Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Directing
Published by Filmmakers Matt Enlow & Oren Kaplan
Education
TV & Film
How To
Film Interviews
Just Shoot It is a podcast about directing hosted by directors. Each week we interview filmmakers on writing, cinematography, development and acting to learn how to build a successful career as a filmmaker in the Hollywood industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're slipping into your podcast feed to make sure you all know about our in-person summer meetup party we are hosting on Wednesday, August 5th. No panels or interviews, just filmmakers meeting each other, chit-chatting about work, craft, food, whatever and hopefully meeting like-minded folks. Check out all the info at http://events.justshootitpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jeff Wadlow talks about his new film "The Devil's Mouth". And Matt and Oren get him to reveal how we went from a spec script for “Kick Ass 2” to directing the movie. Jeff talks about his time at USC Stark and how understanding producing gave him an edge and also landed him a free 1967 Mustang to boot! What’s his formula for success: never accepting a blanket allocation for contingency. And he talks about the ways he navigates around it and keeps his bosses happy and involved in the process. Jeff says there are only two questions producers are really asking you when you’re up for a directing assignment against other well-qualified directors. And he shares those secrets as well as why he took part in writing “Bates Motel” even after telling the showrunner they should drop the idea and run far away. You won’t want to miss this episode if you’ve ever thought things would be golden after your last great gig, only to find out there were hard times ahead. And Jeff talks about how and why his impressive IMDB is the result of many ups and downs just like yours. Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: "Widow's Island" show Oren's Endorsement: "The Comeback" show Jeff's Endorsement: "X-Men '97" show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Travis Braun talks getting on the Blacklist multiple times and why his film, “One Night Only” checked all the boxes to land there too But first, Matt and Oren chat about social media, how to take advantage of the algorithm, and how to keep fresh ideas in your feed. Travis didn’t start at film school, he went to a small journalism school in Indiana. But working in a writing room led to his first break. It wasn’t much to begin with, sitting on a couch outside the writers' room and listening to them break story, while organizing binders, taking notes, and getting coffee. But after being in lots of writers' rooms over the years since, the best takeaway from all those experiences was learning not to be precious about words. It’s the ideas that matter, because that is what audiences are looking for and want. And unfortunately, the path to those ideas involves lots of rewriting. Matt and Oren dive deep into the value of being on the Blacklist, not only once you’re getting started in your career, but once you’re established as a director. And Travis talks about what he looks for when hiring a director. You won’t want to miss this episode if, like many directors, you haven’t had the chance to be in a writing room that really hums! Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: "Green Room" the film https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4062536- Supergoop https://supergoop.com/ non-zinc sunscreen - "Arco" film on Hulu about a boy who time travels https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14883538/ Oren's Endorsement: "Split Fiction" for Nintendo Switch https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/split-fiction-switch-2/ Travis' Endorsement: Seth Rogan and Orange cats Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Eric Appel talks about the benefits of improv experience and how it shaped his career, from his latest film “The Breadwinner”, which stars Nate Bargatze, Mandy Moore, and Colin Jost, to working with Weird Al and Aron Paul. And Matt and Oren chat with Eric about not being married to your own ideas and various methods to “yes and” with style. And they talk about the balance between being fully committed to the best creative, without coming off as uncommitted to your own ideas. And avoiding the appearance that because you aren't married to all ideas, you aren't committed to getting the best work. You won’t want to miss this episode if you’re dying to hear from a film and TV commercial director who knows how to win bread at both! Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: Caligriphr app to draw your own fonts https://www.calligraphr.com/ Oren's Endorsement: @adamjayrotstein on IG. Eric's Endorsement: Ween's 30th Anniversary special release of "12 Golden and Country Greats" 3-album series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Matt and Oren engage in a lively chat about how to create passion projects that advance your career and add to your reel. Do you know the 4 types of projects? What about the how to make them stand out? And the guys dive into the balance between projects that get you recognition and those that build your craftsmanship. As well as some of the specifics of what makes a good spec commercial. And who can and should use a film as a spec commercial? Oren talks about the things that festival programmers are looking for in short films. And things you can do to make your short film stand out above the crowd. Finally, Matt talks about web series and ways to use them to demonstrate your ability to find an audience. You won’t want to miss the episode if you’re dying to shoot something that goes somewhere! Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: Arduino Starter Kit https://store-usa.arduino.cc/products/arduino-starter-kit-multi-language Oren's Endorsement: Ant Farms Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oren's July went from being overbooked and bidding wars for his time, to nothing at all coming to fruition. And now he has free time on his hands... too much free time. So Matt and Oren chat about the down times. Those time when it's easy to spiral into always wondering if you'll ever work again. You know the feeling. And the guys talk about how to fight the sense of not being productive, when you’re not busy producing work. And they dive into some effective strategies to get the attention of people who can get you work. Even when they are too busy to think of you. It’s about learning to expect to the unexpected time-off. And you won’t want to miss this episode if you’re a freelancer in the film industry, director, or actor. Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: Flume Water App Oren's Endorsement: Ten One podcast by Freddy Powell of Drool Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With the year in swing and clients shooting, Matt and Oren talk about challenges they’re experiencing on set and some interesting solutions to some common problems to all commercial directors. Matt kicks it off talking about the unique kind of loneliness you feel as the director on set. All leaders experience it, but in the film and commercial world there are particular challenges that stem from working with crews and clients. And Oren responds with some ways he communicates and gets everybody on board, without being a tyrant or a know-it-all. The guys talks about how they implement previz, the objectives, the cameras they use, and how many previz can be involved in a commercial. And Oren shares how he used AI to help clients better envision the spot with different location choices. If you’re shooting 12, 15 or 100 spots per day like Matt and Oren, then you’ll find some really useful information you can’t live without! Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: "Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22074164/ Oren's Endorsement: Printable Star Wars characters that you print on card stock, cut out, and fold. Google "paper craft". https://cubeecraft.com/ in one of them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Robert Boocheck talks about the three ways commercial directors land jobs. But first Oren and Matt chat about California's Billionaire tax, its impact on the film industry, and why it is and isn't a great solution. Then Oren and Matt dive deep and quiz Robert on making relationships in the industry and what's the best way to break into the commercial industry as a film director. Which take Robert into a discussion of times when the waves of work stop, and it's just crickets, and you wonder if you'll ever work again. And he shares how you can get used to it, even though don't really ever feel comfortable with it. But Oren's take is, there's actually not slow times. Sounds weird, but he talks about how his agent at ArtClass and how they positioned themselves to kep getting work, even when the industry says "it's slow out there". Connect with Robert on IG @@little_lurkers Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: Oren's popcorn device. Jesse James McElroy video on 3 heads Oren's Endorsement: "Storm" by Gener8thion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6_mbnsh6VU Robert's Endorsement: Julia Wertz books "Impossible People" and "Drinking at the Movies". Also "The Mountain" by Gorillaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucRulNQsuYQ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fallon Anderson, Creative Director at Tailfin agency https://tailfin.com/ talks about making a Super Bowl commercial and her method for elevating creative. And Matt and Oren dive deep into her process, what she values, and how she chooses commercial directors to hire. And that spurs Fallon to disclose how hard the agency fights for the vision of the director and how she’s learned to prioritize which hill is worth dying on. Oren points out that the major difference between the creative war with a studio, for the vision of your feature, and that with a client, for the vision of their commercial, is that the studio wants the film to win awards. But a client wants to sell product. And Fallon talks about the road she took to learn how to navigate that fundamental difference. Finally, Fallon talks about director reels, what she likes, and what helps directors get shortlisted. You won’t want to miss this episode if you’re dying to understand how agencies think and how commercial directors get hired! Find Fallon on LinkedIn @fallonanderson Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: "Bridge Over the River Kwai" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050212 and "Persepolis" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808417/ Oren's Endorsement: https://vimeo.com/173714 Fallon's Endorsement: the original Krispy Kreme donut Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Adam Carter Rehmeier talks about his latest film, "Carolina Caroline" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33365126/ , his journey as a dedicated crew member and the moves he made to create 3 features: his new release , "Snack Shack", and “Dinner and a Movie”. And Matt and Oren get him to open up about getting past the gatekeepers and nay-sayers who like to say we can’t let you do that , because “you haven’t done that before”. Adam’s a true craftsman, an accomplished cam operator who can still shoot handheld and operate focus, and an established editor. So the tactics he used to make the first move to get past the beige-team, as he calls it, demonstrate what it takes to make it as a director of an independent film. Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: Blood orange flavor, San Pellegrino Soda Oren's Endorsement: Self tape gym on Instagram Adam's Endorsement: Retro boat rentals in southwestern Texas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Matthew Shear IG: @matthew_shear takes us on the journey to cast Amanda Peet, Alessandro Nivola, and Judd Hirsch in his directorial debut. In the midst of a long and successful career as an actor, should you ever write your own film? Does it even make sense to follow your agent's advice about making more content? Matthew just wrapped as series reg, and Matt and Oren are curious about how and why he figured that making a film and getting into SXSW, was a good thing? Afterall this is a film that Oren's DP said they loved! So Matthew dives deep into what it means to be vulnerable. The blood, pain, and the angst, as only an actor can understand. And he takes us through how, after deciding to act and direct in the film he spent years toiling to write, he decided it might be best "for the film" if he were to give up his role as lead actor!!! Well... that's what happened, and not how it ended. And if you want to know how you can turn fortune yourself, and hear about how good guys win and money doesn't always, then this is the episode you have to hear! Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: the D line of the LA Metro opened 2 new stops: Oren's Endorsement: Have a jumping off point for creative inspiration. Read a book before bedtime. Matthew's Endorsement: Watch interviews with Robert Smith from "The Cure" on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Greg Kort from Doner Advertising, Detroit https://www.doner.com/talks about the job of an agency producer and how it differs from a line producer, or any other kind of producer. And Matt and Oren get him to share what it means to be the connective tissue between multiple people -- whether brands, agency, or outside creatives -- and how being a creative producer can be more about balancing personalities and making different people happy. And Greg shares some thoughts on why a director is wrong for a job. What are things you can do as a director to improve your chances, and what are things that are very much out of your immediate control? But one thing he echoes from other episodes is that treatments really need to reflect your personality as a director. Matt and Oren ask Greg about how he feels about seeing director's cuts out in the wild, and Greg has some interesting insights and perspectives. Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: Plant wildfire seeds, preferably wildflowers local to where you are. And, put your hard taco shells in the toaster oven before using. Oren's Endorsement: Alex Tovstiy's instagram @alextovstiy Greg's Endorsement: Red Hot flavored potato chips from Better Made. And, attend live events. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As a Creative Director at Kimmelot Labs, Joe Saroufim has worked with Janusz Kaminski and Matt Oren chat with him about the role of a Creative Director in maintaining the voice of the brand while pushing creative boundaries. Joe talks about his background at film school and how working at an agency taught him to alter his writing to be more modular. Today, he thinks more about how the right combination of words can facilitate a cut down from 30-seconds, to 15-seconds and all the other formats where an ad must play. And Matt and Oren talk about how the art of modular writing makes seeing a oner in a commercial that much more delightful, because the artistry to make it happen the right way, with sign off from multiple stakeholders, is ever more complex. Ultimately Joe explains it's about earning the trust of clients. Learning how to hear their vision, and to help them see possibilities they may not have imagined. Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: The Alpine Slide at Big Bear Oren's Endorsement: Grannick's Bitter Apple Taste Deterrent soray to keep dogs from chewing furniture. https://www.amazon.com/Grannicks-Bitter-Apple-Taste-Deterrent/dp/B001CCNG88 Right angele screwdrivers Joe's Endorsement: Skaf's L:ebanese restaurants https://www.skafslebanesecuisine.com/ Tizz tangerine soda https://drinktizz.com/products/tangerine-fizz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Matt and Oren chat with Creative Director JK Lyons about how you can stand out as a director. And they dive deep into what is in your reel, book, or portfolio. Does it make a statement about your personality? Can somebody tell this is truly you? And they talk about actions you can take so that you're part of the CD's team, and not just a hire. Because at the end of the day, that is what makes you more pleasurable to work with. Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: Akira Kurasaw Retrospective Film Festival at the Academy Theartre. "The Joint", a combination coffe shop / fish shop, on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks. http://www.jointseafood.com/ Oren's Endorsement: Use Claude.ai to come up with actions for multiple OCP (on camera personalities) that you can share with casting for your ads. JK's Endorsement: "Lasita" Pilipino Rotisserie in Chinatown, Los Angeles. http://www.lasita-la.com/ The movie "True Lives" with Arnold Schwarzenegger Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Matt and Oren talk about what they love to see from actors. How many takes should you do? What if you drop a line in an audition? And what’s the best way to ask questions? It’s a great episode on the little things actors have done and gotten booked. As well as the mistakes actors have made that worked against them. It’s funny, because Matt and Oren agree on a lot. But while some things are cringe to one of them, the same things are endearing to the other. This is the episode that helps put in perspective the casting and audition process and the little things that make a difference in how professional you come across. Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: "Project Hail Mary" with Ryan Gosling. And Adam Savage's video about the practical set https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO6oyFP14rU Oren's Endorsement: soft closing mechanisms for kitchen drawers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Where do you fit in, as a director? That’s what Matt and Oren are talking about on this episode of Just Shoot It! What does that mean? Think of this: what makes you just the right director for a certain script, or a certain commercial spot? Is it your ability to write quirky quick-paced dialogue and convince people to fund it? Or is it your unique way of shooting walk and talks that makes it easy for agencies to sell you to their brands? In this episode Matt and Oren share about their journey to find out how they fit in. And that journey starts, believe it or not, with understanding that the journey exists. And that’s why the guys dive into why it can be so difficult to identify the elements of your filmmaking that are unique to your life experiences, point of view, and your personality. And they also talk about the next step, which might even be harder. And that is, once you know who you are, how do you communicate it through your reel and track-record of projects in a way that makes sense to producers, agencies, and clients? This is an episode you won’t want to miss that goes into the subtleties a-b-o-u-t your directing, that can be even more important to your success as your director. Not what you do to audiences, but how you get it across to people that can hire you. Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: John Wilson: How To Make a Podcast | Doomscroll https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLhBO-_I34k Oren's Endorsement: Vehicle Motion Cues iPhone feature https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-comfortably-riding-a-vehicle-iph55564cb22/ios Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Chandler Levack https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5576953 made 3 feature films. One with a $250,000 budget, and the last with a $30 million budget for Netflix. How did that happen? Matt and Oren dive into how Chandler met Adam Sandler. And the answer is, she made herself the only director for the job. Check out this amazing story from a Canadian filmmaker! Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: "Akira" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094625/ Oren's Endorsement: "The Big Picture" podcast episode with Steven Spielberg https://open.spotify.com/episode/6p0EBj4y9VkLfNOcwFUJbP Chandler's Endorsement: "Dead Lover" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27378311 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Annemarie Jacir has an amazing career that span directing for Hulu’s “Ramy” with comic Ramy Youssef, as well as jurying for Telluride, Cannes, and Sundance. And she chats with Oren and Matt about bringing her latest film “Palestine 36” to life. Jeremy Irons stars in this Oscar-submitted film, Annemarie’s fourth, that played at TIFF and AFI. Set in Palestine in 1936, this historical fiction weaves between events in recent memory to tell a story about Palestinian villages’ revolt against British colonial rule. And on the pod, Annemarie shares her love of filmmaking and the pursuit of their 8-year long project, the funding, the controversy, as well as the details and passion behind the production design and architectural accuracy. And she describes a level of commitment and passion far exceeding the Hollywood norm. Yet when asked if this is a political film, the discussion transcends the cultural flashpoints. You won’t want to miss this episode if you want to understand “what is filmmaking”. Because on this episode Matt and Oren explore that question from perspectives film schools may not. Find Annemarie on IG @annamariajacir or @palestine36film and the website is Palestine36.com . --- Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: 100 or 1000 Water balloon filler https://www.amazon.com/Water-Balloons-Swimming-Outdoor-Summer/dp/B0GWD8XGWK/ Oren's Endorsement: How to Speak by Patirck Winston, on YouTube https://youtu.be/Unzc731iCUY?si=82KVMF9jIyfDH-n9 Annemarie's Endorsement: A ceramic self-watering device for plants https://www.amazon.com/Reifier-10-Pack-Natural-Watering-Spikes/dp/B0BGQPKLCP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
You know them as BriTANick https://www.britanick.com/ and their latest feature, “Pizza Movie” debuts on Hulu on April 3! Now Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher join Matt and Oren and reveal how they keep new ideas flowing. These guys have written for SNL and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and they were the voice of Comedy Central. But they learned a lot shooting this feature, their first departure from a run-and-gun, indie style. Working with DP Bella Gonzales highlighted both the freedom and constraints that come with a bigger budget. It was different, but at the end of the day, they found a way you can use to keep doing the things you always have, with your “travelling carnival family”. Matt and Oren chat about the science of timing. What’s the cadence of comedy? Is there a science to timing and beats? And can you boil it down to a unifying theory of timing --- one where scary movies and funny movies are really the same art? Best of all, there’s some honest talk about that constant feeling of “damn, what I’m seeing isn’t what I’m really, really happy with”. And strategies you can use to move on, and not let it hamper your work. Follow BriTANick on https://www.youtube.com/c/britanick and https://www.patreon.com/BriTANicK --- Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: the director's commentary for the "The Witch" by Nick Robinson on YouTube Oren's Endorsement: Go Kart kit for the Gyroor Hoverboard https://www.amazon.com/Rsq-Nylon-Shorts-Black-Medium/dp/B0FBLGQMSY?ref_=ast_sto_dp&psc=1 Brian's Endorsement: "Nasal Fresh MD" nasal flush Nick's Endorsement: Playboy Magazine's Collection of Interviews With Directors: the Book Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Travis Wood & Alex Mallis are living the director’s dream! Their feature film "The Travel Companion" https://thetravelcompanionfilm.com/ premiered at Tribeca, they have distribution through Oscilloscope, and they’re touring theaters across the country. And now they're on to the next big thing, and this time the goal is to make one dollar on their next film. And that’s how they start chatting with Matt and Oren about the importance of the metrics and ruler you choose to value yourself. And why that is so important as a filmmaker today. Ten years ago, there were a lot more outlets looking for films. But if you were around then, you probably remember hearing the same thing about the market ten years before that! Fast-forward to eight years ago, and picture this – that’s the day Travis wrote an email to Oren, hoping to connect and pick his brain about how to get directing opportunities in LA. Since then, Travis landed a Vimeo staff pick under their belt. And they took an idea they hatched at a film festival and turned it into a feature. But it was far from easy. And man, did they learn a lot about finding financiers, writing dialogue that sounds real, and how to keep having fun through the long years of waiting for people to respond and money to come in. And Matt really keys in on the advice they have on how to keep control over your filmmaking process, even when everything seems like it’s dependent on others. This is an uplifting episode with a lot of great practical tips and ways to go about your filmmaking process in 2026! Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod Matt's Endorsement: Kurosawa's "High and Low" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057565/ Oren's Endorsement: The 12-liter dog poop trash can is the ideal size Travis's Endorsement: Chip's Ahoy Cookies Aaron's Endorsement: "Teddy Out of Tune" https://www.teddyoutoftune.com/ is re-releasing on Blu-ray Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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