The Tools Inside My Camera Bag
As a freelance filmmaker, I'm continuously on the go and need a good bag to carry my gear. I'm out on locations, usually on my own without any assistants, so I need a bag I can haul my tools in, but doesn't get in the way. Most importantly, you need a bag that will...
How I Cast Actors
I'm a commercial director and part of my job is to select the best actor for the role in the commercial I'm directing. I've seen thousands of auditions and many, many talented actors. With so many good options, it makes it a challenge to select just once person. So...
One simple way to get new clients
A really simple way to get new clients is to create a short video for a business and present it to them. I'm going to show you how I did it with this video for taco's on Taco Tuesday. Let's talk about tacos first. I'm a big fan of tacos. My favorite are HARD...
How I used two lights to make a music video
I made a music video in my own apartment with two lights (I already owned) and $0 extra dollars.A detailed tutorial of how I did it is in the video above, but the lights I used are found on Amazon and you can find them...
Sound design to make your videos POP
Good sound design can really make your videos POP. It can elevate a seemingly good video, into a video that is great. Taking the time to sound design your video can go a long way.In this short video I breakdown the 5 different layers of sounds you can add to bring a...
How to shoot photo and video ads for Instagram
Learning how to take compelling photo or video ads for Instagram is a great way for you to feature products you want to sell. The big idea here is that when you're selling on Instagram, you're not just selling a product. You're creating a world, and inviting your...
Commercial shoot using a green screen
This commercial for Lucky Charms cereal required a scene with a superhero standing on a mountain top. Originally, my plan was to bring in real rocks or foam, and carve out an actual mountain top. My thinking was by using practical effects, it would give us a super...
Funny character names
The original script for this commercial was really funny. As the director, I wanted to give the store manager character more personality, so I thought it would say a lot about her, as well as a create a funny moment if she cared about your sponges more than her...
How to train yourself to write everyday
Do you find yourself always procrastinating? C’mon now, you can tell your homeboy JHo. I, too, have procrastinated on things I don’t like to do in the past. My main procrastination was writing. Lordy did I not like sitting down to write. My brain is more like a photo...
Ask talented people to work with you
Asking people who are really good at something to work with you can make your work a lot better. It's pretty obvious, but for me it was a great reminder to put this into practice when I met vintage clothing specialist Jen Palmer and asked if she'd be interested in...
Punching Up a Script for a Social Media Video
How do you take a script you've been given for a social media video and punch it up to make it even more fun to watch? This was the challenge I had when working on a video for a new apartment complex. The first thing writer Sarah Edwards did was take factual...
Creating props out of cardboard
Japanese toy company Kotobukiya hired me to direct a commercial for their Samurai Sword Chopsticks. The commercial features a "magical machine" that transforms regular chopsticks into Samurai Sword Chopsticks.We made the machine out of cardboard, and here is how we...