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Explore every episode of the podcast Filmmakers In Advertising

Dive into the complete episode list for Filmmakers In Advertising. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
#051 Crafting Backyard Legends for Adidas & Beyond with JD Jurentkuff | Lola USA23 Sep 202601:19:58

This week, Justin sits down with JD Jurentkuff, Chief Creative Officer of LOLA, USA. They discuss the acclaimed new Adidas campaign: Backyard Legends, which has been taking the internet by storm, along with JD’s storied career path & anecdotes from work on some of the world's best brands with some of the world's best creatives.

JD digs into his scrappy roots as a young ambitious professional finding his way onto the scene, and the artists that influenced him in that time. As he moves through his career journey, it’s filled with stories, mentors, and even analogies about wave energies, which we really appreciated. Along with practical lessons on creating award-winning campaigns, he also give us a fresh take on how rock climbing is a nice counterbalance to the subjectivity of advertising.

As you’ll hear, JD is a passionate, energetic, and fun-loving creative, whose work and career is full of insights and stories you won’t want to miss.


Links:


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#050 A Healthy Business Marriage with Directing Duo Bonnie Dennison & Alison Barton (aka Bonabart)04 Aug 202601:09:03

This week’s episode is a fun one, with guests Bonnie Dennison & Alison Barton, or the directing duo known as Bonabart. 

They are LA-based directors rostered at Tool of North America, and are known for their comedy chops working with brands such as Wendy's, Subway, Amazon, Spotify, and Liquid Death. They also are writers on the upcoming Amazon series “Ride Or Die” starring Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer, and have a series called “Granted” in development at Warner Bros Animation. 

Bonnie & Alison share some funny stories, insights on the job, and a reminder on how crucial collaboration is for our industry, whether you’re a directing duo or not.

Some highlights include:

  • Transitions from actresses, to creating their own sketches
  • How budget changes the approach
  • Sourcing inspiration from life
  • Almost quitting the industry
  • And even how to approach client dinners 

Much gold to be found here. Don’t miss it!

Links:

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#049 Crafting a Feature Film Career with Director Russell Owen07 Jul 202601:01:50

Today on FIA, Justin sits down with film director Russell Owen to discuss his career from commercials to feature films, and the path that led to his acclaimed psychological horror Shepherd, a New York Times Critic's Pick and BBC critic Mark Kermode's Film of the Week.

Russell shares the unconventional route that shaped his career, from making an experimental first feature and directing a zombie film to breaking into advertising and ultimately bringing a long-held passion project to life. He also explains how his feature work unexpectedly opened the door to commercial directing, leading to hundreds of campaigns for global brands including American Express and Armani

The conversation also explores Russell's role as co-founder of Kindred Pictures, a London-based production company producing both commercial and narrative work around the world. Along the way, he discusses his passion of storytelling, the creative influences that have shaped his filmmaking, and how folklore, myths, and legends continue to inspire his writing.

Russell is a true Filmmaker in Advertising, and one to keep an eye out for!

Links:

Russell’s IMDB

Shepherd | Feature Film Trailer

Kindred Pictures

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#048 The Truth Under the Truth with Christine Taffe & Heather Larimer | Orchard Creative02 Jun 202600:59:43

This week on FIA, Justin is joined by Creative Director Christine Taffe, and Executive Creative Director Heather Larimer, both at Orchard Creative. Also, making her first appearance on the podcast, is Michelle Mundt, Associate Producer at Cry.

In this episode, Christine and Heather discuss their collaborations at Orchard, with stories from award winning projects with Ocean Spray and Etsy. They dig into their approach to collaboration, feedback, and crafting emotionally true campaigns that have lasting impact.

They discuss pitching by closing an “imagination gap,” and finding the “truth under the truth” in the context of products & brands. They also talk about how they create manifestos as a point of view that can become campaigns and how that helps them trend toward confidently useful, profound brand work over just adding to the noise. 

Overall, their discussion is full of wisdom, laughs, and great stories you don’t want to miss.


Links:

Christine’s Site

Heather’s Site

Orchard Creative


“Jiggle” | Ocean Spray - Power Your Holidays

"Who's Waldo" | Etsy

"Little Drummer Boy" | Etsy

“Celebrate Being Human” | Etsy



Commercials That Inspired Christine & Heather:

“Balls” | Sony BRAVIA

“Find Your Gratness” | Nike

“Nothing Beats a Londoner” | Nike


CluesBySam.com (Justin’s recommendation


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#047 Making Wild Things With Wild People | Adam Milano and Christina Connerton of SuperBloom19 May 202600:57:39

Justin welcomes Head of Branded Entertainment Adam Milano and Creative Director Christina Connerton from SuperBloom, an independent creative company built around the concept of unearthing the unexpected. Together this dynamic duo has collaborated with major brands including Uber, Colgate, and Corona, bringing their distinctive off-beat approach to commercial storytelling.

In this episode, Adam and Christina discuss the collaborative nature of building fresh concepts that are both odd and weird but at the same time relatable and true. They remind us that art and commercials are not exclusive of each other, noting that the two are interconnected and often pull from and inspire each other. 

They both share practical advice on breaking into the industry, along with stories from how they got started in advertising. 

We also examine:

  • Adam and Christina’s creative influences, which include re-visiting old classics and keeping up with the latest Academy nominated works
  • The notion that every idea is worthy of being on the table - and the weirder it is, the better
  • Why a tactile approach is gaining more clout with successful brands
  • Passion projects, including Christina’s History Dolls, a series highlighting women innovators whose contributions were historically taken or overlooked

Join us in exploring the weird, eclectic, and unexpected on this edition of Filmmakers in Advertising.

Links:

Shoutouts:

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#046 Light In the Midst of Confusion with Ben Steinbauer | The Bear28 Apr 202600:59:49

This week, Justin chats with Ben Steinbauer, Emmy award-winning film, television, and commercial director, and cofounder of The Bear, a production company and creative studio based in Austin, Texas.

Ben shares his journey on becoming a documentary filmmaker with the breakout hit, Winnebago Man, starting a successful production company, and navigating the industry from Austin to LA, and back. He shares about his deeply collaborative philosophy on filmmaking and his commitment to giving to back to the next generation of filmmakers.

We dig into:

  • How a mixture of ambition, timing, and the early days of YouTube helped shape his creative path
  • His own podcast, Doc Walks, which he co-hosts with Keith Maitland. (We highly recommend it.)
  • Why building a core team and growing together over time is essential to a sustainable creative career
  • Humility as a key ingredient in the creative process
  • What it really means to create stories that resonate beyond trends


Ben also reflects on how the most impactful work doesn’t come from chasing what’s popular, but from exploring what is personal, specific, and deeply interesting to you.

If you’re looking to make richer, more layered work and build a creative life that lasts, this episode is for you.

Links:


Shoutouts from Ben & Justin:


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#045 Flow State is Everything with Ryan Vera | Cry17 Mar 202600:58:24

Join us for the third in our series of director interviews from the roster of Cry, the creative and post studio behind this podcast. This week Justin chats with director & editor, Ryan Vera about his creative process, finding the flow state, and maintaining authenticity in a noisy world.

In this discussion, Ryan touches on his early days at Cry (formerly Abandon Films), and how he found his voice as a creative force, both directing and editing. 

He discusses the musicality of editing in a flow state, doing his own sound design, and creating a space that’s conducive to deep work. Ryan touches on project case studies, executing a creative vision, and bringing a genuine, human perspective.

Ryan even explores the philosophical and existential challenges faced in the cluttered world of digital content creation and the impact of AI on the industry. He gives valuable insight about finding joy in real relationships and the value that brings in a media-filled world. Overall, Ryan’s thoughts & reflections offer grounded wisdom & practical tools you won’t want to miss.

Links:

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#044 The Humanity of it All with Darren Foldes | Sibling Rivalry26 Feb 202601:05:12

This week, Justin chats with Darren Foldes, Partner and Head of Films at Sibling Rivalry, an integrated creative company based in New York and Los Angeles.

Darren discusses his path to Sibling Rivalry, all the way from growing up around New York City with a father who worked as a cameraman for ABC Channel 7 News, to taking a paid internship in Los Angeles, co-writing and producing kids films for MGM, and then leaving the feature/TV world to make the switch to advertising and working as an Executive Producer. 

A major theme that Darren shares  is how great work emerges from collective spontaneity, happy accidents, and creating an egalitarian, psychologically safe environment where the best idea wins. Some of our favorite topics include:

  • Advertising’s broader value through brands’ positive impact, economic contribution, and “edutainment”
  • The case for increased California advertising tax credits to support local crews and the wider economy. 
  • Leading with clarity, patience, and appreciation rather than fear
  • Darren’s DJ background, including being asked to play a late-night event for a famous musician. (listen in to find out who)


Darren’s interview provides seasoned insight, fun stories, & a reminder of the power of kindness in our creative field. He speaks to so much of what resonates with us at Cry, and we think it will speak to you too.

Links:

Sibling Rivalry’s Site

Darren’s LinkedIn

Darren’s DJ Playlist

Projects Darren is especially proud of:

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#043 "No" Is the Worst Word with Dan Blaney | FIG20 Jan 202601:15:36

Join us for our first video episode, now available to watch on Youtube! This week, Justin chats with Dan Blaney, an accomplished head of production, now working as Executive Director of Production at Fig. 

Dan has an impressive resume that includes roles at Wieden+Kennedy, BBDO, Apple, and more. The discussion explores various subjects including what it really means to be a great producer in advertising, not just as a manager of budgets and schedules, but as a creative partner, mentor, and problem-solver.

Dan shares personal stories from his career working on major campaigns for brands like Bud Light, AT&T, Apple, and the Jordan Brand, including behind-the-scenes insights from large-scale productions, Super Bowl activations, and high-pressure shoots where there’s only one chance to get it right. He emphasizes the significance of viewing roles beyond transactions, encouraging creative voices, and maintaining passion and dedication in the advertising field.

Dan also discusses what makes creative collaboration succeed: from choosing the right directors and production partners, to creating space for ideas to come from anywhere, and knowing when to speak up to make the work better. Throughout the episode, Dan emphasizes a simple but powerful philosophy: there’s always a way to make it happen, regardless of budget or scale.

This episode offers practical insight, hard-earned perspective, and a refreshing reminder that great work comes from curiosity, empathy, and collaboration. You don’t want to miss Dan’s insights here.

Links:

  • Dan’s Site - https://www.danblaneyproducer.com/
  • Bud Light: Up For Whatever - https://www.danblaneyproducer.com/#/bud-light-up-for-whatever/
  • The Talk: P&G - https://www.danblaneyproducer.com/#/new-page/

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#042 Crafting Authentic Documentaries with Mwita Chacha | Cry04 Dec 202500:46:26

Join us for the second in a series of director interviews from the roster of Cry, the creative and post studio behind this podcast. Next up on the list is none other than Mwita Chacha, an expert at documentary storytelling.

Mwita’s work has been featured on HBO Max, Discovery+, CNN, Vox, PBS, and yes, even a Vimeo staff pick. He’s even had the opportunity to do a project for CNN with Wolf Blitzer on the Holocaust Museum. His latest feature documentary, To The Ends, explores real-time storytelling in one of the world’s most challenging mission fields. Needless to say, his work has touched the hearts of many, and we think you should check it out if you're not already familiar. 

Mwita’s conversation with Justin explores Mwita’s journey into filmmaking, inspired by his father’s nonprofit work in Tanzania, organically developing into a career. They discuss Mwita’s approach to creating authentic interviews, which is a game-changing system. They also discuss ethical considerations in documentary storytelling and how Mwita’s diverse experiences shape his perspective on filmmaking. 

If you are curious on how you can level-up your documentary storytelling techniques, you’ll want to make sure you listen to this one.


Links:


Resources:

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#041 Persistence Beats All with Kat Urban | R&R Partners04 Nov 202500:42:54

In this episode, Monica chats with Kat Urban, SVP & Head of Production at R&R Partners, about her journey from starting as an aspiring copywriter to becoming an award-winning producer with over 15 years global production experience.

Kat discusses her transitions within the industry, including her work on notable campaigns for brands like Adidas, Airbnb, and QuickBooks, and shares her insights into the importance of collaboration, understanding audience engagement, & the role of non-traditional advertising. She also discusses valuable strategies for working with incredible celebrity talent, (names like Ryan Reynolds, Danny Devito, & Serene Williams, to name just a few).

Kat stresses the value of persistence, collaboration, and not being afraid to voice one's insights and opinions, making this episode a treasure trove of wisdom for both new and experienced professionals in the advertising and film industries. 

Links:


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#040 "A Slice of Cake" Director with Michela Maria | Cry30 Sep 202501:10:35

Join us for the first in a series of director interviews from the roster of Cry, the creative and post studio behind this podcast. First on the list is none other than Michela Maria, a self-described “Slice of Cake” filmmaker.

Michela’s work spans comedy shorts for Adult Swim, Above Average, and Funny or Die, along with commercials for brands like Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Google, and more. She’s also collaborated with Isabella Rossellini on a project exploring her Italian-American family. Needless to say, her work speaks for itself, and we think you should check it out if you're not already familiar.

In this conversation, Michela shares behind-the-scenes insights on her path into directing, the struggles and joys of production, and the importance of trusting your gut. She also gives us a glimpse into her upcoming feature film, The Eel, which follows a mysterious New Year’s Eve death rooted in Italian-American superstition.

If you value the craft of directing and hearing creative insights, you don’t want to miss this one.


Links:

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#039 Putting the Pieces Together: Creative Production Strategy with Tessa Banks | GALE03 Sep 202501:00:17

Tune in for an insightful discussion with Tessa Banks, Group Executive Producer at GALE, about her journey producing within the highly evolving advertising industry.

Tessa shares her journey from Los Angeles to becoming a key figure in various major advertising campaigns including her work with brands like Buzzfeed, Beats by Dre, and the hilarious 'Wood Milk' campaign featuring Aubrey Plaza. 

Tessa also discusses the unique aspects of GALE, and their integrated approach to production and creative development as a business agency. She also shares about the challenges and joys of being a creative producer, the importance of in-person collaboration in the creative industry, and offers valuable advice for up-and-comers looking to break into the field. 

Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the industry, Tessa’s insights on creative production & advertising trends will provide you with practical knowledge and inspiration. Trust us, you’ll want to take notes on this one.


Links:


Episode Edited by Jake Petsch
jakepetsch.com | petsch.jake@gmail.com

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#038 Multiply the Good with Luke Atencio | Composer05 Aug 202501:24:38

Join us for a captivating episode as we welcome Luke Atencio, a seasoned composer with two decades of experience in film, TV, and advertising music. 

This deep dive into the world of music composition explores Luke's creative process, the challenges of temp music, and the critical importance of early composer involvement in film projects.

Luke shares compelling stories behind his celebrated works, including his collaborations with director Dan DiFelice on the impactful short film 'Carved in Mayhem,' Ubisoft Starlink, and more. 

For filmmakers, Luke offers invaluable advice on effective communication and collaboration with composers with practical examples. Tune in to explore the intricate world of composing and enjoy some cinematic tracks from the brilliant Luke Atencio!

For more on Luke Atencio's work, check out these links:

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#037 Healing the (Ad) World with Comedy | Win Bates of Tool of North America01 Jul 202500:57:45

Today, we chat with Win Bates, seasoned commercial director currently at Tool of North America about navigating the world of humor and storytelling.

Do you ever wonder what it takes to land a major ad campaign with your ability to make people laugh? Do you wanna learn a little bit about the art of casting, working with celebrities and the elusive rug pull of comedy? If so, you're in luck.

Win shares behind the scenes stories working on major campaigns, including but not limited to his recent Doritos Super Bowl teaser featuring Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Xavier Worthy. We explore how he gets athletes game ready for commercials, the art of injecting personal comedic sensibilities into preexisting scripts, as well as his perspective on spec content. 

So, whether you're an industry veteran looking for some insight, tips, or just curious to hear about your peers getting it done, this episode is for you. 


Links:

Win’s Site

Doritos -  NFL Focus Group | Super Bowl Teaser

Kind Bar - Less Sugar Spot

Samuel Adams - Oktoberfest Spot


Episode Edited by Dylan Giovanetto

www.dylangio.com | dylgio@gmail.com


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#036 Best Idea Wins with Matt Johnson | Haymaker03 Jun 202501:07:12

Today, we chat with Matt Johnson - Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Haymaker - the independent, Emmy-winning, full-service advertising agency.

Matt takes us through Haymaker’s origin story: from launching with no clients or office to growing into a respected agency over the past eight years. With a background at industry heavyweights like 180LA and 72andSunny, Matt brings a wealth of experience and insight into what it takes to see ideas through towards proven results. 

We discuss standout projects like Pluto TV’s Proud to be a Potato, 23andMe’s Despicable Me crossover: Genetically Me, and the promotion of the digital release for John Wick 2 as one of their first jobs as a new agency. He unpacks how bold ideas, collaboration, and risk-taking played pivotal roles along the way - also sharing the value of failure, stressing the importance of taking a learner’s stance rather than an expert’s stance.

Matt also gives practical examples on how he navigates the rapid pace of agency work, the impact of having supportive partners, and the importance of a collaborative culture that iterates ideas into the best product possible.

Trust us, this is one you don’t want to miss.


Links:

Pluto TV | Proud to be a Potato

23andMe | Genetically Me - with Illumination Entertainment

John Wick 2 | Digital Release

Seattle’s Best Coffee | Smoother Days with Joel McHale


Episode Edited by Jake Petsch
jakepetsch.com | petsch.jake@gmail.com

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#035 Be a Maker with Nate Houghteling | Portal A01 May 202500:52:07

This week, we're joined by Nate Houghteling — filmmaker and co-founder of Portal A, an award-winning branded and original content company.

Nate walks us through his journey from 24-hour film competitions in college to co-founding Portal A, the creative force behind major brand collaborations and cultural moments like YouTube Rewind.

We dig into:

  • His early web series experiments in the wild west of pre-YouTube internet
  • A decade of reinventing the YouTube Rewind format
  • How spontaneous creative projects opened doors to big-name partnerships with Gap, Benefit Cosmetics, and more.
  • The making and self-distribution of Fault Lines, his new documentary on the housing crisis in San Francisco.
  • And his latest project: Year 5, a web series starring NBA star Anthony Edwards.

We also dive into his biggest lessons, pivots, and yes—some of his favorite documentaries. If you're into storytelling, internet history, or just love a good creative hustle, this one’s for you.

Links


Nate’s Favorite Documentaries

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#034 Forefront of AI Innovation - Done Right | with Dustin Callif of TOOL of North America02 Apr 202500:40:35

Today we’re talking to a production company heavy-hitter: Dustin Callif, President of TOOL of North America about the innovation of A.I. integration into filmmaking and advertising - done the right way.

Dustin provides an “open source” approach to the tools he and his team have utilized in their approach to AI-driven campaigns. He touches on the ethical considerations surrounding this technology, and how they're blending traditional and AI-driven creative processes into the work.

He discusses a few of TOOL’s case studies, which you can find on TOOL’s website, including how they created a commercial for Under Armour in just four weeks without the actual talent. He also discusses the evolving legal landscape of AI-generated content, and how TOOL is identifying and connecting top AI talent with leading agencies and brands in a way that benefits artists and creatives. 

A current saying is: The AI train is moving, and you can either hop on or get left behind. 

So, whether you're a filmmaker, marketer, or simply curious about where this train is heading -  I think you’ll enjoy this insightful conversation with Dustin Callif. 


Links:

Ad Age’s Editor Pick: AI Pipeline for Starbust | Case Study

Under Armour - Forever is Made Now | Case Study


Episode Edited by Dylan Giovanetto
www.dylangio.com | dylgio@gmail.com

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#033 Outsmarting Brand Behemoths! - with Justin Bajan04 Mar 202501:14:11

Join us for an insightful journey through the world of advertising with Justin Bajan, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Familiar Creatures! 

With nearly two decades of experience at major agencies like The Martin Agency, GSD&M, Arnold Worldwide, and David & Goliath, Justin brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the table.

In this episode, we dive into:

  • The Genesis of Familiar Creatures
  • Creativity on a Shoestring
  • “Challenger Brand” Advocacy
  • Outsmarting Brand Behemoths
  • Client Relationships & Production Insights
  • Staying Ahead of the Curve

Whether you're an aspiring ad professional, a seasoned marketer, or simply curious about the creative process behind successful campaigns, this episode with Justin Bajan provides you with valuable takeaways. He’s got wisdom to share about starting an agency, being creative within limits, building solid client relationships, the ups and downs of production, and staying ahead of the curve.

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbajan/

https://www.familiarcreatures.com/


Episode Edited by Dylan Giovanetto
www.dylangio.com | dylgio@gmail.com

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#032 The Path to the Super Bowl with Jess Zalaznick & Adrien Bindi11 Feb 202501:27:32

In this episode, Codey chats with Jessica Zalaznik and Adrien Bindi of GSD&M, the creative minds behind the “Goldilocks and The Three Trucks” Super Bowl commercial, which features Glen Powell for RAM Trucks: . 

They touch on their career paths, the exciting challenges of creating a Super Bowl ad, and their insights on working with celebrities like Glen Powell and directors like David Leitch. 

Some of our favorite topics include: 

  • The future of advertising, 
  • Their perspectives on creativity
  • A little career advice (as always)

They also chat about some of their other notable work which includes reinventing Fruit of the Loom’s “Fruit People” for a TikTok campaign and a hilarious WWDC intro starring Bill Hader.

So, whether you're an advertising pro, here to learn, or just love talking Super Bowl commercials, this one's for you.

Links:

Jess’s Site
Jess’s Tik Tok @goodboygonehome | Helping dogs find homes in Austin, TX

Adrien’s Site

Ram Trucks | Big Game Spot

Fruit of the Loom | Fruit People

WWDC Intro


Episode Edited by Dylan Giovanetto
www.dylangio.com | dylgio@gmail.com

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#031 Navigating Creativity With Strategy with Scott Terry06 Feb 202500:53:35

Scott Terry | Director of Business Affairs at Forsman & Bodenfors


In this episode, Scott Terry, Director of Business Affairs at Forsman & Bodenfors, provides insights into his multifaceted role in the advertising industry. 

Speaking from his experience handling legal issues, talent management, social media, PR, and more, Scott talks about solving the production problems that few of us see coming.

Some highlights include:

  • Solving licensor issues the night before a commercial’s release
  • Taking advantage of tax credits
  • Remembering to buckle up a Mascot in the driver’s seat


Scott’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottterry/

Scott’s Instagram: @ScottTerry


Resources: 

The Power of the Past in Tomorrow’s Branding | Article on Shots.Net


Episode Edited by Jake Petsch
jakepetsch.com | petsch.jake@gmail.com


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#030 B.Y.O.B - Bring Your Own Brief with Brandon Curl and Dale Austin of GSD&M20 Dec 202401:07:53

In this episode, creative directors Brandon Curl and Dale Austin of GSD&M discuss their extensive work with major brands, including recent campaigns for Capital One and Pizza Hut. 

They share their strategies for selecting directors, handling unexpected challenges, and the importance of pushing deadlines when necessary. 

They also explore their backgrounds, how they got here, the origins of their partnership and how it has grown, their range of creative inspirations, and their BYOB (Bring Your Own Brief) initiative that encourages proactive creativity within their agency. 

Filmmakers and listeners will gain insights into thriving in the advertising industry, from pitching big ideas to maintaining inspiration through diverse hobbies and continuous learning.

Some of our favorites from this episode: 

  • Tie goes to the reel (on selecting directors)
  • You can always push a deadline


Brandon Curl https://brandoncurl.com/

Dale Austin https://www.dale-austin.com/


Capital One Holiday Spots with John Travolta

Pizza Hut Sewer Delivery - Webby Award winner, tie-in with new Ninja Turtles film

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#029 Marta Hooper on Craft & Mentorship in Advertising17 Dec 202400:44:37

Marta Hooper | Group Creative Director at AntiSocial/Thinkingbox

Today, Monica chats with Marta Hooper, Group Creative Director at AntiSocial - the social media division of Thinkingbox. 

In this episode, Marta discusses:

  • Social-first thinking in your brand strategy
  • How she got her start in advertising (as a plan B to becoming a pro tennis player)
  • A deep dive into the craft and creativity of advertising
  • The value of mentorship in creative fields like advertising
  • The impact of remote culture on mentorship

Marta Hooper has 20 years of experience with increasingly senior titles at some of Canada’s top agencies. Most recently she was chief creative officer at Rain, and before that ECD at doug&partners. 

Earlier stops include trevor//peter, Leo Burnett, Sid Lee, and Taxi, working on some of the biggest brands in the world including Nike, Spotify, Honda, Ford, Dell/Alienware, Telus, Red Bull, Diageo, Labatt, and HBO.


Marta’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-hooper-6543b71b/

Marta’s Website: https://www.martahooper.com/


Resources

Figma Jam: https://www.figma.com/figjam/

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#028 Go Where The Best Are with Mike Byrne | Anomaly12 Nov 202401:09:37

Have you seen - the Jason Kelce ads with the B-Dubs buffalo at the bar? Or maybe you've seen something a little more “pinkies out” such as the holiday campaign for Tiffany & Co featuring Anya Taylor Joy. 

Do you like Super Bowl commercials? 

If any of these interest you, then today is your day, cause we’re talking to industry pro - Mike Byrne, Founding Partner and Global Chief Creative Officer of Anomaly. 


Anomaly has in their portfolio: THIRTY-ONE Super Bowl commercials - with more on the way. 


Budweiser, the Lance Armstrong Live Strong campaign, Buffalo Wild Wings, Top Golf, so much Nike, Converse, SONY, Six offices around the world and 800+ employees - 


ALL with Mike at the helm.

Look up Anomaly.  Look up Mike. This is a good one.

Mike Byrne is a founding partner of Anomaly and Global Creative Chief, where he helped lead Anomaly to Agency of the Year in 2022, Ad Age A-list #1 in 2017 as well as seven top ten placements seven years in a row. He helped lead Anomaly to two-time Fast Company Most Innovative Companies on top of other industry accolades.


He spent his formative years in advertising at Wieden & Kennedy NY then Portland where he served as the co-creative chief for the agency's cornerstone Nike Account from 2000 – 2006. **During his tenure, W+K Portland amassed more awards than any other agency in the United States. W+K Portland was Agency of the Year two times in this tenure. While at W+K, Mike managed creative development for Nike in the US, Latin America and Europe.


Mike has been recognized throughout his career for creative excellence, being awarded numerous Grand Prix at Cannes International Advertising Festival, D&AD, The One Show, Art Directors Club, Clios, and CA amongst others. Mike is also a multiple Emmy award winner.


Beyond advertising, Mike has helped launch multiple companies spanning, from cannabis to fashion brands to food and beverage.


Some of Mike's Work

Nike Tag

Nike Angry Chicken

Nike Move

JW Gentleman's Wager II "The race"

Converse "Made By You"

Budweiser "Best Buds"

Budweiser "Prohibition"

Sony "This is 3DTV"

Dick's Sporting Goods Every Pitch

Converse Lunch Money



Episode Edited by Dylan Giovanetto
@dylangio  |  Dylangio.com


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#027 Is Advertising Getting Fun Again? with Norm Shearer Partner & CCO at Cactus18 Oct 202400:58:49

IS ADVERTISING GETTING FUN AGAIN? 


Apparently, innovative, interesting, and fun work is making a comeback. That’s according to today’s guest Norm Shearer Partner, and CCO at Cactus (...among other things)


Look, today’s guest, won a 7th-grade art contest with a drawing of an X-Wing fighter. ...So you should probably listen up. 


We grabbed some good stuff from Norm that is informative and validating for how we can operate. Norm was a great guest and generous with his experience. 


He shares:

  • Some tips for what directors and production companies can add to their websites and social media to better stand out to agencies
  • Fine-tuning your goals and plans via brainstorming with mini-retreats and fun ways to empower your team
  • Delivering on Challenging Work (basically delivering good work from shitty briefs)


Norm is delightful and you should give him and CACTUS a follow on social media and keep up with their work. 

And check out their website, they have cool case studies that walk through the actual results that their work brought in. 


https://www.cactusinc.com/


https://www.linkedin.com/company/cactusinc/


https://www.instagram.com/cactusdenver/


https://www.cactusinc.com/Noobs


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#026 Putting The Quality In Quality Meats with Brian Siedband & Gordy Sang24 Sep 202401:14:18

Gordy Sang & Brian Siedband, Co-Founders / Co-CCOs of Quality Meats - put the Quality in Quality Meats (Ad Age Small Agency of The Year… Again!)


In this episode with Quality Meats, (not a butcher shop), we gain a plethora of knowledge. Their creative is fun, -  and if you watch it you’ll notice a refreshing and straightforward authenticity to their humor and narratives, and I (Codey) highly recommend you check out their work. 


Quality Meats was founded during the pandemic with no paying clients or investors, just a few humans focused on delivering the highest-quality work without all the BS that gets in the way

  • Client roster including Samsung, Huggies, Regal Cinemas, DoorDash, SAXX Underwear, Olliv/Coinflip, Marquee Sports Network, Biore, and GetYourGuide



“We want to make fun work that people don’t want to fast forward through and hate” - Gordy

“...bring people in on it, make them feel like they're in on the joke or they're in on the story, but getting them to rethink something in a way that's not hard to rethink.” - Brian


Quality Meats website: https://qualitymeatscreative.com/


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#025 Seeking Originality & The Human Element with Chief Creative Officer Colin Jeffery28 Jun 202401:24:44

Colin Jeffery is the Chief Creative Officer at Doner / Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer at Wolfgang / Advisory Board Member / Ad Age 2023 Agency A-List / Adweek Creative 100

Colin was instrumental in helping Kia Motors become one of the fastest-growing car brands in the world, taking them from 28th to 7th largest automotive brand in the US. Colin created the wildly popular Kia Hamsters which helped catapult the brand into pop culture. The long-standing campaign includes one of the most viewed commercials of all-time, according to AdWeek.

Colin was included on Adweek’s 2016 Creative Top 100 list, and Doner was named an Ad Age A-List Standout Agency. 

Following Stagwell’s acquisition of Wolfgang, Colin became responsible for the creative output of both agencies. 


In 2012 and 2016, Business Insider included Colin on its list of the Most Creative People in Advertising, ranking him #11 and #20 respectively. 

Prior to co-founding Wolfgang, Colin was a Managing Partner and CCO at David&Goliath. 

Under his creative leadership, the agency grew from 60 to 250 employees and was named Ad Age Small Agency of the Year. 


Throughout Colin’s career, he has worked with Adidas, Halo Top, NBCUniversal, Panda Express, Kia Motors, Jack in the Box, Coca-Cola, Universal Studios,  MGM Resorts, and LG Mobile.

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#024 Launching Blockbuster Games with Philip Khosid & Stanton Hill of Battery10 Jun 202401:27:04

The agency team responsible for the blockbuster launch of the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League spot featuring celebrity talent Will Arnett and Ron Funches for Warner Bros games.


Phil Khosid Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer

Stanton Hill Head of Production


Battery - 3X Ad Age Creative Agency of the Year

Advertising as sought after as Entertainment. 


This episode is packed with wisdom from Phil and Stan’s combined experience. 

Some of our favorite highlights from this episode: 

  • What is the undeniable work that you’ve done? 
  • There’s too much at stake to train you. I have to know you can do this.
  • Consider making a spec (to show us you can do this)


Battery has worked with  EA Games, Land O’Lakes, Netflix, Royal Bank of Canada and Warner Bros. Battery is a lead creative agency of the Paris-based Havas Group with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto and Shanghai.

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#023: Do Your Research! Brand Storytelling & Strategy with Megan Cunningham31 May 202400:52:57

Today we chat with Megan Cunningham, founder of Magnet Media. 


In this episode, Megan discusses:

  • Apple as Magnet Media’s first client
  • Leveraging knowledge in the tech space to start a company
  • The biggest mistake filmmakers make when approaching brands and how to pivot your approach
  • Magnet Media’s “think, make, reach” brand storytelling strategy 
  • Her early career and how her passion for storytelling developed
  • The State of the Story trend reports and summits
  • The magic of AI


Megan Cunningham founded Magnet Media 20 years ago as a pioneer in brand storytelling with a mission to tell stories that matter. Megan mentors two groups: female directors via Chicken & Egg Pictures and female founders, through Rent the Runway’s Project Entrepreneur. She’s also a founding partner of Marketers that Matter, the Forbes Agency Council, and is a Founding Member of CHIEF.


Megan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megancunningham/


Megan on Intro: https://intro.co/MeganCunningham


‘Things We Noticed’


Lindex "Underwear for Life"
https://smuggler.xyz/work/commercials/lindex-underwear-for-life/

Helldivers2

https://twitter.com/helldivers2

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

2024 Welcome Back! (with Codey)28 May 202400:03:07

We are so back! Listen to a quick overview of what we’ve been up to and what’s coming. 


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#022 What Are You Capable Of? Lessons in Leadership with Levi Sanford of Ice Barrel02 May 202301:02:50

Today we’re talking to Levi Sanford, Senior Marketing Manager at Ice Barrel. 


If you’re a filmmaker who works in advertising, this discussion is tangential because it will help you better understand how a (truly) value-driven company and its teams communicate in healthy ways, serve their customers, and achieve their goals. 


Levi is one of the most genuinely authentic guests we've spoken to thus far.  His leadership style,  and commitment to his team and helping others, make this conversation informative and engaging, even if you're not in filmmaking and or advertising. 

Expect to gain some valuable knowledge on both personal and professional topics.





Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 


Links


Levi Sanford

Linkedin

Ice Barrel

Justin Rossbacher

Linkedin

Instagram


Codey Wilson

Linkedin

Instagram

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#021 Directing Through Loss & Grief with Justin Rossbacher | CRY20 Feb 202300:53:20

On today’s episode of Filmmakers In Advertising, Director Mwita Chacha interviews Director Justin Rossbacher on Directing through Loss & Grief.


I (Codey) initially wanted to share how we adjusted to such a shocking situation as a company, but, ultimately, we realized it was important that Justin simply share his experience of how he had to direct one of the biggest commercial campaigns of his career, at the time, while receiving the news that his brother was dying. 

We talk about: 

  • Mortality 
  • Love for your sibling
  • Having a special relationship with your client
  • Creating with people you care about
  • Anxiety as unprocessed sadness
  • And turning grief into art


So, if you want to hear how a director navigated massive loss while in the midst of a large commercial production, but also how his collaborators and friends showed up and got him through it, this one’s for you. 


Justin at CRY - https://filmcry.com/justin-rossbacher

Justin’s website - https://justinrossbacher.com/

Justin’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bossrocker/


Mwita at CRY - https://filmcry.com/mwita-chacha

Mwita’s website - https://mwitachacha.com

Mwita’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mwitachacha/


Carilion Clinic Curious Campaign - https://filmcry.com/carilion-clinic-curious


Filmmakers In Advertising Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/filmmakersinadvertising/


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#020 With Our Powers Combined! - Learning from Michael Bennett and Josh Shadid of LORD DANGER06 Sep 202201:01:30

Today we’re talking to Michael Ryan Bennett and Josh Shadid of LORD DANGER!


Lord Danger is a creative production studio based in Los Angeles that specializes in bold and innovative commercials, branded content, and music videos. From their commercials for Old Spice, Tostitos, and Mint, to their music videos for Lil Nas X, Doja Cat, and Run The Jewels, LORD DANGER is making some really cool work. 


However, while getting to know the guys, we learned that one of the reasons they have such high-quality creative, especially with animation, is because Michael and Josh run several different companies that work in tandem with LORD DANGER, (such as Modern Logic, under the holding company, Monstera Group). 


Josh and Michael share about: 

  • The ups and downs of building your own ship
  • How to scale
  • How to team up to generate success
  • Being solution driven and when to contribute as an employee
  • Running a hybrid studio
  • And keeping production and creative separate but equal


So, we hope you get something out of this episode with Michael and Josh of LORD DANGER … Modern Logic … And Monstera Group


Michael Bennett bio

Michael Bennett is the Managing Director, Executive Producer, and Founding Partner of Monstera Group, holding company for Lord Danger and Modern Logic, creative studios specializing in design, animation, live-action and immersive content. As an award-winning producer working with brands across industries, Bennett has led national and international campaigns through the lens of cutting-edge technology, design, and craft. A self-proclaimed futurist, Bennett has a deep understanding of the evolution of tech spanning decades. Prior to launching Monstera Group with Josh Shadid, Bennett held senior positions at Method Studios, LAUNDRY and yU+co and has earned over 20 awards including Daytime Emmy Award, the Cannes Lions Grand Prix, Webby Awards, and the Best Film/TV Award at SXSW Interactive Awards.


Josh Shadid bio

Josh Shadid founded Lord Danger in 2012, which was acquired by Zealot Networks in 2015. After negotiating his exit and the repurchase of the Lord Danger brand, Josh re-established his independence. During the initial height of the pandemic in 2020, Josh co-founded Solo Cinebot, the world's most advanced remote production system which was employed by major studios, brands and celebrities worldwide. Concurrently, Josh partnered with commercial veteran Michael Bennett to build brand studio Monstera Group which operates Lord Danger as well as design and animation studio Modern Logic. Josh is currently President of Monstera Group and Executive Producer of Lord Danger.



LINKS


Michael Ryan Bennett - Managing Director / EP - Partner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohtheplaceswewillgo/


Josh Shadid - Founding Partner, Executive Producer

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshshadid/


LORD DANGER

https://www.lorddanger.com/


MODERN LOGIC

https://www.modlo.tv/



MONSTERA GROUP

https://www.monstera.group/



If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#019 How, When, & Why To Use PR to Grow Your Brand with Matt Van Hoven of RAVEN PR30 Jun 202200:58:44

Today we’re diving into the world of PR, specifically around the advertising industry, and to guide us is today’s guest: Matt Van Hoven of Raven PR. 


Matt is the Co-founder of Raven Public Relations and a former journalist who helps ad agencies, media companies, and publishers find their voice in the market and make it heard.


Matt has a ton of industry experience and knowledge, and today he talks to us about: 


  • Raven PR and what it is that they do
  • WHY PR companies support ad agencies and media companies
  • HOW should we be thinking about PR
  • WHEN a production company, media company, and creative directors, need to start thinking about working with a PR company
  • Working with Gary Vee at VaynerMedia


And much more. So, we hope you learn something from this episode with Matt Van Hoven


RAVEN PR

https://www.ravenpublicrelations.com/



Matt Van Hoven 


Donate An Organ spot:

https://www.fastcompany.com/90649260/would-you-donate-an-organ-to-a-stranger-this-extraordinary-new-ad-campaign-makes-it-hard-to-say-no

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#018 How to Get Paid For Creating Spec Commercials with Dan Sorgen | X4Y18 Apr 202200:48:24

Hey everyone, today we’re talking with Dan Sorgen from X4Y

You really should listen to this one because Dan and his collaborators at X4Y have created a way for filmmakers to get discovered by brands and monetize your existing footage and creative, as well as giving Brands access to you and your ready-to-brand stories. 


We discuss how you can make money creating spec commercials, whether that’s creating a new spec from your old footage, or creating new specs from scratch with the intention of them being purchased from you. 


This is beyond posting your stand-alone shots on stock footage sites, this is creating specs that X4Y will shop to brands and clients for you, and brands are already coming to X4Y looking for specs they can use and new creators they can work with. 

I could go on but you’ll hear me fanboying plenty enough throughout the episode as Dan tells us about what X4Y is up to, how this process works, and what may be a new future for commercial filmmakers and brands. 



x4y LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/x4y/about/


x4y Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/X4Ycom/


x4y Twitter

https://twitter.com/X4Ycom


x4y Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/X4Ycom/



If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#017 How To Get Clients Without Reps with Taylor Lewis | Atomic City10 Mar 202201:03:27

Learn the sales and marketing tools that The Lewis Brothers used to grow their filmmaking business, Atomic City, and land six-figure gigs with Amazon.

Taylor covers how he and his two brothers (aka The Lewis Brothers) went from lighting each other on fire and filming it when they were young into a full-blown production company 20 years later, working with brands such as Amazon, Microsoft, and DJI. 

He shares how networking has been one of the biggest contributors to landing new clients and gives some helpful tips and tricks on how they turn clients into fans, while also sharing a few tactics to avoid.

We also chat about their online filmmaking course where they help filmmakers from all levels grow their business. 

Lastly, they are giving away their 12-page filmmaking guide, “The Filmmakers Handbook,” free to our audience. 


The Lewis Brothers cut their filmmaking teeth by lighting each other on fire and filming it in their parent’s backyard. After many trips to the hospital, they knew this is what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. Starting their production company before graduating high school, they have grown an impressive client list (Amazon, Microsoft, DJI) that has them shooting projects all around the globe. With a relentless passion for filmmaking (plus cereal and gummy candy), they love keeping their sets relaxed and believe in helping other filmmakers along the way with their online courses and filmmaking tools.




Site Links

Course: https://www.filmcreatorpro.com/

Free 12 Page Filmmaking Guide: https://www.filmcreatorpro.com/handbook


Company website: https://www.atomiccity.com/


Atomic City on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atomic_city/



If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 



If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#016 “Am I making this better, or making it mine?” Learning from McCann Global Creative Director, Nick Allen21 Feb 202201:26:15

Holiday Ride is Chevrolet’s new ad about a father, his daughter, and his late wife’s classic 1966 Impala. It’s sad, inspiring, and it tugs right at the heartstrings.


Based on a true story, GM ad-maker Commonwealth/McCann worked with Academy Award winners Tom Hooper, Claudio Miranda, and Rachel Portman “to tell the story of love, redemption, and restoration.”


The McCann Creative Director of Holiday Ride is Nick Allen, who was kind enough to join us to talk about his methodology, his process, and how Chevy and McCann created the most tear-jerking ad of the 2021 Holidays. 


If you are a filmmaker who’s curious about what goes on inside the minds of the creative directors at large agencies, how the people who you want thinking of you when they’re planning their next big campaign think, then this episode is for you. 



Nick Allen


Website - www.ideasoutofnowhere.com


Instagram - nicka11en


Linkedin 


Commonwealth // McCann

AdWeek article on Holiday Ride



If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#015 Why Collaborating With Clients Outweighs Impressing Clients14 Dec 202100:13:29

...with Codey Wilson


I’m gonna share how I almost botched a huge campaign for filmCRY, what we learned from it, and what we’ve implemented since to make sure it didn’t happen again. 


The role, I’ll be discussing has a few different names depending on where you work or the size of your production company or agency you’re working with, but the most familiar one we’ll use for this discussion is - THE AGENCY PRODUCER.


Reference Links
https://theindustryclub.co.uk/agency-producer-and-production-company-producer-who-does-what/

https://www.wrapbook.com/blog/agency-producer

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#014 How to Write Copy That Sells with Kelsey Formost16 Nov 202100:37:25

Your copy - the words you use to communicate with your ideal customers - is what makes people decide if they like you and trust you enough to buy from you.


Today’s guest, Kelsey Formost, specializes in teaching NON-writers (like us) how to write copy that quickly connects to our ideal customers, and converts them into paying clients (and maybe even fans).


This is a high-value episode. There are literal steps that Kelsey shares that you can apply to your own business and website copy. 


So grab a notepad, or bookmark this episode for later, because you’ll want to take notes and then go to her website to take advantage of her templates, courses, and freebies. 



*This one’s a little ZOOMY, and I’m SORRY about that, but we’ve since solved the Zoom - electro-sound debacle. Otherwise, I hope you get as much as we did out of this episode with Kelsey Formost.



Kelsey's Website - https://kelseyformost.com


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#013 Making Content (Not Ads) for Steph Curry and Infiniti with Creative Director Jackson Adams (Portal A)10 Nov 202100:56:51

Today we have on Jackson Adams, a director & writer based in Los Angeles. 


Originally from Western Massachusetts, Jackson graduated from Emerson College in 2010. He’s worked extensively in original and commercial content online, which has been viewed more than a billion times. He also directed the most “disliked” YouTube video of all time!


Jackson is the Associate Creative Director at Portal A.


This episode is one of those ‘hang out ’ types where we get to know Jackson and learn a little bit about how he got into his current role, his perspectives, and what’s working for him right now. 


Jackson has some good tips to share, as well as some familiar but validating experiences, such as: If someone gives you an opportunity to direct, whether you feel you’re ready or not, - just say yes and figure it out. ...A little bit about casting and working with talent and influencer talent, as well as working with some high profile brands and creators, such as Infiniti and Stephan Curry, and an important reminder, that whether your content is branded or not, this stuff should be fun to watch. 


As always, if you have any recommendations for guests just message us on instagram or facebook at filmmakers in advertising, or head to filmcry.com and shoot us an email. 


//

jacksonhadams@gmail.com


http://www.jacksonhadams.com/


Steph Curry Infinity

https://www.portal-a.com/projects/infiniti-life-lived/

Portal A

https://www.portal-a.com/



If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#012 How To Success! (And You Can Too) with Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca Triple Threat Natalie Metzger19 Oct 202101:10:04

Today is very exciting because we got to talk to Natalie Metzger and I’m so happy that she was willing to talk to us because I don’t think it’s going to be easy to get her on the phone in the near future. 


Natalie and her friends are living the filmmaker's dream and if you want to know how you could replicate that for yourself you should listen to what she has to say. 


Her films have premiered at top festivals around the world including Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, SXSW, Tribeca, and Locarno. She is now the VP of Production & Development at Vanishing Angle, making several films a year now while running commercial and marketing companies at the same time. 


Like many others, I saw the Thunder Road short about six years ago, then followed along to watch their team fight to get the Thunder Road feature made, which has been talked about by Jim Cummings and there’s great coverage and articles about that which can be found with a simple google search, but today we’re going to talk about Natalie because I think she’s a powerhouse behind the scenes making a lot of this exciting stuff happen. 


She’s awesome, soak up some wisdom, and please enjoy this episode with Natalie Metzger. 



Natalie’s website - https://www.nataliemetz.com/


Natalie’s instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nataliemetzger/


Natalie’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/metzart


Vanishing Angle - https://vanishingangle.com/


Thunder Road Sundance Case Study - https://www.sundance.org/case-studies/creative-distribution/thunder-road


The Beta Test Wefunder Page - https://wefunder.com/thebetatest






If you have any ideas for future episodes or who you’d like to hear from next, please DM us or leave us a comment on Instagram or facebook and we’ll try to make it happen. 


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY https://filmcry.com/


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#011 How To Become An AdAge Top 10 Agency - with Humanaut (You may be surprised)28 Sep 202101:17:47

If you pay attention to the advertising or commercial production world, you’d have noticed over the last few years that a small agency from Chattanooga, Tennessee, has quietly been climbing the ranks of AdAge’s annual agency A-list awards. 

That agency, or brand production studio, is Humanaut.

You’re about to hear from a few of the awesome personalities that make them so good at what they do,  because today, we’re talking to Tommy Wilson and Dan Jacobs, as they share some of the secret sauce that makes Humanaut one of the top ten agencies in the country. 



Links


Humanaut

https://www.humanaut.is/


Humanaut Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/humanaut.is/?hl=en


The agency is No. 10 on Ad Age’s 2020 A-List

https://adage.com/article/special-report-agency-list/how-humanaut-regional-small-agency-winner-2017-made-it-top-10/2249826


Nice Talk 

https://www.instagram.com/nicetalkshow/



Brought to you by CRY https://filmcry.com


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#010 How to create the future in Unreal Engine - with Matt Workman23 Jul 202101:13:38

Matt is the creator of CineTracer, a Cinematography Simulator that enables filmmakers to visualize films, tv shows, and commercials in 3D in the app before shooting in real life. He also runs Cinematography database - which, to best understand what he does there, you should just visit his YouTube channel, where he showcases what he’s working on. Also, recently he started a new channel called project MetaHuman 1, and has been concentrating lately on motion capture.


Basically, he does a lot, and he runs several virtual production blogs where he’s sharing his progress and projects, mostly in Unreal Engine. For those of you who don’t know about Unreal Engine, or if like me you’ve wondered how to incorporate Unreal into your filmmaking, this is a nice way to ease your way in and get a broad scope overview of how it works. 


Matt’s Twitter

https://twitter.com/cinedatabase


Cinematography Database

http://www.cinematographydb.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/CinematographyDatabase/videos


CineTracer

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN0HxYF_yeEOGEodgK6ww0Q


CitizenMetaOne 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2gH3UhyNvsyNZwubGTBhIg



Unreal Engine Showcase - Directed by Matt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bErPsq5kPzE


If you have any ideas for future episodes or who you’d like to hear from next, please DM us or leave us a comment on Instagram or Facebook and we’ll try to make it happen. 


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#009 How to Focus and Position your Brand - with Electric Creative14 Jul 202100:27:07

We are trying something new, where we invite others in our industry to take over the podcast for an episode and share some helpful tips and information, what is and what isn’t working for them right now, or anything else they may find useful. 


Marybeth and Chris recently linked up to start their new company - Electric Creative, and on this episode, they discuss building a foundation for content creators who specialize in creating video content.


This should be helpful to those of you who are just starting out, or who want to give your business a bit of a boost by trying new strategies, or want to simplify what you’re doing, refocus, and clarify your brand in pursuit of better business results.


So, please let us know if you like this format and we’ll do it again. 


If you like this episode, check out  Electric Creative and go to www.electriccreative.studio/fia and schedule a free idea session with Marybeth and Chris

https://www.electriccreative.studio/

If you have any ideas for future episodes or who you’d like to hear from next, please DM us or leave us a comment on Instagram or Facebook and we’ll try to make it happen. 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#008 How To Balance Your Commercial & Filmmaking Careers with Noam Kroll03 May 202101:13:37

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


(The nicest filmmaker you may ever meet) - Noam Kroll is a champion for filmmakers and up-and-comers who seek knowledge. I’ve been listening to his podcast SHOW DON’T TELL for years, I think it’s one of the best filmmaking podcasts out there, and I was thrilled when he agreed to join us and talk to us about his experiences with filmmaking and advertising. 


If you want to hear about (1) how to balance your filmmaking career with your commercial production and advertising career (2) different strategies for managing your own production company, (3) and other related topics, this episode may be for you. 


To know Noam, visit https://noamkroll.com/about-noam/

Noam’s newsletter

https://noamkroll.com/newsletter-archive/

SHOW DON’T TELL Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/show-dont-tell-micro-budget-filmmaking/id1228448011

Website: https://noamkroll.com/

Podcast Website: https://noamkroll.com/category/podcast/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/noamkroll

Twitter: https://twitter.com/noamkroll


If you have any ideas for future episodes or who you’d like to hear from next, please DM us or leave us a comment on Instagram or Facebook and we’ll try to make it happen. 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple Podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#007 Inside Casting - Getting to Know Casting Director Erica Arvold12 Apr 202100:56:57

Today we’re talking to Casting Director, Erica Arvold. 


This episode is packed with knowledge. Erica shares a lot about her experiences and perspectives, her education programs, and memberships, among many other things. Erica has spent the past 30 years as a casting director, producer, writer, and has contributed to the making of over 140 films, 85 television shows, and a lot of commercials. She’s also kind and generous and she does a lot for the acting and filmmaking community. 


If you want to learn about: Casting and Production, the state of the industry on the East Coast and in the Southeast, intensives, and educational opportunities for actors and directors, then this episode is for you. 


Also joining us for the interview is Director Justin Rossbacher. He and Erica have worked together before so we thought it would be fun to expand the conversation a bit …..and he just has a great podcast voice. 


Check out Erica and her endeavors at www.Arvold.com


https://www.facebook.com/arvoldofficial/

https://twitter.com/arvoldofficial?lang=en

https://www.twitch.tv/arvoldofficial


You can also checkout Justin Rossbacher at https://filmcry.com/



If you have any ideas for future episodes or who you’d like to hear from next, please DM us or leave us a comment on Instagram or facebook and we’ll try to make it happen. 


If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Episode Edited by Dylan Giovanetto - DylGio@gmail.com | www.DylanGio.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#006 - Divorcing LA & The Ghosts of Broken Dreams with Actor / Writer David Hoffman Part 203 Feb 202100:35:54

This is Part Two of two episodes with David Hoffman. Where our last episode was more technical, David sharing about how he booked his role in the massive Liberty Mutual campaign, this one is more emotionally intelligent. 

It could be argued that it’s actually more valuable to understand the mindset of someone who’s achieved something that you may want, and David opens up and shares insightful and authentic truths with us here in Part 2. David articulates and says some things that a lot of us have thought about and maybe haven’t had the courage to say publicly or even admit to ourselves and we hope you get something out of it.


Relevant Links

David’s website https://www.thedavidhoffman.com/

David is not on social media (he’s truly free)


LiMu emu & Doug commercials https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWXjw7QY7xY&list=PLxUNmyJ_IIGzPPOd52HUmzMEnMHcbYHw0&ab_channel=LibertyMutual

George Washington Is Here To Help https://www.thedavidhoffman.com/georgewashington


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 


Episode Edited by Dylan Giovanetto - DylGio@gmail.com | www.DylanGio.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#005 Becoming An Icon with Actor / Writer David Hoffman Part 129 Dec 202000:38:13

PART 1 - BECOMING AN ICON

David Hoffman is an actor, writer, and all-around creative. 

This is Part One of two episodes where we talk to David about his experiences and life as an actor, artist, and creative. In this episode, we focus on what led to him becoming the face of the Liberty Mutual commercial campaign (alongside an emu), as well as auditioning for There’s …Johnny on Hulu, and his web series, ‘George Washington Is Here To Help.’

Relevant Links

David’s website https://www.thedavidhoffman.com/

David is not on social media (he’s truly free)

LiMu emu & Doug commercials https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWXjw7QY7xY&list=PLxUNmyJ_IIGzPPOd52HUmzMEnMHcbYHw0&ab_channel=LibertyMutual

George Washington Is Here To Help https://www.thedavidhoffman.com/georgewashington


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Episode Edited by Dylan Giovanetto - DylGio@gmail.com | www.DylanGio.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com | www.mahartman.com

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#004 Remote Editing with Director Justin Rossbacher11 Sep 202000:12:19

A quick tutorial on current remote directing and editing methods with Cry director Justin Rossbacher

Creativity as Discovery > Dynamic Editing > Remote Editing. 


Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

www.filmmakersinadvertising.com

Instagram - @FilmmakersInAdvertising

Facebook - @FilmmakersInAdvertising

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

#003: The Road (less traveled) to Becoming a DP with Sean Patrick Kirby19 Aug 202000:36:28

Sean Patrick Kirby is a Director of Photography. 

We talk to Sean about becoming a DP, being based in Birmingham, Alabama, and working all over the country. From living in a van to shooting national commercials. Working up from PA to Grip and Electric, to DP. The LA vs. not LA conversation is more complicated than it used to be. Networking and picking the right projects. Transitioning from music to filmmaking. 

Taking the LSAT hungover. Ivan Drago. Shakespeare created during plagues. And again, love for video game commercials. 

Brought to you by CRY filmcry.com 

Relevant Links

Contact - kirby@seanpatrickkirby.com

Sean Patrick Kirby’s website - https://www.seanpatrickkirby.com/

Sean Patrick Kirby’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thekirby/

Far cry commercial series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5uHQYz-hNw

Tom Clancy commercials https://production.family/works/commercials#&id=364254130

Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nwRiuh1Cug


Edited by Dylan Giovanetto - dylgio@gmail.com | https://www.dylangio.com/

Episode Mastered by Sophia Wade Sound - sophiawadesound@gmail.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

If you want a shoutout in a future episode please leave us a written review on Apple podcasts. 

From CRY, a Creative, Production, and Post house based in New York City.

Brought to you by CRY www.filmcry.com 

Intro mixed by Micheal Hartman - michaelhrtmn4@gmail.com 

© My Podcast Data · Independent project · Data from Apple & Spotify