When Charlie got to post-production of his feature writer/director debut, he was crushed to discover that the film simply didn't work. At that point, he was faced with two choices: ditch the movie and move on, or dig in, dive into his lava, and head back to set for reshoots. He chose the latter, and his new film FOOL'S PARADISE, drops in theaters next week! On today's show we also talk about the genesis of Always Sunny, Charlie's comic voice, "pushing" your tone on the page, and how to write "unlikeable" characters.

136 | Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia) On Satire In Our Writing

Welcome to The Screenwriting Life, a podcast where Oscar-nominated writer Meg LeFauve and Emmy-nominated writer Lorien McKenna discuss not only the craft and business of Screenwriting, but also the emotional life: the ups and downs of being a creative, to remind you that you are not alone and to keep writing.

TV & Film

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Friend of the show Dustin Lance Black is back to talk about the central lynchpin of a great film: the protagonist. Lance is known for his complicated heroes (often real people) who draw us in and don't let go. Today, we discuss how to draw a protagonist that will hold an audience's attention, and perhaps more importantly, what to avoid so that same audience won't lose interest.

195 | Dustin Lance Black: Writing (And Adapting) Compelling Protagonists

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BILLY'S BOOKS: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001JSFBR4
The romantic comedy is one of the most enduring genres in American Cinema and for good reason: it's all about love, joy, and transformation, aka, the heart of good storytelling. This is Billy Mernit's entire ethos, the foundation that has made Billy's rom-com philosophy one of the most celebrated in our business. Billy is a story consultant, novelist, and Romcom guru, who's booking WRITING THE ROMANTIC COMEDY is a fundamental screenwriting craft text for emerging writers and pros.

194 | Romantic Comedy Writing Masterclass w/ Billy Mernit

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We're back with part TWO of our ten common traps that will kill your script. Take notes, TSL Fam!

193 | Ten Common Traps That Will Kill Your Script (Pt. 2)

Whether you're a pro or a beginner, there are certain traps as screenwriters that will almost ALWAYS kill our writing. On today's show, we cover the first five...(stay tuned for the rest!)
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192 | Ten Common Traps That Will Kill Your Script (Pt. 1)

Linda Seger basically created the job of independent script consultant. After years of exploring, she discovered that her gifts lie in making a good script great, which is the name of her first book: "Making A Good Script Great." Since then, Linda has become one of Hollywood's most sought after and celebrated consultants, because her ability to distill down what is needed on the page.
For Linda's Books: https://lindaseger.com/screenwriting-books/
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136 | Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia) On Satire In Our Writing

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