Behind-the-Scenes of the Business and Craft of professional Screenwriting.
Episodes
Monday Jan 01, 2024
Monday Jan 01, 2024
Happy 2024! Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss goals in the new year. Get ready. It's an exciting time.
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss their Top 3 Christmas movies, why they work, and what they would do if they wrote a Christmas movie.
TWIW: The Oscars are now honoring "fan favorite" films / How NFL has cornered the market on character-driven storytelling / and the pain in the ass that is living with a writer.
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Hosts Tasha Huo & Josh Hallman discuss filmmaking tips we can learn from writer-director James Mangold (LOGAN, INDIANA JONES & THE DIAL OF DESTINY).
TWIW: Is Harry Potter just a magical Mission Impossible movie? And how do you combat "spec boredom" so you can finish your script instead of move on to a new idea?
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Monday Dec 04, 2023
Monday Dec 04, 2023
This Week in Writing includes a recap of our Screenwriter Meet Up, heart vs marketability, when to throw the kitchen sink at your script’s hook, how to work a general to your advantage, do you need to drop your rep if they don’t “get you,” the learned skill of trimming minutes, shredding the “a screenplay is a bland blueprint” opinion, and a reminder of why the first ten pages of your screenplay need to be engaging (even if it’s a slow burn!).
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Monday Nov 27, 2023
Monday Nov 27, 2023
How do you get the heart of your show across in a clear and concise way without overloading the script with too many elements or underwhelming with too few? Tasha and Josh discuss how to bring clarity of concept into your writing using lessons from their recent pilots.
TWIW: Lessons from a Mike Flanagan Kickstarter. Why distinctive characters are essential for pitching a network TV show. Thoughts on The Killer’s use of voiceover. Why you should watch Blue Eye Samurai. And what was season 2 of Loki about? We’re still confused. Thank goodness for Tom Hiddleston!
LINK
Mike Flanagan’s Absentia Kickstarter
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
Wednesday Nov 22, 2023
The day has finally arrived! On Nov 30th we officially launch the Act Two Podcast Patreon. To celebrate, we’re hosting a Screenwriter Meet & Greet that night in Los Angeles. If you’re in the area, come say “Hello!” We’d love to see you there!
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Monday Nov 20, 2023
Monday Nov 20, 2023
Tasha and Josh break down the mother/daughter story in Pixar’s BRAVE with special guest Michele Wolkoff (EP, Pigeon Tunnel and Rook). They discuss what works, what doesn’t (and why), and analyze how a directorial overhaul 18 months prior to release affected the story and underlying themes.
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Monday Nov 13, 2023
This Week in Writing includes why relationships are key to the Hollywood long game, signs you may need to restructure your spec, and why the simple act of reading a comic can be so creatively refreshing. Plus, Josh breaks through with a new idea to avoid extensive, unpaid rewrites!
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Monday Nov 06, 2023
Monday Nov 06, 2023
Writing a first draft is tough. But writing a second draft can be tougher. Tasha and Josh discuss best practices for tackling the deceptively difficult second draft, be it going scene-by-scene, starting anew, or ignoring a note to find the real note lurking underneath.
TWIW: Why staying active with programs and competitions keeps you going. Should an agent ask for your resume? Style lessons from the Barbarian screenplay. And a friendly reminder that public domain is a proven place to mine IP. Plus, Josh and Tasha both finished drafts of their specs!
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Monday Oct 30, 2023
What makes a horror film truly terrifying? Tasha and Josh, along with special guest and horror aficionado Dave Levinson, break down their favorite horror films and what makes them so frightening that even decades later just the thought of the film sends a shiver up our spine.
TWIW: Josh is shocked by the discrepancies between a pilot script and a finished pilot episode. Tasha gets to the root of the simplistic genius behind Netflix’s Fall of the House of Usher.
Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist