Film

Beauty Commercial Director Jasmin Kuhn: Finding Your Voice.

In this conversation with beauty director Jasmin Kuhn, we dig into the path that helped shape her voice as a filmmaker—from her early exposure to visual storytelling to the commercial work that defines her today. Jasmin shares honest insight on craft, collaboration, paid treatments, and what it really takes to build a strong reputation in the […]

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Pat Finn Would’ve Loved These Lovebirds with Tom Kenny & Jill Talley.

Just me rambling about my caldron of feelings over fun new work and grief. Here’s an article about the Lovebirds campaign, but my feelings today are not expressed there. This is just for y’all. My Filmmaker Retreat has 7 spots left so save your spot now! NEW COURSE – VIRTUAL PRODUCTION FOR COMMERCIAL DIRECTORS Filmmkaer and friend

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Shiouwen Hong & Nathan Freise Are Married Filmmakers Thriving Apart.

Explore the dynamic world of Shiouwen Hong and Nathan Freise, married filmmakers thriving on separate creative paths. Shiouwen focuses on impactful documentary projects, while Nathan directs alongside his brother Adam. Discover how these two lovebirds balance personal and professional lives, maintain unique voices, and support each other’s artistic journeys. A key takeaway: embracing individuality can

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“Ikigai Plus” and Your Filmmaker Voice = Reel plus Reputation.

After the last episode’s babble, I dig into what it really means to “find your voice” as a filmmaker—especially in the commercial world. It isn’t just a visual style, but the combination of your reel and your reputation: the work you put out plus what it’s like to work with you. I talk about the

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From 30-Foot Colons to CGI Critters: Staying Tool Agnostic as a Commercial Director.

Just me talking about staying tool agnostic as a commercial director—moving between live-action, CG, and AI without losing my point of view. I share recent job stories, how I’m using my Filmmaker Retreat Joshua Tree and Posh Duo promos as testing grounds for new tools, and why I still put actors, crew, agency team –

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Jonathan Del Gatto Nails Direct-to-Consumer and Creative Coaching.

Jonathan Del Gatto is a visionary filmmaker and creative coach, known for his transformative work in brand films and direct-to-consumer content. In this episode, Jonathan shares his journey from editing TV commercials to founding Brighter Company, where he crafts compelling narratives that connect with audiences. We explore the evolution of content creation—balancing artistry with strategy,

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Happy Accidents and Hard Cuts: Inside Commercial Editor Gary Knight’s Edit Suite.

Gary Knight is a legendary commercial editor and partner at Cut+Run whose work spans iconic spots for brands like Adidas, American Express, and Chase. In this episode, Gary traces his journey from rubber-numbering film cans as a teenage runner in Soho to becoming a sought-after storyteller in the edit bay. We dig into the craft

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Our Editor’s Picks: Jake Brady’s Top 10 Filmmaker Conversations.

Happy birthday to Jake Brady, our show’s editor. I asked him to choose his Top 10 recent episodes and here it is, in no particular order: director Courtney Marsh, director Quinn Katherman, editor Chris Salters (Part 2), Chris Salters (Part 1), writer/director/producer Michael Patrick Jann, dynamic directing duo Morgan & Nick, director Elana Barkowski, director JJ Adler, actor and

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Unpacking A Gray Wolf and Brown Bear Friendship: Inside Filmmaker Josh Baker’s Wolf Bear Agency.

Filmmaker Josh Baker’s journey from a staff filmmaker to the founder of The Wolf Bear Agency is nothing short of inspiring. We first crossed paths at my Commercial Directing Bootcamp, where his passion for storytelling and his unique ability to wear multiple hats in production stood out. Over the years, Josh has honed his craft,

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Music for the Heart of the Story: Randy Shattuck of Supernatural Sounds.

Composer, filmmaker, and Supernatural Sounds founder Randy Shattuck joins us to talk about crafting “music for the heart of the story” and why he wants access as early as the script stage. We dive into “temp love”—that dangerous attachment to placeholder tracks that directors can never quite shake—and how it can sabotage your final score if you’re not

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