt Works. He's mastered brand stories, product videos and testimonials, but you can tell documentaries scratch Daniel's itch. We chat imposter syndrome, low budget filmmaking and his award-winning docu "Hopped Up" and a new project as well. Stream "Hopped Up" on Amazon, check out the trailer to "Hopped Up" Daniel also hosts and produces The Circle Take Podcast, and graciousl...
Jan 28, 2023•46 min
I'm inspired by legendary record producer Rick Ruben, who's been on the pod circuit pimping his new book, "The Creative Act: A Way Of Being" He he says he's hired to share his opinion and taste, which has proven to help artists. As a commercial directors, our job is to have a distinct point of view on the agency script, and serve that script the way RR serves the album. Ultimately, leadership and collaboration are not mutually exlcusive. It's the right balance that gets the best results for the ...
Jan 21, 2023•12 min•Ep. 465
Filmmaker John Grammatico returns to the podcast to talk spots, treatments, agency briefs and story. John has directed over 300 films for brands like M&Ms, Visa, Burger King and Ford. He’s worked with numerous celebs and athletes including Chris Elliot, Anna Faris, NFL Hall-of-Famer Calvin Johnson and Duchess Meghan Markle ( Behind-The-Scenes ). I've posted some work at jordanbrady.com but you can also check out his production company, Little Saint Media for all his great work. Some agencies...
Jan 17, 2023•1 hr 6 min
My friend filmmaker Graham Nolte claims to have taught himself claymation at nine, editing at eleven, and that he still writes on a typewriter. Graham directs funny spots via his own Philly-based production company, Comedy Theory , and has honed his craft by shooting, scripting and shooting more. It's the best way to learn, in my opinion, and i am sure Graham agrees. Graham and I chat about his journey and forging a path as a relatively new filmmaker in the commercial space. Enjoy! FILMMAKER RET...
Dec 30, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 462
Exec Producer Austin Barbera of his own SIXTWENTYSIX explains how his creative studio operates. I found his model fascinating and love the spots, music videos and branded content on their snazzy site. Check out the spots for Turo, Samsung starring Future and more. In the spirit of sharing knowledge, they post wonderful case studies too. EVENTS & COURSES My next Commercial Directing Bootcamp is January 7th, 2023 in Los Angeles is SOLD OUT. Check out my Masterclass or Commercial Directing Shad...
Dec 21, 2022•53 min
I'll be in Tokyo, Japan with filmmaker Jeannette Godoy on December 9th for a Filmmaker Meet Up. Friday, December 9th, 2022 @ 5pm Tokyo time. We want to learn how y'all do it, get gigs, shooting practices, interface with ad agencies and more. We'll share filmmaking tips and tricks we've learned that I hope are univeral. Jeannette's movie, Diamond In The Rough , is out in the UK via Signature Entertainment. Watch, laugh and come to Tokyo with quesitons about how it all came together. If you find y...
Nov 30, 2022•15 min
Top 5 Tips to help you succeed on your commercial shoots and with your career in the longrun. Some are adages you;ve heard from me before but are worth repeating, and others are fresh for our times. DM me with your tips and post them in the Voodoo Lounge. It's free. EVENTS & COURSES My next Commercial Directing Bootcamp is January 7th, 2023 in Los Angeles. Save $100 once you've completed either Masterclass or Commercial Directing Shadow online courses. Voodoo Lounge is open 24/7. Are you lon...
Nov 10, 2022•17 min•Ep. 460
Script Supervisor Denise Eldridge has worked by my side, literally, for decade now and I've come to rely on her good taste and keen eyes. Oh, adn her stopwatch keeps me honest. Enjoy this chat. FREE AMA Monday, Novemeber 7th at 6pm West Coast. You do need to sign up but it's 100% free. If you are already enrolled in any of my online courses, then you're already enrolled in the Voodoo Lounge . EVENTS & COURSES My next Commercial Directing Bootcamp is January 7th, 2023 in Los Angeles. Save $10...
Nov 04, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 459
Commercial director JJ Adler, of Ruckus Films , is an award winning director and writer who helped create comedy spots for all kinds of companies including GEICO, P&G, SC Johnson, Virgin Mobile, Nestle, Coke, Verizon, McDonalds, Pepperidge Farms, etc., and with The Martin Agency, McCann, R/GA, Mother, Droga5, Ogilvy & Mather, Grey, DDB, VMLY&R, PKT, JWT, BBDO, and many more. She talks comedy, running her own shoppe, and the secret to good spots. Check out my favorite - her Gain-iac c...
Oct 28, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 458
Filmmaker, Musician, Content Creator, Video Artist Gabriel Shalom joins me on the pod! We discuss his fascinating journey into directing commercials and dissect his fun and fascinating Ace Hardware spot, back just in time for the holidays. Gabriel has a signature editing style and often composes music for the work he directs. A US/UK dual citizen, his international career has included productions in Milan, Berlin, Eindhoven, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, and New York. Click to read ...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 457
Copywriter/Creative Director Cameron Day has a new book that I truly enjoyed, " Chew With Your Mind Open. " It's an entertaining look at his journy through advertising, complete with a foreword by the legendary Lee Clow. Cameron shares the kind of guidance that has kept him "grounded, driven, and gainfully employed as both a freelancer and a full-timer for longer than I cares to admit." Buy it here . EVENTS & COURSES Saturday, October 22nd at 11:30am Pacific I'll be on the Filmmakers Academy...
Oct 14, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 455
Filmmaker Charles Papert and I met 20 years ago, but sitting down for this podcast, we picked up like it'd been a week. Charles and I chat about DP'ing "Key & Peele", Muppets, features, commercials, Instant Films and more. Be sure to check out this accomplished cinematographer's invention, the ZeeGee rig that takes handheld camerawork to the next level. Next Commercial Directing Bootcamp is January 7th, 2023 in Los Angeles. Save $100 if you’ve completed either my Masterclass or Commercial Di...
Oct 07, 2022•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 456
Agency Producer Anne Kurtzman has enjoyed an illustrious career producing top ads at some of the best advertising agencies in the business. From 72 & Sunny, Cliff Freeman & Parnters to Saatchi & Saatchi, Anne is the best! We met at David & Goliath, where she was Head of Production, but we never got to be on set until 20 years later! I know you'll love our chat. Check out her site www.annekurtzman.com. Next Commercial Directing Bootcamp is January 7th, 2023 in Los Angeles. Save $1...
Sep 26, 2022•40 min•Ep. 454
Actual allows productions quickly issue payment cards & track costs within one collaborative platform. From Bidding through Wrap, Actual provides your team with the tools to competitively bid jobs and track expenses. Ok, I copied and pasted that from Doug Smith 's Actual site so i wouldn't mess it up. But trust me, Actual can streamline a lot of what we don''t like to do. Next Commercial Directing Bootcamp is January 7th, 2023 in Los Angeles. Save $100 if you’ve completed either my Mastercla...
Sep 22, 2022•51 min•Ep. 453
Equals Managment Founder Scott Pugnetti has decades of experiences repping Directors and Cinematohgrpahers globally and now offers his expertise and career management to U.S. commercial helmers. We chat about his relationships, how productions in other cultures operate and more. Enjoy and check out Scott's Equals site here . One key takeaway is Scott favors "talent over structure" when it comes to matchmaking Directors with opportunities. Listen and learn what that means. Next Commercial Directi...
Sep 20, 2022•34 min•Ep. 452
