How Ad Agencies Choose A Director w Associate Creative Director Aaron Cathey.

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I’ve shot a few campaigns birthed by Aaron Cathey over the years. He’s funny, prolific and a smart writer of adverting. He most recently won a Dannes Gold Lion for his work on Hotels.com while at Crispin Porter+Bogusky. Aaron is now back at one of my favorite agencies, Barkley.

Aaron and I indulge in enjoyable recollections of past gigs, like this Casey’s Pizza spot, and you’ll love learning from the agency perspective as to how they hire a director, what they look for as far as details, tone and more.

You’ve got one week to save $50 off my Commercial Directing Bootcamp. Hurry and sign up. It’s Sunday, September 13th all day. I promise you’ll up your game.

Aaron’s award-winning work for Hotels.com makes me laugh every time.

This Aaron shot this epic wonder with Roman Coppola for Windows Phone.

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today. And I’m still accepting candidates for my Commercial Directing Bootcamp. You owe it to yourself.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is an hour. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Passion Over Logic Says “Cop Show” Producer/Director J.D. Amato.

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As a longtime Colin Quinn fan, an algorithm brought me to “Cop Show”, a funny behind the scenes spoof of a fake cop drama. Being hilarious and right up my comedy alley, I sought out the show’s producer/director, Mr. J.D. Amato.

J.D. and I kick off with some pre-interview tech talk, discuss comedic character traits and he explains his “passion over logic” theory. Great stuff.


Great guest stars Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, Jim Gaffigan and more populate the web series.

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today. And I’m still accepting candidates for my Commercial Directing Bootcamp. You owe it to yourself.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is over an hour. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

What The 1st Assistant Director Does w Billy Jones.

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I wanted this 100th episode to be extra special, and by golly is it. Billy Jones is one of the most sought-after 1st AD’s in commercials because of his excellent leadership, communication and knowledge of filmmaking. Billy, and those he’s mentored, lead with a sense of serenity and control.

The 1st Assistant Director schedules & executes the day in a way that helps the Director accomplish her vision, while simultaneously helping the Producer stay on budget. The manner in which the 1st AD communicates to the crew is vital for a cohesive team effort.

Here’s a spot with Flo from Progressive that we chat about. Billy’s lead the charge for 4 years on the popular insurance campaign.

This episode is about an hour and 10 minutes of rich information.

Please celebrate this 100th episode by rating us on iTunes or at jordanbrady.com.

thanks,

Jordan

Director Carolyn Chen Brings Production To The People.

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Director Carolyn Chen has shot hundreds of commercials, always delivering a strong emotional journey, supported by her stunning visuals. Ever-evolving, she’s stayed relevant in a business that loves the flavor of the week. When I discovered her new production company, Production For The People, I had to chat with her. Carolyn has brought her vision, style and experience to the brave new world of Branded Content.

We chat about working with editors, her start as a cinematographer, running a shoot via FaceTime and more. Check out one of her many stories for Tanqueray:

Do try Rufus Teague’s sauces for your meat. With BBQ season here, it’s time you step it up. Click and enter the discount code “Respect”.
Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is a about 86 minutes. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Shooting Actors Versus Table Top Photography With Cinematographer Jeanne Vienne.

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Cinematographer Jeanne Vienne is a longtime filmmaking partner. We’ve made literally dozens of commercials, two documentaries and traveled three continents together. I admire how she leads her crew with decisiveness and articulate instruction. Jeanne tells how she lights to protect the actors.

Of late, she’s been shooting mouth-watering table top gigs, so we compare working with fruits and veggies versus actors. We also chat about the trends in cinematography we’ve seen over our years together. And with all the talk about gender inequality in the biz, I could not escape asking how it is being a girl in a predominantly boy’s club.

We reference this fun spot we did for Toyota, and click here to witness Jeanne’s amazing table top spot she shot for Håagen-Dazs with Directors Margaret & Joy.

Do try Rufus Teague’s sauces for your meat. With BBQ season here, it’s time you step it up. Click and enter the discount code “Respect”.
Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is a about 70 minutes. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

New Tricks And Old Fashion Discipline with Cinematographer Alex Jacobs.

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Cinematographer Alex Jacobs may be the last director of photography I’ve ever met that learned while shooting actual 35mm film. A young man, he knows all the tricks of the DSLR revolution, but came up through the ranks with the discipline of the camera department. Ours was an arranged marriage on a promo shoot with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, in which we had 35 minutes to shoot. Through planning and communication, the shoot was amazingly efficient and funny.

Check out his reel at AlexJacobs.tv. I like his splendid montage with the dope track.

Here’s the on-air version of our collab.

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is a about 70 minutes. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

My Favorite Millennial Writer/Designer/Filmmaker Grant Spanier.

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Obviously I like Grant Spanier since he had me on his wonderful podcast, 10,000 Hours. Moreover, I like his enthusiasm, that get ‘er done attitude and his fresh, collaborative nature. See below for his dope music video for “Weightless” by the DJ known as Vaski (Grant directed with his pal Jake Woodbridge). It shows his wonderful whimsy, while his design work showcases that clean look I love. We chat about self-discipline, balancing a multi-faceted creative life, and Grant politely schools me on the Sharing Economy as it pertains to creative learning. A great chat I found inspiring for filmmakers of all ages. Thank you Grant! And y’all check out his site.

“Weightless”

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is a about 70 minutes. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Comedian Derek Gaines Stars in AOL/Morgan Spurlock’s “Connected” and MTV’s “Broke Ass Game Show”.

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Y’all are going to love comedian Derek Gaines. Minutes before my interview with Morgan Spurlock, I got to chat with Derek, one of the stars or Mr. Spurlock’s newest project “Connected”, the awesome first-person filmed series for AOL.com for AOL Originals.

Derek and I discuss stand=up comedy, how real the show really is, how he got picked by Morgan, AOL, MTV and his future dreams. Little did we realize how parallel our journey’s are. Check Derek out on MTV’s “Broke Ass Game Show”. Here’s a funny set of Derek:

My son Benz Brady has a new music video for his song “Levitate”:

Lastly, for #ThrowBackThursday, a clip of another stand-up comedian tapped to host an MTV game show:

(The pimp that time forgot.)

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is a about 30 minutes. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Morgan Spurlock Explains Why He Uses His Superpowers For Good.

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My special guest is the great documentarian Morgan Spurlock, who agreed to be on the show after I stalked him in a parking lot. His films influence the way we eat (“Super-Size Me”), look at marketing (“The Greatest Movie Ever Sold”) and helped me appreciate One Direction (“This Is Us”). His CNN show “Inside Man” is a favorite of mine, and I can honestly tell you I’ve seen every movie he’s made.

We chat about his newest project “Connected”, an awesome first-person filmed series for AOL.com. He gave 6 New Yorkers each a camcorder and let them loose. The result is a weaving of their lives that reflects how we are all dealing with common emotions.

Beyond his own projects, Mr. Spurlock explains how he decided to help other filmmakers tell their stories. Just check out episodes #58 with Adam McKay and #70 with Tommy Avallone to hear how.

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is a about 22 minutes. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Director Joe Wladyka Shares How His Film “Manos Sucias” Got Made And Why Spike Lee’s Gotta Have It.

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Director Joe Wladyka has an engaging film out called “Manos Sucias”. It’s the suspenseful story of two Columbian brothers on a life or death drug run up the Columbian coast. The film is chalk full of social commentary on Afro-Columbian racism, extreme poverty, the inescapable drug trafficking and even brotherly love, but I love the film because it’s a gripping story about how far people will go to survive. See it now.

Thank you Joe for a great chat, the tech talk and your generosity in sharing the craft of filmmaking with the people of Buenaventura. You’ll hear how he and his filmmaking team taught the locals, and hired a mostly Buenaventurian crew.

Read more about Joe’s journey to make the film by clicking here and enjoy the trailer to “Manos Sucias”:

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is a about one hour minutes long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Does Laughter Heal? Comedian Turned Filmmaker Craig “The Lovemaster” Shoemaker.

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I’ve known Craig Shoemaker for over 30 years. First as the popular touring comedian known globally as “The Lovemaster”, and more recently as the producer of National Lampoon’s “Totally Baked: A Potumentary”. Craig’s new mission is to spread the healing powers of laughter with a new documentary, “Laughter Heals”. It started when his best friend, screenwriter Michael Goldberg, got brain cancer. Given 3 months to live, Craig and his pals kept Mr. Goldberg laughing and living for over a decade. They did this through love and constant laughter, documenting much of it along the way. Craig’s true passion and mission is to spread awareness about the power of laughter.

He also has a book “Love Mastered” available by clicking the title.

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is a whopping one hour and 50 minutes long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

From “Step Brothers” Editing Room to Directing “Walking Man” With Josh Salzberg.

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My guest Joshua Salzberg is a busy filmmaker. He began as an apprentice in the editing room of the Adam McKay & Will Ferrell comedy “Stepbrothers”, where he learned the value of testing the laughs before going public. We chat about that process, employed with great success by Judd Apatow, Paul Feig and others, and how that has influenced him making his own films. He is the editor of the Ferrell/McKay produced “Welcome To Me” starring Kristen Wiig and directed by Shira Piven. Opens May 1st, 2015.

His documentary “Walking Man” is avail to pre order on iTunes now, so support Josh and indie film by ordering today. Other dates are revealed when you click here. Shout out to my son, hip hop artist Ben “Benz” Brady for helping with the interview.

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is about an hour and 15 minutes long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Collaboration Is Everything With Kerry Graham, Vice Chairman/CEO Bohan Advertising.

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What a treat to talk with industry titan Kerry Graham at Bohan Advertising in Nashville. Kerry has shaped the agency’s collaborative culture by literally ripping down walls and forcing integration so that all departments work together in blissful harmony.

His advice to those starting out? More than just having a resumé, tell your story of your interests and passions. Be able to explain where you want to go in life and why. We also discuss the power of turning down work, something I know is hard to do.

Here’s two spots we talk about. One heartfelt commercial for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee and a funny spot for Dollar General.

Enjoy. I look forward to your feedback on iTunes, jordanbrady.com (which is where you are now). Or heck, just email me at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is about an hour minutes long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Senior Art Director Laura Gels Is All About The Details.

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What’s comforting about filming with Laura Gels, Senior Art Director at Northlich, is having her gives me a second pair of eyes, scrutinizing the details in order to make the work great. She lives with each project for a year, so she wants it right. Respect. We’ve collaborated on three spots, and she’s a director’s dream to work with. I grabbed Laura from her print shoot and we chat about the various phases of joy that come with the process.

This is the third interview of three with the wildy creative folks behind Scooter the Neutered Cat for GiveThemTen.org – from the caring folks of the wonderful Joanie Bernard Foundation.

Enjoy Scooter “Home Kitty”;

Please send me your feedback and YOUR questions about filmmaking. I may not answer right away, but I’ll get to all. Hit me up with any filmmaking questions at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.
Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is just about 30 minutes long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

What The Creative Director Does With Group Creative Director Kerry Broderick.

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Group Creative Director Kerry Broderick shares with us the joy she gets by teaming up a great art director with a talented copywriter. She leads the creative team at the Northlich Agency, who birthed my beloved Scooter The Neutered Cat for GiveThemTen.org and the caring folks of the wonderful Joanie Bernard Foundation. This is the second interview of three with the Scooter creatives.

Kerry explains what a Group Creative Director does, how she matches up talent, and nurtures the best out of them. Always pushing her teams to dig deeper to really mine the idea for everything. She certainly subscribes to one of our podcast mantras: good enough sucks.

Hit me up with ideas, comments, dietary concerns and YOUR questions about filmmaking via the magic of email: RespectTheProcessPodcast today.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is just about 52 minutes long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

From “Two And A Half Men” to “Scooter The Neutered Cat” with Sr. Copywriter Terry Dillon.

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The immensely creative folks at the Northlich ad agency birthed one of the most fun, silly and effective campaigns I’ve been blessed to shoot. Yes, Scooter The Neutered Cat and GiveThemTen.org – from the caring folks of the wonderful Joanie Bernard Foundation. Over the next three episodes you’ll meet the creatives that spawned these spirited spots. Senior Copywriter Terry Dillon, Senior Art Director Laura Gels and Group Creative Director Kerry Broderick all chat about the creative process and joy of doing great work.

We start with Terry, a laugh out loud funny guy that did a stint on “Two And A Half Men” in tinseltown before setting his sights on the ad game. Listen closely to the interview and you just may recognize his silky smooth voice.. stay cool.

Enjoy Scooter “Home Kitty”;

Please send me your feedback and YOUR questions about filmmaking. I may not answer right away, but I’ll get to all. Hit me up with any filmmaking questions at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.
Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is just about 40 minutes long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Mos Def, Marvin Gaye and Amerigo Gazaway Bring The Funk To Apple.

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Hip Hop impresario Amerigo Gazaway is one of my favorite music producers. He reworks samples and records so that his songs transcend both original recordings. Furthermore, an Amerigo Gazaway albums tell a story, like LP’s did back in the vinyl days. Moreover, it’s his love for his source material and his authenticity that resinates with listeners. Bombarded with cease-and-desist letters for sampling, it all changed when Apple chose his Mos Def/Marvin Gaye retooling into a “Yasiin Gaye” song “You Are Undeniable” for a commercial. It’s the first unauthorized mashup to be used for a major brand, and a landmark breakthrough for hip hop. Click the song title to purchase & support!

Watch this Apple spot “Jason’s Verse” to hear the funky “Yasiin Gaye” track.

Amerigo schools me on sample trolls, copyright law, his process and the Brazilian “Cannibalist Manifesto”. Near the end of our chat, he turns the tables and asks me about the selection of music for film and commercials.

Please send me your feedback and YOUR questions about filmmaking. I may not answer right away, but I’ll get to all. Hit me up with any filmmaking questions at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.
Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is just over an hour long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Comedian Turned Documentary Filmmaker Jennifer Rawlings.

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I’ve known Jennifer Rawlings since our days playing the comedy clubs around Los Angeles in the 80’s. She always captivated the crowd with her funny perspective, so I’m not surprised she’s become an accomplished filmmaker. It’s her unusual journey that surprises me.

“Forgotten Voices: Woman in Bosnia” is her first film, and a must see. Made with a camcorder and the desire to expose the world to these stories. Check it out. She then did a Ted Talk on the subject of forgiveness, a story told in the film.

Here’s Jennifer’s Ted Talk:

This episode is an hour with an old friend. Enjoy.

Please send me your feedback and YOUR questions about filmmaking. I may not answer right away, but I’ll get to all. Hit me up with any filmmaking questions at RespectTheProcessPodcast today.
Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is an hour long. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

Chief Creative Officer Ryan Berman Claims Content Is King And Context Is Queen.

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After I interviewed Ryan Berman, I found his blog post called “Comedy on a Commercial Production.” I agree with most everything he says, which probably explains why we’re friends and have shot together a bunch. Ryan is Founder and Chief Creative Officer of i.d.e.a., a great advertising agency in San Diego. We chat about creating a fun culture, staying one step ahead of the trends, and why San Diego stays classy.

He produced a documentary with client’s money that played at SXSW called “Inventing To Nowhere” about the patent industry. It’s an eye opener.

A forward thinker, his agency also acquired a local production company of scrappy filmmakers, and they do awesome work. 4120 Productions. Click the name, duh.

Buy your tickets now for my webinar on February 10th at 6pm West Coast/ 9pm East Coast on StageIt. Live Q&A. It will sell out. It’s my live presentation on being a director of tv commercials. “Confessions of a Commercial Filmmaker”.

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is 60 minutes. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.

How To Define Your Creative Space With Spot Director Kevin Donovan.

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I met Director Kevin Donovan at a Christmas party and we hit it off. A former agency creative, Kevin learned so much on set, working with great directors like Mark Story and the incomparable Joe Pytka. He’s learned to create a space for himself to deliver the best work, and we discuss balancing serving the agency agenda, while remaining creatively stingy for the reel. A great chat.

I also give my thoughts on the Super Bowl spots. Oh – Get tickets!! February 10th at 6pm West Coast, I’ll be doing my live presentation on being a director of tv commercials. Buy your tickets now for February 10th at 6pm West Coast, “Confessions of a Commercial Filmmaker” on StageIt. Live Q&A. It will sell out.

Here’s a great spot Kevin and Jackie Chan made:

Thank you,

Jordan

This episode is 90 minutes. Do rate us on iTunes and “like” us on Facebook please.