117. Crafting a Winning Director's Treatment (In-Depth Analysis & Breakdown)

What's going on Rock Nation, today we welcome Duncan Heger! Duncan is a commercial and documentary filmmaker with a focus on storytelling that connects with today’s audiences. From working with Will Ferrell, to creating impactful content for brands like the American Red Cross, Duncan combines tradition with a modern, social-first approach. His work is not just seen - it’s felt and remembered, making a meaningful impression whether on the NFL’s big stage or a coveted film festival.Check out Duncan here:https://www.instagram.com/duncanheger/https://www.duncanheger.com/You definitely need to cop some Lexar Memory Cards and Portable SSDs:Lexar ARMOR 700 Portable SSD: https://bit.ly/4ckNVhzLexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SD Card GOLD: https://bit.ly/3KHgSbMLexar Professional CFexpress Type A Card GOLD: https://bit.ly/3XpUICtLexar Professional CFexpress Type A / SD USB 3.2 Gen 2 Reader: https://bit.ly/3Vda36kThe Creator Pricing Guide - The No BS Guide to Pricing Your Creative ServicesCoupon Code: ROCKNATION10 gets you $10 off at checkout for the bouldershttps://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/pricing-guideCollab with Artlist and get 2 extra months for free here:https://artlist.io/artlist-70446?artlist_aid=the505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=the505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=the505podcast_2970Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsKostas’ Amazon Storefront:https://amzn.to/3GhId2515% OFF Prism Lens FX with code: KOSTAS15https://bit.ly/42sNdejCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE: https://courses.thecreatorcoach.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKTimestamps: 0:00 - Trailer1:48 - Intro3:25 - One Handed Crack4:56 - Gettired Hired to Direct Will Ferrell6:52 - Explaining a Tech Scout7:43 - The Process of Working with a Writer10:12 - “Messi is going to shit his pants when he sees this”10:58 - LAFC X Will Ferrell Spot12:38 - The Lighting Setup13:19 - Gear Used for the LAFC X Will Ferrell spot13:33 - Lexar15:07 - Location of LAFC X Will Ferrell spot15:31 - Duncan’s role in set design16:54 - Fangirling over Will Ferrell18:00 - What it’s like to Direct Will Ferrell19:42 - How Duncan got his start with filmmaking20:54 - Working with people who are more talented than you22:12 - Duncan’s Pre-Production process23:55 - Outsourcing work as a Director25:20 - How Duncan started working with Stadium28:21 - Reviewing a Director’s Treatment29:24 - Duncan’s Inspo Database30:02 - How Danny makes his Director’s Treatments30:38 - Most important pieces for a Director’s Treatment33:01- More about Director Treatment34:05 - Director Treatment Approach35:37 - Look and Feel35:42 - How Duncan got into Documentary Filmmaking37:18 - Script39:05 - Advice for conducting interviews41:14 - Director Treatment: Location42:21 - Knowing when to fight for creative ideas as a Director44:12 - Why Martin Scorsese is the GOAT44:42 - What Duncan has pulled from other sets he’s been on49:35 - Director’s Treatment: Cinematography & Edit50:47 - Explaining a Director’s Cut53:21 - Duncan’s role in the editing process as a Director54:50 - What Duncan would have changed in the LAFC x Will Ferrell spot56:45 - Breaking down a Director’s Reel59:50 - Why Thumbnails are so important1:00:45 - How important Social Media is to Duncan as a Director1:04:30 - Directing Jared Leto1:05:50- Improving with Will Ferrell1:06:33 - What hard skills Directors need to know1:09:18 - Personal goals Duncan has for Directing1:09:49 - How the Film Festival Circuit works1:12:00 - Most important crew members for a set1:13:16 - Duncan’s preference in cinematography styles1:13:59 - How to become repped by a production company1:15:24 - How a Director wins work1:20:17 - How working with Stadium helped Duncan as a Director1:22:33 - Advice to your 18 year old selfIf you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on. YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@kostasgarcia/featuredDM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!) Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/ Chase: https://www.instagram.com/chaseronii/ TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/ Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/