Act Two Podcast

The Holiday Edition: Blacklist Winners, Holiday Gifts, Staying Productive

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss how to survive the holidays as a writer while staying productive, the best holiday gifts to get writers, and how to shop for those pesky managers and agents of yours. 

 

TWIW: the Blacklist winners were announced, and Tasha & Josh have some favorites; movie-watching etiquette disaster during Interstellar; Tasha has two very different kinds of pitches in the same week, what does that look like? Plus another installment of WOULD YOU RATHER?

 

Follow us @ACTTWOWRITERS

Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@Gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Christmas Genre Mashups: Why They Work

Christmas movies are the best! We dive into the Christmas magic of genre mashups, discussing how some films seamlessly blend Christmas themes with action, music, and comedy. We explore how these films balance the holiday spirit with unexpected twists ... and why we love them for it.

 

Follow us @ACTTWOWRITERS

Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@Gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist 

Is a Work/Life Balance possible as a Screenwriter?

Being a professional Screenwriter means that, unlike a corporate job, every day of your work life is different. But, a Work/Life Balance is achievable, it's just about making the right choices each day to prioritize your schedule. Midst the end of year chaos, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss how they succeed at achieving a Work/Life Balance and, when they fail, how it happens. 

 

TWIW: Standing up for a casting choice you believe in, or back down? 

 

Follow us @ACTTWOWRITERS

Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@Gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist 

How to Turn Meetings into Opportunities

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the different meetings you will have as a Screenwriter and how to turn them into work opportunities. Whether it's a Producer, a Director or another Writer, there are different ways to approach each meeting and maximize your time. 

 

TWIW: Do you engage on a project even if you're not passionate about it? / How an idea gestates over time. / A big new spec sale just hit Hollywood by storm! What we know & don't know 

 

Follow us @ACTTWOWRITERS

Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@Gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist 

The Training Montage

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the Training Montage. Use it? Don't use it? What are the most iconic training montages and why do they work? Where do training montages fail and slow down the movie? How can you incorporate them into your own writing? Let's get hyped, and train.

 

Follow us @ACTTWOWRITERS

Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@Gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist 

Mailbag: Call to Action vs. Inciting Incident, Adapting IP, and more!

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman answer your questions, including - what is the difference between the "Call to Action" and the "Inciting Incident", how do you avoid common pitfalls in adapting IP, what are the do's and don'ts for recent film school grads, and how did Tasha go about choosing the emotional throughline in her show Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft?

 

Follow us @ACTTWOWRITERS

Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@Gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist 

Chekhov's Gun in Screenwriting

Ever feel like a movie or show disappoints you? Like they missed an opportunity? Like they let you down somehow but you can't quite place it? Well, it might be a Chekhov's Gun problem. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss what Checkhov's Gun is, why it's important in writing stories, how to use it, and examples of great and failed uses of Chekhov's Gun in popular movies.

 

Follow us @ACTTWOWRITERS

Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@Gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist 

The Best Horror Sequels!

Happy Halloween (week). Josh is joined by special co-host Dave Levinson to discuss their favorite horror sequels (Tasha is back next week). They discuss what makes a great sequel and how to improve from the original concept. If we missed anything, let us know.  

 

Follow us @ACTTWOWRITERS

Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@Gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist 

 

Horror Rules & Mystery w/ Joe Russo and Dave Levinson

Halloween is upon us. Joe Russo and Deve Levinson join the pod to discuss Rules and Mystery in horror films with a focus on 'The Ring.' Co-Host Josh Hallman steers the ship while Tasha travels... but she's here in spirit. 

We also dive into the Variety article: The 100 Best Horror Movies Of All Time.

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist 

 

Script Changes, Tomb Raider, and Q&A Galore

It is still TOMB RAIDER: THE LEGEND OF LARA CROFT month! Co-host and Showrunner/Executive Producer Tasha Huo discusses changes from script to screen and how to tackle notes. Also, more Q&A. If you haven't already, check out Tomb Raider: The Legend Of Lara Croft on NETFLIX! 

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by Paul Lundquist