Episode 12 features director Diego Contreras on the topic of “When to Push, and When to Let Go.”  Episode Description: As we set out to achieve our vision as filmmakers, on any given project there are hundreds (if not thousands) of creative decisions; all of which call for varying degrees of 'pushing' and/or 'letting go'. It's how we navigate this dance that not only reveals itself in the quality of our work, but also in our character. Through over a decade of directing ad's for some of the biggest brands, Diego Contreras has learned a thing or two about this delicate dance of 'pushing' and 'letting go.' He'll be the first to say that he doesn't have all of the answers, and he very well may not, but also keep in mind that Diego a super humble guy :) In this conversation we dive into Diego's origins and learn where his grit and convictions were formed. We then dive into the importance of having a vision when creating high-level work, which will lead us into Diego's thoughts & experiences surrounding the balance of 'pushing' and 'letting go' throughout various points in the creative process; pitching, production, and post-production. Diego’s Bio: I'm a commercial and music video director based in Los Angeles and represented by LOVE SONG. Love Song is a production company founded by award-winning director Daniel Wolfe and Kelly Bayett. I've directed spots and branded content for clients such as Apple, Facebook, Ford, Target, Reebok, GE, Lincoln Motors, Stoli Vodka, 23andMe, Blue Moon and Geico. And for agencies including Droga5, Wieden + Kennedy, BBDO NY, BBH, Mother, Venables Bell and Partners, The Martin Agency, Anomaly, Publicis Paris, Hudson Rouge, etc. Before becoming a full-time director in 2015, I worked as an Associate Creative Director and Art Director at agencies such as BBDO NY, Anomaly, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Diego's Website: http://www.thisisdiego.net/ *Variable is a community for filmmakers who prioritize wellness & growth* Join the Variable community via Free Trial today: www.wearevariable.com

Episode 11 features Executive Producer @ Nourish Creative, Ien Chi.  Episode Overview: Sometimes we can get a little too caught up in doing work for others. Whether it’s doing work in order to sustain ourselves financially, or trying to satisfy everyone’s needs on a large scale project - we all know that tiring feeling of doing work that isn’t quite our own. Join Ien in a discussion about how to deal with burnout, and how to come out the other side and re-nurture one’s inner artist - to reignite curiosity, purpose, and passion in both work and life. Ien Chi’s Bio: Former head creative at Jubilee and Mindset at DIVE Studios, Ien is a visionary whose innovative leadership has amassed billions of views and millions of subscribers. His portfolio boasts collaborations with Fortune 100 companies and world-class celebrities. Ien’s passion lies in crafting narratives of profound depth and radical entertainment. Variable is a community for filmmakers who prioritize wellness & Growth. Join the Variable community via Free Trial today: www.wearevariable.com

Episode 10 features SMUGGLER director of sales and management, Erin Wahed, and Dattner Group CEO Fabian Dattner, in a conversation about how internal self-talk impacts our courage and confidence. If any of the topics we discuss in this episode resonate with you, we’d love to invite you into our wellness community for filmmakers at wearevariable.com. We have weekly live events and conversations on topics that rest at the intersection of wellness and filmmaking. This past month we’ve had weekly discussions about coping with rejection, feelings surrounding commercial filmmaking, our monthly wellness accountability call, and a group conversation about how to effectively work with treatment writers. The other thing we’ve been doing recently are weekly working sessions for our personal projects. All in all, it’s just such a lovely group of filmmakers so check us out if any of this resonates. Erin Wahed's bio: At the age of 14, Adobe Photoshop came into my life and blew my mind. It inspired me to pick up a camera so I could capture how I see the world. Through twists and turns, photography led me to becoming a jewelry designer. The pandemic brought baking into my life. Thinking about ingredients like the color wheel is how I cook. Channeling my abstract photography aesthetic, I pour resin. I've always been a salesperson and a connector. What has become clear to me is that all these paths continue to lead to the person I am.  Fabian Dattner's bio: Inspiring leader, ethics commentator, and women’s leadership activist, Fabian is passionate about challenging leadership paradigms, advocates for engaged and collaborative cultures, and gives women the skills to face critical challenges and amplify their leadership role globally.  Dattner Group is one of Australia’s most accomplished and trusted consultancies helping to build sustainable, purposeful leadership for almost forty years.We help leaders and organisations pursue and embrace change for a sustainable future that acknowledges the multifarious challenges we are all faced with and encompasses the full breadth of everything we are capable of. We drive increased self-awareness in leaders at all levels, by examining organisational culture, values, individual preferences and purpose and vision, so that everyone has the passion and skills to influence. Erin’s Personal Website: https://www.erinwahed.com/ SMUGGLER website: www.smugglersite.com  Fabian’s Website: https://dattnergroup.com.au/ Join the Variable community today: www.wearevariable.com

This week we have the opportunity to hear from therapist and post-producer, Saritha Rothermel, on a handful of topics related to therapy, anxiety, filmmaking, and more. For the first half of the podcast, we learn a bit about Saritha and her background and her thoughts on therapy. We then dive into the topic of Anxiety and why so many filmmakers are familiar with it. The last 20 minutes or so of the podcast, Saritha takes us through three different guided mindfulness practices for working through anxiety.  If any of the topics we discuss in this episode resonate with you, we’d love to invite you into our wellness community for filmmakers at wearevariable.com - If you have either tried therapy yourself, or are curious about it, chances are that you vibe well with our community. We hope to see you there. Join the Variable community today: www.wearevariable.com

Whether you are currently in the midst of a slow season, have survived them in the past, or are experiencing one for the first time, one thing is for certain; slow seasons are very real for the mass majority of us filmmakers. In episode #8, we take a deep and personal dive into this topic with cinematographer and Cinematography Salon founder, David Kruta. We are sending a big shout out to David for stepping into this topic because even acknowledging slow periods of work is not something that most working filmmakers willingly choose to do in a public forum. David’s vulnerability and openness on the topic is so refreshing to hear, and we are hopeful that you feel the same way. If you gain anything from the episode, please shoot David a note on instagram @dkruta I hate to date this episode but I do think it's important to note that we recorded it on April 7th, 2023, right at a point where work seemed extremely slow for a lot of people- and still is the case for many of us as of the end of April 2023 when this podcast was released…which is certainly not normal. Despite the challenges of this specific slow season, slow seasons are a constant for the vast majority of us in this industry, so that is at the heart of David and I’s discussion on this episode. With that said; If you want to jump straight into the topic of “surviving slow seasons of work”, skip to around 8 minutes or so. If you want to learn a bit about David, his community Cinematography Salon, as well as a funny story about how David and I initially connected, hang in there with me for a few minutes.  David’s Website: www.DavidKruta.com Cinematography Salon: www.CinematographySalon.com Follow David on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dkruta Join the Variable community today: www.wearevariable.com