Slamdance 2025 | A Conversation with Joey Earns Rewards Director Brad Roelandt & Star Clev Dominguez

Hey everyone!

I'm thrilled to share another film festival interview with you. This time, I spoke with Brad Roelandt & Clev Dominguez from the short film Joey Earns Rewards.

Buy tickets for Joey Earn Rewards's Slamdance screenings here.

Joey Earns Rewards is a short that documents Cleveen's unusual marriage proposal at a McDonald's drive-through.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Joey Earns Rewards screened during Slamdance 2025 – stay tuned for my full festival coverage!

Chapters

• 00:07 - Introduction to Brad Roelandt and Clev Dominguez

• 00:35 - Joey Earns Rewards Described: An Unusual McDonald's Proposal

• 00:59 - Brad & Clev's First Time at Slamdance

• 01:26 - Slamdance in LA

• 02:30 - LA's Impact on the Film

• 02:57 - Filming Permits & Restrictions in LA

• 03:35 - McDonald's Filming Restrictions & Creative Workarounds

• 05:17 - Producing a Film for $30

• 06:04 - The Inspiration Behind Brad's Single Take Aerial Films

• 07:15 - Cutting Without Digital Push-Ins

• 07:56 - Audience Takeaways & Reactions from Other Filmmakers

• 09:56 - The Origins of Joey Earns Rewards

• 12:17 - How One-Take Filming Works

• 14:46 - The Equipment That Was Used in the Film

• 16:34 - Clev's Proposal

• 17:41 - What's Coming Next from Brad & Clev

• 20:10 - A Message to Aspiring Filmmakers

• 22:51 - Advice for Film Students

• 24:54 - Goodbyes & Where to Watch Joey Earns Rewards

Prefer audio?

Click below to listen to the full interview or listen on your favorite podcast platform.

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Until next time!