Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Directing

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/AEbqJj2hIjg

And find Sergio and Kristyna on Instagram @sergiocilli and @archerstudioooooo

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Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod

Matt's Endorsement: MoldQuestVHS on Instagram @moldquestvhs

Oren'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=zwgaTYOx0RI

Sergio'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-coffee

Kristyna'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.

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Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod

Matt'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
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Matt and Oren are pulling together their year-end recap posts for social media. And they realize, “wow, there's a lot to reflect upon!”

LA is definitely enjoying a resurgence, of sorts. And while more productions are shooting in LA, a lot has changed over the past few years. And everything isn’t rosy.

So if you’re wondering what’s the right type of year-end social media recap, or what you should post that will win over the right people, then you won’t want to miss this episode!

Matt and Oren have some diverging opinions Like what you ask? Well…sure, it's cool to show your working and always on set. But if you only celebrate your own wins, are you being tone-deaf to the struggle it takes to get those opportunities? And what are some ways to make it more human?

Matt and Oren look at it this way. You have to post something intriguing so people who can hire you have you top of mind when the right gig comes. But what should you focus on? Tagging people? The best of your best? Family? Something else?

Finally, with the industry in its December-January slow-period, Matt’s been thinking about setting goals and starting new habits. And Oren shares why this time of the year is ideal for some deep internal probing.

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Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod

Matt's Endorsement: 1. Moviemaker magazine. 2. Do puzzles

Oren's Endorsement: 1. Apple Podcasts now has 1.8x speed. 2. CineFix has a show on YouTueb My Best Shots. The Edgar Wright one is great. https://youtu.be/8u_kCQiZd7Y?si=-2O_zmNdTdbDDEgY 3. Airpods have ruined socializing, so try unplugging and see what happens. 4. The TV Show Pluribus on Apple TV. Episode 5 has insanely good cinematorgraphy. 5. "The Everything Big Book of Jokes" book for kids. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20362426-the-everything-big-book-of-jokes 6. Move time-killer apps to a place on your phone where they are hard to find.

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The 2025 year-end Director's Panel is here! Each year, Matt and Oren have a little cocktail party with some of the past year's guests. It's a chance to reconnect and chat about what went well, what didn't, and what they're hopeful for in the coming year.

Carlyn Hudson, Jamaal Parham, and Mercedes Bryce Morgan participate in this first-ever, on-camera, live-to-tape panel. And if you've got questions about the impact of AI on Hollywood and the impact of how movies are getting funded on A-list talent, then this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Bringing together directors who have attended TIFF, worked with Jake Gyllenhaal, have films on Hulu, travel the globe, and know how to utilize the JOBS Act to fund films yields a diverse range of topics. And this crew talks about the need to do more with less, finding time to be creative, and further pushing the boundary of what's possible in an 8-hour shoot day. And yeah, AI is a big subject on everyone's minds. But is it really a threat? Or are we all whale hunters nearing extinction?

There's a lot of hope and ideas in this episode. Happy New Year, everyone!

Find Mercedes on IG @mercedesbrycemorgan or https://www.mercedesmorganfilm.com/

Find Carlyn on IG @carlynhudson

Find Jamaal on IG @jamaalparham and @jamsandbash

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Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod

Matt's Endorsement: Fire extinguishers. AND, the fire department.

Oren's Endorsement: Download everything from your phone related to your work projects, weekly () or on some fixed schedule) so you can find it later. Also, James Cameron's interview on "The Town" podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/part-1-james-cameron-on-avatar-misconceptions-ais-skynet/id1612131897?i=1000738091636

Mercedes's Endorsement: Photoshop's Remove Tool (currently in Photoshop Beta version)
Kind of like Harmonize.ai (which adds shadows and reflections when you add objects to photos)

Carlyn's Endorsement; Send words of affirmation to people you appreciate.

Jamaal's Endorsement: Akari Sauna with 2 locations in Brooklyn, NY, Greenpoint and Williamsburg https://www.akarisauna.com/. And use saunas as your time to develop creative ideas. Also the book "The Genius of the System: Hollywood Filmmaking in the Studio Era" by Thomas Schatz https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780805046663/thegeniusofthesystem/
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Bella Gonzales https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7543234/ brings a ton of insight about being a cinematographer on series like Pen 15, Fargo, Alien: Earth, and The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.

It’s a really inspiring episode that made Oren want to pick up a camera and operate again. On the other hand, Bella is a self-described lighting-focused DP (Director of Photography). And her conversation with Matt and Oren details how her approach to cinematography enhances, and perhaps even creates, the world of the show more so than an operator-focused DP.

Bella also gets into the playbook for Fargo and the rules of the road that create its uniquely offbeat look. And Bella lays out how this makes audiences feel more like they are inside the story.

You won’t want to miss this unique episode with a cinematographer who passionately explains the techniques she uses in the art of her craft.

Find Bella on Instagram @bellagonzalesdp

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Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod

Matt's Endorsement: Ethan Hawke on social media

Oren's Endorsement: a400 round base monopod https://www.ifootagegear.com/products/monopod-a400-roundbase

Bella's Endorsement: "The Duellists", movie by Ridley Scott https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075968
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.