The Prelim Podcast I Episode 11 — Lon Takiguchi

Send us Fan Mail This week, on The Prelim Podcast we pivot out of the camera department straight into the AD department. We are lucky to spend time in the new studio with our very good friend and colleague — the illustrious Lon Takiguchi, Assistant Director and sometimes Director extraordinaire! From growing up on a farm in Hawaii with a Beta-Max machine to getting his big break cold-calling B-movie titan Roger Corman, Lon’s path through Hollywood is anything but ordinary. After graduating from Cal Arts, he traded his first 9-to-5 production job working for Bette Middler and Bonnie Bruckheimer for $65-a-day script running gig, and he could not have been happier! He was working and absorbing Corman’s hardcore "whatever-it-takes" hustle—learning to stretch every dollar, and command a set with zero BS from the King of the Cult Cinema in the late ‘90s. The “pinch me” moments lasted a few years but he was blessed to be working on hallowed ground – where Corman helped launch careers of legendary directors like: Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Jonathan Demme and Ron Howard! TV series soon followed and Lon found himself working on hit shows such as Lost, Ugly Betty, Hawaii 5-O, Black-ish, Grown-ish and more! Check out the full episode to hear all about how Lon navigated his blessed career: • The Roger Corman Boot Camp: What working for the King of B-Movies actually teaches you about guerilla filmmaking. • Set Safety & Call Sheet Disasters: The most important job of an AD is set safety and the absolute worst mistakes a 2nd AD can make – the do’s and don’ts of AD life according to Lon are priceless! • The Jump to the Chair: How years of working on the Black-ish set finally led to Lon’s directorial debut on Grown-ish. • Unfiltered Industry Advice: Pure, no-punches-pulled wisdom for crew members looking for longevity in the business. Lon tells it like it is, drops priceless industry lessons, and keeps us laughing the entire time! Whether you're trying to break into the industry or just love hearing the hilarious and educational behind-the-scenes stories, hit play now — your ears (and your career) will thank you! 🎬 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 🎙️ New episodes out every Tuesday 📲 Follow us @ThePrelimPodcast on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok & Twitter 🎬 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 🎙️ New episodes every Tuesday 📲 Follow us @ThePrelimPodcast on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok & Twitter #filmindustry, #crewsetstories, #theprelimpodcast, #hollywoodsetstories, #behindthescenes, #moviecrews, #setlife