Everyone ha a different story.  The struggles, the victories, the golden days, and the failures. Shawn talks about his path to become a creative photographer and cinematographer.  This story can give inspiration & hope for others on similar roads.

Think about your favorite music videos. What do they have in common? Whether they're hip hop, electronic, or country music videos, they follow at least one of these few tenants that we talk about. Justin Jones, who has shot more than 400 music videos, knows what makes a good video and bad video, so we invite him into the studio to learn exactly what that is.  On this episode, we talk about music videos, and what you should avoid when producing one. 

This week, cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr., a renowned filmmaker for his work with Francis Ford Coppolla and Paul Thomas Anderson, sits down with us in the studio to talk about his latest project, JoJo Rabbit. We also cover his journey as a cinematographer and what it was like shooting films in Europe.

The road for filmmakers and cinematographers is a long one, full of obstacles and setbacks along the way. This was true for Todd Banhazl, a successful commercial and feature DP who has worked with artists such as Lorde and Janelle Monae. While talking about his preeminent work, he comforts us with stories about what it was like out of film school and the challenges he faced. 

Not all movies are made for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the case of The Peanut Butter Falcon, Nigel Bluck, the cinematographer, had to be aware of his limitations and utilize the classic phrase, "Less is always more" to make, what is now a new Classic American Film.  A true minimalist filmmaker, Nigel talks about his upbringing and the important essentials of a working cinematographer.

Directors and actors aren't the only people needed to make a movie. You have the unsung heroes of the grip and electric department, whose job it is to set up complicated lighting schemes and heavy rigs. It's often a thankless job that requires being on set for long days without very much idle time. That's why we have Martin Torner, union grip for movies such as Iron Man 2 and Thor, to illuminate this side of the industry with on-set horror stories and what is required to get into gripping. 

With so many RGB lighting options out there, it's hard to differentiate the look and color accuracy between them. Companies like to use a measurement called CRI (Color Rendering Index) and TLCI to measure how accurate the color is to everyday daylight, but what if we told you there was a better way? We invited Tim Kang, color scientist at Quasar lighting, to talk to us about the fundamentals of color science and what the problems are about RGB lighting today. 

In this episode we talk about Jaron's early beginnings in cinematography, his crazy obsession with VFX and lighting, and what it's like to shoot on second unit.  

Everyone knows that music is important in a film, but just exactly how does it influence the way the film is edited? There are not many people that can say they have edited and composed a big Hollywood film besides Oscar-winning editor John Ottman, who has edited and composed for films such as X-Men: Days of Future Past, Superman Returns, and most notably, Bohemian Rhapsody. John talks to us about his start in filmmaking, how to navigate the studio environment, and what every editor should know.

We tend to talk about music videos a lot at Indy Mogul - how to light them, how to make them for no money, etc. Today, we go over a bigger question - how do we produce them? With so many filmmakers out there wanting to shoot music videos and gain exposure for their work, the knowledge of how to conduct a set and production can get lost in translation. We sit down with seasoned music video producer, Moses Israel, to learn what first-time producers need to know before they step on set. 

Ted sits down with Dan Kneece to learn more about why Steadicam can still be better than gimbals, what makes good steady shots cinematic, and why shot lists don't always help a movie.

In the film industry, there aren't a lot of sure-fire avenues towards success. Many dreamers have wondered - do you go to film school? Do you make a smash hit at Sundance? It's not that making Oscar-worthy feature films is inconceivable; the road to it often comes across as a mystery. That's why Matt Enlow and Oren Kaplan, represented directors in LA, break down the journey of many successful filmmakers and summarize the five different ways to "make it" as a key creative in the industry.

From the cinematographer that brought you 300, Super 8, and Batman v. Superman, Larry Fong sits down with us to talk about camera, lighting, and that extra bit of "secret sauce" that makes his films look unique. He tells us about his first encounters with renowned directors such as JJ Abrams, and his humble beginnings in Hollywood.

From the indie short film to the Hollywood blockbuster no one can afford to own every single piece of equipment they use. That's where rental houses come in. But with all the options out there it can be a daunting task to rent equipment, so we asked Mike Grady, the General Manager at Magnanimous Rentals, to break down several go-to rental packages at three different budget levels as well as why you would want certain gear for your type of production.   On this episode we talk to a rental...

Stock footage has always been trivial in the eyes of filmmakers, mostly because nobody wants to shoot solely for stock and not much money can be made from it. But what if we told you that you can just upload the stuff that you are going to shoot for that future narrative film and make passive income on the side? On this episode, we learn how to successfully shoot and sell stock footage, namely lifestyle and aerial footage.

Water - could it be the best free tool to up your filmmaking game? It's something you often don't notice in your favorite sci-fis and dramas, but you'll start to see it everywhere once you begin to notice. Water has a specular quality to it that brings out the texture of surfaces and instantly increases contrast the moment you spray it onto your setting. Of course, you can produce steam with water to add visual interest into your backgrounds as well.

A year ago, a young Ted had a dream to see one of his favorite YouTube channels come back to life again. So what does he do? He goes on a national tour with his talented editor friend, Minh Bui, to create 15 episodes from a 13-day trip to 10 cities. If that sounds near impossible to you right now, then trust us - the feeling was mutual. But thanks to their efforts to create an entertaining travel show for filmmakers, Indy Mogul is back and better than ever.

Producer walks in. He has this big-name artist. They need a music video. You're the guy. He gives you $40,000. You go out and rent the Alexa Mini, 10 Skypanels, and a technocrane. Meanwhile, production gets a dance crew, picture vehicle, animal wrangler, wardrobe truck, makeup department, and large studio. All for one day of shooting. What do you do? Justin Jones, music video DP, has been in these scenarios before and assures us it's all going to be okay - if we just follow these key tips.

Everyone has probably made a DIY shoulder rig for their camera at one point or another. Nothing can replace the pride of using a homemade softbox that only costs $15 to make and works like the real deal. With gear being as cheap as it is nowadays, is it really necessary to make that dolly or glidecam out of PVC pipes anymore? Erik Beck, master DIY filmmaker and prop builder, tells us that it is actually easier to make DIY equipment today and how you can start now.

What happens when you have an unflattering location, a very sunny day, and only 12 hours to shoot a high-budget commercial? With no time to light and producers breathing down your neck, it can be a struggle to get good-looking shots. However, Parker Walbeck, legendary lifestyle and wedding YouTube filmmaker, tells us that if you can read your location correctly and point your camera in the right direction, you can make stunning images that will impress your high-end commercial clients. 

Filmmakers often forget that the key to great storytelling is to practice and keep things simple. It could be easy to throw in fancy graphics and punchy shots in our early films, but Darious Britt, an independent filmmaker who runs the channel D4Darious, tells us that amateur filmmakers should start with making tiny, one-minute films to sharpen those storytelling muscles first before progressing to longer length and higher budget films.

As artists and creatives, we know that filmmaking can take a toll on your physical and emotional health sometimes. We've all had to do odd jobs to fund our latest short film or make content for commercial's sake. We know your struggle, so we have educational filmmaking legend Ryan Connolly from Film Riot to talk us about how he continues to make films 10 years and 1,000 videos later. On this episode, we encourage you to ask these big questions before you begin, or end, your filmmaking career.  

The world of beauty and couture can be intimidating to step into, but our helpful guide, beauty cinematographer Philippe Maurice, gives us a glimpse into what it's like to be on a fashion shoot and what we have to think about when it comes to shooting for beauty and fashion. On this episode, we talk about how to make your photos stand out and how to start your career in beauty photography, even when you don't necessarily own nice gear.

Who says action filmmaking is just for Hollywood blockbusters? The steady development of compact cameras and stabilizers are allowing low-budget filmmakers to capture action and stunts beautifully without breaking the bank. On this episode, we cover the basics of shooting immersive action sequences with legendary YouTube filmmaker Devin Graham, the founder of the popular YouTube Channel devinsupertramp. 

In today’s fast-growing market for video equipment, what are the absolute necessities to get started in filmmaking? We break down the 9 things that every filmmaker should have in their toolkit with the help of Caleb Pike, the founder of the popular gear review YouTube channel DSLR Video Shooter.