Respect The Process

It's our 300th episode! And no better way to celebrate than with my good friend Executive Creative Director Chuck Meehan giving us the straight scoop on commercials and his process for selecting filmmakers. We talk about what makes a great ad, how the production process has been sped up to its detriment and much more.  Our Chrysler Pacifica collaborations starring Kathryn Hahn remain a career high...

Filmmaker Joe Menendez has directed over 150 hours of television and 8 films to date. Joe has filmmaking in his DNA, which is evident in our two hour chat. "Siren" is a fast-paced show, a shooting challenge for any filmmaker, so we dive deep into what it takes to master an episode. This quote says it all: "I believe the key to good directing is in understanding and knowing how to implement film gr...

Commercial Director Chris Smith of Sugar Films is a veteran spot helmer swimming in repeat business. Chris attributes that to his rapport with agency and clients, combined with his passion for the art & craft of making spots. We talk about treatments, Austin and the new age of authenticity.  Check out his spots at Sugar and www.jordanbrady.com  while you listen.  Thanks, Jordan This is 65 minutes...

Commercial helmer Joe Harris of Side Chops in Dallas, Texas directs, shoots and edits, which keeps him very busy. But as his projects have grow in scale and scope, he's finds himself focusing on the directing and collaborating with his cadre of fellow filmmakers. I always find this fascinating transition and Joe shares his lessons with us. Joe was kind enough to direct this PSA for For Veterans Sa...

Writer/Director/Producer Michael Patrick Jann returns to the podcast (check out his 2014 episode here ) to explain what a Producing Director does, how he pitches to get episodic assignments and so much more. Most enlightening for me as the guy always telling young filmmakers to "put yourself in a box", Michael embraces his multitude of experiences and his versatility when pitching on new shows. He...

Editor Jeff Wishengrad of MWP, a top post house in commercials, is as talented as he is well-respected in our business. Love that we finally got to sit down and chat all things commercial filmmaking. We discuss how editors do their thing, working with director Michael Bay, director's cuts and more. Jeff has both IHOP pancakes and a J. Cole video on his reel. Now that is versatility. Check out his...

Raucous Content 's Owner and Executive Producer Phyllis Koenig is legendary in our the commercial industry, having steered the ship of some of the best production companies. She and I go way back to our days at Uber Content, where we made hundreds of national spots together.  We chat about scouting talent, trends that come and go, and how to always adapt to meet the needs of our clients and agenci...

Contagious LA' s Co_Founder and Supreme Leader Natalie Sakai talks repeat business, client-direct and collaborating with agencies in the creation phase. More than getting clicks, she explains connecting with content. She and her prolific stable of Directors are cranking out great work. I know you'll enjoy the Executive Producer point-of-view. Check out Contagious LA and Mike Rowe getting a live pr...

Director Jason Baffa has won a handful of film festivals with his great documentary " Loopers: The Caddie's Long Walk " and now you can see the film in a theater near you . And you should, it's compelling and beautifully shot by Jason. We chat about his other films, "Singlefin: Yellow", "One California Day," and his most recent award winning production, "Bella Vita" which he filmed throughout Ital...

"Return on Courage" author/super-creative/strategist Ryan Berman returns to the podcast as the founder of Courageous, a change consultancy that develops Courage Brands® and trains companies how to operationalize courage through Courage Bootcamp . Ryan has spent a career developing meaningful stories for household brands—like Caesars Entertainment, Major League Baseball, New Era, Subway, and UNICEF...

First off, buy Tony Price's book "Yours, Very Sincerely and Respectfully" because the proceeds support the Gold Star Ride Foundation . Next, option the book cuz I think it would make a great movie. Tony and several volunteers motorcycle around these United States comforting families who have lost a member while serving in our military. Tony's can-do attitude and persistence aligns with that of us...

Sr. Art Director Cleveland Thrasher and I worked on a massive four day Buick gig, and you get a good feeling about folks on those shoots. Once he busted a rhyme on set, or spit mad flow as we old guys say, I knew we were kindred spirits. We discuss agency life, video games, balancing work with passion projects and how to set and attain your goals. Click to hear Cleveland's music on SoundCloud , an...

Filmmakers and Bootcamp alumni Jonny Gentry and Monty Marsh are both in the Shoot Magazine New Directors Showcase . (Apologies that i just literally found out about Monty after recording.) And our filmmaking listener from down under, Ven Gia, knicked it out the park with his inagural spot for Corowa Distilling Company. I've posted it with the blog at www.jordanrbady.com  so check it out or click h...

For Marvel's Avengers films, my guest  Marti Romances and his talented team at Territory Studio worked closely with production designer Charles Wood and the art department to craft a visual language to support the filmmakers' vision and reflect each individual character's of the personalities. Ok you're hooked right? Marti shares his insights and experiences on design, tech and filmmaking working...

Steve Schofield and Kevin Johnston of Schofield's Flowers come by to talk shop and tell us about their production company and new approach to making content. They're a collective of writers, directors and producers that conceive and execute ideas. Or any iteration in between. Check out their various sizzle reels here or at www.jordanbrady.com  today.  Thanks, Jordan This lasts 90 minutes. Click on...

Director Jeff Gorman has created some of our favorite spots and has a new book telling all about his adventures making them. It's on iTunes and is called "Last Stop Before The Sphincter." We talk comedy, copywriting, simplicity and pistachios. Check out his site here or at my site. His illustrious bio is humbling and his awards are too numerous to list, so click to read. Thank you, Jordan Commerci...

You've enjoyed actor David Lengel in too many shows and commercials for me to list. We talk about his training, his work ethic, his moustache and more. We agree on keeping a good balance of work and real life. You'll love David's tips for Directors from the actor's point of view. Check out David Lengel in Warhol S.S. "Options" video directed by Ben Brady (who introduced me to Mr. Lengel) as well a...

Kasey Landoll  left her hometown and has since modeled on every continent, as well as graced the covers of Vogue, Glamour, Elle and more. Kasey now spends most of her time in Los Angeles pursuing acting. We chat about landing her dream part, albeit a small one, in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" coming soon. Her drive and passion is inspiring, and you'll love how she has taken...

Ben Pluimer is a comedy writer/director with a passion for commercials, branded content and television. We chat about his homemade VHS films evolving into a lucrative career. Ben has shot for Comedy Central, Amazon, Funny or Die, ABC, FOX and too many to list. Click his name people, and check out his stellar work. I've posted some cool, spot on re-enactments of Jurassic World  that Ben made with t...

Director John Poliquin joined Superlounge and I couldn't be happier. His aesthetic is slick, engaging and not by chance. We chat about how he brings his vision to life and yes, we share a love of tests. John is equally at home doing music videos (how he started) and has branched into television, branded films and features. I've posted the S'well Water spot we talk a lot about at www.jordanbrady.co...

Colorist Clark Muller is one of the most respected artists in the business. Pop over to his shop, Incendio to see his stellar work. We discuss the importance of specialization in an age where we all have the tools. And Clark implores us to explore how the story is to make us feel. That aspect can get lost in today's world of plug ins. Free transcripts, albeit highly inaccurate ones, are now availa...

Ben Silverman is a director and producer making fun, inventive content for brands. We chat about the holy grail of any company, repeat business and how to keep it. His company, Bubba's Chop Shop , has work you must check out. One advantage he has is he can "fix it in post" because they are a complete soup to nuts shop. Also shout out to Jeannette Godoy for dropping her pilot "Disconnected" on face...

Director Cinematographer Jimmy Matlosz  is a filmmaker, a storyteller, and a cinematographer who directs great spots, making him a bit of a swiss army filmmaker, if you will.  He's shot stop motion, high speed and IMAX, as well as working in almost every department on set.  Check out his stuff, especially the LeBron spot for Nike . I love Jimmy's visual aesthetics and clean look, and the performan...

French Butter Films draws on the combined experience of Director? DP Brett Froomer and Executive Producer Ivo Knezevic to offer food, beverage and restaurant brands a fresh perspective on producing tabletop content, one that transforms advertising into a lifestyle experience.  Brett explains his aim to capture 'cravability' in every product he films.  This is a great chat about collaboration. Coll...

I love watching commercials, and Super Bowl LIII had some really great work, despite the critics and cynics. Ok, a phew snoozers too. What made them all better was my bottomless glass of Clase Azul Reposado tequila, neat. Jake Brady joined me but jettisoned the project at the half, so my stepdaughter Gabi Feingold grabbed the mic. Here are some links if that give you stats and reviews. This is 90...