Writing to your Budget w/Aaron Pagniano - Just Shoot It 519

Aaron Pagniano https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3142582/ talks about their new micro-budget feature film "It Needs Eyes" and they share secrets to overcoming hurdles when you don’t have a ton of money to play with.Matt and Oren get a lot of info, like how much money you really net when you raise, say $60,000 on Kickstarter. As well as the secret to affording 35 mm film stock and a Panavision when your budget is limited.Aaron’s big on building a crew that is excited to work within the budget. And they’ve learned a lot about writing the script to your budget and skillset. And if you’re trying to get your film distributed, Aaron has some insight into shady sales agents and distribution companies and all the ways they will get your film in and cheat you out of the upside and reward.Find Aaron at https://www.formidablefilefilms.com/ and on IG @formidablefilefilmsHelp Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingHelp our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Chris Gethard on "The Vulture" podcast and the nature of DIY and punk rock ethics in comedy, and there's no longer a middle class of comedy.Oren's Endorsement: The Original Proper Popper Silicone Microwave Bowl and "The Pitt" on HBOAaron's Endorsement: Colorado Gators & Reptile Park https://www.coloradofunguide.com/colorado-gators-reptile-park/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As directors, we live a very atypical work life. And Carlyn joins Oren and Matt to clear the air about some frustrations they all share about producers and crew who just aren’t meeting the grade.In any given year, a working director will interview for 150 commercial opportunities and land 20 or so. So while the rest of the world applies for 150 jobs and gets scores of interviews, and lands a few offers for employment for several years, a director interviews a ton to get 20 jobs that maybe last 1 week each.So it’s all about client service. Getting asked back (i.e. repeat business). Not getting bogged down fixing yesterday’s shoot, and having it impact the next pitch you’re working. And, doing the little things that make clients really enjoy working with you.With stiff competition from other directors, who you choose to be on your team is critical to creating work you feel good about and making sure there’s time to do the job 100% awesome.So what about those people you’ve known forever, but just aren’t bringing the level of work you’ve come to expect from them – whether DP, cam op, production designer, producer, or even PA? How do you let them know? You certainly don’t want to be a d**k, and you’re aware of their feelings, but what’s the best way to get the truth in the air? And how do you know when to move or split up?This episode is an open door on the complaining that’s usually private. And it’s also the episode with solutions for you as a director, producer, DP, or any crew member on set or off.----Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingHelp our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Chloe Zhao "Hamnet" Dance TapesOren's Endorsement: The Original Proper Popper Silicone Microwave BowlCarlyn's Endorsement: The Peanut Ball spine massager. And Fage Greek Yogurt with grapefruit, pistachios, and a touch of flake salt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt and Oren spend some time figuring out how to be a normal human being in a world where there’s so much that isn’t normal anymore. We’re way past the new normal!!Like, can you really pitch a potential client on how much you love their toilet paper while your family can’t travel and worry about the next round of incoming missiles?OK, as a commercial director or a filmmaker in general, you know this time of year is slow. Heck, it’s tough enough as it is. Never mind the endless opportunities to accidentally getting caught in the doom scroll of seeing how much everyone else is on set when it seems like all your opportunities are on hold.It’s a weird time, Matt points out. Like, there are families of actors raising money on GoFundMe. And these people had careers on shows and films where, it used to be, the residuals were to die for. But now in 2026, who is making money in the business of LA and Hollywood?It seems you’re either working your a** off, or marketing yourself to get the next gig. (read as… working your a** off in a non-fun way). And at the end of the day, is there ever time to let your brain work as it should (or rather rest as it should), so you can truly be creative??!If you’re looking for ways to stay inspired, creatively, or for energy to simply keep in the game, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!---Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingHelp our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: In Gmail, in the url replace "inbox" with "sub" and you can see all the bulk mail you are signed up for.Oren's Endorsement: Trader Joe's Thai Style Yellow Curry Potato Chips."Night of the Seven Kingdoms", part of the Game of Thrones world, and sequel to the "House of the Dragon"   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah May Bates https://www.sarahmaybates.com/ is an AI director, and she’s been getting lots of work! And Matt and Oren dive deep into how she makes that happen. She’s joined by actor Susan Song.Sarah has a clear line for AI usage. And it comes down to what are you in this for? Do you love the organic aspect of filmmaking and discovery, where what you plan isn’t always what you get? Like, in a good way.Because if you’re not, you might prefer the robotic precision of AI.But be careful of being tricked into believing that’s what brands want, especially the top brands you want to work for.At the end of the day, Sarah believes human oversight is at the core of what creatives do. Like, why would you want to have AI write your script, or even your email? That’s what you do, and that’s what makes you who you are!Here’s the golden rule: if the medium is leading, then you are failing.What does that mean? Don’t fall into the trap of creating AI for the sake of filling the request. Instead, Sarah recommends letting the creative work find what it wants to be!This is the episode you want to hear as an actor, filmmaker, or anyone in the industry looking for some sense of purpose, foundation, and compass for what’s happening in AI!Connect with Sarah at https://www.yaywithme.comConnect with Susan on IG @sujjang012---Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingHelp our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Send Help https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8036976/Nick Lutsko's song for the Manscaped Super Bowl Commercial https://www.local3news.com/local-news/update-chattanooga-artist-nick-lutsko-composes-song-for-national-super-bowl-commercial/article_dd5d9cd0-9c5a-4565-a1af-1dfe3d1ffdda.htmlSarah's Endorsement: The UPA Cartoon "Rooty Toot Toot" https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-70th-anniversary-of-rooty-toot-toot/ The documentary on the animation company UPA https://www.cartoonbrew.com/documentary-2/animation-mavericks-the-forgotten-story-of-upa-documentary-258284.html The book "Bird by Bird", by Anne Lamott https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/97395/bird-by-bird-by-anne-lamott/Susan's Endorsement: See the Backstreet Boys at the Sphere, in Las VegasOren's Endorsement: @stuffaboutadvertising on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natasha Kermani talks about casting Sophie Turner in her latest film “The Dreadful” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30842022/ and it’s amazing how she connected with Sophie and demonstrated why this project was a great fit for her trajectory as an actor.But when Matt and Oren dig into the details of the one thing Natasha said in her letter that sealed the deal, they get a big surprise.This is a great episode that explores Natasha’s love for the details, discovering Cornwall, and finding the right combinations of textures, imagery and dialect to tell this story. With Kit Harington and Marcia Gay Harden also on board, this was a film that had to deliver. And Natasha shot it in just 18 days.Finding the right connection with a DP to make such a tight schedule work, without having to panic, can be tricky. And Natasha talks about how she never threw out the shotlist, but always stayed committed to rewriting each day, to keep the creative work intact with the vision.From specialized dialects developed just for this film, to finding locations to which she specifically wrote scenes of the film, it’s an amazing story of an auteur at work. And through all of this she brought her daughter into the world, and you get to see her on the pod!This is the episode that shows great work can be done while raising a family in LA. Yes, you too can find the time to make family and work as a filmmaker a lifestyle!Find Natasha on IG @natakerm---Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Italian Paperclips from Dell'era Giuseppe https://www.delleragiuseppe.com/en/stationery/paper-clips/ Oren's Endorsement: Get a DIT who will upload to iCloud as you go without waiting til the end of the shoot.Natasha's Endorsement: KUSC classical radio https://www.kusc.org/ and just listening t o the radio in general.Chuck Kinnane's Endorsement from last time: Riehle's Select Popcorn https://www.selectpopcorn.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chuck Kinnane joins directly from Little Compton, Rhode Island. And he comes out straight on sharing the credit and pay from their latest feature, “Solo Mio”, starring Kevin James.The Kinnane brothers have been living the dream as filmmakers. And they’re proof that years of work with YouTube videos, closed caption documentaries, and just making shorts, writing scripts and pitching ideas, can and does pay off, even today.It’s the story of Chuck, who started by just shooting his first films at 10 years old. Then he was fortunate enough to share tastes, aspirations, and the willingness to tough it out, suck up your ego, and collaborate all in the name of what is best for the creative work product. It just so happened he didn’t have to go to film school to find his 7 partners and lifelong collaborators. Through luck, doing the work, and getting the work out there, the Kinnane brothers met Kevin James, became his co-creator, and then found themselves making an Adam Sandler picture along the way. This is a fabulous interview. If you like listening to humble, grateful people share the story of how success found them, you won’t want to miss this episode!Find them on IG: @kinnanebrothers---Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingHelp our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Sound Guy on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH3phl5yd1WWTwZyLbn1tcCo0k-gB8BY&si=0PMQnRpXrarngzLV. Top Seedz Crackers. https://topseedz.com/collections/crackersOren's Endorsement: Trader Joe's Buffalo Ranch Popcorn. https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/buffalo-ranch-popcorn-080927 Grok AI for video https://grokvideo.ai/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Producer Jonathan Burns https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanaburns talks about his methods for selecting the vibe that he presents to brands and agencies. And the different considerations that drive his every choice from kraft, to restaurants, crew decisions, and more.Matt and Oren have worked with Jonathan on multiple occasions. And they talk about what separates a production manager who’s graduated “in title” to producer, from a producer who really can be more than a better production coordinator, and box checker.It’s being good at being client-facing. And as an expert, Jonathan has gained a lot of knowledge about ways in which directors lose clients. And there are some missteps you’ll want to avoid.How can you be compromising and easy to work with, and still be a commercial director that gets asked back? Should you do animatics, and does anyone care? What does it mean to stand up for your vision and not be a pain in the a** director?If you’ve been dying for some mentorship as a commercial director, you won’t want to miss this episode!Connect with Jonathan on IG: @jburnsfilm---Help Matts' film: https://wefunder.com/badfeelingHelp our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: Klizia 97 Stapler https://www.amazon.com/s?srs=20289756011&rh=p_89%3AEllepiOren's Endorsement: GQ Jordan Nutrition's recipe on Instagram for a power bar. After the Hunt VFX breakdown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3faJNPWE9QJonathan's Endorsement: Lemon Posset recipe on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@s_johnson_voiceovers/video/7377164596550896939?lang=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How important is Sundance to your career as a commercial director? Matt and Oren talk about their experiences in Park City before the festival wraps up its last year in Utah.    With Matt working to raise money for his latest film, “Bad Feeling”, there’s a lively discussion about whether making narrative films can advance your career as a commercial director. And the answer is, for some directors, it can make you stand out. But for others, there’s a better way.Then Oren talks about his latest experience shooting outside Los Angeles. And Matt and Oren talk about how to handle the shoot schedule your AD creates. And they raise some good points about what to watch for when shooting out of order. Especially when working with athletes.For example, in LA, actors and crews will help you manage issues related to continuity that have more to do with than just “was this there in the last scene”. It’s Oscar time, Sundance season, and the festival circuit is just kicking off! And if you’re looking to stay present in your work and while forging your career path forward, this is a great episode to help keep you grounded as the year gets rolling!Help Matts' film: wefunder.com/badfeeling---Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: The films "Marty Supreme" and "Hamnet". And also Jacobi Jupe's performance in the title role, Hamnet.Oren's Endorsement: The show "Wonder Man" on Disney+. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Sergio Cilli https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1826186/ made his first AI film, it really didn’t get noticed. And neither did many others he made. Sure they were good. But what got noticed more was the one video he made, which showed why AI isn’t quite and why it’s not yet the monster filmmakers fear.Sergio joins Kristyna Archer https://www.archer.vision/ to talk about making AI films. What works, what doesn’t, and how filmmakers can be ready for what comes next.Matt and Oren dive into how much it costs, where commercial budgets might be headed, and how AI will be adopted into filmmaking and commercials. And Sergio and Kristyna bring two different perspectives.Kristyna is an Adobe Firefly, an AI ambassador for Adobe, and has a background working with LED volume walls, Unreal Engine, and generally skews to the tech side of things. Sergio came from fear. It was only after his wife encouraged him to experiment that he discovered his desire to explore AI and filmmaking.This is a conversation about AI that tackles the elephant in the room from a variety of perspectives from working commercial directors. And it’s not just talk, it’s commercial directors who’ve actually explored the tools and put out some stuff – that if it wasn’t impressive, it could cast a shadow on their directing careers. Or as Oren’s friend likes to say, it tackles the “elephant that AI’nt in the room”.See Sergio’s AI Audition video at https://youtu.be/AEbqJj2hIjgAnd find Sergio and Kristyna on Instagram @sergiocilli and @archerstudioooooo---Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: MoldQuestVHS on Instagram @moldquestvhsOren's Endorsement: The Pitt on HBO and the video "Beat Any Escape Room- 10 proven tricks and tips" from Mark Rober https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwgaTYOx0RISergio's Endorsement: "Extraordinary Things to Cutout and Collage", the book. https://www.mariarivans.com/extraordinary-things-to-cut-out-and-collage and Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee https://us.foursigmatic.com/products/original-mushroom-coffeeKristyna's Endorsement: The Wonder App has a great community of artists, producers, conversation and more, https://app.wonderstudios.com/ And also the Endel App https://endel.io/ for people with ADHD.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eric Crepeau https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4145859 joins Matt and Oren after a gap of over 400 episodes to talk about sound design! What makes a good sound designer? And what makes a great sound designer? Eric is the OG Editor of "Just Shoot It!" and he's brought along a reel of outtakes that he's kept over the years! And he's dying to talk about 10 useful words when talking to sound designer.And to kick it off Matt and Oren have a deep discussion about having coffee. Yeah, that LA tradition of meeting up for java, jo, latte, or matcha It's such a time old favorite that it's become. well, mundane. Sure people still do it and real deals get one. But can you still use it to make connections and find work? Well Matt and Oren have the answers. And you'll want to hear what makes a coffee invite worth taking. So if you're looking to get 2026 off to a quick start with some new possibilities for work and connections, this is an episode you have got to hear.---Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPodMatt's Endorsement: The Battery Daddy https://www.batterydaddy.com/ . The Away Travel Suitcase and Backpack https://www.awaytravel.com/Oren's Endorsement: The super long oner on Extraction 2 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12263384 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.