Description
A one-day, intensive, live filmmaking seminar on how to launch, manage and grow your career directing commercials. Limited to 12 filmmakers, students are immersed in everything about directing stories for brands. It’s the flagship course that started it all in 2015 and always sells out.
Your work is viewed prior to the workshop, because each Bootcamp is customized to the participants’ needs. Filmmakers will learn how to win jobs and craft better work that leads to more opportunities. Agency creatives will learn how the flow goes on-set before the shoot.
Who should attend?
Filmmakers, advertising creatives, in-house production teams, producers, cinematographers, writers, actors… anyone seriously considering a career in directing commercials or just wants to respect the process.
Overview:
- How Directors Get Gigs
- Spot Lifecycle & Director’s Responsibility on a Gig
- The Director’s Mindset
- Dissect Winning Zoom Pitch & Treatments
- Spec Spots: Demystified
- Guest Q&A with Executive Producer or Sales Rep or Agency Creative
- Case Study & Behind the Scenes On-Set Footage
- Commercial Directing Voodoo & Practical Shooting Tips
- To Sign, or Not to Sign… with a Production Company
- The Key to Career Longevity
What you won’t learn:
This is not a film course aimed at episodic or feature directing, although we cover a lot of film craft. This is how to approach filmmaking for commercials as a career, and how you can succeed as a filmmaker in advertising.
What you will learn:
- How the advertising business works for filmmakers.
- How Directors get jobs.
- Spec spots. Yes? No? Best way to make them.
- Lifecycle of an ad campaign for the filmmaker.
- Candid behind the scenes footage of an actual shoot.
- The rise of the Freelance Director.
- How to think like a superhero.
- Signing to a production company.
- Collaborate while leading.
- How to do a winning conference call.
- Listen to winning & losing conference call.
- How to craft a winning treatments.
- Pre-production through Post.
- Casting using The Brady Method.
- Getting great performances from actors.
- Lead your crew with Gratitude.
- Case study of a gig.
- Agency & Client protocol.
- How to Respect The Process.
- When to Disrespect The Process.
- Repeat business.
- How to not suck at directing.
- My top secret, world famous Jedi mind tricks.
- Much, much more.
Satisfaction guaranteed. Complimentary artisan lunch provided. Sign up today!
Top Secret Training Facility disclosed upon sign up. Video/Audio Recording of Bootcamp is prohibited.
Aaron Cathey –
I’m a creative/writer in advertising. And let me preface this by saying I’ve known Jordan for about 5 years. Maybe longer.
Jordan was my first director. I was exposed to The Brady Method of casting and the entire process without knowing that the way he does things as a director ain’t like most others. If you’re an aspiring director, this boot camp outlines the tricks he’s come up with over the years that will help you be a prepared leader on a shoot. You will walk out of this with some defined things you can do to up your game. Just know this is not a science. Becoming an A-list director has no formula. You still have to make spec work. You still have to grind. There is no secret to being as good as Jordan. But he does give away his tricks and knowledge that give him an edge to help you manage your career better. The rest is on you.
As a creative, you get to see this world from a different perspective. It was eye-opening to hear about all the work and prep that goes into just the first call or a treatment. It reminded me there is a right way to do things. You also get a lot of tricks and info to help you work through your scripts and communicate with your director on set. I went in there wondering if maybe being a director was in my future. I came out feeling like I just needed to be a better creative to my production partners and on shoots. Get in on this if you can. If for anything, the perspective.
Don Starnes –
I’m a director of photography: I’m normally involved somewhere during the middle of a commercial’s production. I went to Bootcamp to better understand the entirety a commercial director’s process: from well before preproduction to their interaction with post to their efforts to get the next gig.
Jordan’s class is amazing: concise, thorough, complete, generous and refreshingly honest. It teaches essential concepts that you need to consider to direct commercials for a living. The secret tips, hard-won by Jordan’s extensive experience, are worth the price of admission, but there is so much more. Jordan gives case studies of how he has won jobs and, even more illustrative, how he lost a job. A crucial portion of Bootcamp is a step-by-step overview of the process of getting your work to agency producers, getting selected to bid, submitting treatments, winning bids, making a commercial and maintaining the relationships formed on the project.
It’s an extraordinary opportunity for people who are entering the business or are working in commercials and want to up their game. Bootcamp is already informing and strengthening my collaboration with commercial directors. I recommend that you invest in your career and enroll.
Jason P. Lewis –
Phenomenal class; highly recommend to those trying to take their craft (and business) to the next level. The majority of those in attendance came from production and agency backgrounds; which meant a great balance of questions coming from each side.
Coming from a production background and having worked on far more commercials below-the-line than as a director, I feel I gained a great deal of insight into client/agency relationships which in the past I found somewhat elusive. Invaluable information being taken through winning and losing conference calls, going through projects from pitch to post, and learning how to navigate around the many potential kinks along the way.
Many thanks to Jordan, and guest speaker Marcus Nispel who shared the wealth with everyone Saturday. Hope to see you soon.
Rene Ashton –
In Jordan’s bootcamp you will literally learn everything you need to know to get started in commercial directing. Besides being very generous with his insights and tips, his wit and personality make absorbing all the information a fun day. The class was fantastic! Can’t recommend it highly enough.
Justin Ross –
I flew across the country from NY for the LA bootcamp and couldn’t be happier that I did. As someone who is constantly immersed in continued education to further my career, I can honestly say there is absolutely nothing out there that is this specific to all things commercial directing. Jordan provides a jam packed day full of insider tips and strategies that are all so incredibly valuable. Here’s what I appreciated most: I struggle with paying attention for long periods of time. But his passionate delivery and wealth of information (he is truly a seasoned director) kept myself and the entire class engaged the entire day. We went 2 hours overtime, and Jordan didn’t waiver once. Value is seriously through the roof for the cost of this bootcamp. I prepared a list of questions to ask in the event that something wasn’t covered. Absolutely everything was covered in detail. Another bonus? You’re attending this event with people on the same journey as you. Some may be further along in their career, some just starting out. But it’s hugely beneficial to be around like-minded people who are driven (they wouldn’t be there if they weren’t) and to have the opportunity to network with them. Don’t question attending this bootcamp if you’re looking to jumpstart or further your commercial directing career. Do it.
Brian Petchers –
There is more value in this 1 day session than you could receive over an entire semester. Learning from a critically acclaimed, working director was invaluable. I signed up a few days before after seeing an ad on twitter and Im so happy I did. Great expereince, fun and incredibly useful. As I move into the commercial space the knowledge I picked up from this course continues to ring true and help guide me. I don’t think there is anything else close to this out there. I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who is interested in directing, commercials, advertising, production, basic business and people skills, and filmmaking in general. If you have the opportunity to take this class you definitely should!!
Sara Sheltom –
If you’re a director (or an aspiring one) looking to shoot more commercials, you need to attend this bootcamp. Jordan really breaks it down, and offers endless tips and tricks along the way. The sort of stuff you can’t really read about online. I’m so happy I decided to do this bootcamp in NYC. I feel l gained years of information, and I promise you’ll agree. Do it!
Nar Williams –
I was thrilled to learn from Jordan at his inaugural bootcamp in LA. He’s not only a guy who knows the art of directing, but is a legit awesome human being willing to share real information with us passionate filmmakers. He sat with us for hours after the class was supposed to end, answering our questions and discussing the inside-out of the industry. Within days of taking the class, I was applying what I learned from Jordan as I prepared to tackle one of the biggest commercial shoots of my life. If you’re a filmmaker looking to become a Jedi-level commercial director, you’ve just found your Obi-Wan.
Adam Taylor –
I think this is the best investment I’ve made in a long time. Stop buying gear and get schooled. This info is so hard to come by and I am still digesting and applying what I learned. . The info has helped me improve the flow on my sets and produce a better product. If you have the opportunity to attend you should!
Krystyna Archer –
This experience is incredibly valuable beyond any traditional education on the business and commercial filmmaking. Jordan being a seasoned pro willing to open up and reveal his secrets, its quite special. The most succinct way to put it is that he is incredibly relevant- along with being an extremely successful in commercial directing, launching his own production company/roster of talent, and creating a very informative podcast…this bootcamp is not theoretical in any way. This bootcamp is dense with knowledge, rich with tips & tricks based on facts that will help you succeed and be the best commercial director you can be in today’s world of treatment writing, nailing conference calls, over-delivering on tight budgets. Delivering all his advice with a bit of comedy and a genuine kindness to give back, whether you are just starting out, seasoned, or looking to transition in your career, it applies to all because his teaching approach is so detailed and useful. If you are serious about the business, I would not even question going. Its just a question of “When does Jordan Brady come to a city near me?”
Bronwyn Retief –
Jordan Brady, what a rockstar. I had the pleasure of attending his Bootcamp in April and it was a delight. As a copywriter who works with directors often, I found his workshop hugely insightful. Seeing ‘the other side’ of the process was invaluable, and has allowed me to develop a deeper respect for it. His tips and tricks and voodoo secrets have helped me be more collaborative with directors and also encouraged me to learn more and dabble in a bit of directing myself. Thanks Jordan!
Robjn Taylor –
I was once in your shoes, reading the reviews for Jordan’s bootcamp trying to assess its value, looking for authentic feedback from others. After attending in April 2018, here’s my take:
If you have a mentor that is as experienced as Jordan and is as generous with his accumulated knowledge, then you’re in a rare position. If, like me, you don’t have that and you’d like to navigate the commercial filmmaking waters the best you possibly can, then here’s a damn good oar to grab. Or rudder or whatever nautical thing helps best with navigation; I’m not a seafarer. Anyway, that’s how I saw it when I made my decision to go, and I was glad that I did.
Jordan has a super friendly, personable style that extends into his philosophies on how to get things done and how to run a set. I’m a huge proponent of this approach. That commonality, coupled with his sincerity, made his advice and information easy for me to trust. In our current age of relentlessly given and infinitely contradicting opinions, trustworthy information is no small thing. He also took the time to learn about everyone beforehand, and what they wanted, so that he could adjust and tailor his content accordingly. I really liked that aspect; made it feel much more personal.
Yes, there were some delicious sandwiches leftover at the end and yes, I took one with me.
Hopefully this is helpful for you, and if not then go check out any episode of his podcast. That’ll give you a good idea of what he’s up to and what he may be able to offer you. Alright, have fun out there!
bradyoil –
Thank you Robjn. Kind words coming from a talented filmmaker like you means the world to me. Keep making cool stuff! -Jordan
Laura Maccabee –
Take this bootcamp if you want to learn a TON about the commercial directing world in a relaxed and friendly setting. Jordan carefully walked us through the whole process, from bidding to treatments to shooting to running a set to professional relationships and beyond. I can’t list all the things he covered. We got the benefit of Jordan’s entire lifetime experience – his stories, his suggestions, his perspective, with plenty of examples and visual aids – in just ONE day. Highway robbery. This is seriously a treasure trove of great and useful info. He answered every single question, and we had many. Plus, he’s hilarious so bring your sense of humor.
bradyoil –
Thank you Laura. You rock!
Joe L Harris –
Commercial Directing Bootcamp is a level up for your career. I came from Texas and spent the most amazing day with Jordan and a room full of other Filmmakers. It was an energizing, informative and eye opening day. This bootcamp is a more in depth analysis of Jordan’s book ‘Commercial Directing Voodoo’ and let me tell you that it was an afternoon full of learning some incredible “DirectingVoodoo” The insight shared is worth the price of admission and then the bits of on set directing voodoo that were peppered throughout was just exhilarating. No matter where you live, what state your career is in, this bootcamp is a treasure trove of knowledge! DON’T DREAM IT. BE IT.
bradyoil –
Joe! Thanks for the kind words and so happy you enjoyed Bootcamp. My aim is to provide each Filmmaker w actionable steps to improve their own work, creatively and technically. Truly, Jordan
Daniel Geyer –
Most important 500 dollars or whatever I’ve spent all year. This class is worth easily 10k. There’s no where else you’re going to learn this stuff from and having 20 years of experience given to you immediately. There’s no theoretical film jerk off here. It’s the business of being a commercial director. Hundreds of thousands of dollars a year return on this investment, easiest decision I’ve ever fuckin made. The end.
bradyoil –
Hell yeah! Great review Daniel, thank you & so happy you liked it!
David Bessenhoffer –
Oh man. If you have any interest in pursuing a career in commercial direction, you need to take Jordan Brady’s wildly popular Commercial Directing Bootcamp. In fact, I can’t believe you haven’t already. C’mon, I thought you were serious about this shit. You know what, just go ahead and take the class and we’ll talk after. I’ll wait.
[a couple months later]
Wasn’t that great? I mean, all the info about securing business, the whole agency/director relationship, even down to the damn conference call? Oof. There’s even more than that packed in to one great day, but why spoil it? Personally, I loved how he was able to make an entire room full of directors feel comfortable with each other – that’s some real wizardry right there. Jordan can really keep your attention, is funny as hell, and delivers years and years of experience distilled into a single day. Most importantly there’s no fluff, its all the essential nuts, bolts, vitamins, and minerals to developing a career in the industry. I’m way better off for taking this course, and I know you are, too. So high five, CDB alumn. High five.
bradyoil –
High five David! Thank you for the review and the vitamin/mineral metaphor. I am going to steal… er um I mean, pay homage to that! Thanks, Jordan
Daniel Woolfolk –
I attended the Bootcamp last weekend and a lot has happened since, but let me back up a bit. I work in journalism. I cover national security (military and defense) and have always wanted to work in advertising even before J-school. I’ve been working on my off-time to advance my commercial reel and occasionally, I get to do some brand work at my day job.
Aside from the content of the Bootcamp, Jordan suggested I embrace the content I produce at work. On that Monday, I took the opportunity to direct an ad for our company, which I filmed on Tuesday. Later in the week, my role at the company expanded and I was able to pitch a product that will help my reel. (I didn’t expect any of this.) I’ll be spending the next few months building the reel I want–all within my 9 to 5. I should have at least three spots by the end of the year. That’s on top of my off-time efforts to build my reel.
So I walked away with tools in my toolbox and a ton of confidence. There had been a lot of opportunities at work and outside of it that I haven’t jumped on or even identified. That was my most immediate take-away.
Also worth noting is that I’m in Virginia and I was able to network at the Bootcamp with people who are just a few hours away. There were people from all over the country.
The class is very structured and goes by very quickly. I was happy that it wasn’t all war stories. There are a lot of stories, but they support the lesson plan.
The Bootcamp also gives you a snapshot of the market, which helped me plan my career better. The guest speaker was also very helpful in showing us what the current reality is.
The only thing I wish is that it was two days.
bradyoil –
Yes Daniel – congrats on the new shoot! Sounds like the Bootcamp awakened that spirit in you that was there all along. Often when we take action ourselves, good stuff seems to happen to us, my crazy theory anyway. So happy YOU took the step to sign up (for any class) and that new opportunities are flowing your way. Appreciate the kind words. Thanks, Jordan
Merlin Camozzi –
There’s a reason this thing is wildly popular, and that’s that it’s wildly fun and useful. It’s so awesome to meet someone who is a true expert and loves sharing what they know, and that’s Jordan to a tee. His passion and frankness with regard to both the craft and the business of commercial directing is inspiring and makes for an incredible day of learning. In short, I loved the bootcamp and couldn’t recommend it more highly.
bradyoil –
Thank you Merlin! Loved having you and so happy you enjoyed Bootcamp!
Natasha Lee –
The thought and care that Jordan puts into Bootcamp is evident even before you set foot in the classroom. He takes the time to view everyone’s work and asks questions about your experience to tailor the instruction to each session. Once you’re in, it is a intense information ride of everything on commercial filmmaking that is difficult, if not impossible to find anywhere else. Jordan breaks down aspects of the process that seem mysterious or hard to crack – like getting picked to bid on a job, killing it on a conference call, the agency/sales rep/production company structure, and beyond. He is so thorough in his balance of filmmaking jedi techniques but also places equal if not more importance on the business side of building a long term career as a director and the relationships that help sustain that. And he delivers his decades of experience and learnings in such an entertaining way that you just want the day to keep going…even when you hit the 8 hour mark. Thanks to Jordan’s generosity with sharing his on-set stories, experiences, and creative process, I came away with the confidence to take next steps after having the commercial filmmaking world demystified. He goes above and beyond answering everyone’s questions throughout the day, always trying to tailor the answer to where they are on their filmmaking journey. I know that as I continue onwards, I’ll continue to refer back to my notes and learnings from this day. I’ve never met a teacher who is more genuine about wanting his students to succeed than Jordan and highly recommend Bootcamp!
bradyoil –
Natasha! Thank you for these most kind words, and I’m so happy you found the Bootcamp informative and helpful. True, I try to make it engaging. If we don’t help one another, filmmaking and commercials can’t grow and evolve as fast as it should. Probably goes for any craft or art. Knowledge is best when shared. Excited to watch your career continue to blossom.
truly,
Jordan
“Rising tides lift all ships.”