Act Two Podcast

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discover a list of top tips for aspiring Screenwriters, according to the New York Film Academy. They disagree fundamentally with some tips, and expound on the practicality of others in the real world. There is advice for up & coming Screenwriters everywhere. Tasha and Josh help translate that advice into real-life scenarios and uses.

TWIW: Outlining as a surprising tool for a writer who doesn't outline

Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Host Tasha Huo rants about her oversized sketchpad and the different ways she's used it to help break multiple script ideas. She answers listener questions on using the sketchpad, and, really, just won't shut up about the sketchpad.

TWIW: What would Tasha's greatest betrayal of Josh be? / Don't sleep on The Accountant and The Accountant 2

Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Not everything you see on screen was in the script. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down 8 famous improvised movie moments - what made them work, how they changed the scene, and what screenwriters can learn from embracing spontaneity.

Questions or comments? Hit us up at [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist.

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dig into the importance of: Knowing Your Story. As screenwriters, we all get notes that make us question everything - is the story different now? Is it better? Or just... different? Tasha and Josh break down knowing your characters and ways to stay grounded when the note floodgates open.

Plus: Are You Excited?!

Questions or comments? Hit us up at [email protected]

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk about self-talk, the kind that holds us back, and the kind that pushes us forward. How do we recognize and manage those self-destructive thoughts, and how do we start talking kinder to ourselves as writers.

Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss a hotly debated topic -- writing for an audience (it's not what you think it is). What does it mean to think about the audience when you write a scene and how do you do without compromising your vision as a writer.

Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

What is a framing device, and why do writers use them? Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman explore the storytelling tool that bookends so many scripts. They also have a little disagreement about the use of a framing device in White Lotus...

Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss ways to advocate for yourself, whether you have reps or not, and the importance of thinking of yourself as the CEO of your own company of one.

TWIW: the new Nicholls Fellowship setup / Josh's insane Monday morning that ended with a 911 call

Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Getting repped can seem impossible, but the good news is there are actually many different paths to representation. In this repost from S4, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down what worked for them in their own careers and what they've seen work for other writers.

TWIW: Josh finished a pilot with his wife and celebrated with Taylor Swift, Tasha celebrates an Act Two mentee getting repped! Plus, how long does it take to write a feature screenplay anyway?

Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Some stories begin with a character. Others begin with a question. But what if yours begins with a place? This week, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman kick off a new series on story starting points — beginning with how location can be more than just a setting.

Stephen Sondheim Instagram POST.

Questions / Comments: [email protected]

Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist