FIVE-HUNDREDish Filmmaking Tips & Tricks w/Matt & Oren - Just Shoot It 500

FIVE-HUNDREDish Filmmaking Tips & Tricks w/Matt & Oren - Just Shoot It 500

Author: Filmmakers Matt Enlow & Oren Kaplan November 6, 2025 Duration: 1:19:42

Matt and Oren celebrate 500 episodes! That's basically one episode per week without dropping a beat, not even on Thanksgivings, since 2015.


And while it's true "Just Shoot It" has changed a lot over the years. So too has the film & TV industry. It all started with a focus on auteur filmmaking. But the podcast took a definite shift towards commercial directing over the years.


And while both Matt and Oren have successful careers and get paid to actually do what they love doing, neither broke out in a way that made them lose touch with what it really means to make it in the film and TV industry. Through the ups and the downs, both for the industry as a whole and for their individual careers, they've ridden the same rollercoaster as you.


Matt talks about some dark times and how he made it through. And Oren and Matt both exchange techniques and ways of thinking that they picked up over the years to help them succeed faster. In the end, they wrote their own rules instead of waiting to "suddenly be discovered". 


Sure, luck was involved, but in a lot of ways, they learned to help luck take root. 


It's a real up-close look at where Matt and Oren are today in their careers, a look back at how they got there, and some introspection about what they might have done different.


You can't miss this episode if you're looking to find tips and tricks to make it in film or TV in 2025 and beyond.



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


Matt's Endorsement: Molegirl aka "Tunnel Girl" on TikTok

https://www.fastcompany.com/91299852/tiktoks-tunnel-girl-is-digging-again-much-to-the-internets-delight

https://www.tiktok.com/@engineer.everything?lang=en


Oren's Endorsement: Adobe's Firefly Boards https://www.adobe.com/products/firefly/features/moodboard.html


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


Behind every film you've ever loved is a collection of hard-won lessons, creative struggles, and moments of pure luck. Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Directing pulls back the curtain on that process. Hosted by working directors Matt Enlow and Oren Kaplan, this podcast operates like a long-form conversation between peers, delving into the granular details of building a life behind the camera. Each episode features an interview with a filmmaker, but the focus is less on promoting projects and more on dissecting the craft. You'll hear directors, writers, cinematographers, and other artists break down their approach to story development, the visual language of a scene, working with actors, and the practical realities of navigating a career. The discussion is grounded in the hosts' own experiences, making the advice tangible and the pitfalls relatable. This isn't abstract theory; it's a field guide compiled from the trenches. Whether you're an aspiring director, a seasoned screenwriter, or simply fascinated by how movies are truly made, this podcast offers an honest, unvarnished look at the art, business, and relentless problem-solving that defines filmmaking. Tune in for a masterclass that feels like a coffee shop chat, where the goal is to demystify the journey from script to screen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and Directing
Podcast Episodes
Scheduling Your Life w/Matt & Oren - Just Shoot It 534 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:50
Oren's July went from being overbooked and bidding wars for his time, to nothing at all coming to fruition. And now he has free time on his hands... too much free time.So Matt and Oren chat about the down times. Those ti…
Fix It in Prep w/Matt & Oren- Just Shoot It 533 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:30
With the year in swing and clients shooting, Matt and Oren talk about challenges they’re experiencing on set and some interesting solutions to some common problems to all commercial directors.Matt kicks it off talking ab…
Booking Work w/Director Robert Boocheck - Just Shoot It 532 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:43
Robert Boocheck talks about the three ways commercial directors land jobs. But first Oren and Matt chat about California's Billionaire tax, its impact on the film industry, and why it is and isn't a great solution.Then O…
Agency Month w/Fallon Anderson of Tailfin - Just Shoot It 531 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:39
Fallon Anderson, Creative Director at Tailfin agency https://tailfin.com/ talks about making a Super Bowl commercial and her method for elevating creative.And Matt and Oren dive deep into her process, what she values, an…
Manifesting a "Fantasy Life" w/Matthew Shear - Just Shoot It 529 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:12
Matthew Shear IG: @matthew_shear takes us on the journey to cast Amanda Peet, Alessandro Nivola, and Judd Hirsch in his directorial debut. In the midst of a long and successful career as an actor, should you ever write y…
Agency Month w/Greg Kort of Doner - Just Shoot It 528 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:49
Greg Kort from Doner Advertising, Detroit https://www.doner.com/talks about the job of an agency producer and how it differs from a line producer, or any other kind of producer. And Matt and Oren get him to share what it…
Agency Month w/Joe Saroufim from Kimmelot - Just Shoot It 527 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:01
As a Creative Director at Kimmelot Labs, Joe Saroufim has worked with Janusz Kaminski and Matt Oren chat with him about the role of a Creative Director in maintaining the voice of the brand while pushing creative boundar…
Agency Month w/J.K. Lyons of Conscious Minds - Just Shoot It 526 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:06
Matt and Oren chat with Creative Director JK Lyons about how you can stand out as a director. And they dive deep into what is in your reel, book, or portfolio. Does it make a statement about your personality? Can somebod…
How to Act in an Audition w/Matt & Oren  - Just Shoot It 525 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:02
Matt and Oren talk about what they love to see from actors. How many takes should you do? What if you drop a line in an audition? And what’s the best way to ask questions?It’s a great episode on the little things actors…