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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.