The Yummy Factor: Behind the Scenes of Food Commercials

🎙 Meet Ben Liebmann, founder of Understory, who’s blending his passion for food and media to help chefs tell their unique stories. In this episode, Ben shares his journey from working on MasterChef to serving as COO of Noma, and finally to creating Understory, where he collaborates with top creators and change-makers to build powerful brands and stories. https://www.understory.tv/ [https://www.understory.tv/] Discover how he combines the worlds of food and storytelling, and the inspiration behind projects like Omnivore with René Redzepi. Tune in for a peek into the art of crafting memorable, culinary-driven content! Find Ben on IG: @benliebmann [http://instagram.com/benliebmann/] Get in touch: @directedbyxander [https://instagram.com/directedbyxander]

🎙 Meet award-winning director Eric Yealland, who’s reinvented himself time and again before finding his sweet spot as a food and tabletop director. In this episode, we dive into the fantasy vs. reality of the director’s chair—what pulled Eric into the world of commercials, the parts he couldn’t stand, and the moments that still make him love the job. Buckle up for a fun, honest chat about the highs, lows, and everything in between! Find Eric on IG: @ericyealland [https://www.instagram.com/ericyealland/] Get in touch: @directedbyxander [https://instagram.com/directedbyxander]

🎙 Meet Steve Starkman, the chip master! He’s the guy behind every Dorito, Lay, or Cheeto you've seen on TV, including some iconic Super Bowl ads. From working with Messi to Walter White, and directing legends like Michael Bay and Spike Jonze, Steve’s got the coolest job in snacks! Tune in for a crunchy chat about how he became the go-to chip guy for the ad world! 🍿🎬 Find Steve on IG: @stevestarkman [https://www.instagram.com/stevestarkman] Get in touch: @directedbyxander [https://instagram.com/directedbyxander]

🎙 Welcome back director Jooris Noordenbos. We talked about the frustrating side working as a commercial table top director and how the process tends to leave little room for innovation and creativity.  Find Joris on IG: @jorisnoordenbos [https://www.instagram.com/jorisnoordenbos] Get in touch: @directedbyxander [https://instagram.com/directedbyxander]

Visual Engineer Steve Giralt [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegiralt/] told me all about his amazing developments at on the forefront of virtual production for table top, including inisane high speed capabilities, "GhostFrame" and the use of AI to create digital worlds at The Garage [https://www.the-garage.tv] 🎬  Get in touch: @directedbyxander [https://instagram.com/directedbyxander]