Act Two Podcast

The Importance of Self-Care

Take a break! Eat dinner with your family! Hangout with that friend! We promise you’ll still get your writing done. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the importance of self-care in a post-strike world, and the various strategies they use to relieve the ever-present pressure of work work work. Step one: acknowledging that you need self-care in the first place!

TWIW: Josh experiences notes in real time. Tasha feels pressure to make her next spec definitive while also finishing her short story five years in the making.

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

The Essential Steps to Writing a Pilot Outline

Writing a Pilot is one of the more difficult undertakings of a Screenwriter. It must set up an entire series without revealing too much of the series journey, engage the audience with questions, but not leave enough questions to be confusing. A great pilot starts with a great outline. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss how TV Pilots are broken and outlined in a professional writer's room, and how to take those lessons with you to your own personal pilot process. 

 

TWIW: the Writer's Strike is over! A new series is coming to the Act Two Podcast. Tasha was on a panel at the Netherlands Film Festival! Josh broke his ankle, which has ripple effects to the upcoming Patreon. Tasha's TOMB RAIDER teaser came out! 

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

Finding Humanity in Your Villain

A great villain is the hero of their own story. Search for their humanity and discover what makes them your hero’s shadow self.

Plus, Elemental and the lost art of word of mouth marketing.

TWIW: Josh achieves #couplegoals. Tasha struggles to finish her short story, but finds hope in her calendar of all places.

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

Rethinking How to Adapt IP

Why is IP important? Do you need it to make a sale? Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down an article by Steven Hartman, the pros and cons of working with IP, and rethinking how to approach adapting one.

TWIW: Goal Buddies keep us on track and motivated to solve Act 1 problems, and why you should sit on notes for a day (even if you agree with them).

 

Link to article: https://screencraft.org/blog/is-this-the-end-of-existing-ip-domination/

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

5 Stages of Spec Writing

There are 5 (Emotional) Stages a Screenwriter goes through in writing their spec. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down the writer brain at each stage, and how to power through to get that spec done.

 

TWIW: pitching safely vs. pitching for the win, being a Machiavellian writer to avoid notes, and would TAKEN be as iconic without *that* scene?

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

Breakdown of Act One: SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down the structure and writing lessons Screenwriters can learn from Act One of SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE, including how to use blocking and silence to tell your story, how to maximize spare dialogue, and how to use action to advance your story and hide exposition.

 

TWIW: the structure and writing lessons of WAR OF THE WORLDS, and if you were to fire your rep, should you do it during or after the strike?

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

How to Be a Writer on Set

Eliza Clark (Showrunner, Y: THE LAST MAN) wrote a document for her writers on what to do once they were on set to produce their episode of television. The document highlights the incredible importance of a writer on set, and how imperative episodic writers are for Showrunners in production. 

 

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down Clark's list of writer duties on set, and further elucidate the important, unique and difficult job that a writer has in production.

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

Interview with Jeff Howard (HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, MIDNIGHT MASS)

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with Screen and TV writer Jeff Howard (HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, MIDNIGHT MASS, OCULUS, GERALD'S GAME) to talk about his unique story of how he got started (including meeting the Terminator), how he became director Mike Flanagan's writing partner, his own career struggles, and the realities of working in a TV room.

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

Screenwriting Tips from INDIANA JONES

Jumping off an article posted by NoFilmSchool.com, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss what Screenwriting imperatives one can learn from dissecting INDIANA JONES movies, including everything from how to introduce characters in an impactful way and how to keep your story moving with an active protagonist. 

TWIW: Josh was told his characters sound like him, so what is voice and how do you find it in a character? Tasha's TMNT reactions. Tasha's takeaway re: simple storytelling vs. complex storytelling after writing for TV.

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

Interview with Alyssa Alvarado: AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with Alyssa Alvarado, the Screenplay Department Director of the Austin Film Festival, to chat about what makes AFF the best festival in the US for Screenwriters and what writers can expect by both applying and attending the festival, including tips on networking successfully while in Austin.

 

Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist