Becca Topol is co-producer and story editor of MARVEL’S SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS, which follows the adventures of Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, and Miles Morales as they team up with Super Heroes to defeat foes.

A writer of both film and television series, Topol's writing credits include Disney Jr.'s Emmy and Imagen Award-winning ELENA OF AVALOR, and the live-action feature film THE RAMEN GIRL.

In this interview, we talk about her transition to entertainment and shift to writing, moving through Disney, writing for SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS, how being an "outsider" can be an advantage in the industry, writing for TV vs. features, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Zach Baylin and Kate Susman are a successful husband-and-wife creative duo and the co-founders of the production company Youngblood Pictures. Baylin is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter who achieved prominence for his debut feature, KING RICHARD - where Will Smith won the Oscar, and has since co-written major films including CREED III, THE ORDER, GRAN TURISMO.

Susman, a producer and screenwriter, is his primary creative partner, and together they co-created, co-wrote, and served as executive producers and showrunners for the upcoming Netflix crime thriller limited series, BLACK RABBIT.

The series follows the owner of a New York City hotspot (Jude Law) who allows his turbulent brother (Jason Bateman) back into his life and opens the door to escalating dangers that threaten to bring down everything he's built.

In this interview, we talk about how their writing collaboration started, the elements of a good partnership, their work process and writing philosophy, their show BLACK RABBIT, and the challenges of writing for TV/limited series.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Michael Shannon is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Tony Award-nominated actor with a distinguished career in film, television, and theater. This fall, he stars opposite Russell Crowe and Rami Malek in the historical drama NUREMBERG and plays President James Garfield in the Netflix series DEATH BY LIGHTNING.

DEATH BY LIGHTNING dramatizes the stranger-than-fiction true story of 20th U.S. President James Garfield and his admirer, Charles Guiteau, who assassinated him.

In this interview, we talk about his career, his latest project DEATH BY LIGHTNING, inspirations and acting philosophy, the type of roles that intrigue him, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Nora Garrett is a writer and actress. She is a 2024 honoree of Variety’s annual “10 Screenwriters to Watch” issue and was recently staffed on Ed Solomon’s new series THE SPOT for A24 and Hulu.

Nora wrote the new film AFTER THE HUNT, directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri, and Michael Stuhlbarg. The film follows a college professor who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star pupil levels an accusation against one of her colleagues and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light.

In this interview, we talk about her transition from acting to writing, her frustration with how female characters are described in scripts, the importance of empathetic connection by reading stories in voices different from one's own, the creation of AFTER THE HUNT, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Derek Kolstad is a screenwriter and producer best known as the creator of the global blockbuster JOHN WICK franchise and the writer of its first three films. He is also the creator, writer, and director of Netflix’s upcoming animated series SPLINTER CELL: DEATHWATCH, based on Tom Clancy and Ubisoft’s acclaimed video game franchise.

In addition to his film work, he was the writer and co-executive producer of Marvel’s Emmy-nominated series THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER.

In this interview, we talk about the original concept for JOHN WICK, the role and increasing recognition of stuntmen/stuntwomen, writing action sequences, collaborating with Jet Li, the creative approach for SPLINTER CELL, and much more.

Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend as we’re giving away 100,000 copies this year. It’s based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy!

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

John-Michael Powell is an Emmy Award–winning filmmaker and co-founder of Midnight Road Entertainment. His latest feature, VIOLENT ENDS, will be released theatrically by IFC Films.

VIOLENT ENDS is a southern-gothic revenge thriller set deep in the Ozark Mountains. The film chronicles the life of Lucas Frost, an honest man and one-half of a pair of star-crossed lovers, whose fate is inextricably tied to the crime family that raised him—a family whose only enduring legacy is violence.

In this interview, we talk about editing as a vital skill set for directing, his film VIOLENT ENDS, the non-linear path to a career in filmmaking, and much more.

This episode is brought to you by AutoCrit—the all-in-one platform to plan, write, analyze, and edit your books.

With comprehensive editing and analysis tools for fiction and nonfiction writers, and a vibrant community featuring courses like Nightmare Fuel starting October 6th and the Writing Iconic Killer Characters Workshop starting October 14th, AutoCrit gives you the tools and support serious writers need.

Pro membership normally costs 30 dollars a month, but Creative Principals listeners can get a LIFETIME membership for one fee.

Head to www.autocrit.com/brock for more information.

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Bekah Brinkmeier is a USA Today bestselling author and ghostwriter behind more than 85 novels. When she’s not deep in a draft, she’s teaching at AutoCrit, speaking at author events, or coaching fellow writers—especially neurodivergent creatives—on how to wrangle their ideas and actually finish what they start.

In this interview, we talk about her path to becoming a full-time writer, her ghostwriting experience and the lessons learned, the business and marketing side of publishing, AutoCrit, and much more.

This episode is brought to you by AutoCrit—the all-in-one platform to plan, write, analyze, and edit your books.

With comprehensive editing and analysis tools for fiction and nonfiction writers, and a vibrant community featuring courses like Nightmare Fuel starting October 6th and the Writing Iconic Killer Characters Workshop starting October 14th, AutoCrit gives you the tools and support serious writers need.

Pro membership normally costs 30 dollars a month, but Creative Principals listeners can get a LIFETIME membership for one fee.

Head to www.autocrit.com/brock for more information.

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

David is the director, writer and producer of the IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS trilogy for CreatorVC, which debuted in 2019 as a critically acclaimed four-and-a-half-hour documentary about ’80s horror movies. The long-form follow-ups IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS: PART II (2020) and IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS: PART III (2022) were highly lauded by fans and critics alike and extended the journey through ’80s horror cinema to an epic 14-and-a-half hour film experience. The trilogy can be seen on Shudder, Amazon Prime and AMC+.

David is also the director/writer/producer of IN SEARCH OF TOMORROW (2022), a five-hour documentary about ’80s Sci-Fi movies.

In this interview, we talk about the curation process and selection of films, post-production challenges, the fan-focused approach and community integration, and much more.

This episode is brought to you by AutoCrit—the all-in-one platform to plan, write, analyze, and edit your books.

With comprehensive editing and analysis tools for fiction and nonfiction writers, and a vibrant community featuring courses like Nightmare Fuel starting October 6th and the Writing Iconic Killer Characters Workshop starting October 14th, AutoCrit gives you the tools and support serious writers need.

Pro membership normally costs 30 dollars a month, but Creative Principals listeners can get LIFETIME membership for one fee.

Head to www.autocrit.com/brock for more information.

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Marcus Kliewer is a writer and stop-motion animator. His debut novel WE USED TO LIVE HERE began life as a serialized short story on Reddit. Film rights were snapped up by Netflix, and it was acquired by Simon & Schuster in the US for publication even before it had been extended into a full-length novel.

His new novel, THE CARETAKER, comes out next year (April 21, 2026) and follows a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined.

In this interview, we talk about his horror writing philosophy and approach, his first book WE USED TO LIVE HERE, writing on Reddit, and much more.

This episode is brought to you by AutoCrit—the all-in-one platform to plan, write, analyze, and edit your books.

With comprehensive editing and analysis tools for fiction and nonfiction writers, and a vibrant community featuring courses like Nightmare Fuel starting October 6th and the Writing Iconic Killer Characters Workshop starting October 14th, AutoCrit gives you the tools and support serious writers need.

Pro membership normally costs 30 dollars a month, but Creative Principals listeners can get LIFETIME membership for one fee.

Head to www.autocrit.com/brock for more information.

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

Ilona Six is an independent film producer best known for producing and selling THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE trilogy. A cult horror classic that became a worldwide success. She has worked across development, production, sales, and distribution on a wide range of bold independent films. Today, through The Film Business Club, she mentors the next generation of filmmakers, helping them with the business side of filmmaking.

In this interview, we discuss the shift in the film industry's business, including how to market and build buzz for films, strategies for pitching to investors, current methods for independent filmmakers to recoup their money, distribution strategies, and tips for approaching distributors.

This episode is brought to you by AutoCrit—the all-in-one platform to plan, write, analyze, and edit your books.

With comprehensive editing and analysis tools for fiction and nonfiction writers, and a vibrant community featuring courses like Nightmare Fuel starting October 6th and the Writing Iconic Killer Characters Workshop starting October 14th, AutoCrit gives you the tools and support serious writers need.

Pro membership normally costs 30 dollars a month, but Creative Principals listeners can get LIFETIME membership for one fee.

Head to www.autocrit.com/brock for more information.

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!