FIRST ACT BREAK SHARES INSIGHTS ON FINDING SUCCESS IN THE FILM INDUSTRY – BY YOUNG FILMMAKERS, FOR YOUNG FILMMAKERS. HOSTED BY USC FILM DIRECTORS JIAYANG LIU AND RICHARD LI
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SUNDANCE FILMMAKER ON BALANCING BOTH A DIRECTING AND CINEMATOGRAPHY CAREER | DAEIL KIM
Today, we bring on Daeil Kim, a Sundance director and cinematographer, who shares his insights on life after college. We discuss his current career balancing both crafts, how his movie got into the Sundance Film Festival, and advice on having a freelance career.
THESE SUPER BOWL DORITOS COMMERCIAL DIRECTORS ARE CHANGING THE FUTURE OF HOLLYWOOD | ZACH AND RYAN
Welcome to episode 6 of The First Act Break podcast, the show where we dive into the art, business, and hustle of breaking into the film industry. Today, we bring on Zach Shenouda and Ryan Robinson, the director duo who recently had their commercial become top 2 in the world for the Doritos Super Bowl Commercial competition. We chat about their 1000iq marketing strategy, filmmaking journey, and advice for aspiring movie directors.
LIFE AFTER USC FILM SCHOOL | JUSTIN ROH
Today, we bring on Justin Roh a USC film director who recently graduated and is now pursuing his dreams of directing full time. We talk about the what it takes to stay in the industry, his experience at USC, and philosophies about art and life.
HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND FILM CAREER IN 2025 | MAKAYLA LYSIAK
Today, we bring on Makayla Lysiak, an entrepreneur and TV writer/producer who has a large platform on social media to mentor aspiring actors and filmmakers. We talk about how to build a career in the TV industry, her approach to creating a successful Youtube channel, and her philosophies about content creation.