Matt and Oren dive into the process of finding the right cinematographer or DP for your project, breaking down key factors like reputation, working methodology, artistry, specialties, reel, website, and even foreign language skills.

They also explore how budget impacts these considerations. Like what shifts when you're working with $50K versus $2 million? From personal tastes to professional appearances, this episode takes a deep dive into the nuances of hiring the right visual storyteller for your film or commercial project.

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

Matt's Endorsement: Los Angeles Conservancy's "Last Remaining Seats", a classic vintage film screening series. See "Rope" by Director Alfred Hitchcock at the Academy Museum on original 35mm nitrate.

Oren's Endorsement: Oren shows Matt a video on "Generating Crowds with Gen 4 References" https://youtu.be/erNSx-wOuPs?si=qugAONtGmm6wQxu4. And he mentions Runway https://runwayml.com/ and Veo generative AI video tools. https://gemini.google/overview/video-generation/

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Matt and Oren break down their approach to directing on set—from working with celebrity talent like Neil Patrick Harris to navigating the challenges of directing kids. It's a glimpse into their lives as directors.

They also explore how user-generated content and influencers are changing the types of projects advertisers want to create and opening new doors for emerging filmmakers who understand the new landscape.

Plus, the guys respond to YouTube comments and discuss how listeners can join the conversation.  

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

Matt's Endorsement: Captain Disillusion https://www.youtube.com/@CaptainDisillusion

Oren's Endorsement: 1. Oscar Owen Magic https://www.youtube.com/@Oscar 2. AMEX Delta Reserve card gives you $20 per month for using Uber. And paying for Lyft with the Chase Sapphire earns you 5x miles when traveling to and from airports.

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The skyrocketing success of "Friendship," starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, is tied to its distinct visual style. Cinematographer Andy Rydzewski https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2198503 shares the recipe behind the film’s look, breaking down key choices in framing, lighting, and camera techniques.

Matt and Oren dive into the details, nerding out over f-stops, open gate, ISO, sensor breaks, and the creative decision by Andy and director Andrew DeYoung to move away from the 28mm lens.

Find Andy on Instagram @filmandy

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Matt's Endorsement: Upgrade to pro on Letterboxd https://letterboxd.com/pro/

Oren's Endorsement: 1. Use a rice cooker. 2. For Mother's Day or that special day in that special someone's life, instead of buying a gift, give them the gift of a day without having to do anything. Do the laundry, take care of the kids, and finish all the chores in their life while they can kick back and enjoy.

Andy's Endorsement: 1. Use a lap desk (kind of like a pillow with a hard top) to support your laptop while you work. 2. The Blackmagic Camera app 

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Trey Edward Shults https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4099092/ has been called a visionary film director. Matt and Oren chat with Trey about his bold leap into auteur filmmaking—what it means to claim that title and how he made it happen.

What did he learn as a nineteen-year-old loading IMAX film for Terrence Malick on the edge of a live volcano? And is going to Cannes or winning at SXSW really enough to eventually land Hollywood’s most sought-after actors for your film?

His latest film, "Hurry Up Tomorrow" (@hurryuptomorrowmovie on Instagram), opens Friday, is a collaboration with The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye), and stars Jenna Ortega.

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Matt's Endorsement: Breaking and Entering on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/company/breakingandentering/posts/?feedView=all It's basically "Everything You Need to Know in Advertising in 60 Seconds."

Oren's Endorsement: Amazing AI art that defies the horrifically bad tells of AI art. Humanly artistic and possessing a sense of authorship and voice. @voidstomper on Instagram. He has millions of followers, but hasn't figured out how to monetize it. So help him out and watch his new videos.

Trey' Endorsements: Chicken Joe's aka CJ's in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g635538-d2041184-Reviews-Chicken_Joe_s-Santa_Teresa_Province_of_Puntarenas.html

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Ever wonder how "The Studio" perfected comedic timing using oners and one-shot scenes? Eric Kissack, who edited the entire season for Seth Rogen, shares his tips, tricks, and behind-the-scenes insights into how the show comes together.  

When the funniest people in the world need to ensure a script or edit is hilarious, they turn to Eric. Matt and Oren chat with him about his journey as a director and editor, across "Veep", "Sausage Party", "Black Monday", "The Good Place", and more. 

See more of Eric’s work at https://erickissack.com and follow him on Instagram @erickissack.  

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Endorsements:  

- Matt's Pick: Horror Vibes Coffee Shop - https://horrorvibes.com  

- Oren's Pick: Businesses that know when to stop sending customer surveys + Trader Joe’s gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza + CVS receipts with epic coupon deals (buy one item at a time for more savings)  

- Eric's Pick: Blue Prince Video Game - https://blueprincegame.com  

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Jody McVeigh-Schultz shares his journey from editor to director of Amazon’s *Spy High*. Matt and Oren quiz Jody on exactly what made him the right fit for the job. And they delve into the techniques he uses to uncover hidden stories in footage directors might overlook.  

Jody also opens up about landing an agent—and what he wishes he had done differently looking back.  

You can find Jody on Instagram @jodymcvs and see his work at https://jodyms.com

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Matt's Endorsement: The movie "Scanners" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081455 now available at https://www.criterion.com/

Oren's Endorsement: https://pika.art AI tool that lets you manipulate a character (or object) in your videos while keeping the rest perfectly intact. Like making a stuffed animal dance.

Jody's Endorsement: Bring the wheels for your tripod. The Netflix show "Baby Reindeer" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13649112/, not to be confused with the movie "Lamb".

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Carlyn Hudson returns! Matt and Oren dive into the art of game-time decisions on set—when to stick to the plan and when a last-minute change is worth the risk. It's a great discussion about leadership, with hands-on, real-world insights that go beyond theory.

Carly shares her take on navigating tough calls, balancing respect for the crew, maintaining top-tier quality, and knowing when to let go and adapt to the unexpected. It's a must-listen for anyone aiming to master the dynamics of set life!

Look for Carly on Instagram @CarlynHudson.

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

Matt's Endorsement: Take a choo-choo ride on a small train like this https://www.descansogardens.org/event/railroad-grand-opening/ , or ride one near you!

Oren's Endorsement: Scorpio Follow Focus System with Encoder. Also, there's lots of awesome films and shows to get you excited about the industry and what's to come! Minecraft, Sinners, Andor, Hacks, Last of Us, The Studio, Adolescence, The Pitt, Black Mirror, The Rehearsal, Severance, and White Lotus -- just to name a few. What's yours?

Carlyn's Endorsement: Remove Instagram from your phone and live a better life!

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Matt and Oren are back to basics and pushing creative boundaries. Whether it's tackling passion projects, experimenting with constraints like shooting anamorphic on the vertical, or using AI to spark human creativity, they’re finding new ways to innovate. And hey, sometimes a mocktail and a first-class movie night are all you need for fresh inspiration. 

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Get a great deal on Magic Mind! Go to https://magicmind.com/shootitjan until April 25th, 2025. Use the link https://magicmind.com/shootitapr after April 25th, 2025.

Matt's Endorsement: Creamy, Spicy Tomato Beans and Greens Recipe https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025325-creamy-spicy-tomato-beans-and-greens

Get a subscription to the New York Times.

Oren's Endorsement: 1) When traveling on a plane, order a mocktail of club soda & cranberry over ice. 2) Stick with one airline and go all in on their frequent flyer rewards. 3) Place an AirTag in your checked bag so you can see if it's near you on the plane and whether it's close when you're waiting at baggage claim. And 4) watch movies when you're on a plane because the altitude will more your brain more emotionally receptive.

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Can a well-timed email get you on SNL as a director? Oz Rodriguez made it happen. But TV was a whole different game back then! The formula, though, remains the same: great comedy actors make comedy directors look great.

Oren and Matt chat with Oz about how directors can cast incredible comedic talent. Plus, Oz spills secrets on getting the best performances from actors.

Ever wondered what it's like to shoot a video for SNL? Or how much creative freedom a director really has under the watchful eye of Lorne Michaels and some of the best comedy writers in the world? Oz covers it all. He doesn’t hold back, sharing both his setbacks and how he turned them into successes.

If you love comedy, this episode is a must-listen!

Find Oz Rodriguez on IMDb: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm1444412 and Instagram: @oz_rodriguez. Be sure to check out his first book, The Girl and the Robot: https://books.disney.com/book/the-girl-and-the-robot/.

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Matt's Endorsement: The movie Love Lies Bleeding https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19637052/

Oren's Endorsement: Pinterest now has an awesome algorithm and is super useful for storyboards and lookboards.

The show The Studio on Apple TV https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23649128/

The show Adolescence on Netflix https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31806037/

Oz's Endorsements: Dia Natural Wine Shop https://www.dianaturalwine.com/

The movie Mickey 17 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12299608/

And also, go to the movies! Like, see a Soderbergh film on the big screen.

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Matt and Oren take a hard look at the current state of the film and TV industry in the wake of the LA fires, pandemic, strikes, AI, and streaming. It’s some real talk about the challenges facing production, including tax incentives, union rates, and the ongoing struggle to keep jobs from leaving the LA area.

And they explore potential solutions to get more production peeps working regularly and keep productions from being forced into shooting in places like Austin, Atlanta, Columbia, Mexico, and everywhere else.

From analyzing the role of tax breaks to discussing union wage negotiations, this is an insider's perspective on what it will take for the industry to get more people working regularly.

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Get a great deal on Magic Mind! https://magicmind.com/shootit

Matt's Endorsement: Use graph paper.

Oren's Endorsement: Sesame AI voice https://www.sesame.com/ 

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