At NAB 2024, we invited Pro Video Coalition contributor and FilmTools content creator Alec C. Cohen to interview some of his favorite creators from across the industry at the PVC booth. These wide-ranging conversations will cover what it means to be a creator in the modern world, their go-to gear, AI workflows, and more.
danny shepherd
Danny Sheperd (@Ismahawk) is a multi-hyphenate filmmaker based in Las Vegas. After gaining a cult following with his crowdfunded Nightwing Fan Film in 2015, his channel Ismahawk exploded in popularity with increasingly high-quality videos. Currently, Danny writes, directs, stars in, and does visual effects for features, shorts, and commercials. In this roundtable, Danny and Alec discuss several topics related to modern filmmaking, including specialization vs. generalization, how to seize moments of unexpected opportunity, and how to transition from short-form to feature-length content. Masu. You can also find Danny at @dannylashep
Find Danny on YouTube: https://www.youtube.
brady bessette
Brady Bessette (@BradyBessette) is a cinematographer based in Utah. Through the creation of his educational YouTube content, Brady has gained many fans from fellow filmmakers who are invested in his journey. His short films have won awards at international film festivals and he is preparing to shoot his first feature film. In this discussion, we look back at his journey from hobby photography to his high-level DoP, discuss his sprinter, build his van, and touch on the importance of networking.
Find Brady on YouTube: https://www.youtube.
alex hopkins
Alex Hopkins (@lovethebasics) is a content creator based in Las Vegas. After creating over 30 of his YouTube channels throughout his adolescence, he finally found his voice in creating viral breakdowns of his content videos with high production value. Ta. This conversation details his journey, starting with quitting his job at Starbucks and giving himself 150 days to “make it” as a creator. He also talks about how to find the right format for his videos, and some of the videos that took him over four months to create.
Find Alex on YouTube: https://www.youtube.
Jeff Larsen
Jeff Larsen (@jeff.larsen1) is a Utah-based filmmaker and founder of Sipo Studios. During the pandemic, Jeff began creating commercials for Speck products in his bedroom, which led to a full-service studio with a robotic camera control system and Phantom His cameras. Along the way, Jeff has had great success documenting his own journey and has enjoyed every step of the way. In this discussion, Jeff highlights how shooting to spec leads to major brand collaborations, his content journey, and how he built his studio.
Find Jeff on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.
Sipo Studio: https://www.
Philippe Lemoine
Philip Lemoine (@Philip_Lemoine) is a creator and educator based in Hawaii. Despite starting with rollerblading videos, Philip eventually built a full-service wedding videography business. Stuck in his home during the pandemic, he started creating food content. This eventually led to him teaching his followers how to create content, which grew into an incredible business. He is currently building his online chef content course, CookingCreators.com.
Find Philip on YouTube: https://www.youtube.
Cooking Creators: https://www.
william baker
William Baker (@William.H.Baker) is an independent filmmaker based in Michigan. William dropped out of film school and began creating content around his house using his borrowed equipment. His first series “30 Shots in 30 Days'' quickly went viral and he gained a huge number of followers. He continues to create educational film content where everything he touches turns to gold.
Find William on YouTube: https://www.youtube.
Filmmaker Academy
Filmmakers Academy is an online learning platform for filmmakers that is firmly in a league of its own. Founded by ASC cinematographer Shane Hurlbut and his wife Lydia, their platform has built an incredible community of up-and-coming filmmakers and democratized film education. In this conversation with Shane and new CEO Brendan Sweeney, we discuss some of the great services on the platform and future plans for the site.
Filmmakers Academy: https://www.
Tenzin Lasson
Tenzin Lazerson (@TenzinLaz) is a gaffer based in Utah. As he climbed the G&E ladder, he documented his journey and offered free educational videos on TikTok, which led to a cult following. During this discussion, Tenzing talks about building his 2-ton Sprinter van, how he first got the job at G&E, and what he wants to do next.
Find Tenzin on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.
