THE 505 PODCAST

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re breaking down the REAL reasons bigger brands aren’t hiring you as a videographer or photographer, and what it actually takes to build a successful creative business. We talk about why having great work is no longer enough, how to position yourself to attract higher-paying clients, and the importance of building relationships, finding your niche, and creating a consistent pipeline of opportunities. We also get into the biggest mistakes creatives make, from spending too much money on gear to underpricing projects and trying to do everything themselves. Plus, we share behind-the-scenes lessons from working on six-figure productions, how to land bigger-budget commercial projects, and why building a business that lasts requires more than just being talented.

Timestamps
0:00 – Intro
1:16 – Why Great Work Alone Isn't Enough to Get Hired
3:23 – How to Stand Out in a Saturated Creative Industry
5:15 – Why Your Personal Brand Matters More Than Ever
7:11 – Stop Waiting for Clients to Come to You
9:40 – How to Build a Consistent Pipeline of Clients
11:04 – When to Take Lower-Paying Jobs for Bigger Opportunities
12:02 – Why Niching Down Helps You Attract Bigger Brands
14:32 – Artlist
15:12 – Why Big Brands Prefer Established Production Companies
16:46 – Understanding the Sales Cycle for Bigger Clients
17:48 – When You Should Start Outsourcing Your Work
18:17 – Why Relationships Matter More Than Automated Outreach
20:30 – Stop Wasting Money on Camera Gear
24:16 – Why Hiring a Team Can Help You Grow Faster
25:20 – The Biggest Pricing Mistakes Videographers Make
27:20 – How to Budget and Price Bigger Productions
28:40 – How to Start Landing Bigger Budget Commercial Projects
30:37 – Why Being a One-Man Band Limits Your Growth
33:05 – Learning From Every Production
33:47 – Behind the Scenes of a Major Commercial Shoot
34:09 – How to Build Relationships With Creative Agencies
36:02 – What Goes Into Pitching a Big Commercial
37:16 – Managing a Production Crew and Client Expectations
38:45 – Why Things Will Always Go Wrong on Set
40:07 – The Time I Lost 30% of My Concert Photos
43:09 – Why You Need to Reinvest in Your Creative Business
44:42 – The Reality of Running a Successful Production Company
47:08 – How FedEx Almost Went Out of Business
48:53 – Getting Back on the Road With The Chainsmokers
50:08 – Flying Private With The Chainsmokers
50:52 – Why The Chainsmokers' First Show Got Canceled
52:54 – The Stage Almost Collapsed During Their Next Show
55:42 – A Full-Circle Career Moment
57:43 – Upcoming Shoots and Travel Plans
58:39 – Planning an African Safari

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Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by tech creator, entrepreneur, and founder of Lab Culture, JHawk. We talk about what it actually takes to make a living as a full-time content creator in 2027, from growing an audience and landing brand deals to monetizing your content and knowing when you’re ready to quit your 9–5. We also get into building a sustainable career without burning out, why being easy to work with can lead to bigger opportunities, and JHawk’s full-circle journey from working at an Apple Store to being invited to Apple Park for major product launches. Plus, we dive into building his own clothing brand, moving to Austin, and how AI is changing the future of content creation.

Check Out JHawk Here:
https://www.instagram.com/johnnyhochstetler/

Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
1:45 – Catching Up With JHawk
4:34 – How Your Environment Impacts Your Creativity
8:32 – Moving to Austin and Becoming a Full-Time Creator
10:45 – How JHawk Makes Money as a Content Creator
12:35 – Balancing Multiple Businesses and Creative Projects
13:37 – Artlist
14:09 – Building a Schedule When You're Your Own Boss
18:52 – How JHawk Plans His Weekly Content
21:46 – What Makes Content Actually Perform Well?
23:59 – Balancing Brand Deals With Organic Content
26:51 – The Reality of Making Money From Brand Deals
29:28 – How to Become a Full-Time Content Creator in 2027
33:22 – Why You Shouldn't Rush to Quit Your 9–5
34:51 – The Hard Truth About Being a Full-Time Creator
35:40 – Why Choosing the Right Niche Matters
38:50 – Dealing With Low Views and the Pressure to Perform
42:00 – Going From Working at Apple to Getting Invited to Apple Park
48:27 – The Full-Circle Moment of Working With Apple
50:12 – How to Build Relationships That Lead to Bigger Brand Deals
55:00 – Why Health and Fitness Matter as a Creator
1:01:50 – How Fitness Impacts Your Productivity and Confidence
1:04:36 – Will AI Replace Content Creators?
1:08:50 – How Creators Should Be Using AI
1:10:33 – Building Lab Culture and Launching a Clothing Brand
1:15:45 – Why Building an Apparel Brand Is So Difficult

If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.

DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!)
Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by photographer, filmmaker, and director Vuhlandez. We talk about how personal work helped him develop a style that stands out, how Detroit shaped his creative voice, and why making work for yourself can ultimately lead to bigger opportunities. We also get into taste, creativity, building a career without chasing trends, and how his battle with cancer changed his relationship with work and what really matters.

Check Out Vuhlandes Here:
https://www.instagram.com/vuhlandes/

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
01:13 – Being a Filmmaker vs. a “Content Creator”
04:07 – Using YouTube as a Creative Outlet
05:28 – Why Creatives Need to Stop Waiting for Permission
05:57 – How Vuhlandes Developed His Photography and Filmmaking Skills
09:23 – When Vuhlandes First Picked Up a Camera
10:57 – Turning a Passion for Cameras Into a Career
13:10 – Getting Paid for Creative Work for the First Time
13:56 - Artlist
14:38 – Moving From Detroit to LA and Starting Over
18:11 – What It Feels Like When the Opportunities Don’t Come
20:33 – How Growing Up in Detroit Shaped Vuhlandes’ Style
23:23 – Why Staying True to Where You’re From Matters
24:53 – The Opportunities That Come From Building an Audience
27:24 – The Chip on Vuhlandes’ Shoulder That Keeps Him Creating 31:48 – Why Personal Work Is So Important for Getting Hired
33:40 – Creating a Photography Book From 13 Years of Work
35:19 – How Vuhlandes Got Better as a Photographer
38:12 – Why Shooting Wide Open Isn’t Always Better
41:09 – How to Develop a Better Eye for Photography
43:54 – Why Making Art for Yourself Leads to Better Work
45:08 – The Danger of Creating Only for Views and Engagement
46:14 – Why Shooting the Same Places Can Make You More Creative
48:44 – What Vuhlandes Wants His YouTube Channel to Become
51:11 – Creating Without Feeling Pressure to Post Every Week
52:52 – The Film Vuhlandes Made About His Cancer Journey
57:38 – The Response to Sharing Something So Personal Online
58:31 – What Helped Vuhlandes Through Cancer
1:01:42 – Advice for Someone Going Through Something Similar
1:03:48 – How Cancer Changed Vuhlandes’ Relationship With Work
1:07:22 – Moving to New York and Entering a New Chapter
1:09:55 – What Vuhlandes Would Tell His 18-Year-Old Self

If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.

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Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by director and filmmaker RJ Bruni. In this episode, we break down how RJ went from working heavily in the outdoor space to developing a completely different visual style, how posting cinematic personal work on Instagram helped attract fashion, lifestyle, and commercial brands, and what it actually takes to become a better director. We also get into developing taste, having a strong creative point of view, directing talent, building a career around your work, and why sometimes the best marketing is simply becoming undeniably good at what you do. Plus, RJ walks us through some of his campaigns, treatments, lighting decisions, and the process behind creating branded films that feel more like short films than traditional ads.

Check Out RJ Here:
https://www.instagram.com/rjbruni/

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
02:14 – How RJ Developed a Style Luxury Brands Gravitate Toward
06:00 – Why Great Directors Need Strong Taste and Opinions
07:57 – How to Become a Better Director Outside of Being on Set
10:11 – How to Get Better Performances From Talent
12:24 – How RJ Used Instagram to Change the Direction of His Career
15:10 – Breaking Out of the Outdoor Filmmaking Niche
17:09 – Feeling Pigeonholed by the Work You’re Known For
20:30 – Making Personal Films to Attract the Work You Actually Want
22:07 – Why RJ Was Willing to Let Work Slow Down to Reinvent Himself
24:00 – Why Personal Work Was Never Just About Views or Followers
25:21 – The First Opportunities RJ Got From Social Media
26:13 – Jaguar, Monaco, and Realizing the Strategy Was Working
28:43 – Building Social Campaigns Around Multiple Pieces of Content
31:27 – Working With Dairy Boy and Elwood
32:58 – RJ’s First Elwood Campaign
35:11 – Why World-Building Matters More Than Just Making a Hero Video
37:29 – Should Directors Mix Personal Content and Client Work on Instagram?
39:12 – Balancing Being a Director With Building a Personal Brand
42:34 – Breaking Down RJ’s Commercial Work Shot by Shot
42:54 – How RJ Got the Moving Motorcycle Shot
44:53 – Breaking Down the Lighting Setup
45:43 – How Much of a Shot Is Planned Before Getting to Location?
48:29 – How RJ Landed the Salt & Stone Campaign
51:28 – Why Great Brand Films Should Feel Like Short Films
52:16 – Breaking Down RJ’s Treatment and Creative Process
56:30 – Using Natural Light, Bounce, and Minimal Gear
57:25 – Shooting for Vertical vs. Horizontal
59:27 – Turning Storyboards Into the Final Film
1:01:50 – Camera Movement and Creating Production Value
1:04:08 – How RJ Approaches Treatments When He Has to Pitch
1:06:13 – How Being an Athlete Shaped RJ’s Work Ethic
1:08:03 – Why Getting Better at Your Craft Matters More Than Just Sending More Emails
1:10:27 – Why You Should Create Even When Nobody Is Paying You
1:11:08 – Why Becoming Undeniably Good Is the Best Marketing
1:12:37 – RJ’s Approach to Becoming the Kind of Director Big Brands Hire

If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.

DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!)
Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Mitchell Thayne, founder of Film Lab. In this episode, we break down what separates a $3,000 freelance video from a $100,000+ commercial production, how Mitchell built Film Lab into a full-scale production company, what brands are actually paying for at that level, and how to land bigger clients. We also get into hiring, payroll, pricing commercial projects, navigating slow seasons, a shot-by-shot breakdown of one of Film Lab’s campaigns, and how Mitchell is applying everything he’s learned in production to building his running brand, Deadlast.

Check Out Mitchell Here:
https://www.instagram.com/mitchellthayne/

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
01:22 – $3K Freelancer vs. $100K+ Production Company
03:00 – What Brands Expect From Six-Figure Productions
04:59 – Turning One Video Into an Entire Campaign
08:00 – How to Land Your First $10K+ Video Job
10:27 – Finding the Right People to Build With
11:35 – Using Your Work to Attract Bigger Clients
14:09 – Artlist
14:45 – Making Your First Full-Time Hire
18:31 – How Do You Make Payroll With a 15-Person Team?
22:03 – What Creatives Should Do During Slow Seasons
25:21 – The Best Investments for a Production Company
28:26 – When Buying Your Own Camera Gear Makes Sense
29:46 – Why Line-Item Pricing Changes Everything
30:41 – How Traveling Commercial Productions Work
31:59 – Breaking Down a Film Lab Commercial
32:35 – How Film Lab Landed the Client
38:08 – Does Mitchell Still Shoot and Direct?
38:57 – Shot-by-Shot Commercial Breakdown
41:34 – Robot Arms, Ice Shots & VFX
44:01 – How They Lit the Final Shot
44:50 – Deliverables Beyond the Hero Video
46:17 – Mitchell’s Biggest Lesson From the Shoot
48:30 – What’s Next for Film Lab?
51:06 – Why Investors Want Into the Creator Economy
52:30 – Why YouTubers Are Moving Into Movies
54:35 – How Do You Get a Documentary Funded?
59:03 – Building Dead Last From Scratch
1:05:14 – Using Content & Paid Ads to Scale a Brand
1:07:41 – Why Dead Last’s Product Actually Stands Out
1:08:42 – Balancing Film Lab and Dead Last
1:11:45 – Can Dead Last Pay Film Lab to Make Its Content?
1:14:13 – The Biggest Lesson From Building a Deadlast

If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.

DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!)
Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Shareef, co-founder and Head Director of Blue Stripe Studios. In this episode, we break down what it actually takes to go from one-man-band shoots to six-figure productions, the lessons Shareef brought from working at 72andSunny, why communication and building the right team matter more than doing everything yourself, how to bid and negotiate bigger commercial projects, and a full breakdown of a real $65,000 three-day commercial. We also get into building relationships that lead to repeat work, running a business with your friends, why production companies need multiple streams of revenue, and how a great pitch deck can be just as important as being a great salesperson.

Check Out Shareef Here:
https://www.instagram.com/sheefy_ap/

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
01:02 – One-Handed Crack
01:21 – Should Entrepreneurs Keep Their Full-Time Job?
03:51 – Quitting Your Job to Start a Business
05:03 – How Blue Stripe Got Started
08:09 – How Shareef Broke Into the Agency World
10:56 – Getting Hired at 72andSunny
12:37 – Artlist
13:09 – Building the Company After Work
14:53 – What Shareef Learned at 72andSunny
16:40 – What Makes a Great Producer?
18:49 – Going From $10K Shoots to Six-Figure Productions
21:18 – Why Being a One-Man Band Holds You Back
23:17 – Learning How to Bid Bigger Projects
26:03 – How Large-Scale Commercial Productions Work
27:15 – The Real Value of Your Network
30:19 – Why Your Work Has to Be Good Enough First
31:12 – Why Comparison Can Make You Better
33:18 – How to Network Without Being Transactional
35:54 – Breaking Down a Real Commercial Budget
37:05 – How Production Companies Actually Make Money
38:18 – Negotiating Bigger Budgets With Clients
39:05 – The Cash Flow Problem in Production
42:28 – The $65,000 Commercial Breakdown
44:18 – Building a 15-Person Crew
46:22 – Breaking Down Production Costs
48:46 – How Much They Made on the $65K Job
50:28 – Why Professional Production Costs So Much
56:42 – Breaking Down Post-Production Costs
58:56 – Why Production Is a People Business
59:37 – Turning One-Off Clients Into Repeat Clients
1:02:05 – Why Clients Keep Hiring Blue Stripe
1:03:02 – Leaving Your Ego Off Set
1:06:26 – Staying Calm When Everything Goes Wrong
1:10:42 – Should You Start a Business With Your Friends?
1:12:17 – Having Hard Conversations With Your Business Partner
1:17:41 – Why Failing Is Part of the Game
1:20:18 – Their Biggest Misconceptions Starting Out
1:21:43 – Why Production Companies Need Multiple Revenue Streams
1:25:26 – Why Pitch Decks Win Commercial Jobs
1:27:44 – A Pitch Deck Is Another Form of Sales
1:29:59 – How to Build a Winning Pitch Deck
1:32:29 – How Shareef Made Himself Valuable at 72andSunny
1:33:10 – The Sacrifices That Led to Bigger Opportunities
1:37:37 – Post-Pod Debrief
1:41:05 – Brayden’s Insane Tick Story
1:43:57 – Behind the Scenes of the Carhartt Shoot

If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.

DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!)
Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

Sign up for the 6 Figure Videographer Workshop here:
https://the505podcast.courses/dreamclientworkshop

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today, we’re breaking down 12 mistakes that quietly cost talented videographers thousands of dollars and keep them underpaid, overlooked, and stuck at the same level for years. In this episode, we talk about why you need to document yourself working, the importance of creating spec work, how to turn past clients into new opportunities, why specialists can charge more, the questions you need to ask before pricing a project, and how to protect your money through deposits, revision limits, and proper tax planning. These are all mistakes we’ve made throughout our careers, and fixing even one of them could completely change your video business.

00:00 – Intro
00:27 – Live Videography Workshop
00:58 – The 12 Mistakes Costing Videographers Money
01:03 – One-Handed Crack
01:35 – Mistake #1: Not Filming Enough Content
04:56 – Mistake #2: Not Making Enough Spec Work
16:04 – Mistake #3: Not Reaching Back Out to Old Clients
18:52 – Mistake #4: Not Asking for Referrals
21:33 – Mistake #5: Not Specializing or Niching Down
25:45 – Mistake #6: Not Asking Enough Discovery Questions
37:50 – Mistake #7: Only Charging for the Shoot Day
40:00 – Mistake #8: Not Upselling More Deliverables
45:50 – Mistake #9: Not Defining Revision Limits
50:50 – Mistake #10: Not Collecting a Deposit
55:56 – Mistake #11: Not Building Agency Relationships
57:51 – Mistake #12: Not Saving Money for Taxes

If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.

DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!)
Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

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What’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Chad Cohen, founder of Fortem Media, a 37-person creative agency built around helping brands become part of culture. In this episode, we talk about what separates a true creative partner from someone who simply shows up and shoots, how brands can build real communities, the relentless selling it took to grow Fortem, why Chad is betting on New York, and how curiosity and relationships can create opportunities no automated outreach system ever could.

Check out Chad here:
https://www.instagram.com/itschadcohen/

00:00 – Intro
01:03 – One-Handed Crack
01:53 – What Separates Great Creative Agencies
02:26 – Why Brands Need to Know Who They Are
03:20 – Charging for Strategy, Not Just Deliverables
05:37 – Creating Work That Understands the Culture
07:57 – Why Polarizing Brands Get People Talking
08:31 – How to Understand a Brand’s Audience
10:39 – Is There a Repeatable Formula for Brands?
11:33 – Chad’s Pre, During, and Post Framework
13:41 – Artlist
14:19 – What It Actually Means to Build Community
15:14 – Chad’s 24-Hour Sled Push
16:11 – Why People Share Brand Experiences
17:50 – Creating Experiences People Can’t Get Elsewhere
19:00 – Finding the Moment People Want to Post
21:02 – Why Selling Directly Kills Community
22:51 – The Power of Surprise and Delight
24:16 – Why Feedback Is a Gift
25:21 – How Big Brands Lost Their Communities
27:14 – One-Off Projects vs Long-Term Retainers
29:31 – Building Fortem Media in New York
30:43 – Becoming the Man in the Arena
33:09 – Chad’s First Three Weeks in New York
34:05 – Reading One Book Every Week
35:00 – Why New York Creates More Opportunities
36:57 – How Chad Met George Heaton
39:37 – Tall Poppy Syndrome in Australia
40:41 – Why America Celebrates Success Differently
43:38 – How Chad Started Fortem Media
44:22 – Losing $200,000 at a Young Age
45:17 – The Relentless Selling That Built the Agency
46:10 – Networking Without Being Transactional
47:29 – How Curiosity Creates Relationships
52:42 – The Airplane Conversation That Opened New Doors
54:12 – Building a Life Full of Valuable Stories
55:24 – The Hardest Part of Expanding Internationally
57:04 – Should You Move to a Bigger City?
58:40 – Hiring and Managing 37 Employees
59:48 – Putting the Right People in the Right Seats
1:01:35 – Why Agency Owners Make Less Than You Think
1:02:17 – Building Systems Before You Need Them
1:03:40 – The Systems That Helped Fortem Scale
1:05:05 – Why Chad Went All In on YouTube
1:06:35 – Hiring a Full-Time Personal Brand Filmmaker
1:07:58 – Making Business Content Feel Personal
1:08:29 – How YouTube Started Creating Opportunities
1:10:10 – Letting Brands Enter Fortem’s World
1:11:02 – The Reality Behind Entrepreneurship
1:11:53 – Building Confidence Through Daily Commitments
1:13:14 – Why Keeping Small Promises Matters
1:14:51 – You Don’t Need a Two-Hour Morning Routine
1:15:48 – Wrapping the Episode With Chad

If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.

DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!)
Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

6 Questions to Ask on a Discovery Call (FREE download)
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What’s up Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Dom, aka Dom The DP, a longtime freelance cinematographer best known for shooting with NFL Films. Dom has captured 16 Super Bowls, worked across 20 NFL seasons, and recently won an Emmy for Netflix’s Quarterback. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to shoot football at the highest level, how NFL Films captures the story of a game in real time, the difference between regular season and Super Bowl assignments, why getting called back as a freelancer is about more than just being talented, the transition from film to digital, the shot that still haunts him, and what young sports filmmakers need to know if they want to break into the industry.

Check out Dom here:
https://www.instagram.com/domthedp/

00:00 – Intro
01:01 – One-Handed Crack
01:54 – Shooting 16 Super Bowls
03:24 – How Super Bowl Camera Assignments Work
04:22 – Shooting Regular Season vs Super Bowl
05:34 – Sync Sound, Frame Rates, and NFL Films Coverage
06:32 – How to Shoot Better Football
08:54 – Dom’s First 10 Years Shooting on Film
10:23 – The History of High-Speed Football Shots
11:23 – The Lens Setup NFL Films Uses
12:36 – What a Weasel Camera Operator Does
13:19 – Finding the Best Backlight in a Stadium
14:35 – What Dom Would Tell a First-Time Shooter
15:46 – Why You Have to Love Football to Shoot It Well
17:56 – How Producer Notes Shape Coverage
20:06 – Inside the NFL Films Archive
21:32 – Where to Stand During Live Game Action
23:50 – Working Your Way Up at NFL Films
25:39 – Why Mic’d Up Moments Matter So Much
27:08 – Dom’s Go-To Football Lens
29:11 – Dom’s Favorite Gameplay and Mic’d Up Moments
32:21 – Shooting Film vs Shooting Digital
34:04 – How Much Time You Got on One Roll of Film
38:23 – The Shot That Still Haunts Dom
38:54 – The Minneapolis Miracle
42:28 – Learning From Missed Shots
44:17 – Getting Called Back as a Freelancer
45:42 – Why Being Likeable Matters in This Industry
47:49 – Dom’s Full-Time Jobs Before Freelancing
51:42 – Winning an Emmy for Netflix’s Quarterback
52:05 – Shooting Netflix Receiver and Quarterback
56:12 – Sports Cinematography Advice Dom Disagrees With
59:36 – Dom’s NFL Films Internship
1:02:28 – Advice for Young Sports Filmmakers
1:05:49 – Balancing Freelance Work, Family, and Travel
1:10:15 – NFL International Games
1:12:24 – Traveling Internationally With Camera Gear
1:14:51 – Shooting YouTube Content on an Alexa 35
1:15:37 – Wrapping the Episode With Dom

If you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.

DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!)
Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ 
Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/

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What’s up Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Zachary Guy, cinematographer, filmmaker, and YouTuber whose work has taken him from studying aerospace engineering to shooting high level commercial campaigns for brands like Aquafina, American Express, Google, and more. In this episode, we get into how Zach made the jump from engineering to filmmaking, the real difference between a videographer and a cinematographer, why pre-production is what separates a nice looking video from a real campaign, how to communicate and lead on bigger sets, how to get hired when you do not have connections yet, why spec work is still one of the best ways to open doors, how much Zach invested into his New Balance spec, what it was like shooting an Aquafina spot in Morocco, the lighting and blocking decisions behind the campaign, how to think about product lighting, match cuts, working with your significant other, why Zach has not built a traditional production company, the hardest part about being a full-time creative, and why teaching other filmmakers has become such an important part of his career.

Check out Zachary here:
https://www.instagram.com/zacharyjguy/

00:00 – Intro
00:55 – Free Sales Call Guide
01:05 – One-Handed Crack
01:54 – From Aerospace Engineering to Filmmaking
05:50 – How Zach’s Family Reacted to His Career Change
07:58 – The Full Circle Aerospace Moment
08:56 – Videographer vs Cinematographer
10:10 – Zach’s Pre-Production Process
13:24 – Technical Skill vs Leadership on Set
16:22 – Learning How to Work With Bigger Crews
19:39 – How to Get on Set Without Connections
22:05 – Why Spec Work Opens Doors
24:55 – How Much Zach Invested Into His New Balance Spec
27:13 – Shooting Aquafina in Morocco
29:21 – Renting Gear in Another Country
30:28 – Local Shoots vs International Productions
33:10 – Why the Shoot Happened in Morocco
33:56 – Aquafina Spot Breakdown
34:46 – Breaking Down the Wide Shot
36:33 – Shooting at 1:00 in the Morning
38:03 – How Long the Wide Shot Took
38:54 – The Cafe Scene Breakdown
42:35 – Why Zach Starts With the Wide Shot
43:28 – How Lighting Changes When You Push In
45:38 – Why T-Stop Matters
47:35 – Breaking Down the Library Scene
51:19 – How Zach Thinks About Match Cuts
53:14 – How to Light Product Shots
56:38 – Leaving Space for Text and Brand Graphics
57:33 – Five Pieces of Gear Zach Can’t Live Without
59:59 – Shooting an Airbnb Spec in the Dolomites
1:04:31 – Working With Your Significant Other
1:06:17 – Why Zach Isn’t Building a Traditional Production Company
1:08:49 – The Hardest Part About Being a Full-Time Creative
1:09:56 – Why Zach Loves Teaching Filmmakers
1:13:12 – Filmmaking Advice Zach Disagrees With
1:15:33 – Wrapping the Episode With Zach
1:15:45 – Afterparty

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