Afleveringen
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REWIND This episode explores the remarkable life and tragic death of Doug Kenney, the comedic genius behind Animal House and Caddyshack, and a co-founder of National Lampoon. Friends and collaborators described Kenney as a brilliant creative force whose influence helped redefine American comedy. At just 33 years old, his life came to a sudden and mysterious end after falling from a cliff in Hawaii, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape comedy and filmmaking today.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Executive Producer/CreatorSandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Victoria “Vicky” Hart, daughter of acclaimed television writer Stan Hart, whose remarkable career helped shape some of the most beloved comedy programs in television history.
Stan Hart, alongside writing partner Larry Siegel, was a key writer for The Carol Burnett Show, earning multiple Emmy Awards for his work. His extensive career also included writing credits for films such as Move and Eat and Run (1986), as well as television favorites such as Love, American Style (1971) and Oh, Nurse! (1972), The Hal Linden Special (1979), The Wonderful World of Disney, and many other productions. During our conversation, Vicky shares stories about her father’s life, legacy, and impact on comedy writing.
Dr. Victoria Hart is an accomplished performer and educator in her own right. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in Vocal Performance from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and has built an impressive career as an operatic soprano and teacher. She has performed leading roles with opera companies across the United States, including Knoxville Opera, Sacramento Opera, Fresno Opera, Greensboro Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Eugene Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Long Beach Opera, and Rimrock Opera.
Join us for a fascinating conversation about television history, comedy, music, family legacy, and the artistic journeys that connect generations.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Filmmaker Billy Luther talks with Sandy about his coming-of-age film, ‘Frybread Face and Me,’ which was executive-produced by Taika Waititi and distributed by Ava DuVernay’s company, Array, on Netflix.
Written and directed by Billy, ‘Frybread Face and Me’ was selected for SXSW 2023's Narrative Spotlight and TIFF 2023's Discovery and New Wave Selects. Billy’s feature documentary, Miss Navajo, premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and aired nationally on PBS’ Independent Lens that same year.
Billy has also served as a writer and director on the hit AMC series Dark Winds, adapting Tony Hillerman's novels featuring Navajo tribal police investigations.
You can watch ‘Frybread Face and Me,” ‘Miss Navajo,’ and all of Billy’s films for free on his website here: https://billyluther.com
If you have Netflix, go watch ‘Frybread Face and Me’ right now! Pick up the remote, click the link. Do.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
Rewind. Sandy and Terry will discuss Billy Wilder's 10 tips for screenwriters. Few screenwriters are as pedigreed as Billy Wilder, who is renowned as one of the most creative filmmakers of American cinema's Golden Age. Wilder was nominated 21 times at the Academy Awards, 13 for screenwriting and 8 for direction. He won the Best Director award for his 1945 film "The Lost Weekend" and again 15 years later for "The Apartment." Thanks to the success of "The Apartment," Wilder became the first person to win an Academy Award as a producer, director, and screenwriter for the same movie. Cameron Crowe said, “There’s no better film school than listening to what Billy Wilder says.”
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
In today’s episode, we're diving into a key principle of screenwriting: SHOW DON’T TELL. This simple yet powerful rule can truly elevate your writing to new heights. These three words hold a lot of meaning—so what exactly does SHOW DON’T TELL mean? Join us as we explore this idea and share some great examples from well-known films and TV shows that beautifully illustrate this principle.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller
👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment, please contact us @[email protected]
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REWIND. Two PAGE Awards Judges, Victoria Lucas and Laurie Ashbourne, discuss how they evaluate your screenplays, whether you're just starting or have a script in the competition. You do not want to miss this inside talk.
⭐️ Laurie Ashbourne began her film career in Disney animation and has worked over the past 20 years as a story consultant, writer, and producer for Disney, Amazon, and many independent producers. She has more than 30 features and short films to her credit, including her new family feature, CHRISTMAS TIME, which is currently in post-production. As a PAGE judge, Laurie reviews scripts across several genre categories, including Family Films, Comedies, Dramas, and Shorts.
⭐️ Victoria Lucas is an independent producer who has developed scripts for projects starring Antonio Banderas, Scarlett Johansson, Wesley Snipes, and Hilary Swank. Among her favorite projects is the highly acclaimed coming-of-age film The Island on Bird Street, which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Victoria is also a judge for the PAGE Awards, covering a variety of genres, including Drama and Historical Films.👍The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan StollerIf you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment, please contact us @[email protected] -
REWIND of two more PAGE Awards Judges, Dwayne Smith and Mike Kuciak, continues the conversation about how they evaluate your screenplay.
Mike Kuciak has two movies coming out in 2022; he's the writer-director of one and the writer-producer of the other. He's a producer on a third film scheduled to begin production in late 2022. He has served as a producer and executive producer on several independent films. He was the senior vice president of development for a literary management-production company and, after that, the founder/CEO of his own company before hanging that up to focus on writing/directing/producing.
Dwayne Smith has been a professional screenwriter since 1999 and has written scripts for Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Intermedia, and Gold Circle. His urban thriller PAY THE LADY is in post-production, and his sci-fi feature IMPLANT is in pre-production. Representing the management firm Circle of Confusion at numerous screenwriting conferences and festivals, Dwayne has listened to hundreds of pitches and read countless screenplays in search of new writing talent. As a judge for the PAGE Awards, he reads Comedies, Thriller/Horror, Science Fiction, and Action/Adventure scripts.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan StollerIf you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment, please contact us @[email protected] -
REWIND. PAGE Awards Judges David Portlock and John Evans continue our conversation about how they evaluate your screenplay. These two judges share a lot of helpful information in this interview.
✰ David Portlock has worked as a script reader for United Talent Agency and currently works for Bassett Vance Productions. Over the past 15 years, David has consulted and assisted dozens of writers in developing their films. Also a screenwriter, David wrote and directed a feature film picked up by HBO, Cinemax, and Starz; a short film that premiered at Sundance; and a horror script that topped the Bloodlist. As a PAGE judge, David evaluates screenplays in the Science Fiction, Thriller/Horror, Comedy, and Drama categories.
✰ John Evans received his MFA in Screenwriting from Boston University. Since moving to LA, he has worked in the development departments at ABC Studios, The Donners Company, Kopelson Entertainment, and AEI. John has also taught writing at the college level, authored six educational books, and worked as a copywriter and editor for several film distribution companies. John is the editor of our PAGE Awards ezine, and as a contest judge, he primarily reads Thriller/Horror scripts and TV Drama Pilots.
👍 If you enjoy the show please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment, please contact us @[email protected] -
REWIND. We continue our conversation about how PAGE Awards Judges evaluate your screenplay with Karen Craig and Scott Barkan. Next week, to wrap up this four-part series, we’ll be talking to Kristin Overn, the Founder and Executive Director of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards.
Karen Craig is a professional screenwriter and script doctor whose credits include AMERICAN PSYCHO II, starring Mila Kunis and William Shatner, and FORBIDDEN SECRETS, starring Kristy Swanson. Karen has served as a judge for the PAGE Awards for the past 12 years, reviewing both Thriller/Horror scripts and Family Films.
Scott Barkan is a professional screenwriter with several produced films and sold scripts to his name. He has worked with Blumhouse and Lionsgate and is represented by Mainstay Entertainment and CAA. Scott is also a university professor, teaching music and communications. As a PAGE judge, he primarily reads Action/Adventure, Thriller/Horror, and Science Fiction scripts.
👍 If you enjoy the show please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact us @[email protected] -
Rewind. Spend some time with Sandy and Terry as they explore one of the most iconic last lines in cinema, "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown," from the 1974 film CHINATOWN, written by Robert Towne, directed by Roman Polanski, and starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. In this episode, they reveal the fascinating story of how this memorable line nearly didn’t make it and why!
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller
👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment, please contact us @[email protected] -
In today’s show, Sandy shares some fun insights about onomatopoeia, which can be a writer’s best friend when you want to avoid using the same dull words repeatedly—especially in action scenes. Onomatopoeia is when a word is formed to imitate a sound, like “Boom!”, “Pow!”, or “Splat!”. If you're a screenwriter, it’s a handy trick to keep in your toolkit, especially when crafting exciting action moments. Using onomatopoeia can really bring your writing to life and make it more engaging for your readers, actors, or development executives reading your screenplay.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller
👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment, please contact us @[email protected] -
Rewind. Did you know that our host and creator of The Writers’ Hangout, Sandy Adomaitis, has extensive experience in script development for both television and film? She has worked with some of the industry’s top showrunners, including Carlton Cuse, John Wirth, and Tom Spezialy. Now, for the first time, Sandy has compiled a list of ten warning signs that could dampen her enthusiasm for reading your script, available exclusively to our devoted listeners.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller
👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment, please contact us @[email protected] -
HAPPINESS INCLUDED: It’s finally time for Jan, Jan, Jan!
Sandy has a groovy chat with the legendary Eve Plumb, famously known as the misunderstood middle child, Jan from The Brady Bunch. Eve offers delightful insights into her new memoir, “HAPPINESS INCLUDED: Jan Brady and Beyond.” Since Eve and Sandy are longtime friends, their conversation feels like a cozy, personal catch-up—plus, they even talk about George Glass!
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller
Happiness Included: Jan Brady & Beyond (Book)https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9780806545035/happiness-included/
Eve Plumb Official Website https://eveplumb.tv
Follow Eve Plumb https://www.instagram.com/theeveplumb
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In today's episode, Sandy breaks down Agent vs. Manager and the important facts screenwriters need to know.
Plus, Sandy dives deep and shares the latest details of the courtroom drama centered on screenwriter Kurt McLeod and Zero Gravity Management over an alleged conflict of interest arising from Zero Gravity Management's negotiation of his deal to write Copshop.
Copshop written by Kurt McLeod is a gritty action-thriller where a wily con artist, Teddy Murretto (Frank Grillo), deliberately gets arrested by rookie officer Valerie Young (Alexis Louder) to hide in a small-town Nevada police station from a lethal hitman, Bob Viddick (Gerard Butler). Viddick manages to get himself locked up, turning the precinct into a high-stakes, single-location cat-and-mouse game, escalating into all-out mayhem with the arrival of another, crazier assassin.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
Sandy chats with film producer, writer, and director Max Neace about his journey into the entertainment world. Max shares how he learned the ropes of producing and used that knowledge to make his own movies, like Shift—a thrilling film created mostly within tight constraints. The story of SHIFT sounds simple but intriguing: what if a thriller stayed inside a security office? Max also produced other films such as WHAT WE DO NEXT, written and directed by Steven Belber and featuring actors like Corey Stoll, Karen Pittman, and Michelle Veintimilla, along with STALKER and DON'T TELL A SOUL, plus many short films. He studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue his passion.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
We are so happy to have as our guest, Thom Harp, a screenwriter and director recognized for his work in comedy films and digital media. Thom is here to discuss 'HOME DELIVERY,' his latest comedy, which he both wrote and directed, scheduled for release on March 27 at a local theater. Furthermore, Thom has three feature projects in development: the teen comedy 'CRASH COURSE' for American High; the murder-mystery comedy 'KILLER PARTY' for producer Josh Shader; and an adaptation of the New York Times bestselling romantic comedy 'BUSINESS OR PLEASURE' for producer Margot Hand. There is substantial knowledge to gain here, writers, so press play!
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
We're delighted to introduce Spade Robinson, a talented filmmaker, screenwriter, and story consultant. She runs the Atlanta Film Project, a consulting firm dedicated to helping storytellers polish their scripts and projects. Currently, Spade is working on her debut feature film, 'Late Bloomers,' set against the beautiful backdrop of the American Heartland.
In our chat, we explore what a story consultant does, how Spade encourages hesitant writers to be honest and dig deeper for stronger screenplays, and she shares five of her best screenwriting tips. She also talks about her favorite clients—including housewives who are passionate screenwriters—how to handle rejection with resilience, and the step she believes offers the most democratic way for a writer to change their life.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
We’re thrilled to welcome Joel Church-Cooper, a highly admired TV showrunner celebrated for his talent in creating shows around the industry’s top comedic voices. We hear how Joel took a viral short video and turned it into the acclaimed half-hour comedy series BROCKMIRE, featuring Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet. Joel also shares the hurdles he faced along his writing journey and how improv played a vital role in shaping his skills as a writer today. Additionally, we discuss Joel’s newest series, GOING DUTCH, with stars Dennis Leary and Danny Pudi. There’s a wealth of lessons here for writers, so be sure to listen to this episode more than once!
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
We're excited to welcome suspense author and travel journalist Dawn M. Barclay. She's here to share insights about her intriguing book: Vacations Can Be Murder, a fascinating travel guide that uncovers the locations of major crimes and buried bodies in New England.
Writers and reference books can be great sources for screenplay ideas, and this book offers countless ideas on every page. Who knows, maybe your next script idea will be on page 43?
Buckle up as we explore the criminal landscape. "Warning: this episode contains content that may be sensitive, distressing, or inappropriate for certain audiences." Please note that we discuss depictions of violence, murder, and sexual assault that you might find disturbing.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller -
Have you ever wondered what a film and television producer does and thinks? Well, you’re in luck because our guest is the talented Marc Resteghini, a producer who owns Jack Tar Pictures, a company based at Amazon Studios. Marc’s first release under this banner is set for March 4, 2026, with Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock, an origin story. Previously, Marc spent over eight years helping to build Amazon Studios, advancing through the executive ranks to eventually serve as the US & Global Head of TV Development. Marc has also overseen more than a dozen feature films over 15 years, working as an executive at 20th Century Fox and as a producer with DreamWorks’ Parkes/MacDonald Productions and Warner Bros.’ Di Novi Pictures.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller - Laat meer zien
