Don’t Kill the Messenger welcomes the directing, producing, and writing team of Will Speck and Josh Gordon.

In this episode of Don’t Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz interviews the directing, producing, and writing team of Will Speck and Josh Gordon. This talented duo has made their mark across various media, directing feature films such as Blades of Glory, Office Christmas Party, and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. They’ve also created iconic commercials, including the Geico caveman and gecko campaigns, and ventured into television with their animated series Hit Monkey on Hulu. The pair discusses their journey from film school to becoming successful filmmakers, their experiences with test screenings, and insights into their creative process across different mediums.

Will Speck on partnership with Josh Gordon:

I mean, I know this is going to sound corny. I think our relationship is something that’s the biggest success because I feel like we’ve evolved as people and we’ve gone through so much together and we still feel excited about working together. And I feel like that’s something that I’m really excited about and feels really good.

Film School and an Early Partnership

The duo’s partnership began at NYU film school. Josh recalls, “We became friends in our sort of second year. We were both transfer students into the film program.” Their collaboration started with writing and eventually led to co-directing their senior film. Will adds, “We seem to work so well together. A very strange choice. But we did it and the film was great and got a lot of attention.”

Speck and Gordon’s commercial work, including the famous Geico campaigns, has significantly influenced their filmmaking. Will explains, “We created the Geico gecko and like we had done like a lot of commercials that were really kind of seminal work.” Will goes on, “It’s a fun way to actually meet, as Josh said, the DPs, production designers, and costume designers that we’ve been afforded to work with as a consequence of commercials.”

Upcoming Projects and Industry Outlook

Looking ahead, Speck and Gordon are developing new projects, including an adaptation of “The Wedding People” with Nicole Holofcener. They remain optimistic about the industry’s future despite its challenges. Josh notes:

The industry is always perpetually in bad shape. And you look at some of the greatest movies were made during the worst periods… We now live in a time where there’s a plethora of these things. So yes, it’s hard and it will always be hard, but I think you just have to kind of carve your path and make the movies that you want to make in the best or worst of times.

Will Speck and Josh Gordon offer a unique perspective on navigating the film industry as a writing, directing, and producing duo. Their experience across different mediums – from commercials to feature films to streaming content – demonstrates the value of maintaining a varied portfolio of work while continually pushing creative boundaries and nurturing a productive partnership. For the full conversation, check out the podcast episode here. And let us know your thoughts on the episode in the comments!

Don’t Kill the Messenger, hosted by movie and entertainment research expert Kevin Goetz, brings his book Audienceology to life. This bi-monthly podcast takes a peek behind the filmmaking curtain as Kevin talks with famous filmmakers, studio executives, stars, and other creatives about movies, filmmaking, audience test screenings, and much more.