The Commercial Directors Podcast

In Episode 16 of The Commercial Director’s Podcast, Evan sits down with director Ekta Saran for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, craft, and building a career behind the camera. From the books, films, and directors that inspire her to the realities of commercial production, Ekta shares a thoughtful perspective on what separates good directors from great ones. The conversation explores...

In Episode 15, we sit down with commercial and feature director Alex Richanbach to break down his unconventional path from working under legends like David Fincher and Adam McKay to directing viral content at Funny or Die and high-volume commercial campaigns. We dive into: Building trust and chemistry with crews fast Directing comedy and letting performances breathe Managing chaos on high-pressure...

Episode 14 features commercial director and Just Shoot It podcast co-host Oren Kaplan. Oren shares his journey from engineer to director, how starting a podcast opened doors to industry knowledge, and why curiosity has been one of his biggest advantages. We dig into the modern state of commercial directing, from evolving treatment trends to the increasing role of AI and what it takes to stand out...

In Episode 13 of The Commercial Director’s Podcast, Evan sits down with Amsterdam based director Joris Noordenbos to talk about one of the most important decisions a commercial director can make: finding your niche. Joris shares his journey from in-house generalist to carving out a distinct lane in kids and food. After realizing he was losing bigger jobs because he wasn’t specialized enough, he to...

Navigating the Spotlight with Commercial Director Cameron Harris Commercial director Cameron Harris joins the podcast to break down what it really takes to direct high-pressure commercial work especially when celebrities are involved. With a background that spans top agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi, Clemenger BBDO, and Leo Burnett, Cameron shares how his years on the agency side shaped his dir...

The CDP sits down with Scott Pugnetti of Equals Management to break down the international model, pitch reform, how to win (and lose) bids, and what makes a portfolio actually convert. We dig into real talk on transparency, paid pitching, global opportunities, and why your website is probably holding you back. If you’re a director building a career, this one’s essential. https://www.equalsmgmt.com...

This episode dives deep into director Jon Schwartz’s creative process from building iPhone animatics to crafting full 3D previs in Blender to nail complex, motion-controlled camera shots. Jon breaks down his Joybird commercial, revealing how he kept repetitive phone scenes dynamic, convinced the client to embrace kinetic motion-control cinematography, and merged practical set design with VFX for a...

Syra McCarthy shares how her background as an actor shapes her directing bringing empathy, clear communication, and play to fast paced commercial sets. She talks building trust with talent, running takes to find flow, and using tone references that help actors shine, https://www.syramccarthy.com/ https://www.softholdcollective.com/ https://evenodd.studio/

Jon Bregel, filmmaker, director, and coach, shares his journey from skateboarding and filming skate videos to co-founding Variable, a production company built on community and passion projects that earned 13 Vimeo Staff Picks and big-brand clients. Despite the success, burnout pushed him to leave and re-center his life, eventually moving to China where he rediscovered himself. Now coaching filmmak...

In this episode of The CDP we met with Parker Schmidt and dive into his creative approach, and he gives a detailed breakdown of a recent Dodge commercial spot. Parker shares his unique journey into directing, beginning as a downhill skateboarder traveling internationally, which exposed him early to creative motion and still photography. He transitioned into advertising after attending Miami Ad Sch...

🎙️ New Episode Out Now: Director Lori Schmon on Creative Values, Agency Life, and Super Pretzels 🥨🎬 Lori pulls back the curtain on the pros and cons of directing within an agency—from being part of the process early on to navigating triple-bid client requirements that can limit opportunities. She opens up about how becoming a mother reshaped her creative lens, emphasizing the power of values in...

Kody Kohlman, is a commercial director and photographer known for his gritty, moody, and visceral style. The discussion covers Kody’s career evolution from a photo assistant to a distinguished director with a unique visual voice. He shares insights into his artistic approach, creative process, and his philosophy on directing and photography. A significant portion of the episode focuses on breaking...

Adam Patch discusses his journey from motion graphics to directing, the advantages of a strong VFX background, and the challenges of industry practices like triple bidding. Adam shares his creative approach, including building detailed treatments with the help of his custom tool “Patch Tagger,” and dives into a case study of his visually bold LL Flooring spot. Follow Adam: Instagram: @adampatch ad...

Eric Maldin is the co-founder/coo of Stadium. The conversation explores the changing landscape of commercial directing—from the importance of personal branding in a saturated market to the art of pitching and the value of specialization. Eric offers an honest look at building a creative career, the entrepreneurial hustle behind Stadium’s rise, and what it takes to stay relevant and inspired in a r...

Liz Archer is a triple threat in the commercial world—comedy director, screenwriter, and in-demand treatment writer. In this episode, Liz pulls back the curtain on the art of crafting director’s treatments—both her own and when collaborating with other directors. She shares her take on film school versus the self-taught path, and dives into the nuances of pacing, timing, and intuition when directi...

In this episode, Chris Leclerc dives into the importance of client service as a commercial director, emphasizing how a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset on set can build trust and lead to long-term relationships and repeat business. He shares insights into how treating clients as creative partners—not obstacles—can elevate a project and create a more rewarding experience for everyone invol...