Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Directing

Daniel Russel https://www.daniel-russell.com/ went from an assistant for Dave Meyers www.radicalmedia.com/us/directors/dave-meyers to directing music videos for Justin Timberlake and Jason Derulo. And he chats with Matt and Oren about the moves that built his career.  What's the secret to pitching and landing impressive jobs? How can you work with a choreographer and inspire them to create th...

Matt & Oren chat about the LA fires and their impact on freelancers, filmmakers, and the industry.   It's a conversation about navigating so-called 'normalcy' -- where normalcy is lacking. And the tough decisions around where you're needed most when friends and so many others have lost so much in the fires, It's firsthand and unfiltered. With that backdrop, Matt and Oren take up...

Matt and Oren chat about 2024, what they learned and what they're planning to do for 2025. Everything from posting on Instagram & LinkedIn, being more productive, toilet training, and gold stars. Then they tackle a question from commercial director Jon Schwartz https://www.ajaxcreative.com/en/commercial-director/jon-schwartz . And delve into point of view (POV), what it means to different...

"Survive til '25", mission accomplished! But what really sustained the Hollywood and LA production scene -- TV, TikTok, commercials, or movies? Matt and Oren are joined by  Maureen Bharoocha ,  Carlyn Hudson , and Roxy Shih in this panel discussion.   The crew is back together since their last in-person episode in December 2023. And in this first of a two-episode series, t...

"Survive til '25", mission accomplished! But what really sustained the Hollywood and LA production scene -- TV, TikTok, commercials, or movies? Matt and Oren are joined by  Maureen Bharoocha ,  Carlyn Hudson , and Roxy Shih in this panel discussion.   The crew is back together since their last in-person episode in December 2023. And in this first of a two-episode series, t...

What's different about directing a commercial internationally? Everything!! Oren's back from 3 weeks in Thailand and he's got 10 things to remember when shooting overseas. Matt and Oren talk health, prep, working with actors from different countries, and a heck of a lot more. Have you ever been called to fill these roles on set? Matt's Endorsement: Use ChatGPT to take your 2025 goals and create a...

How can you give your film a big budget look, on a tiny budget? Matt and Oren chat with G. G. Hawkins about her latest feature, "I Really Love My Husband" and all the ways she gave it a premium look without spending a lot of money. G. G. started her career on the corporate side of monetizing podcasts. And she shares what she learned about pitching and how that helped fund her films. You can find h...

Being flown around the world as a commercial director, or working daily with celebrity artists sounds amazing. But how about over Thanksgiving and the holidays? Is there a way to work big directing jobs and still have the time to find the next one? And what happens when your day job as a showrunner or director hinders you ability to keep your chops up as a screenwriter? Matt and Oren are freaking...

What's the secret to getting accepted into director development programs? Are you making these common mistakes when pitching by email? How can you standout and launch your movie directing career? Matt and Oren chat with Ruth Du about how she broke into Hollywood as a film director. And she talks about what makes her latest film, available on Apple TV, "Samson" something you have to see. You can fi...

Are previz and storyboarding really worth the time and effort? What's the best way to work with a storyboard artist? And, what if you don't have access to a storyboard artist?  Oren & Matt chat about how previz and storyboarding can make you a more efficient and effective director. And they share tips and tools for creating your own previz and storyboards. Matt's Endorsement:&nb...

Jordan Brady, live from the Lee Strasbourg Institute! In this special IRL version of Just Shoot It! Oren and Matt chat with commercial director and host of the podcast "Respect the Process", Jordan Brady, about building a career as a commercial and film director. Jordan is a 100% self-taught filmmaker whose directed four narrative feature films, three full documentaries and over 1300 national &amp...

Communicating. Directors do this all the time. It's how you get a client excited about choosing you for their high profile commercial. Or get producers comfortable with having you direct your favorite TV show. You do it whenever you inspire people to invest in your film, or be on your crew. And it's how you can punch-above-your-weight-class and land the best actors and directing opportun...

Navigating sex and intimacy scenes along with the wild ride of crashing Sundance. Meryl Branch McTiernan and Director Tyrrell Shaffner join Matt & Oren in a chat about securing investors for their indie film, "Katie's Mom". With an election-worthy debate about networking, why live in Los Angeles.  Watch "Katie's Mom" on Amazon, Fandango, or your favorite VOD streaming platform!...

This week Matt & Oren chat with Director & long time friend of the show Carlyn Hudson about how to deal with rejection as a director. Carlyn's Endorsement: Al Matt's Endorsement: Rotating one monitor 90 degrees. Oren's Endorsement: New iPhone Audio Features. Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod  or ...

This week Matt & Oren chat with Director Ben Semanoff about his journey from camera operator to director, and everything in-between. Ben's Endorsement: https://www.storyboardsmarter.com/ Matt's Endorsement: USB Docks Oren's Endorsement: Airpod shaking head feature Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod  or&nbsp...

This week Matt & Oren chat with Editor and friend of the Show Andy Young about networking, working for free, and more! Andy's Endorsement: http://www.lafcpug.org/ Matt's Endorsement:Scare Tactics (Peacock | Monkey Paw Productions) Oren's Endorsement: Hollywood Reporter Article Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod...

This week Matt & Oren chat about how they add personalization to pitches to win the bid. Matt's Endorsement: Rebel Ridge (Netflix), On Fire Podcast. Oren's Endorsement: Nobody Wants This (Netflix), Downloading kids shows before flights. Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod  or  justshootitpod@gmail.com ....

This week Matt & Oren chat about work-life balance, adapting to different workflows, and working with new companies. Matt's Endorsement: Going on a hike. Specifically Millard Canyon. Oren's Endorsements: Listening to Music, https://frameset.app/ Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod  or  justshootitpod@gm...

This week Matt & Oren chat with Venice, Directing, and Boxing with "Featherweight" Director Robert Kolodny Robert's Endorsement: https://www.youtube.com/@Mosfilm_eng Matt's Endorsement: I Saw the TV Glow (Max) Oren's Endorsements: Agatha All Along (Disney Plus), Spigen iPhone Screen Protector Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @...

This week Matt & Oren get up to speed on recent projects, chat costume fabrication, and how to work across departments. Matt's Endorsement: Disneyland Parent's Bathroom & https://www.keh.com/ Oren's Endorsements: Rebel Ridge (Netflix), The Boys Season 4, & Oren's Article , Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootit...

This week Matt & Oren chat recent highs and lows! Matt's Endorsement: English Teacher on Hulu. Oren's Endorsements: Wandering DP , Trading in your old iPhone for a credit, asking logistical filmmaking questions on people's work. Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod  or  justshootitpod@gmail.com . Follow...

This week Matt & Oren discuss what's going on in their careers and attempt to answer the internet's most pressing filmmaking questions! Matt's Endorsement: Language Lessons Oren's Endorsement: Reddit.com/r/acting Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod  or  justshootitpod@gmail.com . Follow Matt on  tw...

This week Matt & Oren chat with Director Mitchel Alteiri and Producer Phil Flores, otherwise known as The Butcher Brothers, about their new horror feature: CONSUMED! Matt's Endorsement: Smart Sheets Oren's Endorsement: Award Wallet Mitchel's Endorsement: Grammarly Phil's Endorsement: Dumping Things Behind His House Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send fee...

It's another catchin' up episode! This week Matt & Oren chat about house-keeping, keeping your portfolios tidy, and more! Matt's Endorsement: Alien: Romulus & Ridley Scott Letterboxd Top 4 Oren's Endorsement: All The Hacks Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod  or  justshootitpod@gmail.com . Follow Ma...

This week, Matt & Oren do a little catching up and chat about talking to actors! Matt's Endorsement: NoBudge, One Sandwich To Rule Them All Oren's Endorsement: Dropbox Tip, Filmot , Untoldstudios.tv Contribute to the  Just Shoot It Patreon  and help the show. Send feedback or questions to @ justshootitpod  or  justshootitpod@gmail.com . Follow Matt on  twitter  an...