The Writers’ Hangout

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We’re baaccck! 

It is the first week of July 2024, and Sandy and Terry are ready for #hotpodsummer. 

Did you know that our host and creator of The Writers’ Hangout, Sandy Adomaitis, has a wealth of 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 exclusively compiled a list of ten warning signs that could dampen her enthusiasm for reading your script, available for our devoted listeners.


👍 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] 

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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How do they do it? How do successful writers become successful? They must all lead charmed lives. One imagines a successful writer who works hard, gets up at 4 a.m., goes to the gym, then slides behind the laptop for four hours. Afternoons, they take their doodle around the block of their tony neighborhood, then put in another two solid hours of editing. Have a healthy dinner with friends, then go to bed for a brilliant night's sleep. Well, dear writers, as we know on The Writer's Hangout, it doesn't always go well when we tell you a story about a screenwriter. 

Hang out with Sandy and Terry, who tell you the fascinating story of screenwriter and director Stephen Gaghan, known for writing the screenplay for Soderbergh's film TRAFFIC, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Syriana, which he wrote and directed.

👍 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] 

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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REWIND EPISODE.
Join the conversation on how PAGE Awards Judges evaluate your screenplay with Karen Craig and Scott Barkan. 

Karen Craig is a professional screenwriter and script doctor whose credits include such films as 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 who has produced several films and sold scripts. He has worked with Blumhouse and Lionsgate and is represented by Mainstay Entertainment and CAA. Scott is also a university professor who teaches 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] 

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

Send us a text

Our guests are Steve Cubine and Nan McNamara from the hit podcast "From Beneath The Hollywood Sign." Every week, Steve and Nan dive into the magical, mysterious, amusing, and sometimes bizarre tales of Old Hollywood. If you're a fan of the Golden Era of Old Hollywood, "From Beneath The Hollywood Sign" is a podcast you won't want to miss. So, follow and listen to them - we highly recommend it.

On today’s show, we discuss the mysterious death of Thelma Todd and whether her screenwriter/director boyfriend, Roland West, had something to do with it. You can enjoy this episode, but we highly recommend listening to the previous three episodes we did on Thelma Todd, where we go into much more detail. Those episodes are 47, 48, and 57. 

Alert: This episode discusses suicide. If you need help, text or call 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Listen And Follow "From Beneath The Hollywood Sign" here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-beneath-the-hollywood-sign/id1708470432

Follow Steve Cubine's Blog "From Beneath The Hollywood Sign" here: https://frombeneaththehollywoodsign.com

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
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 make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

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Parts one, two, and three of "The Unbelievable True Story of Elisabeth Finch and Grey's Anatomy." Available now!

Rising star and television writer Elizabeth Finch wrote many emotional scripts for Grey's Anatomy, exploring cancer, abortion, and sexual abuse based on her life experiences. In March of 2022, Grey's Anatomy writer Elisabeth Finch was investigated by Disney and placed on administrative leave by the production company Shondaland over concerns about her medical history. Elisabeth told friends and co-workers at Grey's Anatomy she'd been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called Chondrosarcoma in 2012. She wore a bandage that covered her port, was pale, nibbled on saltines, and took breaks to vomit during work. Elisabeth's cancer inspired a storyline on Grey's Anatomy, where the character Catherine Avery, played by Debbie Allen, was diagnosed with cancer like Elisabeth in Season 15 of Grey's in 2018. Elisabeth also lost a kidney; then, part of her tibia was removed due to chemotherapy. If that wasn't bad enough, she was forced to abort a fetus because chemotherapy made the pregnancy impossible. 

You won't believe the shocking story that comes next!

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
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 make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

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Happy Mother's Day! Join Sandy and Terry on today's show as they discuss how mothers are portrayed in movies and explore the idea of screenwriters seeking feedback from the most influential women in their lives—their moms.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
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 make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

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Our esteemed guest is Professor Carol Stabile, the author of The Broadcast 41, a profound exploration of the experiences of 41 remarkable women. These women, including some of the most prominent figures of their time: Dorothy Parker, Gypsy Rose Lee, Lena Horne, and screenwriter Vera Caspray, challenged the rigid norms of the American television and radio industry during the tumultuous 1950s 'Red Scare' period.  Carol, a highly respected Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oregon brings her extensive academic background and expertise to her work. Along with Broadcast 41, Carol is the author of Feminism and the Technological Fix, White Victims, Black Villains: Gender, Race, and Crime News in US Culture, and other books.

You can purchase The Broadcast 41 on Amazon.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
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 make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

Send us a text

Do you know Judy Blume? She's a fantastic author who has written some of the most beloved childhood novels, such as "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing," and "Deenie." Sandy and Terry discuss some of the best writing tips for aspiring writers by Judy Blume, gathered by Literary Hub's Emily Temple. Trust me, this advice is perfect for anyone who wants to write books, screenplays, or short stories. So, let's get started!

The article by Emily Temple discussed in the episode is from Literary Hub.
https://getpocket.com/read/8dtpGT9bA5b1dh6827gbz7dCRmd4A6aM1bOYF6WX86Z6f8Xb5660lQVFqebzF3bT_2dac52dd6eb378ddfe90d625cd6bac09

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
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 make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

Send us a text

Sandy tells the strange story of Netflix reportedly paying director Carl Rinsch $55 million for a sci-fi series that he failed to complete and spent most of the money on crypto investments, five Rolls Royces, and a $380K watch. Now, Carl Rinsch is demanding an additional payment of $14 million from Netflix.

Plus, does Terry get a visit from Black-eyed kids!!!!!!!!

Research for the story includes:
The New York Times article by John Carreyrou entitled, The Strange $55 Million Saga of a Netflix Series You’ll Never See
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/22/business/carl-rinsch-netflix-conquest.html
Wikipedia
IMDB
THE WRAP article by Mike Roe entitled Netflix Director Spent Millions of the Streamer’s Money on Crypto and Rolls-Royces in $55 Million Sci-Fi Writeoff
https://www.thewrap.com/carl-erik-rinsch-conquest-netflix-writeoff-crypto/

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
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 make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

Send us a text

In this rewind episode, we talk with Kristin Overn, the Founder and Executive Director of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards competition. Kristin began her film career as a producer's assistant and script reader at companies like Davis Entertainment, Bonneville Worldwide, and 20th Century Fox. Since then, she has consulted, collaborated, and developed screenplays with dozens of writers, producers, and production companies. Kristin also has extensive experience in production and has served as a producer, line producer, and UPM on various independent features, original sitcom pilots, and several award-winning short films, TV commercials, and videos. She is a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
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 make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

Send us a text

Sandy and Terry delve into the latest plagiarism controversy. The Alexander Payne-directed film The Holdovers didn’t win for the Best Original Screenplay at the 96th Oscars, but Da’Vine Joy Randolph did take home the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film is highly regarded by critics and audiences alike. In early March 2024, reporter Tatiana Siegel at Variety published a report on allegations made by Simon Stephenson, a screenwriter who worked on films such as Luca and Paddington 2. In a 33-page document, Simon claims that The Holdovers, written by David Hemingson, was transposed from his unproduced script, Frisco and that the similarities are “line-by-line” and have been routinely described as “brazen.” 

Research for this episode includes: 

Variety’s Tatiana Siegel article, Alexander Payne’s ‘The Holdovers’ Accused of Plagiarism by ‘Luca’ Writer (EXCLUSIVE)https://variety.com/2024/film/news/the-holdovers-accused-plagiarism-luca-writer-1235935605/

The Wrap’s Mike Roe article, Prominent Screenwriters Skeptical of Claims ‘The Holdovers’ Was Plagiarized https://www.thewrap.com/the-holdovers-plagiarized-luca-writer-claims-robert-king/

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

 👍 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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 

Send us a text

After watching "Quiet On Set," the Max documentary about allegations against producer Dan Schneider, who is accused of creating a toxic work environment on his Nickelodeon shows and engaging in inappropriate behavior, Sandy can't stop thinking about it. It reminds her of the story she shared with you in Episode 86, about her time writing for ABC/Disney's RECCES entitled "Harassed and Pitching," a Humanities Prize-nominated script.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

 👍 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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 

Send us a text

Sandy and Terry delve into 4 impactful quotes by screenwriter, producer and director, John Hughes. One of the most successful and influential filmmakers in Hollywood history, John has helped launch the careers of Andrew McCarthy, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Macaulay Culkin, Judd Nelson, and John Candy.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

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Sandy hangs out with the award-winning actress, musician, and screenwriter Lucy Walsh.

 When Lucy was seventeen, she was given sixty-three of the love letters her Grandfather Dale wrote her Grandmother Wanda while he was in World War II. A dozen years later, life-changing events compelled Lucy to fly from Los Angeles to tiny Newman, Illinois, to spend three days talking with Wanda, which ended up being their final conversations. Lucy transformed her journey into a masterclass on humanity, chronicled in her new book Remember Me As Human: What Three Final Days with My Grandmother Wanda Taught Me About Truly Living

Remember Me As Human is available for pre-order now and everywhere else on March 12th: https://www.amazon.com/Remember-Me-As-Human-Grandmother/dp/B0CT9PZ88L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2V59GXX3GWBQ0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.NfoI3cOAS6ut7cmEyM0Lfw.dJX3Q_AVWZreCyfC3V70dueQZHy8a9JuL4jD0OJSH1o&dib_tag=se&keywords=remember+me+as+human+lucy+walsh&qid=1710072024&sprefix=Remember+me+as+human%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

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Terry recently received a phone call from a childhood friend who asked for help. The friend, has a friend, who was offered a huge deal for something they had written, and would Terry get him up to speed on "Hollywood" deal making. However, as Terry spoke with the friend, he began to suspect that the whole thing might be a scam. Unfortunately, this is not a new problem. Scammers often prey on vulnerable artists, especially screenwriters, by making false promises to them.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

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We are thrilled to have a special guest, Stan Zimmerman, who is a renowned film and television writer. He has been nominated for two WGA Awards for Best Comedy Episodic Writing for his work on The Golden Girls and Roseanne. Stan talks about his new book, The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+girls+stan+zimmerman&crid=2D56CM0FL6JH2&sprefix=stan+zimmer%2Caps%2C415&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_11

 We loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in writing for television or what happens behind the scenes.  

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

Send us a text

One of the biggest challenges for new and seasoned writers is to sit down and start writing their screenplay. It's common for writers to have an excellent idea for a script for months but not put anything down on paper. To make matters worse, they might see a movie trailer that looks exactly like the movie they have in their head, causing them to feel discouraged and frustrated.

In this episode, Sandy and Terry Writers focus on "how to begin" with tips by Dean Orion. He wrote the book Live To Write Another Day, A Survival Guide for Screenwriters and Creative Storytellers. You can find Dean's book on Amazon. 

We pick a card from the Woracle Deck, created by writers for writers; the Woracle Cards are an essential tool to help writers generate ideas for new or existing stories. The cards aim to inspire and rejuvenate the creative juices to get the words flowing back on the page.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

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For screenwriters, the Public Domain can be a treasure trove of inspiration and material. Hollywood is obsessed with Intellectual Property (IP) and buying the rights to the latest hit book or graphic novel can be expensive and out of reach for most screenwriters. By tapping into the public domain, screenwriters can find stories, characters, and themes that are already known and loved, and put their own spin on them. On January 1, 2024, a version of Mickey Mouse will enter the public domain in the United States, after almost a century of copyright protection. The public domain refers to all creative works for which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply, either due to copyright expiration, copyright loss because of loopholes and mistakes, death of the copyright owner, or failure of the copyright owner to file for the rights or extension to those rights. Since no one holds exclusive rights, anyone can legally use or reference those works without permission. For example, starting in 2024, the Steam Boat version of Mickey Mouse can be utilized.

REARCH INCLUDED:

Wikipedia

IMDB
 http://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/mickey/

 https://historydaily.org/steamboat-willie-facts-stories-trivia-mickey/3

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

Send us a text

Did Taylor Swift pen the spy thriller that inspired the new film ARGYLLE? 

 Hang out with Sandy and Terry, who explores how the internet built a conspiracy theory that Taylor Swift secretly wrote the spy thriller ARGYLLE.

Matthew Vaughn directs ARGYLLE, which stars Henry Cavill, Ariana DeBose, Bryan Cranston, Dua Lipa, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Elly Conway.

Plus, in honor of Super Bowl LVIII, Terry takes a quiz on football movies.  

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

Send us a text

Adam Joiner, an ordinary man from the Sacramento area of California, managed to secure millions in funding for a movie that his brother Andrew wrote called 'Legends.' The movie blends legendary 19th-century American figures and steampunk Avengers, designed to satisfy the increasing demand for big-budget fantasy-action films. However, the following story is full of twists and turns that result in 'Legends' not becoming a legend, and someone must take the blame.

Research for this episode includes:
The Guardian article by Jake Flanagin, The Blockbuster That Wasn't: Inside an Alleged $14m Scam To Make The Next Netflix Hit
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/26/netflix-legends-film-fraud-scam-allegations-adam-joiner

IMDb.

A press release from the United States Attorney’s Office Central District of California dated Wednesday, November 10, 2021, entitled South Bay Man Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Prison For Movie Investment Scam and Fraudulently Selling House Bought with Illicit Proceeds.

http://justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/south-bay-man-sentenced-over-8-years-prison-movie-investment-scam-and-fraudulently

 MEL Magazine’s THE REAL-LIFE HOLLYWOOD HOAX THAT TURNED A FAKE BRADLEY COOPER EPIC INTO A $14 MILLION SCAM by Zaron Burnett III.

http://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/the-real-life-hollywood-hoax-that-turned-a-fake-bradley-cooper-epic-into-a-14-million-scam

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

Send us a text

Sandy and Terry are back and ready to take on 2024. However, Terry encountered a problem when both of his computers crashed, and he lost both copies of the Final Draft. Meanwhile, Sandy worked hard over the holidays to set up a writing office but now finds herself in a difficult situation and turns to The Writers' Hangout for some advice and support.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards- Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest and one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

Send us a text

Join us as we rewind and discuss one of the most legendary parties in Hollywood history. After the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney threw a party at the Norconian Resort located in the California Desert to thank his employees. However, the party quickly becomes wild and crazy, and Walt never speaks of it again. It was an unspoken rule among the employees that the party would not be mentioned if you wanted to keep your job.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Contact us at the [email protected]


PAGE International Screenwriting Awards- Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest and one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

Send us a text

Join Sandy and Terry as they discuss one of the film's most iconic closing lines - "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown" - from the 1974 movie CHINATOWN. The film was written by Robert Towne and directed by Roman Polanski. It features Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in the lead roles. In this episode, we will discover the fascinating story behind the creation of this famous last line and why it nearly didn't make it into the movie.

👍 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, don't hesitate to get in touch with us @[email protected] 

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 

Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

Send us a text

Happy New Year! 

In today's episode, we will rewind the story of Doug Kenney, the screenwriter and co-founder of National Lampoon, who was behind popular movies like Animal House and Caddyshack. Despite being remembered as a 'genius' by his friends and colleagues, Kenney tragically passed away at the age of 33 after falling off a cliff in Hawaii.

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a review.  

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast, please write us at  [email protected] 

We would love your comments on Instagram @thewritershangoutpodcast

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

Send us a text

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Sandy and Terry! Writers, we've compiled a clip show of our past two years hanging out with you!!

Kick back next to a cozy fire and start the show, or be like me and turn on a fake fireplace because you live in Southern California, and it is 62 degrees outside.

We love you and are excited to see what the future holds for us in 2024!

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
You can follow us on Twitter @pageawards.com and Facebook @pageawards

Send us a text

During today's show, Sandy and Terry will discuss Billy Wilder's 10 tips for excellent screenplay writing. Few screenwriters are as pedigreed as Billy Wilder, renowned as one of the most creative filmmakers of American cinema's Golden Age. Billy was nominated 21 times at the Academy Awards, 13 for his screenwriting and 8 for his 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

 👍 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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
You can follow us on Twitter @pageawards.com and Facebook @pageawards

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 Sandy and Terry reflect on the life of writer and producer Norman Lear, who transformed American comedy with his daring and immensely popular early-'70s sitcoms such as "All in the Family" and "Sanford and Son," who passed away on Tuesday at 101.

Norman Lear created some of the most iconic shows of the 1970s, such as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude. Apart from his successful career in the entertainment industry, he is also recognized as a political activist who established the civil liberties advocacy group People for the American Way in 1981.


Rhonda Garelick https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/style/norman-lear-tv-women-feminism.html 


The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
You can follow us on Twitter @pageawards.com and Facebook @pageawards

Send us a text

The Writers' Hangout Podcast has a special treat for you today.  Our guest is 2016 PAGE Awards winner Diane Hanks, who has joined us to discuss her stunning novel WOMAN WITH A PURPLE HEART.  

 The story of Lieutenant Annie Fox, the first woman to earn a Purple Heart, is told in "The Woman with the Purple Heart." Annie was the chief nurse at Hickam Hospital, located at Hickam Air Field adjacent to Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941. The hospital was bombed heavily during the attack.

 You can purchase WOMAN WITH A PURPLE HEART at your local independent bookstore or on Amazon.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they discuss the variety of movies released at the end of 2023. We will see a bit of everything: boys to men wrestling, Beyoncé touring, and Timothée Chalamet singing. This season's movie lineup is sure to captivate audiences of all tastes. So come and tune in to Sandy and Terry's conversation as they share their thoughts on the latest and greatest films of the season.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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In this episode, Sandy and Terry discuss seven tips on creating memorable character names for your stories. 

 Have you ever wondered how important character names are in a story? Well, let's ask Google: "The right name can help the reader easily identify each character. However, getting too creative with your name choices can be distracting or even confusing for the reader. The wrong name can take the reader out of the story and make them question why you, as the author, made such an inane choice." 

Therefore, writers, grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and enjoy this quick and helpful episode where you will learn some great tips on naming your characters effectively.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they go through Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest TV Theme Songs of All Time! From Seventies sitcoms with expository jams to modern prestige classics with experimental scores, from 'Sanford and Son' to 'Succession,' from 'Match Game' to 'Game of Thrones.' 

Will your favorite make the list? Enjoy, and get to humming.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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In honor of the late writer, director, and actor Adrienne Shelly, we are reposting The Writers' Hangout Episode dedicated to her story in the month she passed. This is an opportunity to get to know this talented and amazing woman whose life was cut short by a tragic event.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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On today's show, Kevin Bacher, the winner of the 2018 Page Awards Grand Prize, is here. Kevin was a guest on The Writers Hangout last Spring, Episode 69, where we discussed his movie, THE INHABITANT, starring Dermot Mulroney and Leslie Bibb. THE INHABITANT was released last year in theaters and can be found on Amazon Prime and Hulu. 

 Besides being a screenwriter, Kevin is an EMMY-winning WGA documentary director/writer. If you have watched The Discovery Channel, you must have seen his work. In this episode, we discuss Kevin's new short story collection, DREAD: 22 Tales of Terror, which reveals the darker side of nature.

 DREAD is a collection of tales that offer horrifying reasons why thousands of people have gone missing in the wild. Kevin, an Emmy-award-winning National Geographic cinematographer, has swum with sharks, climbed the peaks of mountains, and explored the darkest of forests. In DREAD, he weaves together terrifying true stories from his real-life adventures with twisted fiction from the depths of his frightening imagination. Flip the pages to indulge in the dark side of nature— haunted forests, tree demons, monstrous snakes, and a search-and-rescue team terrorized by the ghosts of those they couldn’t save.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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Happy Halloween!!

Hang out with Sandy, Terry, and special guest screenwriter Mark Steen as they recap "Ghost and Mr. Chicken," starring Don Knotts from "The Andy Griffith Show" fame.

 Directed by Alan Rafkin and written by James Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" is about a timid typesetter who hasn't a ghost of a chance of becoming a reporter - until he decides to solve a murder mystery and ends up spending a fright-filled night in a haunted house.

 You don't need to watch the movie to enjoy the show, but we encourage you to do so since it's a fun movie that the whole family can enjoy.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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Thanks for hanging out with us!

In this episode, Sandy and Terry discuss a Twitter thread that provides valuable insights into how signed writers found their representation—special thanks to Tyler Clair Smith, the writer on X who inspired this episode. Follow Tyler Clair Smith @tclairsmith - we certainly did!

In this episode, we discuss helpful internet programs for screenwriters. The Writers’ Hangout Podcast did not receive payment for our opinion.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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We discuss Terry’s love of The Marx Brothers and his appreciation of improvisation.  The Marx Brothers were a famous comedy act that succeeded in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures between 1905 and 1949. The American Film Institute selected five of the Marx Brothers' fourteen feature films as among the top 100 comedy films. Critics, scholars, and fans widely regard the Marx Brothers as some of the greatest and most influential comedians of the 20th century. They perfected the art of improvisation during their time, making their comedy timeless and unforgettable to Terry and the world.

 Research for this episode includes:
20 Famous Movie Scenes That Were Actually Completely Improvised by Thomas Delatte for thethings.com/famous-movie-scenes-actually-completely-improvised/#jar-of-dirt-pirates-of-the-caribbean 
Wikipedia
IMDB
editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/marx-brothers/

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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Hang out with Sandy and Terry in their discussion about the 20th anniversary of School of Rock and the process of generating creative ideas when a screenwriter begins to write a movie. We find the process intriguing - from when an idea strikes the writer, often while in the shower, to how they shape it based on their life experiences.

Research for this episode included:
One Great Rock Movie Can Change the World: An Oral History of ‘School of Rock’ written by Angie Martoccio rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/school-of-rock-anniversary-oral-history-jack-black-1234822127/
How a Script for a Friend Turned into a Cross-platform Classic written by Nicole Bitette paramount.com/news/content-and-experiences/school-of-rock-oral-history
Wikipedia, and IMBD.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they discuss what is going on with the writer's strike, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and writing in winter in Vilnius. 

Research for this episode relied heavily on the NIH National Institute of Mental Health.

nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder

 Other resources: 

thealaskafrontier.com/do-you-get-paid-to-live-in-alaska/#:~:text=Since%201982%20every%20qualified%20Alaskan,it%20sustainably%20for%20the%20future.

vox.com/culture/2023/9/24/23888673/wga-strike-end-sag-aftra-contract

If you are distressed or thinking about hurting yourself, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You also can text the Crisis Text Line (HELLO to 741741) or use the Lifeline Chat on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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 Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they discuss the "big idea" - a high-concept premise that can persuade studio executives to read your script and turn it into a movie. Terry shares his opinion on the best pizza in the San Fernando Valley, while Sandy gets serious about New York bagels.

 The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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Sandy and Terry hang out and discuss Sandy being sexually harassed and bullied but still pitching a Humanitas Prize-nominated idea to Disney/ABC/ RECESS with her former writing partner.

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Hang out with our guests, John Wirth and Gail Matthius, a Hollywood couple who met in high school, fell in love and moved to Hollywood to pursue their dreams. 

Gail was a cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1981 and is known for her voice acting work in animated shows, including Bobby's World, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, and The Tick.

 John Wirth is a television showrunner, producer, and writer.  His credits included HELL ON WHEELS, WU ASSASSINS, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, and NASH BRIDGES. 

In part one, Gail and John discuss the early days and their willingness to work hard to succeed. In this episode, we focus on the difference between the time when Gail and John were struggling versus today in 2023, when, unfortunately, actors and writers have to strike for decent wages and protection from artificial intelligence. 

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Hang out with our guests, John Wirth and Gail Matthius, a Hollywood couple who met in high school. Gail was a cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1981 and is known for her voice acting work in animated shows, including Bobby's World, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, and The Tick.

 John Wirth is a television showrunner, producer, and writer.  His credits included HELL ON WHEELS, WU ASSASSINS, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, and NASH BRIDGES. 

 In part one of this two-part episode, Gail and John discuss the early days and their willingness to work hard to succeed in show business. In part two, we'll focus on the difference between when Gail and John struggled and in 2023, when actors and writers must strike for decent wages and protection from artificial intelligence. 

👍 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 get in touch with us @[email protected] 
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Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they talk procrastination with a capital P! Everyone deals with it, but how do you stop procrastination? Then, once you do, what do you write your screenplay about? You have three great ideas, but which one do you write? We address this in the latest episode and have a few laughs.  

Research for this episode includes articles from the following publications.
“Leonardo da Vinci” by Walter Isaacson

proactivitylab.com/the-7-most-famous-procrastinators/

johnaugust.com/2009/which-project-should-i-write

https://screenwritingfromiowa.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/pages-per-day/https://www.pcma.org/the-upside-of-procrastination/

https://solvingprocrastination.com/famous-procrastinators/#:~:text=Below%2C%20you%20will%20find%20a,Victor%20Hugo%2C%20and%20Steve%20Jobs

👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 
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Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they discuss THE BLIND SIDE controversy over Michael Oher, the NFL veteran whose life inspired the movie and who is suing his conservators, Sean and Leigh Ann Tuohy, for  $15 million.

The former Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers Tackle says in his filing that he gave the rights to his life story away to 20th Century Fox in 2007 without any payment whatsoever and that he was missing profits from John Lee Hancock’s 2009 film, which grossed $309 million at the worldwide box office. 

The resources for this episode include A look at Michael Oher's Ole Miss Recruitment, the Tuohys impact, and 'Blind Side' fallout. USAToday

After 19 years, the Tuohys say they plan to terminate Michael Oher's conservatorship – NPR. 

The Blind Side author responds to Michael Oher's lawsuit, saying Hollywood is to blame for the lack of profits by Jessica Wang.
https://ew.com/movies/the-blind-side-author-responds-michael-oher-lawsuit/#:~:text=from%20the%20movie.-,%22Everybody%20should%20be%20mad%20at%20the%20Hollywood%20studio%20system%2C%22,in%20the%20Tuohys%27%20pockets.%22

Wikipedia and IMDB

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer/Host Sandy Adomaitis
Co-host 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. 
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Rewind: How do they do it? How do successful writers become successful? They must all lead charmed lives. One imagines a successful writer who works hard, gets up at 4 a.m., goes to the gym, then slides behind the laptop for four hours. Afternoons, they take their doodle around the block of their tony neighborhood, then put in another two solid hours of editing. Have a healthy dinner with friends, then go to bed for a brilliant night's sleep. Well, dear writers, as we know on The Writer's Hangout, it doesn't always go well when we tell you a story about a screenwriter. 

Hang out with Sandy and Terry, who tell you the fascinating story of screenwriter and director Stephen Gaghan, known for writing the screenplay for Soderbergh's film TRAFFIC, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Syriana, which he wrote and directed.

 Research for this episode included:

The Newsweek article Sheik, Rattle and Roll by Newsweek Staff

https://www.newsweek.com/sheik-rattle-and-roll-115527

 The New York Times article Gritty Portrayal Of the Abyss From a Survivor; The Screenwriter for 'Traffic' Says He Drew on His Past By Rick Lyman

https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/05/movies/gritty-portrayal-abyss-survivor-screenwriter-for-traffic-says-he-drew-his-past.html

 The Los Angeles Times article Stephen Gaghan, one-time Hollywood wunderkind, returns after a long absence with ‘Gold’ by Steven Zeitchik

 https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-stephen-gaghan-gold-20161114-story.html

 IMDB and Wikipedia

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer/Host Sandy Adomaitis
Co-host 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. 
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Time to play – The Writers’ Game Show!!!!  Sandy will give a brief synopsis of a movie that involves music, one sentence at a time, and we’ll see how many sentences Terry and you take to come up with the movie's name.  We are going for a low score here.  If you get it on the first sentence, you give yourself a one, the second sentence a two, etc.

 All synopsizes are courtesy of Google. 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer/Host Sandy Adomaitis
Co-host 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

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Today, we have a great guest on the show, best-sell author and screenwriter Claire McGown.  Claire was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in a village where she said, “The most exciting thing that ever happened was a herd of cows getting loose in the road.” Clair now lives in London, and her latest mystery thriller book, LET ME IN, was just released. The Irish Times said, “A knotty, twisty tale…unfolds at a cracking pace.” I had so much fun getting to know Claire that I didn’t want to stop recording!  

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer/Host Sandy Adomaitis
Co-host 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. 
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Friend of the pod and production coordinator extraordinaire Kathy joins us to look at the WGA and SAG strike through the lens of the people behind the scene.  What happened to everyone else working as a production assistant, gaffer, or script coordinator just a few months ago?  When will the strike end?  What are the writers and actors looking for?  Tune in, and all will be explained. 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer 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

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On this episode, we invite you to hang out with Sandy as she takes a look at Hollywood's most iconic landmark, the Hollywood Sign.  Originally built as “Hollywoodland” as an advertisement to lure in real estate investors, it has seen tragedy, facelifts, and even a couple of good pranks over the decades. The Hollywood Sign is celebrating its 100 Anniversary throughout 2023.  

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We dive deep into the 1980s class miniseries V.
V: The Original Miniseries is a two-part science-fiction television miniseries written and directed by Kenneth Johnson. V aired in 1983 and initiated the science-fiction franchise concerning aliens known as the "Visitors" trying to gain control of Earth and of the ways the populace reacts.

Alone, the behind-the-scenes exploration of V: The Original Miniseries is an interesting story, but for writers, learning about classic television, films, shorts, and media content is important. You don't want to be that writer who whines, "I wasn't born then," when your studio executive or showrunner brings up a film or television show from the past, right? 

Research:
The V  Files: The Shocking Legacy of an ’80s Sci-Fi Cult Classic

Hollywood backstabbing, conspiracy theories, and the devastating murder of a star behind the TV alien-invasion sensation. By  Anthony Breznican 
vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/05/the-v-files-legacy

and 

40 Years After V Debuted, The Miniserises Still Has Lots to Say
Creator Kenneth Johnson looks back at the highs and lows of the sci-fi mega-hit.
b y Yzaki Hasan https://www.ign.com/articles/40-years-after-v-debuted-the-miniseries-still-has-lots-to-say

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We are back!  The Writer’s Hangout is back with a brand-new episode.  We break down the current WGA Writers’ Strike and whether A.I. can write a screenplay better than a human.  We introduce A.I. Theater, where Terry reads from three scripts written by bots.  Writers, we challenge you not to laugh at these delightful screenplays.  The scripts are all written by bots and can be found on the Instagram Account: @bot_scripts

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Hollywood's favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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Rewind -- British screenwriter Ian Mackintosh's plane went missing on July 7, 1979, nineteen days before his thirty-ninth birthday, over the Gulf of Alaska. What happened remains a mystery. Join us as we tell the story of Lieutenant Commander Hamish Ian Mackintosh, a British Royal Navy officer, a writer of thriller novels, and a screenwriter for British television. 

Ian's series, THE SANDBAGGERS, was groundbreaking. The New York Times said "the best spy series in television history." Ian MacKintosh was among the first writers to present espionage realistically and as a sordid series of political struggles, double-crosses, and personality clashes.

If you want to read more about Ian Mackintosh, I highly recommend The Life and Mysterious Death of Ian Mackintosh by Robert G. Folsom.

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We wanted to “jump on the mic,” as the kids say, and give you a Writers’ Hangout update.  Terry and I have been working on some projects that took our time away from recording, but we’ve been working behind the scenes on future episodes and are excited about hanging out with you soon. I miss you guys a lot.  In the meantime, here’s a favorite episode of mine and Terry's entitled; WRITING REAR WINDOW WITH HITCHCOCK AND HAYES.  Learn how a short story from a dime store magazine turned into one of the most discussed films produced in Hollywood and the fifth-grossing film of 1954.  The film REAR WINDOW, starring Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, Raymond Burr, and Thelma Ritter, was written by John Michael Hayes and directed by Alfred Hitchcock.  

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REWIND of two more PAGE Awards Judges, Dwayne Smith and Mike Kuciak continue the conversation on how they evaluate your screenplay.

Mike Kuciak has two movies coming out in 2022; he's the writer-director and 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.

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Rewind of Episode 3 -- Sandy and Terry Sampson discuss the little-known mystery of the 1997 disappearance of screenwriter Gary Devore. Gary was returning home after working out the ending of his latest script, which he claimed would blow the lid off government secrets when he disappeared without a trace. Did Gary step out to "buy a pack of cigarettes," or was he met with foul play? We'll delve into what happened that fateful night and revisit the rumors and conspiracy theories that continue to baffle and disturb people. 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.

Executive Producer Kristin Overn

Producer Sandy Adomaitis

Producer Terry Sampson

Music by Ethan Stoller

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We are rewinding episodes 17, 18, and 48 -- The Unbelievable True Story of Elisabeth Finch and Grey's Anatomy.  

Rising star and television writer Elizabeth Finch wrote many emotional scripts for GREY'S ANATOMY, exploring cancer, abortion, and sexual abuse using her life experience. In March of 2022, Grey's Anatomy writer Elisabeth Finch was investigated by Disney and placed on administrative leave by the production company Shondaland over concerns about her medical history. Elisabeth told friends and co-works at Grey's Anatomy she'd been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called Chondrosarcoma in 2012. She wore a bandage that covered her port, was pale, nibbled on saltines, and took breaks to vomit during work. Elisabeth's cancer inspired a storyline on Grey's Anatomy, where the character Catherine Avery, played by Debbie Allen, was diagnosed with cancer like Elisabeth in Season 15 of Grey's in 2018. Elisabeth also lost a kidney; then, part of her tibia was removed due to chemotherapy. If that wasn't bad enough, she was forced to abort a fetus because chemotherapy made the pregnancy impossible. 

You won't believe the shocking story that comes next!

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We have a fantastic show for you as we continue celebrating our sponsor, The PAGE AWARDS' 20TH Anniversary, with 2018 Page Awards Grand Prize winner Kevin Bachar. Kevin's screenplay - THE INHABITANT- starring Dermot Mulroney & Leslie Bibb came out last year in theaters and can be found on high-end streamers like Amazon Prime and Hulu. 

 Kevin was a Senior Producer at National Geographic Television for ten years before forming his production company, Pangolin Pictures. Since then, he's developed and produced films and series in all genres but specializes in Natural History films. Kevin's films have won three EMMY awards and garnered another six nominations, including two 2011 Prime-Time Emmy nominations for Jaws: The Inside Story and John Belushi: Dancing on the Edge. 

 Kevin's screenplays won numerous competitions, including the 2018 Page Awards Grand Prize!

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Time for some housekeeping plus an announcement from our sponsors, The PAGE Awards, on their upcoming deadline. 

We play a fun round of NAME THE MOVIE -- A fun game that will challenge your film knowledge and keep you on the edge of your seat.  Sandy reads the synopsis of a movie one sentence at a time. How many sentences will it take before you can NAME THE MOVIE!!  If you're up for the challenge, you'll have a blast playing NAME THE MOVIE.  

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Part two and the conclusion of last week's episode with author Carrie Freeman. 

If you have listened to part one, I recommend you go back and listen to Episode 66, HANGING OUT WITH THE COMIC'S DAUGHTER CARRIE FREEMAN. In this first episode, we covered Carries fascinating younger life, and in this episode, we chat with Carrie about her writing journey and the mentors who helped her get where she is today.

To purchase THE COMIC'S DAUGHTER by Carrie Freeman https://www.thecomicsdaughter.com

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Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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We have a terrific show with guest Carrie Freeman. 

Born in Dallas, Texas, Carrie Freeman is the third in a generation of writers, columnists, and performers, dating back to 1905, when her great uncle, Sime Silverman, launched the entertainment bible, Variety. Carrie is an accomplished actress with an extensive background in performing, theatre directing and teaching. 

A truly talented and gifted writer Carrie wrote a book entitled THE COMIC’S DAUGHTER based on her life, and it caught the attention of a Producer/Director, and now they are off to the races to make the movie. 

This will be a two-part episode.  In this first episode, we will cover Carries fascinating younger life, and in the second half, we will center on Carrie’s writing journey and the mentors who helped her get where she is today.  Does the name David Mamet ring a bell?

To purchase THE COMIC'S DAUGHTER by Carrie Freeman
https://www.thecomicsdaughter.com

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PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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Hulu's documentary PRETTY BABY: Brooke Shields reminds Sandy she spent time on the set of SUDDENLY SUSAN, the NBC half-hour sitcom, and walked away disappointed in something Brooke did to Kathy Griffin. 

Terry asks a simple question that reminds Sandy of one of her biggest regrets. 

 You don't have to have watched PRETTY BABY: Brooke Shields to listen to this episode. 

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Did you know there was another SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE besides the animated blockbuster with Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and Fred Armisen? The first SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE hit theaters in 1993 and was the first feature-length live-action film based on a video game. It follows brothers Mario Mario (Bob Hoskins) and Luigi Mario (John Leguizamo) in their quest to rescue Princess Daisy (Samantha Mathis) from a dystopic parallel universe ruled by the ruthless King Koopa (Dennis Hopper), directed by the husband-and-wife team Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel. Unfortunately, it was a box office failure, and critics hated it. The credits list three writers Parker Bennett, Terry Runté, and Ed Solomon.

Why did one MARIO movie succeed when the other MARIO movie didn’t? That’s the big question Sandy and Terry tackle in this episode.  

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For today’s episode, we have a follow-up on Season One, Episode 61 entitled Can A.I. Write A Screenplay With Filmmakers Jon and Matt Firman, it came out last month.  You don’t have to go back and listen to episode 61, but things will make more sense if you do.  In the A.I. episode, we explored the benefits of using AI to help writers manage their process from idea to script and spoke to the creators of  Story Prism a suite of AI-powered writing tools to help creators flesh out their stories.  

In this episode, we dive into how the WGA, Aaron Sorkin and you feel about A.I.-assisted writing and more!

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You never know when your big break will happen.  In this episode co-host Terry Sampson share how he landed his big break compliments of Harold Ramis. 

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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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We have a terrific show for you with today’s guests Jon and Matt Firman who are Baltimore, MD-based indie filmmakers. After spending more than eight years immersed in the local film community, brothers Jon and Matt saw a  need for writers to have an easier way of turning their ideas into stories.  So, the brothers decided to explore the benefits of using AI to help writers manage their process from idea to script, which led them to develop Story Prism a suite of AI-powered writing tools to help creators flesh out their stories. 

Writers, AI writing is not your dad’s spellcheck it is way more powerful, and I would be curious to know how you feel as writers felt about AI assistants with your writing after you listen to what Matt and Jon have to say.  Send an email to  [email protected] or dm us on Instagram instagram.com/thewritershangoutpodcast/

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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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One of our most listened to episodes.  Two PAGE Awards Judges, Victoria Lucas and Laurie Ashbourne, talk about 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 over the past 20 years, she has worked as a story consultant, writer, and producer for Disney, Amazon, and many independent producers. She has over 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 in several different 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, awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Victoria is also a Judge for the PAGE Awards contest, in a variety of genres including Drama and Historical Films

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💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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Our guest is screenwriter Matias Caruso who lives in Argentina.  Matias taught himself English and how to write screenplays — and after writing and working hard to develop his craft, he wrote an absolutely stunning script called CARNIVAL that won our Grand Prize in 2014.  After his win, Carnival was optioned by a PAGE judge and signed by an agent.  Matias continues to live in Argentina, and he never moved to the States; he has since had a couple of movies (MAYHEM and WITCH) produced.  

WORDPLAY: Pro screenwriting secrets from working screenwriters Terry Rossio & Ted Elliott -- wordplayer.com

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PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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We continue to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our sponsor, The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, with our guest Angela Bourassa. Angela won the Gold Prize in the Science Fiction category for her script EVERYTHING IS RIGHT UNTIL IT'S WRONG, and under its new title, TURN ME ON; the movie was filmed last year, produced by Truant Pictures and Blue Creek Pictures, directed by Michael Tyburski, and starring Bel Powley and Nick Robinson. It's now in post-production.  

 In addition, Angela's movies IF YOU WERE THE LAST and BLACK BAGS have also recently been produced, and IF YOU WERE THE LAST is premiering at SXSW next month.

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We're going to pause on interviewing the PAGE Award-winning screenwriter series to bring you the latest on the Thelma Todd murder mystery we talked about last December.  If you haven't listened to the two-part episode called Thelma Todd's Inexplicable Death In Hollywood's Golden Age, I highly recommend you go back and listen.  The episodes aired on December 4th and 11th of 2022.  

Of all the screenwriter crime stories we have discussed on The Writers' Hangout, the Thelma Todd story is the one people comment about most.  So, we put together a panel, including a Forensic death investigator, Kyle Finney, a True Crime fanatic JudyTrueCrime, and co-host Terry Sampson.  We discuss the case through the lens of modern-day forensics and give our opinions on what happened.  

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It is Super Bowl LVII weekend, and we have a treat for you. Our guest is television writer Jason Gavin, who got his big break when he got staffed on a show called Friday Night Lights. Kristin Iversen of Nylon wrote, "Friday Night Lights had achieved a rare trifecta in the world of prestige television: critical acclaim, cultishly adoring fans, and a genuinely wide audience (which, sadly, it didn't have when it aired on network television, but what are you going to do).'

 Jason's other credits include ROYAL PAINS, HAWAII FIVE-O, and ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO. Jason is a co-executive producer on the much-anticipated return of DARK WINDS, the number-one show on AMC+, and one of the executive producers on MARVEL's ECHO, out this summer.

Jason talks about his first time in a writers' room; a fender-bender he got into as a writers' PA on NASH BRIDES and more.  

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We continue celebrating the 20th anniversary of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards with Davah Avena. Davah took home the 2006 Silver Prize for Best TV Drama Pilot and has risen in television from staff writer to Co-Executive Producer on shows like FIREFLY LANE and ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST.

Plus Davah Avena plays YOU WROTE THE EPISODE BUT DO YOU REMEMBER THE EPISODE and might just become our Queen Quiz.  

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PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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We continue to celebrate our sponsor, The PAGE INTERNATIONAL Screenwriting awards 20 Anniversary Celebration, I spoke with our Grand Prize winner Alexandra Qin an independent filmmaker based in New York City with a background in technology, social justice, and visual/ performance art. Her first screenplay, ThirstyGirl, won the 2022 PAGE Grand Prize. A raw, intimate story about addiction, sisterhood, and Asian-American identity, it was heavily inspired by Alexandra's own journey of addiction and recovery.  

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We continue to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our sponsors, The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, by interviewing past winners. Today we have Larry Postel, who took home the PAGE Awards Grand Prize in 2005. Since then, Larry has written four original spec screenplays that have made. Including The Main Event, a Netflix Original; High Holiday, a Peacock Original; Flip Turn, an indie drama available on Amazon; and Sony's 5000 Blankets. 

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In honor of our sponsors, PAGE International Screenwriting Awards , celebrating their 20th anniversary, I'm interviewing some of the competition's winners. Today's guest is Nardeep Khurmi, who won the PAGE 2021' Silver Prize in drama for his screenplay, LAND OF GOLD.
 
LAND OF GOLD also received AT&T's 2021 Untold Stories award, which provides a grant of $1 million to underrepresented filmmakers to make their first feature film. We talk to Nardeep about the making of LAND OF GOLD, how growing up in Philly by way of Switzerland and England shaped him, and how being an actor helps his writing.

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PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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We have a terrific show for you today.  As promised, for January 2023, we are doing a series of interviews with PAGE Awards winners. First up is R. Scott Shields who won the PAGE Bronze Prize in 2009 for his beautiful family drama STRAWBERRY MANSION and then won our Grand Prize in 2010 for his animated feature SUPERCAT!  Since then, sometimes with representation and sometimes without, Scott went on to write a sci-fi fantasy for Hydraulx Entertainment called JASON AND THE ASTRONAUTS and was hired to write two sports biopics.  

 Scott discusses getting a writing assignment without representation, what makes a good bio-pic, and why you never say no when your next-door neighbor asks you to write a short film that will get shot.  

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Happy New Year!!  We have a fun, happy episode this week.  Sandy puts all the Christmas movies away for the year and discusses her favorite New Year's Eve movie scenes.  Terry checks in with a report for the San Fernando Valley.  And last but not least, Sandy reads your New Year Writing Resolutions, and one lucky winner wins a free entry into the PAGE Awards Competition.

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Ho, Ho, Ho!!  Happy Holidays.

On August 9, 1996, a late-night shoot of James Cameron's TITANIC suddenly broke out into chaos after crafty served the cast and crew seafood chowder. At first, everyone thought it was food poisoning from the chowder, but someone had spiked the food with PCP. To commemorate the film’s 25th anniversary of TITANIC being released, let’s look back on a fateful night.

Listen to VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS by The Sno-Globes featured in this episode.
Here's a link to listen to more of their holiday musichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFx8spF0Cc&t=5s

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Listen to VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS by The Sno-Globes featured in Episode 49 --That Time The 'Titanic' Cast and Crew Ate PCP-Spiked Chowder

Here's a link to listen to more of their holiday music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFx8spF0Cc&t=5s

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Update on one-time rising star Elisabeth Finch the GREY'S ANATOMY writer accused of faking cancer.   What made her do it and can she make a comeback?
 
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Listen to When You Wish A Christmas Wish by The Sno-Globes featured in Episode 48 Update - Elizabeth Finch The GREY'S ANATOMY Writer Accused Of Faking Cancer.

Here's a link to listen to more of their holiday music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFx8spF0Cc&t=5s

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The conclusion of Thelma Todd's Inexplicable Death In Hollywood's Golden Age.

Actress Thelma Todd was the “Queen of the Lot” and had made it in Hollywood when she died of mysterious circumstances at just 29 years old. Who killed her? Could it be her business partner Roland West a one-time screenwriter? Maybe it was the ex-husband, son of the Broccoli King, and agent Pat DiCicco? Police investigate, and all roads lead to The Trocadero, a famous nightclub that opened on the Sunset Strip in 1934.

Hang out with us as we unfold the inexplicable death of Thelma Todd.

❄️ We are thrilled to have music by THE SNO-GLOBES.  Here's a link to listen to more of their holiday music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFx8spF0Cc&t=5s

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Listen to HOW I LOVE THATY SANTY CLAUS by The Sno-Globes featured in Episode 47 Thelma Todd's Inexplicable Death In Hollywood's Golden Age - Pt. 2

 Here's a link to listen to more of their holiday music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFx8spF0Cc&t=5s

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Listen to The Sound Of Christmas by The Sno-Globes featured in Episode 46 Thelma Todd's Inexplicable Death In Hollywood's Golden Age - Pt. 1

 Here's a link to listen to more of their holiday music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFx8spF0Cc&t=5s

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💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment, please contact us @[email protected] 

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Actress Thelma Todd was the “Queen of the Lot” and had made it in Hollywood when she died at just 29 years old. Who killed her? Could it be her business partner Roland West a one-time screenwriter? Maybe it was the ex-husband, son of the Broccoli King, and agent Pat DiCicco? Police investigate, and all roads lead to The Trocadero, a famous nightclub that opened on the Sunset Strip in 1934.

Hang out with us as we unfold the inexplicable death of Thelma Todd.

❄️ We are thrilled to have music by THE SNO-GLOBES.  Here's a link to listen to more of their holiday music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFx8spF0Cc&t=5s

👍 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

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Today we have the talented and charming Kelly Edwards, who has worked for every major studio in Hollywood and developed shows like LIVING SINGLE, GIRLFRIEND, THE PARKERS, CLUELESS, AND TWO GUYS A GIRL AND A PIZZA.  

After a film and television executive career, she transitioned to writing. 

Kelly wrote the best seller, The Executive Chair: A Writer’s Guide To TV Series Development, and if you want to write for television, get this book.  The Executive Chair is like getting the playbook of the other team but ethical!

Kelly is currently a producer and television writer.

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We discuss the age-old question, do you have to move to Los Angeles to be a successful screenwriter with answers from William Goldman, Diablo Cody, and Aaron Sorkin?  Plus, a fun quiz that pits a native-born Los Angeleno, Kathy Rager, and The Writers' Hangout's very own Terry Sampson.

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COME HANG OUT with us as we talk about one of the most famous parties in Hollywood.  To thank his employees for the success of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, Walt Disney threw a party at the Norconian Resort in the California Desert.  The party turned wild, and Walt himself never referred to the party again.  And, if you wanted to keep your job, you didn’t mention it either.

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Adrienne Shelly was waiting to hear if the movie she wrote, directed, and starred in, WAITRESS, would get selected for the Sundance film Festival.  On Halloween night in 2006, Shelly and her husband, Andy Ostroy, threw a party for their family and friends.  The next day, Andy found Adriene hanging from a sheet in her office's bathroom in the West Village.  Police said suicide, but anyone who knew Adrienne didn't believe this for a second.  Join us as we tell you the story of this remarkable woman who the world must never forget.

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PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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On the eve of Halloween, we have only treats for you because our guest Niceole Levy is here to discuss her new book entitled: The Writers’ Room Survival Guide Don’t Screw Up the Lunch Order and Other Keys to a Happy Writers’ Room.

 Niceole has written on Ironside, Shades of Blue, Cloak & Dagger, and S.W.A.T. She is currently a co-executive producer on Graymail, which will air on Netflix.

Grab your favorite Halloween candy, and let’s start the show.  

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Writers, we are so happy to have Emmy-winning writer/director/ playwright and major league baseball announcer KEN LEVINE hangs out with us.   Ken’s credits include M*A*S*H, WINGS, CHEERS, FRASIER, and ALMOST PERFECT, which he created with his writing partner, DAVID ISAACS. He voiced Dan Hoard in THE SIMPSONS as well as co-wrote the episode.  Ken has directed over 60 TV episodes, co-wrote the Tom Hanks movie VOLUNTEERS, and has a popular podcast called Hollywood and Levine.

Ken shares excellent tips on how to get your spec to the top of the pile, a gem of an idea on the way to make sure your writing sample stands out, and the best crew gift he ever got.

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Spooky Season continues with Sandy and Terry as they discuss the life and gruesome death of Al Adamson, a horror film director and writer. Al worked on the fringes of Hollywood during the golden age of drive-ins and grindhouse films. Al died in 1995 in a manner so dreadful it could have been a scene from one of his movies.

The 2019 documentary discussed in the episode:
BLOOD & FLESH: THE REEL LIFE & GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON
vudu.com/content/movies/details/Blood-Flesh-The-Reel-Life-Ghastly-Death-of-Al-Adamson/1325672

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PAGE Awards’ Judge Nate Adams hangs out with us!!!

Nate is an award-winning writer, Director, and Producer with over 20 years of experience in entertainment. His career started as an actor but quickly transitioned to screenwriter, where Nate was re-writing and polishing scripts for some of the biggest producers in Hollywood. In 2006, Nate started directing and producing, and he hasn't looked back.

Nate shares his experience of killing his screenplay, from getting made to buying props at Home Depot to get the perfect shot.

We also put Nate through the paces with a pop quiz entitled YOU PRODUCED THE MOVIE BUT DO YOU KNOW THE MOVIE!

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Sandy and Terry discuss Poltergeist, one of America's most beloved horror films. 

Released by MGM on June 4th, 1982, and written by Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, and Mark Victor, POLTERGEIST is rumored to be cursed for using real human skeletons during a pivotal scene. The curse is blamed for three lives lost in brutal and devastating ways. 

POLTERGEIST just might be the most cursed film in Hollywood history.   

We'll also be talking to writer and actor Michael McManus who played Ben Tuthill in POLTERGEIST, the neighbor next door, and get the real story of what happened.  

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Sandy and Terry discuss screenwriter Robert Riskin who spent most of his career working with legendary director Frank Capra. Over the years, Capra's name has overshadowed Riskin's enormous contribution to their collaborative work. And in the end, one of these men didn't show up at the other's funeral.  

Robert Riskin was like a character from one of his films, a self-made man who didn't graduate from a prestigious college. He didn't go to college at all. 

Join us as we put Robert Riskin into the spotlight where he belongs.  

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Gotta get off, gonna get
Have to get off from this ride
Gotta get hold, gonna get
Need to get hold of my pride

When did I get, where did I
How was I caught in this game
When will I know, where will I
How will I think of my name

Roberta Flack/20th Century Fox Records/Johnny Williams · Barbara Parkins · Dory Previn

Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they chat about Valley of the Dolls, one of the best-selling books in publishing history written by Jacqueline Susann.  VALLEY OF THE DOLLS chronicles the rise and fall of three young women in show business. Written by three very different writers, Harlan Ellison, Helen Deutsch and Dorothy Kingsley, VALLEY OF THE DOLLS will always have a place in the history of Hollywood.

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The hardest thing for new writers, and many seasoned pros, is to sit down and start writing your screenplay. Sure, you’ve been contemplating and telling everyone who will listen what a great idea you have for a script for months but haven’t written anything down. 

 Then, you see a movie trailer that looks exactly like the movie you have in your head, and you want to curl up in a ball and punch yourself in the face. 

Writers, in this episode, Sandy and Terry focus on “how to begin” with tips by Dean Orion. He wrote the book Live To Write Another Day, A Survival Guide for Screenwriters and Creative Storytellers.  You can find Dean's book on Amazon. 

 We pick a card from the Woracle Deck, created by writers for writers; the Woracle Cards are an essential tool to help writers generate ideas for new or existing stories. The purpose of the cards is to inspire and rejuvenate the creative juices to get the words flowing back on the page.

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Hello Writers, come hang out with Sandy and Terry as they talk about Ted Bergman, a 40-year veteran comedy writer with a long list of credits, including THE MUSTERS, HOLLYWOOD SQUARES, ALL IN THE FAMILY, SANFORD AND SON, WHAT'S HAPPENING, GIMME A BREAK, and THE GARY SHANDLING SHOW. Find out how Ted's Auntie Lee started his long writing career with a favor. Plus, we take you behind the scenes for a week at comedy legend Redd Fox's hit show SANFORD AND SON.  

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Hello Writers, come hang out with Sandy and Terry as they discuss how a short story from a dime store magazine turned into one of the most discussed films produced in Hollywood and the fifth-grossing film of 1954.  The film REAR WINDOW, starring Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, Raymond Burr, and Thelma Ritter, was written by John Michael Hayes and directed by Alfred Hitchock.  

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Tèlman kontan ou isit la!

We’re talking with Haitian-born writer and showrunner  Mike Gauyo, one of Hollywood’s top emerging creatives best known for his writing roles on HBO’s hit series INSECURE and Netflix’s GINNY & GEORGIA,  about his new series SEND HELP, a coming-of-age dark comedy, premiering August 11th on AMC'S ALLBLK  network.

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I was thinking about how screenwriters spend a lot of time coming up with a backstory for their characters, so I thought it would be fun to turn the tables and delve into the backstory of a screenwriter. 

Bruce Joel Rubin is an American screenwriter, meditation teacher, and photographer. His films often explore themes of life and death with metaphysical and science fiction elements. Jacob's Ladder, My Life, and Ghost are prominent among them, for which he received the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

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Hang out with us as we dive into the Mamet Memo.

In 2005, playwright, film director, screenwriter, and producer David Mamet wrote a memo to the writing staff of his CBS show The Unit. The memo surfaced online after the series was canceled and has been passed around writers’ room ever since.  This doc is filled with wisdom that works for both television and film. 

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 I was going to tell you the remarkable story of the unjustly overlooked screenwriter, but I had a strange week and needed to share it with you. 

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As a writer, you will have to deal with rejection. 
First, do not beat yourself up emotionally. 
Second, hit play and hang out with us as we talk about hit movies and television shows rejected by Hollywood's best. Including BACK TO THE FUTURE, PULP FICTION, and STRANGER THINGS.  

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In this episode, we have Kristin Overn the Founder and Executive Director of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards competition.  She began her film career as a producer's assistant and script reader at companies like Davis Entertainment, Bonneville Worldwide, and 20th Century Fox, and since that time, she has consulted, collaborated, and developed screenplays with dozens of writers, producers, and production companies. Kristin also has extensive experience in production, and she has served as a Producer, Line Producer, and UPM on various independent features, original sitcom pilots, several award-winning short films, TV commercials, and videos. She is a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Directors Guild of America.

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We continue our conversation on 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 such films as 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 repped 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.

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Two more PAGE Awards Judges, David Portlock, and John Evans continue our conversation on how they evaluate your screenplay. These two Judges drop a lot of helpful info 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 the development of their films. Also a screenwriter himself, David wrote and directed a feature film that was 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, and 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.

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 Two more PAGE Awards Judges, Dwayne Smith, and Mike Kuciak continue the conversation on how they evaluate your screenplay.

Mike Kuciak has two movies coming out in 2022; he’s the writer-director and 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 working as a professional screenwriter since 1999 and has written scripts for Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Intermedia, and Gold Circle. His urban thriller PAY THE LADY is currently in post-production, and his sci-fi feature IMPLANT is now 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.

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Two PAGE Awards Judges, Victoria Lucas and Laurie Ashbourne, talk about 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 over the past 20 years, she has worked as a story consultant, writer, and producer for Disney, Amazon, and many independent producers. She has over 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 in several different 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, awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Victoria is also a Judge for the PAGE Awards contest, in a variety of genres including Drama and Historical Films

👍 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] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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British screenwriter, Ian Mackintosh’s plane went missing on July 7, 1979,  nineteen days before his thirty-ninth birthday, over the Gulf of Alaska.  What happened still remains a mystery. Join us as we tell the story of Lieutenant Commander Hamish Ian Mackintosh, a British Royal Navy officer, a writer of thriller novels, and a screenwriter for British television.

Ian’s series, THE SANDBAGGERS was groundbreaking.  The New York Times said "the best spy series in television history."   Ian MacKintosh was among the first writers to present espionage realistically and as a sordid series of political struggles, double-crosses, and personality clashes.


If you would like to read more about Ian Mackintosh I highly recommend The Life and Mysterious death of Ian Mackintosh by Robert G. Folsom

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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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Our guest is writer extraordinaire Seth Cohen.  Seth and his partner, Amu Pocha are known for the NBC sitcom Undateable, Netflix's animated Paradise PD, and The Head of the Class reboot for HBO Max. Seth is currently a consulting producer on FARZAR, an upcoming Netflix animated series. 

👍 If you enjoy the show please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact us @[email protected] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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In part two, we continue the story based on the Vanity Fair article on television writer, Elisabeth Finch who wrote many of the emotional scripts for GREY'S ANATOMY exploring cancer, abortion, and sexual abuse using her own life experience.  

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In part one, rising star and television writer, Elizabeth Finch wrote many of the emotional scripts for GREY'S ANATOMY exploring cancer, abortion, and sexual abuse using her own life experience.  But when an email arrived at Shonda Rhimes’ production company, Shondaland, as well as ABC’s parent company, Disney, that Elizabeth wasn't telling the truth.  Elizabeth has been put on a leave of absence. 

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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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Join us as we celebrate Mother's Day with actor, writer, and voice-over artist Claudette Wells as we discuss how moms influence our creativity.  Plus, Claudette shares a story about Bill Murray, hanging out with Anne Beatts, and being a founding member of Dead Mother's Day.  I promise you it isn't as terrible as it sounds!

👍 If you enjoy the show, please follow us and leave a review so we can keep hanging out.
💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact  us at  [email protected] 
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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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Sandy and Terry explore the difference between the movie and the true story.  First up is 1979’s Amityville Horror, starring Josh Brolin, Margot Kidder, and Rod Steiger.  Amityville Horror is about a family terrorized by supernatural forces after moving into a murder house in Amityville, Long Island, New York.  

👍 If you enjoy the show, please follow us and leave a review so we can keep hanging out.
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📸 Check out our IG for photos @page_awards.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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On Christmas Eve 2000, Susan Berman, a journalist, screenwriter, and author was murdered in her home at 1527 Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Hills.   Susan, the only daughter of a mobster and former dancer, grew up as mob royalty, where Elvis and Liberace entertained on her birthdays.  Her tragic death shocked her friends but did Susan know her killer?

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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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Today's guest is television writer Amy Pocha.  Amy and her partner, Seth Cohen, are known for the NBC sitcom Undateable, Netflix's animated Paradise PD, and The Head of the Class reboot for HBO Max. Amy is currently a consulting producer on FARZAR, an upcoming Netflix animated series.  Amy talks about writing for television and how she walked away from one of her first jobs in the entertainment industry as a big winner.

👍 If you enjoy the show please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact  us at  [email protected] 

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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We have a very special guest today, Judy TrueCrime, a friend of the Pod here to discuss Episode 3 of The Writers’ Hangout, The Mysterious Death of the Hollywood Screenwriter.  

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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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On The Writers' Hangout, we talk with Victoria Lucas, 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, awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Victoria is also a Judge for the PAGE Awards contest, and her family has worked in Hollywood since the very earliest days of the film industry. 

We're going to talk with her about her legendary grandmother Bess Meredyth, a screenwriter, actress, and founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. 

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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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Today we tell the story of the screenwriter and mastermind behind ANIMAL HOUSE, CADDYSHACK, and co-founder of NATIONAL LAMPOON, Doug Kenney. Friends and co-workers remember him as a “genius,” Kenney, who died at 33 when he fell off a cliff in Hawaii.


If you enjoy the show please leave us a review.  

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We would love your comments on Instagram @thewritershangoutpodcast

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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What's the sitch? We're celebrating the 25th anniversary of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER with Steve La Rue. 

Steve is an internationally recognized leader in film and television development. Steve has 20+ years working independently and for Paramount Pictures Corp., NBC/Universal, and 20th Century Fox, where he championed such series as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Battlestar Galactica, and Farscape. 

 So, Scoobie Gang, no Scully here, Steve gives us the straight origin story behind BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

If you enjoy the show please leave us a review.  

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IG @thewritershangoutpodcast

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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Host Sandy Adomaitis and screenwriter Michael Hitchcock discuss the first film he wrote, WHERE THE DAY TAKES YOU, what it is like to direct an episode of GLEE and how he balances being a true Hollywood hyphenate.  Michael has not only written on some of your favorite television shows, he can also be seen on the big screen in BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, Christopher Guest’s BEST IN SHOW, and the iconic WAITING FOR GUFFMAN.  


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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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In today's episode, we share the fascinating story of screenwriter-director Paul Bern. Paul Bern, known throughout the movie business as "Hollywood's Father Confessor," earned a reputation for being a loyal and supportive friend and becoming one of MGM's most respected and creative screenwriter-directors. Paul married Jean Harlow, an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters and as a  leading sex symbol of the early 1930s, Jean earned the nicknamed "The Blonde Bombshell." 

If you enjoy the show please give us a five-star review and leave a review.  Also, let us know if you think Paul's death was a  murder or a cover-up on our IG Page @thewritershangout or email us at [email protected]

Let us know if there is a story you'd like us to cover at thewritershangoutpodcast.com.

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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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Sandy and screenwriter Vivian Lee discuss the difference between early success as a writer and coming up through production, writing dark and complicated characters, their long-time friendship, and how Vivian manages to write on a deadline with a toddler. Vivian's credits include "From," a brand new sci-fi, horror show on Epix, and for Netflix's "Lost in Space," "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance," and "Cowboy Bebop."  

Contact us: [email protected]
Follow Vivian Lee @TheViv86

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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In episode five, we take you into the complicated and lux world of Stephen Leo Bing, an American businessman, philanthropist, film producer, and screenwriter. 

Enjoy the show.

Contact us: [email protected]

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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Today on THE WRITERS' HANGOUT, we have the talented screenwriter Zack Stentz who co-wrote the blockbusters movies "Thor" and "X-Men: First Class. Zack's tv credits include "Fringe," "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," and "The Flash." Zack's latest endeavor is "Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous," which he developed for Netflix.  

We discuss Zack's Twitter feed which is jam-packed with valuable info for writers and his witty observations; how he and his writing partner split up the work when writing "Thor" and why he won't be invited back to a punch-up room anytime soon. 

Enjoy the show.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards 
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

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In this episode, Sandy and producer Terry Sampson discuss the little-known mystery of the 1997 disappearance of screenwriter Gary Devore.  Gary was returning home after working out the ending of his latest script, which he claimed would blow the lid off government secrets when he disappeared without a trace.  Did Gary step out to “buy a pack of cigarettes,” or was he met with foul play?   We’ll delve into what happened that fateful night and revisit the rumors and conspiracy theories that continue to baffle and disturb people.  

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

 

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Our second episode features screenwriters Steve Mazur (Liar Liar, The Little Rascals, Phil) and Mark Steen (Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Dilbert, Sparks), who talk about how simply attending one improv class can make you a better writer! Steve and Mark also go head-to-head in a pop quiz battle to determine who knows their favorite movie best. Will it be Steve with Tom Hank's beloved BIG or Mark who answers questions from the entire JAMES BOND franchise?

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsor the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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In this first episode of THE WRITERS' HANGOUT, host Sandy Adomaitis interviews superstar TV producers Toni Graphia (OUTLANDER, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES) and John Wirth (WU ASSASSINS, HELL ON WHEELS, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES) who discuss life in the writers' room, what they look for when hiring new writers and how to succeed in this crazy business.  

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsor the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller