Papercut Founder, Editor Biff Butler Explains How Efficiency Can Kill Creativity.

Biff Butler is an accomplished editor and the founder of Papercut, an editorial company built around craft, collaboration, and a strong creative culture. Before post-production, Biff played in a touring rock band, an experience that helped him learn how to bring different creative voices together. He began his editing career at Rock, Paper, Scissors, where

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Commercial Filmmaker Robert Boocheck’s Freelance Director Playbook.

Commercial Director Robert Boocheck joins me for a candid conversation about the realities of freelance commercial directing—the uncertainty between jobs, the pressure of unpaid pitches, and the work it takes to stay in the mix. Robert shares how he tracks bids across production companies, approaches treatments, decides when to trust his instincts over AI, and

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Life Is Wave Selection: James Beshara on Swadharma, Detachment, and Choosing the Right Work.

James Beshara is an angel investor, podcaster, philosopher, musician (see OPENSTATE_), founder of Magic Mind and friend. We explore how to choose the right opportunities, find the work that feels like your true calling, and stay committed to it without becoming overly attached to the outcome. James shares the idea of Swadharma—the work you’re naturally

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Cinematographer Ben Brady’s Journey from PA’ing for Radiohead to DP National Spots.

Director/Cinematographer Ben Brady shares the experiences and lessons that shaped his career—from working on productions with Sacha Baron Cohen and shooting a Radiohead music video connected to Paul Thomas Anderson, to learning from leading cinematographers like Darius Khondji and preparing for new, demanding LED-wall commercial. Ben, who moved from camera PA to DP quickly, explains why curiosity

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Ben Levy Says Pitch The Wow Before the How.

Ben Levy is a creative coach, author, and expert in helping people present ideas with clarity, confidence, and humanity. In our conversation, we explored his powerful pitching principle: “wow before how.” Whether you’re a filmmaker, agency creative, or entrepreneur, Ben’s advice will help you earn attention, build trust, and turn your next pitch into a

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How Producer Tony Finley Built a Fairer Model for Directors and Crew.

I sat down with Tony Finley, founder of We Film Sh*t, for a candid conversation about the changing business of commercial production. We talked about why directors deserve more ownership and profit, how bloated production-company models can hold creatives back, and why creative risk is essential to making better work. Tony also shared his vision for using

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Comedy Director Michael Martin on Ego, Craft and Landing the Next Big Commercial.

Michael Martin and I discuss how commercial directors can stand out by developing a distinct point of view, taking creative risks, and making work that reflects their voice. Michael shares the story behind his handmade Starbucks director’s cut, while both directors explore pitching, career setbacks, ego, humility, and the value of enjoying the creative process. Together,

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Puppet Master Jamie Shannon on the Magic of Simple Puppets for Brands Work.

Legendary puppeter Jamie Shannon’(opens in new tab)s approach to puppetry shows that the most memorable characters come from simplicity, intention, and a process that leaves room for both the performer and the audience to bring them to life. Check out his Puppet Island(opens in new tab) site. Jamie Shannon is the creator behind beloved puppet projects including Nanalan’, the

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Nott Bros. Return to Talk Repeat Clients, Better Commercials and Career Momentum.

Loved hanging out with Nathan Miller and Mark Danciger of the Nott Brothers – talking about what it really takes to make it as a director. We get into how they approach the business side of directing, how they work with clients and agencies, and why being clear and collaborative makes the whole process better.We

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How P. J. Koll’s Timmy IO Turns Production Chaos into Real-Time Profit Data.

EP PJ Koll has spent years in production and founded Where the Buffalo Roam before building Timmy.io, a platform shaped by his experience with the chaos of managing creative work. PJ shares a little of that history and how it led him to create a better way for production teams to stay organized. Enjoy! My Filmmaker Retreat has 3

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