Trading Secrets - 225. Dylan Efron: From economics to film, BTS of the film industry beyond acting, knowing when you hit a passion, and getting comfortable with the uncomfortable

Episode Date: March 10, 2025

This week, Jason is joined by producer, host, social media influencer and outdoor enthusiast,  Efron! Many of you may know Dylan as being the brother to Zac, but what you may not know is that Dylan has established a career unbelievably for himself in Hollywood in all different directions, in a lot of directions behind the camera. Dylan has been part of film crews on movies such as A Star is Born, Ready: Player One, Unforgettable, American Sniper, Get Hard, Jersey Boys, and much more. In addition to his behind the scenes crew work, Dylan has started working on various projects including his venture with his brother on the hit Netflix series, Down to Earth!  Dylan dives in bringing his dog everywhere, his shift from economics to film, and how he stands apart from his brother in the industry. He highlights the importance of internships, hands-on experience, and behind-the-scenes roles, along with his stunts work and memorable celebrity encounters. Dylan shares how he was offered a year’s salary for a single script, why he left a secure 9-to-5 studio job, and how he stopped chasing qualifications in favor of following his passions. He also discusses the differences between freelance film work and studio jobs, working with sponsors on social media, and the importance of trusting a team that wants you to succeed. Dylan unveils all this and so much more in an episode you can’t afford to miss! Host: Jason Tartick Co-Host: David Arduin Audio: John Gurney Guest: Dylan Efron Stay connected with the Trading Secrets Podcast!  Instagram: @tradingsecretspodcast  Youtube: Trading Secrets Facebook: Join the Group All Access: Free 30-Day Trial  Trading Secrets Steals & Deals! AquaTru:  AquaTru purifiers use a 4-stage reverse osmosis purification process, and their countertop purifiers work with NO installation or plumbing. For 20% OFF any AquaTru purifier, go to AquaTru.com and enter code “TRADINGSECRETS” “ at checkout.  Zola: Zola is a wedding planning brand for modern couples. We’re not just there for THE day—we support our couples from the day they get engaged to the day they get married, and beyond. Start planning at Zola.com Strawberry.me: Feeling uncertain about what’s next in your life or career? You’re not alone. Life can be overwhelming—big decisions, changing relationships, or just trying not to make a mistake. Strawberry.me will assess your needs and connect you with the perfect coach for you. Visit Strawberry.me/TRADINGSECRETS and take charge of your future with the help of a certified coach with 20% off your first month. Upside: The free Upside app gets you cash back on daily essentials like gas, groceries, and dining. To get started, use promo code tradingsecrets and get an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas.

Welcome back to another episode of Trading Secrets. I'm your host, Jason Tardick, and welcome to the pre-market trading segment, where I'm going to tell you a little bit about what you can expect today from our guest and a little update from my personal life. Let's just go right to the update. I am sitting here in an RV, a 24-foot RV. Going cross country from National Tennessee to New York. As you guys know, I got my baby boy, Teddy, the beauty himself.

I rescued him from wags and walks. We'll do a full episode on that. But I had a prior commitment in New York City to speak at TikTok headquarters. So I got the boy with me. Me and Teddy are going to check out the city. See if it's a fit for him or not. You know what I mean? We'll see a little foreshadowing.

And John Gurney and I are going cross country. Now, stay tuned to the recap. We'll talk more about that. And of course, we will recap this episode, which is what I'm so excited about. We have Dylan Ephronon. Dylan just won traitors. Now, what's interesting is you're going to hear Dylan on a lot of podcasts right now because

he just won. But the stuff you're going to hear today is stuff you're not going to hear in any of the podcasts. We get into the specifics of what his career track was like. Behind the camera, producing, how much are they making, what it was like being on set with Bradley Cooper and many others. The stories are incredible. the numbers are shared and let me also tell you about this episode we have been sitting on it for a little bit

so we recorded this episode probably over a year ago and that's what we do with this podcast we're talking about this in recap we'll do evergreen episodes and then we'll do some episodes that are very timely to something that's happening immediately and so this one we are waiting for the right time it is I'm telling you that the wisdom he drops in this podcast are just phenomenal and then in the recap, you're going to hear a little bit more about, you know, just some of the behind the scenes and things that I think you'll look forward to. We're, you know, we're calling it the recap slash safe space now. But that's a little update for my personal life.

I am doing this from the RV and we got to get back on the road and Teddy's ready to go. So I am going to cut this intro short. Please, as always, remember to give us five stars and please subscribe to the podcast. When you hit that, it helps a lot. And remember, you can watch this full episode on YouTube. But enough of that. Let's ring in the bell with the one. only Dylan Efron. Welcome back to another episode of Trading Secrets. Today we are joined by

producer, host, social media influencer, and outdoors enthusiast Dylan Efron. Yes, many of you may know Dylan as being the brother of Zach, but what you may not know is that Dylan has established a career unbelievably for himself in Hollywood in all different directions. And a lot of directions on the other side of the camera. Dylan has been part of film crews on movies such as A Star is Born. Ready Player 1, Unforgettable, American Sniper, it's one of my favorites. Get Hard, Jersey Boys, and much more. In addition to his behind-the-scenes crew work, Dylan has started working as a producer

on various projects, including his most recent venture with his brother on the hit Netflix series Down to Earth. Today, we are going to discuss what life is behind the camera, all the different avenues that he's explored. And if something that sounds really cool for you at home, how you can actually get into it And then also, how Dylan has taken his outdoor passion and also turned it into a little bit of a lucrative opportunity through social media. Dylan, thank you so much for being here. We are excited to have you.

Yeah, thanks for having me. And not only do we have Dylan, we have Bowie here, right? Yeah, booey, my dog. Bowie is a, and it's a mixed rescue, right? Yeah, he's a little German Shepherd rescue maybe about two years ago. I love it. And do you bring Bowie everywhere with you? I have to, yeah.

Wow. So I come with a plus one everywhere. It is so cool. Do you have to have Bowie registered as a service dog? No, I just, I do it and then ask for forgiveness, if that makes sense. It's shocking how many places just let my dog come in. It's like, I'll go to a restaurant. I used to tie him up outside, and then I just started taking him in, and everyone's like, oh, he's so cute. It's like, yeah, I don't ask permission anymore.

I love it. I love it. That's good stuff. Okay, let's get your career track is wild. Even when I just read that resume, the stuff you're doing from hosting to social media, to working behind the scenes of all those films. Is this what you expected out of your career? No way. What did you expect? When I was first leaving college, I was going to go into economics,

and I had a job lined up to go to Sacramento and wear a suit every day and show up to work. What was the job? I don't even remember at this point. It was just like it would have been probably like data analysis or something in Sacramento. I just remember I saw all the photos. Everyone's in suits and stuff.

I just, economics was the only thing in school that I actually really liked. So I was like, I want to do this. Gotcha. And, yeah, I was so close to doing that. And then the place I interned at Warner Brothers was like, if you want to work here, you got a spot. So I did a 180, got into the film industry, was still doing the stuff I learned in school, but in a whole different field than I expected. Gotcha. With your brother being Zach, did you ever think about, like, I'll take acting as a career too, or was that never in your career trajectory?

No, yeah, so acting was so far from me Zach was just an actor Like it was so clear he was in plays He loved the tension I was like I was so shy I was so shy I wanted to play every sport possible Like I was just outside all day with my friends Where he shined in that world I was like the completely opposite

So I never wanted to step on that I don't know I was stoked for him that he was an actor But it wasn't for me Yeah you guys had like sounds like a huge You guys had your lanes. You knew what you wanted. You knew his strengths. You knew your strengths.

And you took the lane that was best for you. Yes. And that's evolved as I've gotten older. I've gotten more comfortable with the camera and stuff. But it was, I think that's why I naturally gravitated to being behind the camera. Because I was still in the industry, but I was like, I don't have that charisma and that maybe need for attention. I was never like that.

So I was like, I'm happy behind the camera. I can control so many aspects of what shows up on screen from behind. So that always appealed to me. That's cool. But in general, like even to this day, if you are, because now you're starting to do some hosting stuff, and your social media presence is awesome. Do you, when you're in front of the camera, does that still feel like a little bit of sense of, it's just not a comfortable place for you, but you do it anyway?

I think I really took on this perspective of like maybe leaning into things that make me uncomfortable. And in life in general, I think it's so easy. That was almost me growing up as a person. I was so young to be like, look, I'm not good at that, so I'm going to stay away from it. Instead, as I've gotten older, everything that makes me uncomfortable, I realize maybe there's something there, and if I push into it, I'll change for the better. So I think that was more like me as a kid not knowing myself, and I would see something that was scary or daunting and run from it. I think that's a great piece of advice for, like, anybody no matter where you are at home in life. I want to ask a little bit about this, because being someone that doesn't love being in front of camera, there could be like a little bit of a stage fright scenario.

I think people aren't probably back home listening to this every day posed with the opportunity to be in front of a big camera. But they have performance issues or stage issues when it comes to interviews or being in big conference room meetings or giving a sales pitch or even some people that are like going on a date. So someone that like yourself who kind of likes being behind the scenes, when you are in front of it, when you are on stage, do you have like one Dillard trading secret that a piece of advice someone could like emulate that you've been. able to emulate not being comfortable in that position? I'd say my one piece of advice is that I'm not trying to be anyone that I'm not. So I think you see people who are so naturally talented. Like my brother, he's on screen and he's just thriving. So it's easy to want to emulate his big presence and all that stuff when really that's

not who I am and that's not who I'm trying to be. So I think always just tying it back to like be happy with who you are and that if you're genuine people might be interested. So whenever I get nervous that I'm like, maybe I'm not qualified to talk here. It's not my job to be qualified. I'm like, I'm myself. So when I get up there, I'm just like, I'm not being anyone but myself. If I stutter, if I say something stupid, that's why I am. That's who you are. Take it or leave it. And especially in a world, especially with social media and everything, I think so many people, they see the other post, they see what's working for someone else. So they're like, I'm just going to emulate it. And when

you're emulating it, you can't be the best version of you. And what's funny is, now more than ever you're seeing the people that are maybe nervous on camera or they do stutter over their words or whatever and that is becoming more relatable and that relatability is creating vulnerability and then they're actually performing better than the people that are trying to do

all the like I want to be like him type vibe totally I think once I started accepting that my content but like I would always try to hit these like one line cue card type like hit beats and stuff I'm like I can't do it so once I started just playing all the blue and just people seeing how stupid I am. Like, that's what people liked.

I was like, oh, this is great. I love that, honesty. Okay, let's talk about working behind the camera. Some of these movies are just huge, right? Like a star is born. I'm instantly thinking, Lady Gaga, I mean, Ready Player Born, Unforgettable Chips. I mentioned the account in American Sniper. How, if someone says, like, I don't really love what I'm doing,

the idea of getting into a place where I'm behind the scenes, and I could work on sets like this. How does someone break into this industry? Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me was I decided to intern when I was in college, and that paved the way for everything. So I just, it's so hard because everyone's in different situations, but for me, I met as an intern. I was just friends of friends and everything like that in a field that I wasn't even interested in. But I took that opportunity, and that led to when college was finished up. I got to work for him full time.

And I think it could be any industry, but, like, finding someone that cares about you. Like, I really looked at my boss. Like, he'll laugh if he hears this, but, like, I called him dad a few times. Like, it was, like, that kind of relationship. Like, I would hang up the phone and say, like, oh, thanks, dad. I might have even said love you a few times. Like, I really looked at him as my dad, and I really wanted to, like, please him. I wanted to do my best for him.

So I think he took me under his wing, and that was really what happened. I could have just been working this 9 to 5 in a desk job locked away, doing all his grunt work. But instead, this, my boss, Ravi, he just wanted to show me everything and wanted me to be there for everything. He wanted me to be in Video Village when they're giving notes. He was asking me for notes. And it was just that ability to be so inclusive at such a young age. So I really give it all to him. It's like somehow I lucked into meeting someone that wanted to show me the way.

And I think if you have a boss that isn't like that, then maybe. look for a different job. That is a hell of a piece of advice. I know there's a lot of people out there that do have bosses like that and there's just some of these bosses these days are just so self-absorbed with their results and then they'll poach your ideas not give you credit for it. If you don't have someone that's looking out for you, it's going to be tough to find your way. One thing I want to talk about finding your way, economics major. I've been on some of these sets and you see the complication between the audio and the cameras and the moving. It seems so wide. I was surprised that your degree wasn't in film. We talked a little bit of a before I just said for clarification. How much education does someone need unlike the audio or the camera work before they could ever be qualified for a job like this without studying it at school? Oh, I think more than ever it's just hands-on experience. If you get into the film industry, like you don't need a college degree. If you can find someone like my boss to take you under their wing, it's like the people they get started in the film industry early, they're learning so much. in the field. If you start as a PA and you meet someone in stunts, it's like if a stunt guy takes

you under your wing, you can be in the union by the time you're 20 and just be like working on huge feature films and stunts. And like, there's so many different departments, but all of it is that hands-on experience. You can go to film school for four years and not learn anything when it comes to your first movie. And I think that has to do with the film acting world, et cetera. But I think that has to do with almost every industry right now. I don't think you could be a doctor or not like that, right? But there are certain industries you just need the experience. Yeah.

One thing I'm curious about, which I'm actually Googling right now, is you mentioned union. One thing we always hear about is what the big actors are paid. You see, Rock has paid, Dwayne Johnson made this much on this movie. How, what's like earning potential for the people behind the scenes? And you mentioned union. Like, how does that exactly work for people who have no idea about the industry? Yeah, there's a lot of unions that protect these workers, and there's a lot of money behind the camera.

Are there really? Yeah. There's a lot. Transpo, like, there's so many different units of these films, and it's, a movie takes three months to film, so it's like, you're making a really good rate. There's so many cool jobs. Like, this was, like, part of my job. I would look at everybody's rates, because I would have to sign all these deal memos and

stuff. So, I'm like, I'm looking at what the boom op makes, and it was like, they're making, I don't know, at the time, it was like $70 an hour or something like that. To operate the boom. And I'm like, dude, that isn't this a cool? The coolest job ever? Like, you just get yoked holding this thing. You're, like, in the scene with the people, like the rock or whatever.

They're right here, and you're just putting this thing. Like, I was like, that's the coolest job ever. But there's a lot of money behind the camera, especially once you get to those big movies. And the more technical, I assume, the more you're going to get paid. Totally. Within, you said you have this, like, list of all these different roles, which are, like, the most technical and which are getting paid the most behind the camera. Oh, the DP makes a ton of money.

And for someone's, most people are going to hear that, and they're going to hear D.P. So, explain it. Director of photography. There you. Yeah. So they make a lot of money justly because they're, like, so important. A director's, most directors have a great vision, but they can't execute what the actual look is. And that's where the DP is just controlling the film.

So they make a lot of money. I love it. So you talked a little bit about, like, the DP, the photography. And how much did you say, like, DP would make around? Like, if you have guessed. I've seen them make, like, 25K a week. 25 pounds like you can make a lot of money and deep you're just doing photography behind the scenes not photography like you're the main person off like controlling

the look of the film so you might not be operating the A cam but you have your team under you the A cam B cam C cam whatever it is and you're controlling everything there's you're setting up the shots you're doing like all right we need a tight we need a wide we need a cool like one shot like they're really creating this movie with with the director got it so I mean that That's a massive role. It's an important job. That's how little I know about this industry.

I'm like, oh, what are they taking for? Photos? Go ahead. So these are all unionized jobs, so really every department makes a lot. Like, I work stunts still. Like, I'll do it in the background sometimes, and I'll hop on a film, and it's just like, I can make a thousand bucks in a day. It's like...

Interesting. They all have unions, and they all have, like... They value your time, and you're... So it's nice, yeah, there's a lot of money in it. Okay, I'm being like... I'm being the voice viewer here, because I just don't know a lot about the industry. You say. I work in stunts.

What does that mean? I don't do it full time. If there's a movie happening and like a stunt coordinator is one of my good friends. So if there's a show happening, they film in like Manhattan Beach Studios and I'll hop in and work a week of stunts a day. So like last year I probably worked like 25.

Okay, this is the way my little finance brain is breaking this down. You're working stunts. But I always thought we talked a little bit about you being behind the camera. You're not like a stunt actor, are you? Yeah, this time I actually had a talking, Like my boss kind of threw me into the fire.

He's just like, come in shaved or something like that. I was all right. And he's like, you're talking today. And I just laughed. And I was like, no, you're like, you have a line. And I had to say some stupid line. But it's like, it was great because you're just like a hired worker. It's not like I was paid to act or whatever.

I just showed up and did my best. And did you have to do like a stunt? I'm imagining like you get like thrown off a bridge. Like did you have to do anything like that? So I'm not that good at stunts. Like some of the people that I work with are so good. Like I normally am like the guy who like pulls a gun and just gets blown up Or like running down the hall and I die like so most most of times I just end up dying about 50 times a day

One line you die for a thousand bucks a day not terrible. It's really fun and I think the best parts of stunts are like the people I don't know you find your community like every single person I've worked with in stunts is like Same as me so like they just love nature they're out on their bikes every weekend. They're like So when I go there, I'm just meeting friends left and right. So I do it mostly just because I like that community. They're fun. That's really cool. The people that are like the Tom Brady's or the Michael Jordans of the stunt world,

like the best of the best. What are the, like, how much do they get paid per day when they do a set or shoot? I think when you're really good at stunts, the pathways that you become like a stunt coordinator. So because stunts, you get beat up. So you don't want to do it your whole life, really. Some people do, but a lot of the best ones will then turn on to stunt coordinating. So they're actually coordinating all the stunts. They know what looks good.

They can hire their people underneath them. And then if they're really good at stunt coordinating, they can get into like second unit directing or directing. Okay. There are lifelong stunt guys. But if you're 60, it's a dangerous job to be doing. So I think everybody tries to move out of it and turn into stunt coordinator or something like that. And do stunt coordinators get paid similar to DPs? Not, not, no.

Not as much. No, but you can still, you can make a lot of money in that. You can make a good living doing that. Yeah, think of that. Like, I'm a day player stunt, and I'm making $1,000 a day. Like, if you're working on a film full-time at a higher capacity, I don't know how much it would be, but you could live comfortable, comfortable, blah, blah, blah.

Actually, we're going to keep it in. We already said, you've got to own it. All right, keep it in. All right. Now, what about behind the scenes? What are some of the things you've done from, like, I know all the different moving parts of what's happening behind the scenes. What was your role in some of these movies behind the scenes? Most of those were from, like, feels like a different life at this point.

But all those big feature films, I was really kind of a production coordinator is what my actual title was. But I was really a producer's assistant, too. Like, I was just my producer's right-hand man. And most of my work would come before the film was released. So I would make like the preliminary schedules, the preliminary budgets, I'd work with the budgeting team. I would hire key crew with my boss. So it was like I was doing all their contracts and negotiating with the agents. So we're really assembling the movie before it actually shoots.

So then once the project would start shooting, my boss would go on as a producer and I would just be there with him. And we would still be tracking the money, making sure we're on budget, making sure the schedule is going to, according to. to plan like it was it was kind of that role if that makes sense okay gotcha and i know you said it seems like a little bit of a lifetime ago because there's the other things we're going to transition to for sure but with some of these movies there are some like really big big actors in them at any point do you are you working and working and hustling and you're looking like oh my god that's what you got got or is the crew like that or is everyone trained to just be like we're all people here just do your job yeah I think I think people are we'll let them be for

sure like it's not they're not trying to get autographs if they're on working on oh yeah so people are pretty good at controlling their stardom but yeah it would happen for sure like it's man it's sometimes it's like a small side character like I was working on a star is born all the sudden Dave Chappelle showed up and like that's so cool so he's just like outside smoking cigarettes and we're all like in the same thing outside crafty I'm just like asking him questions it was like so little things like that are pretty cool but that's cool I was going to ask you what so other than the Dave Chappelle which is a great story do you have like a funny story about an interaction of working on a show with someone that is like memorable to you

yeah so Bradley Cooper I really liked on a Star is born I what I liked most about him is he really valued everyone's input if we're in a room right now he would literally look at at you and say like what do you think about this this scene and you'd say what what you think go to the next person, like look you in the eye, and he would get everybody's advice, which I thought was so interesting, and he's just taking in everyone's thoughts. Sometimes you look at me, I'd be like, oh, God, like, what do I say here? But I think it was cool that he valued everyone's opinions, and he knew it was a group effort to make this movie.

That's brilliant. The people that are the best of what they do know how to take feedback, and, like, I think, know how to filter what's good feedback and what's not, and that's really, really cool to hear. And then, Dax Shepard was super memorable because he would always just give me shit. he's like he's a funny guy he's like so i don't know i don't always just have my head down minding my business the next thing i'm like the butt of a joke but it was always like kind sure and stuff like that he's just got like a really funny sense of humor yeah and like so working with him was

always just fun a lot of laughs and stuff like that that is really cool great stories hawk i'm gonna ask dylan about some of the scripts he's written do you have any questions behind the scenes everybody this is hawk kurt the hawk jameson a best friend let's go so dylan i do you have a question for So you mentioned all the different parts of the industry you've been involved, and you talked about starting as an intern and how important it is to find mentors and people taking you under your wing. If you wanted to pivot in the industry to a different avenue or to a different role within the industry that you've never done before, how would you recommend doing that from a networking

perspective? Is it people that you know, is it conferences, is it events, like what's your take on networking throughout the industry to get yourself the opportunity to do things you've never done before? That's a great question from Hoff Jameson. So if you were on a movie, like, that's kind of what a PA is. Like, you're an assistant on this movie, and you're there to, I don't know, like you have a lot of grunt work.

You might be getting coffee, whatever it is. But really, like, your job is, if you want to grow, is to talk to these different departments. Like, go make friends with the stunt guys. Go make friends with the transpose and ask them questions. And, like, I remember once I went, I asked my boss if I could go with the transpo people to, like, Lake Arrowhead. and like move some stuff, just because I wanted to hang out with them

and see what this department was all about. And like, I remember being shocked at how much these transport guys made for driving every day. It was just like, at the time I was like, dude, this is the chillest job ever. Like, you didn't need a college degree, didn't need anything, you could just start driving at 18, be in the union and like work locally,

one movie a year and just like have a house. I was like, this is sick. So I think it's really that networking and just like seeing the different departments and asking questions and seeing what appeals to you because yeah they'll talk about it like that's not I don't I don't really know I think everyone's open to sharing what they've learned and stuff like that so that was my follow-up question how open is that industry like is it

very welcoming and like sharing or is it very like tight-knit and it's very difficult to like break into from a various ventry perspective and I want to add on to that too because like okay so PAs they're like in the bachelor world they're called handlers right so they would they would literally just walk you to room to room if you needed like a bite to eat, they would get you a bite to eat, but they got to see and network with everyone. Totally. The example to even that question, someone's at home right now.

Hawk says, you know what, side gig, I don't care that I'm not going to make anything because they're not paid well. No. Right, they're not paid well. But how do you get even that job that's like, you know, literally the bottom of the totem pole, where does someone go to get a job like that? It must be connections. Like I wish I could say, but like I'm trying to even think on down to earth.

So your DMs. So you're going to get like a 500 DMs at the time. Yeah, I think that's honestly the way. I feel like it's mostly through a friend, like all of a sudden you'll get an email being like, hey, if down to earth three happens, like, well, you look at my cousin's daughter or whatever it is. And so you get little resumes here and there, but I think you have to just put feelers out like that. So I honestly don't know. It's been so long since I was in that situation. So there we go.

Do you have any other follow? No, Dylan, I appreciate the contacts immensely. Thank you again. I love it. Do you have any more questions, Hawk? You come on in. Okay, I did... I'll bombard you for sure.

While Hawk was asking, I did actually Google this, PA jobs in L.A. And there are certain firms out there, like recruiting firms, it looks like, that are responsible for finding PAs. And so if you do Google, I think you can find the right recruiting company out there that'll get you. This one actually says compensation is $200... $200 is a... daily rate for a 12-hour day. And you're probably not going to be on a big feature film your first

time. So you're going to have to take some of these little music video gigs or little small time shorts that are college students. Like you're going to have to work at some of those just to get your feet in the ground. Exactly. But listen, that is the question we get most as we hear these cool things. How do I get into it? I think the point is, it's just like you said about getting internships. Like you have to be willing to put in that grit. It might be 200 bucks a day. But one introduction in that time could change the entire trajectory of your career. Yeah. All right, let's get into, you've written scripts for various projects.

You've kind of done, your stunt guy, your film guy, PA guy, and now another thing you do is right. So you've written scripts for various projects, one of which sold to the Lifetime Channel. Are you allowed contractually to say which one that was? It never came out. It never came out. Okay, what was it about? It was like a quick summary. Did you, there was a movie that, the reason it didn't come out was there the same movie was written, essentially, and it had like star power.

on it. It was that love triangle that happened in space. Okay. Yeah. I must have missed that one. You're a big movie guy. Anybody see love triangle in space out there? I think it was called pale blue dot or something like that. Okay. Got it. And so it was a similar, it was too close. Very similar to that. Yeah. Got it. Okay. So then, all right. When, when something, but they did buy it. Yeah. So, so I guess this is kind of cool. So I was probably working at that studio job for about five years. And I realized that I wasn't really happy. I would like, I want to to be a triathlet. I wanted to be outside.

I was tired of being in a nine to five. So I took up on myself to just look at other opportunities. So while I'm working there, I'm going home and I'm writing scripts. And I'm like, I just fell in love with the ability to create a new world and take people there. When they read my script, they could also night, like by reading something I wrote,

I built this world that someone else got to see. And then they would give notes and stuff. And it was just a really like, really fun escape for me. So I started writing scripts as maybe in an avenue to leave my job. And then once I actually wrote a good script, it started to get some momentum. And then Lifetime Channel hired me to write a script. So from my perspective, I was five years into this job.

I wasn't that happy with this trajectory. And I could make the same amount of money in a year of working at Warner Brothers in this one script that's going to take me two months to write. If it gets bought. No, because they hired me. So it was like, hey, we want you to write this script. I was like, how much am I going to get paid? And it was about equal to what I would make in a year at Warner Brothers. So I was like, okay, if I take this opportunity,

it'll take me two, three months to write this script. I'll have 10 months of free time that I could work on being a pro triathlete, that I can work on other stuff. So I was just like, once I had this out, I was like, okay, jump on this opportunity. And so when you write the script two, three months, even if the script, my New York's coming out, even if the script sucks, like you still will get paid that. So there's no like incentive base. Like it's got to sell. You only get paid 50% if it doesn't sell. It's just like here's your fee. Go write it. It sucks. We're throwing it out. Yeah. And it was like I got

paid like maybe 50% for signing the deal. Then 25% on my first draft. And then I'll get paid like the last 20. I don't know how many percentages. I just didn't. the last 25% on my final draft. So, like, it's a stage process like that. Got it. And that's exactly so. I had a book that came out. It's the same exact thing. You get the advance, and then you get the day you sign it, you get a percentage. The day they accept the transcript. You get a percentage. When it's published, you get a percentage, so it's the exact same thing.

On average, what would you say? For when you're writing a script like that, how many pages is it? Yeah, the easiest way to look at it is, like, a minute per page. So if a movie is an hour and a half, that's going to be 90 pages. Got it. So most scripts are around like 100 to 120 for two-hour movie. It's 120 pages. And you're writing like, you're literally writing characters. Jason would say this, Dylan would say, and you're doing all that.

By yourself. No one else. No, and like on that one, I ended up hiring a buddy to like polish it for me. But yeah, it was, it's a fun. And the best part about screenwriting is, let's say you, tried to go from A to B and you thought this was going to be the right path, but it wasn't. It's not like you're writing a book and have to delete like 10,000 words that you wrote. It's like you're just deleting a little bit.

It's not the end of the world when you have to do revisions on a script. Got it. When someone is writing a script for like a huge show, like let's go to some of the shows your work done, right? Like a star is born. The person that wrote that script, are they then getting paid some type of royalty or percentage because this became as big as it. Yeah, I think so. And that's the whole, like, I never got into the, it's called like the Writers Guild.

Yes. Yeah, so I never actually got into that. Okay. But if you do get into the Writers Guild and you have a few screenplays you sold or whatever, and like you're really going into this world, you're protected, you get insurance, you get royalties, you get all that stuff. So again, that's another unionized job in the film industry. Okay.

Of the three things so far we've talked about, behind the scenes, writing, and then doing like stunt work and being in front of the camera. a little bit. Which one of those three do you have the most desire to pursue when you look down the road? Right now those are all kind of behind me. Yeah, so I think it's more like I want to keep

producing and hosting shows, like travel shows and that kind of thing. So I'd say it's mostly hosting. Okay, so mostly hosting, but the next move of yours wasn't producing, right? And that's where down to earth came in? Yeah. Okay, tell everyone a little bit

about down to earth and how your production role came into process. Real quick, I did want to say, like, probably the one thing I kind of glossed over it, but I would say the biggest advice, the biggest thing that I did that was cool and all of this was taking the initiative to write behind the scenes when I was working a 9 to 5. Like, I didn't want to just quit my job and then have three months to write something and try to sell it. Like, I really waited until I was writing and grinding in the background, trying to get some other opportunity. And then once that opportunity came, I left.

But I think that was a really important moment for me because I was on this trajectory of a 9 to 5 the rest of my life. I was making like 70K a year. And that moment when I left, I still look as one of the biggest decisions in my life because it was just this studio, safe living life that could have been 40 all of a sudden when I blinked. And then I still, to this day, look at that.

that 70K is like my benchmarker. It's like right now I left that life of studio 9 to 5 life, that comfortable life that I would be making 70K. As long as I can make 70K and what I do now, it's worth it because it's like I love my life. I love how much I get to enjoy this like this functional travel life that I've created. And if I can make 70K, I'm stoked. So it's like I think I think that moment was just such a big moment for me.

it only happened because I had the desire to like find an out. So writing was that out for me, I guess. And when you, so when you're finding that out, because I think a lot of people listening to this are stuck in a nine to five. They don't know how to find the out. How did you identify what the out was? How did you know it? Like, when did you say it's going to be writing?

And writing is not a hobby. Writing is a hobby, but writing could be a profession too. Like, how'd you identify that? Yeah, gosh. It's interesting because I think I always wanted to It's so many lessons that I've learned that I don't I like I'm remembering now that I've learned But it's like I think it was really important to me to have a

A title to who I am if that makes sense So like I wanted to be a producer And then that was what was going to be who I am Like that defines me So I was always looking for that I wanted to be a producer I'm like oh well maybe I want to be a writer I was like a writer would be awesome Because then I can work wherever I want

and then I wanted to be a triathlet and I was, I think I really wanted just, I was trying to put a hat on myself to like box me in and like I thought that would define who I am and I think what I learned through that process was if I just do what I'm passionate about I was passionate about riding, I was passionate about triathlon

I was passionate about the outdoors like leaning into those passions and who I am were all opportunities the more I stopped trying to box myself in and build who I am around my career and just lean into who I am and then that was when I really discover my brand, what I stand for and all that stuff.

Well, I think society teaches us to like, well, what do you want to be when you grow up? And what are you going to study to be that? And put that hat on it, put you in the box and wrap that box up with a bow and go have a great life. And I think the biggest take, what I'm taking from you is like

when you pursue your passions in all different directions, not in the system or box that life tells you to put it in, you have no idea what monetary options or monetization options come from it. I see a lot of your outdoor stuff. I've also seen a lot of the stuff, and I know talking to evidence stuff, with aspiration, right?

So you have an aspiration bank who is a very solid, common ground, and mission to the things you like, and then there's a company out there that sees that this guy is what our mission is, let's pay and work together. That just comes from an opportunity of you being yourself and pursuing

your own passion so yeah yeah i think there's there's a lot to take away from that yeah i think again like i i i was trying so hard to be a professional triathlet i was going down that road because i was like that's that's who i am and i wasn't happy i was like i was skinny i was like not necessarily healthy and then in the background i was always posting all the stuff that i love to do it was like i was just rock climbing and like with friends doing stupid stuff in rivers and like traveling so I would just like could see it on social media I was like I would finish an iron man at my time at my age I was like this is the best thing I've ever done I just did an iron man I got second my age division and posting about it and it's like no one cares I was like why do I care

so much I'm like what am I trying to prove by doing this iron man and then it's like a photo of me in Nepal all of a sudden it's doing twice as good and I'm like people like what is authentic to me. Like, why am I trying to force myself into being a writer, force myself into being a triathlet when I can just be myself and there's just going to be opportunities that way? So you notice that the things that you were doing and posting because you felt like people would be impressed or like it, that wasn't resonating with people as much as posting the things you truly just love? Yeah, because I was trying to prove myself. I think I was so desperately, like, trying to prove I was good enough. Like, I wanted to be a pro, like a pro in something. I wanted to feel.

qualified to do this when really like once I stopped chasing that and looked at what am I actually passionate about I'm passionate about the environment about living outside and like enjoying your life and once I really started learning new things that's one of the biggest things I preach is like not being afraid of trying new things and like I think once I started like leaning into that instead of trying to fit myself in the box that's when my brand really kind of took hold and I I realized who I am as a person. And I got a lot of confidence from that. That's strong insight.

I think it's strong insight for a lot of people looking for career direction. One thing I can't pass over, triathletes. You mentioned this a couple times, like, I wanted to be triathletes. Can you make money as a triathlete? That's one of the reasons I stopped. Aren't you usually paying more money than getting paid? And so the better I got at triathlon, the worst I got at everything else. Like my rock climbing was at an all-time low.

Got really good at swimming, biking, and running. Everything else struggled. But how would the triathlete make money? By winning races. And what do they win? If you win, you might 25 to 10K if you, like, win a big race. Okay. So you're making it through that and through sponsors.

But you're putting in how many hours of work to win that 25K? Oh, it was crazy. I was, you're running probably 25 to 30 hours a week. Wow. You're biking equivalent. And, yeah, it was just all my free time went into cardio. Okay. So it's not really like a sustainable.

I'm going to make a living off this. No. Okay. And I think that realizing that was good for me. Yeah, I understood. All right, but then you move into production. I'm glad you brought that up. So thank you for sharing that.

Especially, I think that's really cool that you, like, you knew you were making 70K at Warner Brothers, and you're like, this is what I have to make. I'm going to do whatever it takes. But to get there, I'm going to do it while I'm working there. That's really good advice. Okay, down earth you get into production work. Does production work for people out there wondering,

does that pay more than the other areas that you were in when it comes to filming? Yeah, I think it's that move from, I was studio, so I was getting paid weekly. What does that mean? I was a studio job, like I was working at Warner Brothers. Okay. So it was more of that 9 to 5 structure, and then once I left, I went to freelance. Okay. So freelance does make more money.

It's just you have to deal with that uncertainty of your next paycheck. Because once that show's done producing, you're done getting paid. For sure. So you work project to project. And a lot of the film industries that way, too. Like you work on a star is born, but then once that movie's done, you're done. Yeah, what's my next movie? So you make more money through freelance, but it's also a lot.

It can be, yeah, it can be a mind trip for a lot of people because you just don't have that certainty of your next project. How many hours when you're producing a show like down to earth are you working in a week? That you're kind of working just when everything comes down. Yeah, like, or wait, so what was your question? Like, I'm really curious about the industry, just the professional. of being a producer what the hours look like so I got paid like a flat fee on that so I'm not necessarily hourly but like the sound mixer he's hourly so for me it's just I'm available at 24-7 I was like and were you working like that like yeah because that's you're out there for a goal so it's

fun yeah I wanted to you want to do your best when you're there it's three months of your life and you're in a foreign country so it's like what else am I going to do besides try to make this project the best it's going to be. Yeah, and being a project like that, where you're traveling the world and learning about sustainable living methods, it's a lot different than my experience in reality TV, but those producers I can at least speak to,

you know, they're traveling with us. They were working 24-7. Yeah. They were up at 4 a.m. They went to bed at midnight maybe. Yeah. It was literally 20-hour days they were working. Easy.

Yeah, and that's, I think, why it's appealing. Is this just three months of your life, whatever it is, but you're fully dedicated to it. I think that's a really fun thing to be a part of. Amazing. You've said from producing, you've transitioned into hosting. I know you have your YouTube channel, which just seems like an amazing way to share everything that you're doing across the world with your travels and stuff.

What type of hosting opportunities have you gotten? What are you doing to, like, dial that in? Yeah, so that's kind of my most recent thing is really getting into more travel hosting, longer format series. I think my main goal is still to have a show that I've hosted. on like a major streaming platform. But everything in my career, I'm not just going to wait for that opportunity to come.

So using sponsors, I've learned to just, I want to go do this trip, and I'll make a deck. I'm going to say, I'm going to go this day. If I can find a sponsor within that time, then I'll make a branded sponsor post,

a branded series, whatever it is. But I kind of take the initiative to be like, I know I can make this series. I know how much it's going to cost. I'm just going to do it. and hopefully I can get financing for it. So it's not necessarily the way to make the most money.

I don't think, I have a, I've always had a hard time, like, maximizing my potential with money because I value experiences so much. So I will take free opportunities to go travel somewhere else. Like, I'm leaving for Guyana in two days. Wow. And I'm probably going to lose money on this project, but it is a story that was, like, so powerful to me that I really wanted to tell. So, and it's, so the story you're going to tell it, you're going to be there, and then that

video you shoot is going to serve as pretty, like a resume portfolio, right? Exactly, yeah. So, so I, you do enough of these eventually. Something pops. Yeah. Well, and worst case, it's like I'm, I'm proud of it. Like, I'm proud of what I shot. It's something I can look at and show my kids.

And it's like, I think that's really what brings me the most happiness is going and traveling and telling these stories. So it's like, I don't know. I've taken little bits of all these different things. The writing was good for voiceover. The producing has helped me learn how to manage my budget. How can I take filming a series that would normally cost 500K? How can I do this for 10?

It's like I've really used all these different skills that I've learned along the way to be able to produce and host and create these shows for, really cheap. Yeah, I mean, your strategy, I think, around career management and what you do next is it's definitely art. It's like a mosaic, right? It's moving, but there's also, like the way I'm interpreting it, it's this free-flowing art that has direction, but there's also a lot of method to your madness, right? So even when you said you were working the nine to five for WarnerBuskin paid 70K, you knew that you used writing as an outlet. It's like, it's like a creative art, but then you turned that into a profession, didn't leave until that could suffice and

pay for what you're making of Warner Brothers. When you do projects like this and everything else, what is the epicenter that's driving a revenue source that allows you to do that? What is your 9 to 5? Is that the social media influencing? Is that the writing projects? Is that what is doing it? Yeah, it's probably my social media and working with brands.

So creating contents with brands. So like Viori is one of my sponsors. So I'm constantly creating content with them, collaborating with them. If they have something they want to shoot, they trust my portfolio and the work that I've done, that I can provide high-quality content. Got it. So I find sponsors that I align with, and that means something to me, like aspiration, like you said. And a lot of times those relationships might be for just like a social post or something, but that money and those relationships can lead to me pursuing these bigger goals, like these series. Got it.

So like GoPro, I've had a great relationship. They saw that I wanted to go to Guyana and tell this cool story. So they're like, hey, we'll throw in some money for you. So it's like just chipping away little things like that. Okay, one question I got I asked everyone that's in social media influencing space. How do you source deals? Like where do they come from? And then also how do you negotiate them?

So yeah, this is this is all new to me as well. I'm still learning. That's why I was like when I first walked in. I'm like, I don't know why I'm on this podcast. I'm still learning every day. I can't tell you how many people have said that. Or like, you know, whatever. It's a comedian.

They don't know anything. They're like, I can't spell finance. But then the shit they get, like the lessons are unbelievable. So it's not about the textbook stuff. My career pathways, like a kid with ADD. I've gone every single where possible. But where was I going with this? Just like how do you negotiate social media?

Where did they come from? So one of the biggest things I'm 30. I feel like maybe this is when I finally learned it is. I kind of told you already that I had really small goals. It was like $70K a year. If I can live a life with these experiences that I love for $70K, I'm happy. So that was a great goal in my 20s. And like I achieved that.

But now I also need to start thinking bigger and I need to like value. So like a lot of these projects, like my mentality has been like if I create this trip, If I create this experience, brands will want that because, like, I know the quality of content I create. I know, like, that it's a good message about sustainability, whatever it is. Like, I know that if I go and chase something that means a lot to me, that it'll mean a lot to someone else and we can work together. I think now more than ever, I've realized I can't do those type of shows all the time. Like, I can't go to Guy on and lose money on it all the time. I can maybe do it once or twice a year.

I've got to be a little smarter about how much, even though I know I can do these things for cheap and I've got to system down, like I've got to know my worth and maybe ask for a little bit more money to get these projects and these assets for these companies, whatever it is. And I've also got to really trust a team because I only have so much bandwidth that I can achieve. And I have so many projects I want to do. And if I hold onto them so tightly and I try to negotiate every deal that I do, it's just not going to happen. I get overwhelmed, and then this amazing show idea that I had is just sitting on a shelf. So I've learned probably this year more than ever to hire a management team, trust people that they can, like, if I have a cool project, like trust someone to make a deck and that I'll pay them a little bit. But it's like I've got to have a team. People want me to succeed.

I think that was like a big, big realization for me is I think I've had whether it's trust issues, whatever it is. I always just thought it was all on me. I'm like, I have to make it myself. And a little bit of a control. Like, I do the same thing. I find it's a little control thing. I'm like, I want to control. I don't know if I trust someone else to do it, but I know I could do it.

Yeah. And sometimes you've got to just let it go and just let people do it for you. Yeah, I don't know. I think I really just like, what I was thinking about was like I've got Bowie here. Like, when I ask people to watch Bowie when I'm traveling, that's like that is so hard for me to do. Because in my head, it's like, I know the burden of a dog for 10 days. And what am I going to have to do to repay that person? And it's like, no, that's not the right way to look at the world.

Some people just want to help. And like that someone might love the opportunity to watch Bowie for 10 days. And I think that has transitioned in my career as well. I've always just been like, man, I need to prove it to everyone that I can be a host, that I can have the chops for this. when some people already think I do and they want to rally behind me and like I don't know

I think embracing help has been big for me Is it need to come back to trust stuff Like it's a trust issue that you think Like just like a little paranoid Like I don't know if it's a Is it trust at all? Does it come down to trust? Probably yeah It's probably deep-seated trust issues

Yeah no because I have the same thing That's why I identify that I'm like yeah I just don't know And then yeah I mean there's a lot that goes with that Guys, we're going to get Dylan's trading secret before we do. Do the viewers here. Evan Hawk, have any last questions? Hawks got one.

Bring them in, Hawk Brown, too. Okay, Dylan, so you talked about stepping outside of your comfort zone, and that's how you grow. What's one thing that maybe you haven't shared today that is existing or manifesting in your conscious or your subconscious that would take you outside of your comfort zone that you want to pursue that you haven't yet done in your career? Yeah, that's actually really easy for me. So I think this year I, like, finally put it out there that I would like to act. And that, again, from like that 16-year-old shy kid that was like, I'm never going to act. It's come a long way just to, like, say the words.

I think it would be fun to act. And I've even acted in things. I've, like, acted in stunts. I've acted on brand sponsors or modeling gigs, whatever it is. Every time I've done it, I've loved it. But it's also just this, like, stepping stone. I were like, I don't know. It was hard to say that I think I would enjoy being an actor.

I respect actors so much for what they do. And I never wanted to be like, oh, I can just do this to do it. Like I thought, yeah, I don't know. Maybe I just respected the industry. It's just like someone saying I want to be a professional basketball player. It's like, well, no, you probably can't do that. So I think it was hard for me to say, like, yeah, I'd like to get into this. And just saying that was, it's a lot.

the first step i guess but no i have to actually put the work in because that's a it's a big thing to take take on so i think that and then as a joke i like i really want to start playing the guitar and like singing and stuff i hope i like never sing in front of anyone but if i can get comfortable enough to be at a campfire playing the guitar and sing to myself i'll be so stoked you were motivated by a star's boy weren't you yeah that's awesome appreciate you sharing that's a good one is it is it is it And we're going to get your trading secret in a minute. I'm going to give you a little heads-up, trading secret, someone that could only learn from you

and your experiences. They can't learn in a textbook, a class, from a professor, or anything like that, they can only get it from you. So that's what we'll have to wrap with. But is part of the reluctancy? I know you had talked about being shy and stuff. But I got to admit, is that a little intimidating, knowing that the level your brother is an actor

and then being like, I want to act? Or does that not even phase you? No. Yeah, I think that, like, I respect him so much as an actor. And I've seen that, like, I'm honest with myself I don't think I could play a serial killer I don't think I can act like

I'm not going to be the best actor in the world but there are a lot of movies that have a similar character to who I am in real life and a role that I could probably play pretty easily and I'm like yeah I'd be stoked to be that Matthew McConaughey and like all the rom-coms or like go play a rock climber

in a movie I'm like yeah I can play those stuff yeah I do it on Saturday Sunday so like why not and it's one of those things It's just like writing. It was like I took that initiative to write in the background. And right now for me, it would be like, okay, I did zero auditions last year. If I do 10 auditions this year, maybe nothing comes of it. But that's 10 auditions that could have been a life-changing thing for me.

And maybe next year I'll do 20 auditions, whatever it is. And it's just small steps. If I can actually do a few of these self-tapes and just plant seeds, they might grow. That's really good. I commend you for it. I love it. I think that's so cool. Will you, as you're kind of going through this journey of taking this next step, will you reach out to him from coaching and advice and like, if I actually get a good gig, I'm calling him for sure. What do I do? How do I do? How do I do? How do I do? You do have one stunt line under your belt. I love it. Well, this has been so informative. I think the way you've approached your. your career there's so many things that people can take from it because we all get so stuck in the nine to five so stuck in the box you've clearly just smashed the box into pieces you know like this is my world bitches i'm doing it how i want it's really cool all right but we got to end with the trading secret so dylan effron what is one trading secret you could give our viewers the viewers

they are the money mafia the money mafia needs to know your trading secret that they could possibly apply to their life direction money management whatever it may be what can you leave us with? I think if just tying it back to the stuff we already talked about, know who you are as a person. And I think start there, like your values, what your passions are, because that's who you are and be happy with that. Because that took me a long time to learn. And I think it can save you a lot of time in finding what you're, what you do for work. If I take a step back, a lot of the people I look up to most are like some of my rock climbing. friends and I look at them as professional rock climbers like these guys are out

living the dream on living in their vans for eight months of the year they just live the life they want their jobs is like they work construction three years of the month so it's not like someone looks at this guy is like you're a construction worker it's like no you are a rock climber and you make money this way and I think we all just try to find who we are through our work and maybe that's not the best way to do it like have your passions have a really good understanding of who you are and be proud of who you are and maybe your work will come from that maybe it doesn't but I think that's the most important thing is like accepting yourself and just be happy to be if that is something like that

like I think it's good and I have I have a trading secret drill down question for you yeah okay and here's where it stems from stems from some of my stuff if I ask if my 26 year old self was ass, do you know yourself? He would have said with 100% confidence, better than anybody in the world. No one knows me better than me. My 34-year-old self would say that 26-year-old self had no fucking clue where he was. And this 34-year-old self is still working to actually identify that and like putting in work to identify that. Still don't have it with complete certainty. People of any ages will listen to you say that and I think it's good advice. And you said you had to find yourself. What is the number one tip?

you would give to someone who either stubbornly thinks they know themselves and they truly don't, or they've, they're self-aware and knowing, like, I'm still working on myself, I'm trying to find it. What's the number one tip you'd give someone to try and really identify who they are to a T in a world where there's so many distractions that might have them from knowing themselves? Maybe my first thought was therapy, and then I started listening to more. It's not a bad one. It's a good place to start.

But maybe that advice is bad. Like my advice doesn't apply because you don't, maybe you don't know yourself at 26. So that goes back to trying new things and discovering new things because maybe you don't, at 26, you don't have your community yet. You don't know what your passion is. Like I didn't rock climb or surf or do any of these things until later on in my life. If I would ask my 22-year-old self who I am,

I would have been like, oh, I'm an economics major and stuff like that. So I think maybe, I think just try as many things as you can and keep, you'll know when you hit a passion. You'll know that feeling of like the first time I rock climbed. That was like, this is something that I want to do. And the more times you say yes to things and the more experiences you have, I think that's how you find your passion. And then that's ultimately how you find who you are. I think that's great because I think your behaviors change once you're. find your passion. Once you find your passion, behaviors that you thought existed about yourself

no longer exist because you're seeing your body just operate a different way. That was a little bit of a trading secret drill down. I don't get to do it often, but I really appreciate your trading secrets. So I did it. Dylan, thank you so much for coming on. For anybody that wants more of you, where can they find you and all your work? Yeah, just at Dylan Ephron, pretty much. Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, all the sites. Go check them out, Dylan Ephron. All social media sites and be on the lookout for Dylan Efron in the acting scene. Then we're going to have to do a part two and learn all about that industry. Dylan, thank you so much for being on this episode, Trang Secrets.

Yeah, thanks for having me. That's great. Ding, ding, ding. We are closing in the bell to the one, the only, Dylan Ephron, the Traders Champion. And I'll tell you what, I learned so much about the industry behind the camera here. this was educational inspirational love the transparency you know we've been sitting on this one for a little bit and i'm so glad we got it out because everyone is seeing dylan crush it and did crush it on traders but this was a whole different side of them uh and this stuff

was just fascinating david what you think yeah we've been sitting on it for a while waiting for the right time and sometimes good things come to those who wait how about that little trading secret in your ear i like that in your ear drums uh always like the episode always liked the episode but never just found the time um and it kind of did feel like a throwback episode like we said we've been doing this for four or five years and kind of felt like yeah this this felt like a year two year three a lot of the same themes a lot of same questions but at the same time felt super inspiring at the same and and i self-admittedly as we know reality tv resident reality tv guy for the podcast have not watched traders yet so now that it's spoiled i

still watch it, but I'm in the middle of some other ones or other shows right now. But you could tell why people, viewers fell in love with him, and you can tell why he would have been so good on a show like that. And hearing his story a year before and hearing the outcome, it just makes sense. Do you agree? Well, I think it makes perfect sense, especially when you look at the whole idea of him just being like, just be yourself. Like, just like, tap into yourself and the rest will come. And that's what he's done. That's what he's done his whole life. That's what he did before the show.

And now, you know. And I loved how he was so, like, anti, um, I loved how he was so anti acting for so long in his life. And then, you know, Hawk asked the question. He said, I actually am going to try and lean into acting a little bit. And here he is on a TV show, but not having to act, but therefore also coming across through TV in a way that he probably felt like he never was ever going to and is just totally catapulted himself

kind of into the limelight that he's probably used, his brother's probably used to being in so yeah guys crushing it. What about that like all the things behind the scenes? Like I mean, we heard about the audio boom. We heard about the stunt guys. We heard about the directors of photography. We heard

all that. What most surprised you? I mean, I think I have two, I think he's mentioned my two dream jobs. Like, I think being a boom-op is for $70 an hour is one of the coolest. Like, if you go through life and all you do is a boom, a boom operator of a boom mic and your cash in, you know, $600, $700, $800 days, does it get any better than that? I mean, maybe if I have right down to here, this sounds like my dream job, the stuntman coming in $1,000 a day, like sign me up for that immediately. Yeah, but you would be a stunt man.

Like, I can't see you being a stunt man. What makes you say that? For $1,000 a day, you know I do some, you know I do some things for $1,000 a day. I'd be a stuntman. Why can I be a stuntman? Because I just feel like,

okay, correct me from wrong. When I feel it with like daredevil-esque type tasks, like jumping out of a plane or walking a tight road over Niagara Falls, even if you're on a bunch of court, like that's not your forte. You know what? It's not. And I think you're right.

I think I'd be a good stuntman if I was like filmed to do it to see my reactions, but not if I'm supposed to go, like, authentic. Yeah, you're right. I'm probably more of a boom mic guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's interesting. You ever see that, you know, it's fascinating. Obviously, I've never met Zach Afron. I'm talking to Zach Ephron, but I've seen Zach Ephron interviews. It's always interesting to me how two brothers who have such talent, like you can tell, they're both so fucking talented, but they're so different, right? And that reminds me the reason I say it's like my brother and I,

Like my brother and I are so opposite. We have so many like very, you know, dotted line similarities, but also so many opposites. And it's so interesting how like the psychology of that. You know what I mean? Like it's, it's kind of fascinating. Are you and your sister alike? Yeah. No.

Isn't that interesting? No. No. We're not alike. I don't think really at all in terms of, she's way more artistic. She's a dancer. She's a, she's a, she's a, she's a, she's a, she's a. counselor and family therapist now she's uh you know and i'm very much more the right side of the

brain and very analytical and organized and um you know sort like it were very different but it is and i i think a lot of it i think a lot of that stuff has to do with the first sibling second sibling treatment sometimes um or the first sibling i just think like a lot of that like i can't imagine if we ever have a second kid how much less hands-on oversighting attention that they're going to get. And from that, they're probably able to maybe be a little more passionate early about the things that they truly care about because they're just figuring it out where the firstborn is kind of in this little more structured path. And maybe they come to their passion later in life because they have to figure it out later. But that's just a, back to last

week's recap, safe space. This is, guys don't quote me. on this safe space we're just giving our opinions on this so why do you think it is you're you're the one who's saying you're the one who's claiming to be different i mean i don't know exactly i really don't know i think there's a lot of obviously uh families out there in which they're very similar like you know but i think i'd be interesting i'd love to do like a poll on this like in general what do people think do you think siblings actually are more opposite than they are similar and i would think the answer is probably more opposite than similar i think so and when you say they're similar is like okay are they

similar because they all fell into like the the way that they it was supposed to be like if I have all boys and they're all hockey players are they similar or is they similar because I made them similar or is hockey just that's just one sport they play that doesn't it all dictate their personality yeah correct but still that's interest it's a common interest

but I mean yeah I don't know it's an interesting take and it was cool to just even talk to Dylan about that and then I gotta say this is behind the scenes thing I've run into Dylan a bunch of times he is like the nicest sweetest, kindest guy. I mean, he is so pure, so real.

I've never seen him in an instance where he's not. And he's just, I can't say enough good things about him. Is he married kids? I think he was just on vile files. And I saw a clip that he announced, I think he has a girlfriend, which I believe most of America was heartbroken from that. Because he's like the heart throb right now. Yeah, that's a guy you just don't want to be compared to if you're in the dating scene because

you're going to lose every time. Like, that guy's just, yes. That is a great. I love that. That is a great example. Yeah. Now, I was, I was hoping to hear more, a little bit more about the down-to-earth documentary that his brother did that he was obviously on the production team on. I watched that.

I watched the whole both seasons of the down-to-earth documentary, which was totally a curveball from what the Zach Ephron that we know. I didn't see, I didn't see the down-the-earth documentary. Tell me a little bit about it. think of like planet earth but like uh niche in specific like for example they go to france and he goes on like you know like a wine smolier there's water smoliers and he talks about like water and water in each country and how it's available and how it's marketed and like the business behind water and then like the difference between what makes a good water and a bad water and how like france has the best water in the world and it's given in there in their on their streets

and fountains and you can get sparkling water on the street fountain. Okay, quick question. Quick question. Is this one, is this water segment one thing? Or is this the whole show? One episode. Okay, so like every episode they go on the road and figure things out and like look into them. Goes to

Iceland and like sees how like the people native people of Iceland have like lived off the land even though it's like volcanic and like all it's crazy. Like it's a very, very good documentary. Very good. if you're into like that it's like especially if you like pop a gummy and like you're like

let me think about life yeah big pictures all right i'm going to put that one on my to do another thing like i think about him being on the production side of that i found it really interesting when he wrote the piece he actually wrote the script for a show and he talked about how each page of the script is one minute in film world which is like 120 pages and to me i was like oh 120 pages actually seems for like two hour movie that seems pretty like short doesn't it yeah a little bit but you got to think like depending on the movie especially like it's a movie like you're probably relating it to the book where you're just talking and talking and talking there's no breaks like in a movie in a cinematic movie how many pauses are there with no talking how much b-roll how much suspense and setting up a scene how much time is done the director of photography that he brought up how much time or do they need a silent shot didn't they need to build the moment before the one line gets delivered and the one line gets delivered and there's five seconds of silent to see the reaction. So when you're thinking about a script, it's not

just necessarily a back and forth conversation for two hours. There's a lot of sometimes you don't maybe realize there's probably a lot of like downtime in movies as well. Think of like Leonardo DiCaprio in the one movie where he was like out in the wilderness and he remember and he like cut the animal open and asleep inside

of it. Like there's not a lot of talking in that movie. That script's probably 20 pages. That's true. That's a good point. It is kind of cool, full circle to hear all the stories behind the scenes behind the camera that he was a part of and now to see him in front of the camera and unscripted TV. It'd be interesting to see, like, where he

continues to move with his career, but I think he's got, like, and if you ever seen his videos, man, he does some unbelievable videos when he's also, did you see how he snuck in triathlete? I can't believe I didn't jump on that. Yeah. Like, what, and I knew that about him researching, but like, what doesn't this guy

do? Very much in passing to him. Gosh, you know, try out. But in the most humble down to earthway, like, ever possible well one thing i have to i could there's a couple things i have to bring up um number one i have to bring up how much it resonated with me and hopefully a lot of other people out there and i say this episode felt old school uh our old school episodes there was like you know uh tips on negotiation tips on interviewing and tips on side hustles and tips on

this i loved how he was talking about when he was working in studio at warner brothers and he was making 70K in his 9 to 5 and that was it. That was his life. I loved that actually. I told John to clip that because I really love that. Yeah. And then he broke out of that mold, the 9 to 5 mold and use 70K as a benchmark. And basically said, if I can make 70K and that be my benchmark, how much more fulfilling

will it be if I'm doing things and making that 70K and doing things in the way that I love? And that was really cool to me. It made me feel good about my current situation a little bit in the sense that I am clinging on doing something that I love, but I'm not making the most money doing it. But I just thought that was really cool. And people, that and when he was talking about his first boss, and he was like, if the boss, if you don't have a boss like this, that should be assigned to leave your job. So I'm like, okay, this guy is cooking on some like, you know, some good life vibes.

Like you want to feel good about your life? Like, just take those two pieces of advice. Yeah. And I think, you know, I sent him a message about this episode coming out. And I think one shame on us that it took this long. But like you said, all good things come to those who wait. But what happens is we bank these episodes and then what, because there's some evergreen episodes and then very timely episodes based on what's happening in the news, right?

And then what happens is you bank them and then a month two or two, three, four go by. And then you forget what was in the episode. And I was listening to this episode back. I'm like, this episode is fucking amazing. Like there are there are just little nuggets everywhere from him. And those are some of the ones that I took, too, and we'll continue to take as I move forward. And sometimes those are the ones that take the longest to come out because you know that they're so good. And so you know that there's going to be a time to do it.

And so you just sit on it. And it was very evergreen. Like there wasn't any big, he wasn't, it wasn't a press release story. He wasn't releasing a book. He wasn't on a movie. Like it was just two guys like, you know, he had his dog. And Newsflash, Jay is sitting in a RV right. with his talk, which come to safe space.

We've hit the 15-minute mark of the recap. So now we switch over to save space. Yeah. Yeah, I am sitting right now in an RV. I am with John Gurney. Here's what had. Here's like the business side. I touched a little bit on in the intro,

but I got a speaking deal with TikTok where I'm speaking on behalf of TikTok to Procter and Gamble. And so I had committed to it before. So I had to come up. But I can't fly. with, uh, with big old teddy yet. So what I'm doing is I rented an RV. I'm with John Gurney. We're going Nashville to New York. We're staying in New York during the week at hotels, but like RVing back. And I think on the way back, uh, we're going to do a couple challenges.

So you guys are going to have to submit those on Instagram. But yeah, man, I'm in an RV right now. Where are you right now physically like on a map? Let me look. First of all, I've in a part, it's a 24 foot, uh, 24 foot RV. We rented it. It's like cozy. It's very cozy. It's very cozy. There's a queen size bed. And then there's a there's like a table with two benches. And then there is on top of like where you're driving. There's another bed there. So it actually sleeps six. It's like it's like a booth. Imagine like a booth at a restaurant. And that's the table. And then there's a microwave in here. There's an oven in here. Shower, bathroom, fridge, freezer, sink. Unbelievable.

it's like 230 bucks a day to rent so far we have filled it up twice cost a hundred bucks each fill up this is you know a little financial transparency i'm in the i'm in the lot next to a starbucks chipotle and looking at a hobby lobby take it up three parking spots and as i zoom out i am in uh triadelphia i'm in tritadelphia near we near wheeling and the closest wheeling closest. Yeah, Pennsylvania. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

The closest city that the majority would be aware of is Pittsburgh. We're very close to Pittsburgh. Yeah. Wheeling Nailers is an East Coast hockey league team. Old podcast, a former podcast guest, Paul Bezanette, Biznasty played on the Wheeling Nailers. What a name for a franchise. Wow. That's also a throwback there.

Yeah. And, yeah, Paul Bisnett. That guy's so fucking funny. Oh, my God. He's great. But yeah, man, we're making our way. And we're under a little bit of time. cooker here. Time pressure cooker because

at, you know, as of now, right now, if I put in New York, New York and we drive, we are going to get there at, let's see, it's like four in the morning, right? Probably because this thing doesn't move that fast, but probably four and five in the morning. And at noon tomorrow, we got

a podcast with, uh, no, with the first ones with Maria. Oh, yeah. And then we got Kelly Flanagan. Oh, just queens of, queens of the bachelor. those are going to be two great episodes looking forward to that but yeah we're going to have to wrap this recap up so we get on the road well it's good it's good listen because this is a this is a trailer there's a lot of

internal debate do we give a little bit of a life update focus on on teddy and in the naming process and how you even got to to get teddy and a little bit of the rescue foundation that you got teddy from and a little bit of that you're working on with the RV idea but you know what we listened to this episode we said no we got a release the timing is right we're so glad that we did. And just get the people excited because I don't, I think that, you know, maybe after the trials and tribulations of the first RV trip, maybe next Monday, we will have to dive into, I'm never doing this idea again, or maybe you're double downing on it like this feel that felt right. And we can kind of go, maybe we can go over that. Maybe we have a little

more info. It's a trial run. There's so much going on. We will talk about the dog. We'll talk more about the RV situation. We'll do a whole episode on that. That's going to come here soon. But in the meantime David safe space recap all good things so good to talk to you yeah so good to talk to you guys drive safe over there two and ten on the wheel two and ten on the wheel rocking this 20 foot or whatever foot I think it's called freedom elite ford RV wish us luck hopefully we stay safe and dylan effron you are an absolute king thank you so much for being on this episode of trade secrets hopefully it was one you couldn't afford to miss Playing on me, making that money and money, living that dream.

Making that money, money, money, pay on me, making that money, money, living that dream.