Before taking charge of the death-defying stunts featuring Florence Pugh in Marvel’s upcoming movie, Thunderbolts, Jake Schreier had been a director for commercials, harboring ambitions to break into feature films.
On Tuesday morning, he reminisced about his journey from short films to full-length features while attending a masterclass at the Mediterranean Film Festival in Malta. In doing so, he shared some insights and words of wisdom with upcoming filmmakers present.
OR
During a masterclass session at the Mediterranean Film Festival in Malta on Tuesday morning, he walked down memory lane to talk about his transition from making short films to feature films. Along the way, he offered advice for aspiring directors in the audience.
Held at Fort Ricasoli, a historic site in Malta where movies like “Gladiator” were filmed, filmmaker Joshua Cassar Gaspar led an extensive discussion on various aspects of filmmaking. During this 75-minute session, Schreier was questioned about topics such as stunts, camera angles, visual effects, color grading, music choices, sound design, post-production, casting, editing, and more. This conversation marked the first time Schreier had shared career advice during his recent global press tour.
Throughout his entire professional journey, he has been dedicated to finding work. During his time at film school, where he shared a room with the future director of the Spider-Man series (who will be arriving in Malta later this week), he focused on creating short films with friends. As they neared the end of their education, they stumbled upon commercials and thought, “Ah, that’s something we could do.” This was because it wasn’t clear at all how they would manage to create a full-length movie.
Schreier pointed out that commercials might not seem the most straightforward path for making feature films, but the experience of working on set provided him with essential preparation for what lay ahead. He explained that they didn’t typically excel as commercial directors because they were more focused on concept and storytelling, questioning “What’s the story and how do we tell it?” Commercials are more about stylized execution, and a rigid style tends to work better in this medium. However, he never felt like he had that strong, enforced style.
As a result, he managed to secure plenty of work opportunities, all of which eventually proved beneficial. In his own words, “I can’t recall a single commercial I worked on, not even the awkward ones I’d rather forget, that didn’t teach me something. Every set experience offers some valuable lesson,” said Schreier, whose diverse directing portfolio includes projects like Beef, Minx, Skeleton Crew, The Premise, Dave, Kidding, Paper Towns, music videos for artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Selena Gomez, and Benny Blanco.
When the chance arose for him to direct Robot & Frank in 2012, the financing and availability of lead actor Frank Langella necessitated a rushed two-week preparation period before filming began. “The only way it seemed feasible was because every commercial production offers a similar two-week prep, followed by making something,” he explained. “And this constant experience of working quickly and piecing things together was incredibly valuable.
Reflecting on it now, he stated that two weeks felt “insane,” and if his commercial career had been more prosperous, he would have sought an alternative path. “Despite my initial belief when I agreed that it was likely to end in disaster, I took the risk,” Schreier said. “Every journey or opportunity you embark on isn’t going to be flawless from the start, and it might never be perfect at any point.
Schreier added that it’s important to be discerning but not too discerning.
He shared that throughout his career, he’s often chosen to decline opportunities and be selective, only to find himself spending a lot of time on the couch. However, this doesn’t mean one should blindly accept every opportunity. He feels he’s learned more when he’s actively working rather than idle. This realization has been crucial for his progress. If an opportunity presents itself that seems worth pursuing, remember that there will always be compromises or challenges. These obstacles won’t guarantee success, but they may lead to the big break you’re seeking. It’s about finding the right balance and sometimes taking a leap of faith when the time is right.
Another standout suggestion he offered was regarding the casting process: “Should you manage to secure Florence Pugh, go ahead and do it.
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- EUR CNY PREDICTION
- Pi Network (PI) Price Prediction for 2025
- Hero Tale best builds – One for melee, one for ranged characters
- USD CNY PREDICTION
- USD MXN PREDICTION
- Silver Rate Forecast
- Comparing the Switch 2’s Battery Life to Other Handheld Consoles
- Roblox: Project Egoist codes (June 2025)
- Brent Oil Forecast
2025-06-24 21:24