The Chilling Truth behind 'Bone Lake' w/Mercedes Bryce Morgan - Just Shoot It 495

The Chilling Truth behind 'Bone Lake' w/Mercedes Bryce Morgan - Just Shoot It 495

Author: Filmmakers Matt Enlow & Oren Kaplan October 2, 2025 Duration: 1:09:01

Mercedes Bryce Morgan https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5521959/ talks about building the career that got her "Bone Lake" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26783625/. From several Marshmello videos, episodes of Stargate Origins, and ten-by-tens, Mercedes has learned a lot.


One of her techniques is the pre-pitch meeting. That's a get together (on zoom of course) prior to her pitch. Kind of like a creative brief. And she sees it as an opportunity to find out what they really want. Which is sometimes easier for people to articulate, she learned, as what they don't want.


Another is embedding gifs into her shot list and seeing second units not as a budget extra, but as a real cost-saving tool.


If you're building a career as a fillmmaker, you won't want to miss out on some pointers that most people don't talk about.


---

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


Join Matt & Oren at the Just Shoot It mixer! You don't even have to shower come!

Free tickets! 

Wednesday, October 8 · 7 - 10pm PDT

Lawless Brewing Co.

5275 Craner Avenue Los Angeles, CA 91601

RSVP and info at https://events.justshootitpod.com or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/just-shoot-it-october-meetup-tickets-1665676596539


Matt's Endorsement: Texture Labs https://texturelabs.org/


Oren's Endorsement: Have an editor on set. And bring png's of on-screen text to your VTR person on set. 


Mercedes' Endorsement: Six Flags' Hurricane Harbor https://www.sixflags.com/hurricaneharborla


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
Preparing for a First Meeting w/Matt & Oren - Just Shoot It 541 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:57
Matt and Oren layout their template for vibe checks. You won’t want to miss this episode if you’re dying to know how to make yourself standout. And you’ll learn ways you can be seen as the best director to pull things of…
A Just Shoot It Party on Wednesday [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:36
We're slipping into your podcast feed to make sure you all know about our in-person summer meetup party we are hosting on Wednesday, August 5th. No panels or interviews, just filmmakers meeting each other, chit-chatting…
Becoming a Breadwinner w/Director Eric Appel- Just Shoot It 536 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:56
Eric Appel talks about the benefits of improv experience and how it shaped his career, from his latest film “The Breadwinner”, which stars Nate Bargatze, Mandy Moore, and Colin Jost, to working with Weird Al and Aron Pau…
How to Break Out w/Matt & Oren - Just Shoot It 535 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:50
Matt and Oren engage in a lively chat about how to create passion projects that advance your career and add to your reel. Do you know the 4 types of projects? What about the how to make them stand out?And the guys dive i…