Listener Strikes Gold w/‘The Travel Companion’ from Travis Wood & Alex Mallis - Just Shoot It 520

Listener Strikes Gold w/‘The Travel Companion’ from Travis Wood & Alex Mallis - Just Shoot It 520

Author: Filmmakers Matt Enlow & Oren Kaplan March 26, 2026 Duration: 1:05:35

Travis Wood & Alex Mallis are living the director’s dream! Their feature film "The Travel Companion" https://thetravelcompanionfilm.com/ premiered at Tribeca, they have distribution through Oscilloscope, and they’re touring theaters across the country. And now they're on to the next big thing, and this time the goal is to make one dollar on their next film.


And that’s how they start chatting with Matt and Oren about the importance of the metrics and ruler you choose to value yourself. And why that is so important as a filmmaker today.


Ten years ago, there were a lot more outlets looking for films. But if you were around then, you probably remember hearing the same thing about the market ten years before that! Fast-forward to eight years ago, and picture this – that’s the day Travis wrote an email to Oren, hoping to connect and pick his brain about how to get directing opportunities in LA.


Since then, Travis landed a Vimeo staff pick under their belt. And they took an idea they hatched at a film festival and turned it into a feature. But it was far from easy. And man, did they learn a lot about finding financiers, writing dialogue that sounds real, and how to keep having fun through the long years of waiting for people to respond and money to come in.


And Matt really keys in on the advice they have on how to keep control over your filmmaking process, even when everything seems like it’s dependent on others. This is an uplifting episode with a lot of great practical tips and ways to go about your filmmaking process in 2026!


Help Matt's film: https://wefunder.com/badfeeling

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


Matt's Endorsement: Kurosawa's "High and Low" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057565/

Oren's Endorsement: The 12-liter dog poop trash can is the ideal size

Travis's Endorsement: Chip's Ahoy Cookies

Aaron's Endorsement: "Teddy Out of Tune" https://www.teddyoutoftune.com/ is re-releasing on Blu-ray


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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…