Episode 5 - Ryan Booth

When thinking about people in the film industry who inspire me I think it breaks down into two groups of people: Hollywood level stars and people I view as peers. Ryan is a friend, peer and complete inspiration. Not only in the way he motivates me to be a better filmmaker and person, but on a more technical level as well. I love his style and try to learn from it. His eye is top notch and given the right opportunities I really do think his career is limitless.

In this episode we cover his background and how he eventually became a filmmaker. Unlike a few of the other guests, being a director and cinematographer were not things he wanted to be even into his early to mid twenties. It’s always interesting when someone with such raw talent does not tap into it initially. I think the conversation about how to find it and stoke that fire can be beneficial and applicable for anyone regardless of craft or trade.

In addition to this realization we discuss his current transition into directing and his desire to continue pursuing cinematography in tandem. Process and approach are big themes and I loved hearing what goes on inside his head including his beliefs about how to deal with the facets of filmmaking as well as life in general.

His portfolio is strong with a recent commercial campaign for Spotify as a highlight. A lot of his work is in the music space, creating a project called Serialbox Presents which showcases up and coming musical acts. He also directs and shoots cinematic music videos often turning them into short films with Hollywood level actors.

Episode 4 - Eliot Rausch

This conversation holds a special meaning in my heart. Eliot is a profound human being. A past filled with addiction and excess, he has pushed himself to the brink and back, now working as a sought after commercial director with a humanistic/documentary style.

His life blindly air dropped into the fast lane after the meteoric success of a short film he made about his friend putting his dog down. What was supposed to be a simple ode to a dog turned into the spark that exploded his career.

In the episode we discuss what lead up to this moment and how it impacted his life in the immediate and long term. This kind of rise can be a dizzying thing to navigate in every way possible; mentally, physically, fiscally, socially, politically - the higher you go, the bigger you get, the more complicated it all becomes.

Eliot’s honesty is something to behold. He shares his heart with anyone who is open to accept it. After we finished recording we kept discussing these topics for another few hours, it’s a conversation that never ends for him. He’s a unique soul and I hope you get as much out of it as I did.

Episode 3 - Vincent Laforet

Vincent Laforet is a professional photographer turned commercial director and cinematographer. He was the youngest staff photographer ever hired for the New York Times where he shared The Pulitzer for his international coverage in The Middle East documenting events unfolding post 9/11. After years of success at the paper, the need for creativity and artistry prompted him to do the unthinkable, he left what most considered to be the job you held onto forever.

In the pod we discuss his upbringing and how he managed to become the youngest hired staff member of the famed NYT photo dept and the journey he’s been on ever since. Vince is well known in the photography world as a teacher through his prolific blog. This side of him is impossible to turn off and comes through during our conversation. He’s always trying to extoll advice and share what he’s learned.

Compared to the previous episodes, Vince is older than the first two guests and brings with him a different perspective. I’m hopeful that the podcast can continue to bring in a variety of voices either because of age, experience, background, artistic genre - with each new voice the conversation becomes richer.

Episode 2 - Joey L.

Joey L is a wildly talented photographer working on everything from top tier commercial work to thoughtful documentary work. Living every young photographer’s dream he headed to New York at a young age and found critically acclaimed success quite early, he was still a teenager. His work has been featured in top magazines, billboards in Time Square and wrapped around double decker buses in midtown Manhattan. Clients include Lavazza, National Geographic, The U.S. Army and many more. 

When not shooting for a client, he’s usually on the road working on his travel photography. Differing from photojournalism, he brings his commercial aesthetic to far flung places mixing his technical ability with a dive into human exploration. One of the more interesting notes is that he routinely visits the same tribes, forming relationships over years, which grants him unique access.

Now entering his mid-20s, he has accomplished more than most people do in their whole career. For that reason I enjoyed our discussion on how to stay engaged when many common photography goals have been achieved so quickly. He’s well spoken, articulate and has a keen sense of self awareness.

At the time of recording he had just returned from a personal trip to Syria and Iraq. He went to document the Kurdish resistance. It was fortuitous to catch him in such a fresh state of mind about the experience as it was his first formal discussion on that project. Those photos have now been seen the world over and achieved international acclaim.

Episode 1 - Jonathan Bregel

Jonathan Bregel is an accomplished commercial director, cinematographer and personal friend. Finding success at a young age, he started a production company called Variable at 22 years old. That company now boasts a growing roster of directors and houses a full staff taking on large scale high-end commercials and doc-style campaigns. Some noted clients are National Geographic, Cadillac and Tiffany’s.

Speaking with Jon is always an inspiring experience. He’s a thoughtful and deep guy who is constantly analyzing the world around him and his participation in it. In the episode we discuss how he came up in the industry embracing his friends help and creating a film family from the very beginning. We dive into the importance of having a team and how he dealt with the transition to large projects that came with an exponential rise in responsibility.

His views on the industry and how to stay grounded really resonate with me. For someone who has accomplished so much, it’s exciting to see him still curious and inquisitive. He’s about as egoless as they come. It was a great conversation and even though I’ve known him for years, it opened up a whole new appreciation for him and his outstanding work.