Jamaal Parham, part of the directing duo Jams and Bash, talks to Oren and Matt about how they approach their business without the cheesiness. From a start working exclusively with Broadway productions, they've become a CAA-recognized brand in sports comedy.

Matt discusses how the dream of never looking at a spreadsheet isn’t realistic in filmmaking, or at least not in building a career in it. And Jamaal shares secrets on how they connect with decision-makers through targeted social media strategies that go beyond traditional PR, advertising, or social thinking.

**Key lesson:** A lot of directing is really hosting. Don’t get it? Check out this amazing episode!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1729641/

https://www.jamsandbash.com/

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Matt's Endorsement: Chris Moran | Creative Breakdowns on TikTok and his tutorials on the Vox aesthetic https://www.tiktok.com/@chrismoran__

Oren's Endorsement: order your pet meds from https://discountpetmedication.biz/ and the use Amazon to monitor for deals on what you want, like a Dyson v11, and get a great deal on Prime Week.

Jamaal's Endorsement: "The Black Pack" book by Artel Great https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/the-black-pack/9781978838130/

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Legendary director Joseph Kahn https://www.josephkahn.com/ talks about his new movie "Ick" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31795447/. And Matt and Oren get him to share how this creature feature came about as a kid-friendly movie and the challenges he faced in making a script written for a $100 million budget shot during COVID and the WGA & SAG- AFTRA strikes.

And Joseph also discusses the difference between working with the best people money can buy, and choosing people who understand you and your unique brand of filmmaking. Plus, he shares his method to becoming the director Taylor Swift or U2 calls.

But this winner-takes-all business comes at a cost. Heck, the odds of success as a director are probably lower than becoming the dictator of a country! And Joseph gets real about his own insecurities, despite his mountain of successes.

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Kelly Christensen built a toolkit for crafting a lasting career as a commercial producer. And he shares what directors can do to stand out and keep getting hired. Matt and Oren chat with Kelly about what makes his secret sauce. And you may be surprised to find out about the many layers and why it's different for each person.

Sure, collaboration matters. But what does that really look like? What are the nuances of lasting collaboration with agencies and production companies? What role does a producer play in making your life as a director easier? And what can you do to make sure producers recommend you for future gigs?

You can find Kelly on Instagram at @kellyman

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Matt's Endorsement: The Business podcast about M3GAN 2.0 flop and the Blumehouse slump https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-business/id73330606

Oren's Endorsement: Tell your kids about the scary parts of a movie (ask your friends what the scary parts are), before you take your kids to see the movie. And traffic etiquette is a great topic for small talk.

Kelly's Endorsement: the free streaming site https://www.kanopy.com/

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What does cinematic mean to you? Carlyn Hudson https://www.carlynhudson.com/ joins Matt and Oren fresh off completing her latest short, "Waffle".

Is cinematic just a slick look? Is it about lighting? Or is it whatever Midjourney gives you when you ask for a cinematic style? It's always a party when these three are together, with lively discussion, interesting perspectives, and free thrown punches. And our partners in banter spar over all the different layers that make cinematic more than any one thing. And how it's different, arguably different, for different people!

It all opens into a side discussion about this summer's movies: Jurassic Park, F1, and of course Danny Boyle's "28 Years Later". What do you think about its "Trainspotting" look, jaw-dropping $75 million (no kidding) budget, and how Instagram is shaping believability. You won't want to miss this fun and thoughtful episode!

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Matt's Endorsement: Pocket Dispo Lens https://pocketdispo.com/ for your DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Oren's Endorsement: The Nintendo Switch 2, because it's fun without the addiction. Especially "Mario Odyssey". Toiletry bags with 2 zippers that double as your shower caddy.

Carlyn's Endorsement: Support the Kerr County (Texas) Flood Relief Fund https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4201

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Matt’s back from the Chattanooga Film Festival, and Oren just wrapped a whirlwind gig in Thailand. Jet lag not included. Yay!!! This week, they unpack the age-old question: is it still essential to live in L.A.? Is the cost of living worth it? And what does long-term career sustainability actually look like?

It’s an episode about experimentation and pushing boundaries. Matt tested the waters by bringing his kid to a low-key film festival. Before actually trying to juggle parenting, pitching a film, and festival revelry till the sunrises. Meanwhile, Oren pitched against some heavy-hitters to prove he’s ready to play at the next level. Oh, and a producer found Matt because - wait for it - ChatGPT said he was the perfect director for their commercial!!

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Get a great deal on Magic Mind! https://magicmind.com/shootitjune NEW LINK!!

Matt's Endorsement: Make playlists on Spotify related to screenplays and scripts you're writing.

Oren's Endorsement: PatchTagger for saving videos by adding tags https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/patchtagger-save-videos-b/aehpdnmfpeagdgjlhehfgmgnkkpnmdof

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Matt and Oren dig into the creative choices director's make. And they kick it off by looking at the growing influence of AI on the process.

They also tackle casting and why it’s more than just finding the “right” actor. But also, what makes for the right actor in a commercial? Comedic timing, tone, understanding the game, our grasp of something else?

They also share how many actors they callback and put on avail. And what happens when an actor crushes the audition but doesn’t book it. Do you tell them?

You'll find some tips on how to invite creative collaboration, whether wardrobe, production design, or with your DP, in a way that encourages suggestions for plus-ing the production. But, without sounding like a film school director who doesn't know, or is too afraid, to make choices.

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Get a great deal on Magic Mind! https://magicmind.com/shootitjune NEW LINK!!

Matt's Endorsement: If you have a Loog Guitar for kids https://loogguitars.com/, get a guitar strap. King C. Gillette Cordless Beard Trimmer https://gillette.com/en-us/products/beard-care/king-c-gillette-beard-trimmer

Oren's Endorsement: Ira Glass on Mike Birbiglia’s podcast https://youtu.be/eIzW5RHpeFQ?si=dcJqxqKlT9c6iaAI

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The directing duo from "Don't Tell Larry" detail their eight-year journey to turn the phrase, "Don't Tell Larry", into a world, a web series, and feature starring Eg Begley., Jr., Dot-Marie Jones, Patty Guggenheim, and Kiel Kennedy. And they chat with Matt and Oren about how their background in unscripted TV prepared them but also left gaps when it came to making the movie they wanted to make, without EPs steering them off-track.

From 300 pitches to turning down lucrative investors, the pandemic, and choosing to shoot in Dallas, the guys explore all the challenges of making an indie film, and adhering to high standards, all while influencers walk away with the fees that filmmakers traditionally could garner from commercial work. And other filmmakers like, Danny Gervitz's film "The Man in the Photo" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6WpwmPe9Ks, "Skinamarink" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APQqilSTxz0 and forgoing distributors and theatrical releases, in favor of going straight to YouTube.

Tell them your thoughts on Instagram @dtlthemovie @gregporper @jschimke

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Get a great deal on Magic Mind! https://magicmind.com/shootitjune NEW LINK!!

Matt's Endorsement: "No Hard Feelings" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15671028/

Oren's Endorsement: Eric Chien, the magician https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWO5-0OYMwc

Greg's Endorsement: The book "Day Trading Attention: How to Actually Build Brand and Sales in the New Social Media World." by Gary Vaynerchuk https://garyvaynerchuk.com/attention/

John's Endorsement: DaVinci Resolve updated their Edit page and it's wonderful. Particularly Source / Record.

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"Chimp Crazy" is HBO's top-watched documentary. But being from the team that made Tiger King is both a plus and a minus. In this episode, writer, producer, and editor Evan Wise https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2188036/ chats with Matt & Oren about the hurdles they faced and the moment he knew this doc would be good. We explore the importance of personal connection, being open to letting the story evolve during filming, and the role of editors as writers and storytellers in documentary films. Evan also discusses how they found their shadow director, why that was important to getting this doc off the ground. Connect with Evan on Instagram @deathedit

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Get a great deal on Magic Mind! https://magicmind.com/shootitapr NEW LINK!!

Matt's Endorsement: "Mickey 17" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12299608/

Oren's Endorsement: Trader Joe's Patio Potato Chips https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/patio-potato-chips-062977

Evan's Endorsement: "Diamond Hands" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17662108/

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