Respect The Process

I'm offering my first Commercial Directing Bootcamp, September 13th in Los Angeles. Sign up at jordanbrady.com  and learn the secrets to build your career. This is not "film school" - it's far more specific. I've learned so much interviewing directors and creatives over the last 100 episodes, that I thought it was time to share the knowledge. After directing over 700 spots I've developed methods a...

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 visi...

Director Carolyn Chen  has shot hundreds of commercials, always delivering a strong emotion, 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 Co...

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 veggie...

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. Alex and I were k...

Obviously I like Grant Spanier  since he had me on his podcast, 10,000 Hours . Moreover, I like his unbridled enthusiasm, that get 'er done attitude and his collaborative nature. His music video for "Weightless" by the DJ known as  Vaski  (Grant directed with his pal Jake Woodbridge) shows his whimsy, while his design work sports the clean look I love. We chat about self-discipline, balancing a mu...

Y'all are going to love comedian Derek Gaines. Right 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 he got picked by AOL, MTV and his future dreams. Little did we realize how parallel our journey's are....

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. W...

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 t...

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 ("Cool Runnings", "Snow...

My guest Joshua Salzberg  began as an apprentice in the editing room of the Adam McKay & Will Ferrell comedy "Step Brothers", 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 making his own films. Josh is the editor of the Ferrel/McKay produced "Welcome To...

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 w...

While visiting Nashville, I chatted with Tom Gibney, Sr. VP/Director of Content Production at the Buntin Group. He's a well-respected industry veteran and a super nice guy. We discuss that while it's now called "content" - it's still telling stories for clients. Tom feels ultimately the digital tools have helped the filmmaking process, but not without a price. And Tom's loyalty to his Nashville fi...

I met Steve Belanger  when I was a guest on his podcast, The Gamut with Steve Belanger  on the Sideshow Network. A raconteur and funny guy, we've become friends. So when he asked me about making a short film on life's odd journey, I said "dont." It's rare I discourage people from filmmaking, but I knew Steve was mostly a funny performer at heart. What good would mounting a short film do for a busy...

Cinematographer Julian Whatley  proudly proclaims he's never had a bad day at work. He loves filmmaking and attacks every gig with 100% of his heart and soul. Coming up through the ranks of the camera department, learning from masters like Bob Richardson, John Toll and Harris Savides, he carries on the discipline and artistry he was taught. But stresses adaptability. I'm lucky to have Julian as an...

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. 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 interv...

Group Creative Director Kerry Broderick shares with us the joy of teaming up a great art director with a talented copywriter, like she did on my gig with her. 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 my second interview of three with the creati...

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 Dir...

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 sampl...

I've known Jennifer Rawlings  since our days playing the comedy clubs around Los Angeles in 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 intrigues 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 thes...

Thank you to everyone that participated in my presentation "Confessions of a Commercial Filmmaker" this week on StageIt.com. If you have feedback, I'm curious as to how I may improve the forum. Great questions in the Q&A!!  Feel free to email me anytime at RespectTheProcessPodcast@gmail.com and askk away. This is super short, cuz i literally landed from an cross country flight.    Thank you, Jorda...

After I interviewed Ryan Berman , I found his blog post called "Comedy on a Commercial Production."  I agree with most everything he says, and probably explains why we are 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 Die...

Veteran Gaffer Pat Grosswendt has taught me so much about lighting. We've made dozens of commercials together. (Click his name for credits like "Cabin Boy, "Gosford Park" & "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") Have a listen and you will learn the history, the mindset and key technical aspects of being the one on set that shapes the light. Pat gives his take on the changes in the technology, but ex...

I met commerical and feature 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 nice creative space for himself to deliver the best work, and we discuss balancing serving the agency agenda, while remaining creatively stingy for t...

I got a sneak peek at Deon Taylor's new film "Supremacy" starring Danny Glover, Joe Anderson, and Dawn Olivieri ("House of Lies"). It's about a white supremacist just out of the clink. He shoots a cop, goes on the lamb, and invades Danny Glover's house. Drama and self-examination ensue. Really well-made film, regardless of just a one million dollar budget. Deon shares his approach, choices and pas...