Stay ConnectedOne-on-one chats with commercial directors, advertising agency creatives, actors, editors, producers, crew and more. Filmmaker Jordan Brady has directed of over 1300 spots , 4 feature films, 3 full-length documentaries and one Netflix special. The show is edited by Jake Brady.
Jordan is Founder of Commercial Directing Film School and owner of True Gentleman Industries, aka True Gent, a commercial production company in Los Angeles. Respect The Process, since 2013.
Michelle Eskin, partner and Managing Director Cut + Run LA, has built a creative oasis in Santa Monica. We chat about the importance of setting the tone for doing great work. Despite how the editorial business has changed, she and her editors, effects artists and staff remain cheerful and positive. It's a real treat to edit there. Young editors listen up.
Truly one of the great comedy minds of our time, director Adam McKay has now used his powers for the betterment of mankind. He's created a magical land inhabited by multi-colored Alpacas who love lollipops and rainbows, to teach us about the growing divide in wealth distribution. It's called "The Unbelievably Sweet Alpacas". Just one of 20 short films for Morgan Spurlock's "We The Economy" project.
It's voiced by a winning trifecta of comedy talent: Sarah Silverman, Amy Poehler, and Maya Rudolph. NPR Host & economist Adam Davidson advised. Cinelan Managing Partner David Laks offers a pre-interview interview, explaining the program. Documentarian Miao Wang made a short docu about Chinese factories in South Carolina that must be seen. She's in the roundtable with Adam McKay. Damon Smith, Supervising Producer, Cinelan is the moderator.
Thanks to the SideShow Network, I joined Mr. McKay in a round table discussion at the press conference for "We The Economy". It's documentarian Morgan Spurlock's series of short films by notable filmmakers. Each director teamed with actual economists to craft eye-opening, and often funny shorts.
Composer Andrew Feltenstein and his partner John Nau run Beacon Street Studios. They scored hundred of award winning commercials. They now do a lot for Funny Or Die, including their Emmy® nominated songs for "The Spoils of Babylon". They support he movie by not being funny. Rather they respect the script and play it straight. Making great music allwos Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Judd Apatow to spoof what they set out to do.
Michael Koman is Co-Creator along with star Nathan Fielder of the Comedy Central hit show "Nathan For You". If you loved the "Dumb Starbucks" episode as much as the world did, you'll want to listen. Guest interviewer Michael Addis, a former guest of the podcast himself (January 2013) probes Mr. Koman to find out what a shworunner does.
Writer/Director Theodore Melfi has been making commercials and indie films for a decade. So when he nabbed Bill Murray for the starring role of his script, he was more than ready to deliver. Listen to this great casting tale, his hanging with Jack Nicholson, and how his real life inspired his script that he hand-wrote in four weeks. I’ve known Theodore since he started directing, and he’s as genuine a man as he is talented.
“St. Vincent” opens in LA & NYC on October 10th, then goes wide October 24th. Watch the trailer and go opening night in your city! Take the family!
As a director, I’m hired by advertising agencies of all sizes. Some are huge, part of a global conglomerate, while others are nimble shoppes, but equally as creative. The big agencies are always in the trades, pitching and winning even bigger clients. But I wondered how these smaller agencies got their work. So I traveled […]
Hear why David Fincher, J.J. Abrahms and myself use Green Screen Animals. Simple: Mark Shockley and his animal-loving crew shoot all kinds of creatures on green screen, and then license the footage to you. Best of all, they treat the beasts like the divas that they are. Mark only works with trainers and handlers that […]
For decades, the inspired and hilarious short films of Saturday Night Live have been the highlight of show. So what a treat to talk with Adam Epstein, the SNL film unit editor that pulls it all together, literally overnight. We chat about workflow, turnaround, teamwork and the amazing talent both in front of and behind […]
Tom Lowe is an experienced line producer who produced a few of my epic Dodge spots for the Doner Agency this summer. Naturally, we chat about the creative problem solving the line producer brings to the shoot. His advice to new directors is invaluable. The first half of this engaging, tech-filled interview, we focus on […]
Comedian Steve Hofstetter produces a stand-up comedy show for FOX. The show is called “Laughs” and it airs Saturday nights. Steve is busy fulfilling his order for the series. Bravo, I say. I met Steve through director/producer Dane Hanson and marveled at how they’re pulling the show together. Here’s the extended promo for the show […]
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