Creative Principles

“I’ve spent my life writing,” says Emerald Fennell. “It’s something I’ve done ever since I was a child. It’s something I would be doing whether I could make films or write books or not.”

After University, Emerald wrote a pile of spec scripts to “find her voice.” During hiatus of BBC’s Call the Midwife, where Emerald played Nurse Patsy Mount for 27 episodes, she wrote three books. “My last book, Monsters, which was an adult novel, Showrunner Jessica Knappett read it and asked me to write on the fourth season of her amazing show, Drifters.”

“I think I had that thing that many screenwriters had where I had a few things bought but didn’t go. It’s a constant process of nearlys until you get that first credit, which Jess gave me.”

After Drifters, she wrote and directed a short called Careful How You Go that went to Sundance and helped her pitch and ultimately write and direct Promising Young Woman, a dark comedy about a young woman traumatized by the tragic events of her past.

Then, Emerald wrote on Season 2 of Killing Eve and now she’s back on the silver screen as writer/director of Saltburn, where an Oxford student finds himself drawn in the world of a charming aristocratic classmate.

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

“I was ill-equipped to do anything else,” jokes Amy Sherman-Paladino. “It was survival of the fittest maybe. My father was a comic. My mother was a dancer. It was basically, pick something in show business because that’s all you got.”

“We both infuriate inspiring screenwriters because we’re not the people who wrote a ton of spec. We sort of fell into,” says Daniel Paladino. “Amy was a dancer. I was a musician. I got a job as a writer’s assistant because typing in the 80s was a rare commodity because everyone wrote long-hand.”

Turning these handwritten documents into typed screenplays taught Daniel the business. “I think I can do this,” he told himself. “Then, maybe the 10,000 hours of watching TV before that as a child just sort of created a natural flare for it — all the time I wasted in my youth.”

Amy got a job writing for the series Roseanne, where she worked 4 years and wrote 13 episodes. A few years later, there was an opportunity to write a “comedic hour long” where she pitched several ideas. The one she spent the most time on and even optioned IP for led to crickets, but when asked if she had anything else, she replied, “Just this one with a mother-daughter where they’re more like friends than mother-daughter.” This was Gilmore Girls.

“Amy had written 2-3 pilots based on mother-daughter relationships that were different than Gilmore Girls. I remember when she pitched it, thinking this should be the last mother-child pilot you write, and it was ultimately,” jokes Daniel.

Gilmore Girls ran for 154 episodes on the WB and there’s a 4-part mini series on Netflix called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. While Gilmore Girls was on, Daniel ran Season 2 of Family Guy. In 2017, going even more personal, the screenwriters delivered The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, about a comedian in the 50s who follows her calling once her husband leaves her.

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

“I thought I wanted to be a journalist,” said Linda Palmer. “But when I saw myself in front of a camera, I realized it wasn’t for me. I wanted to be behind the camera. I gradually went that way instead of working in news.”

In this interview, we talk about Linda’s love of Halloween, telling personal stories, her company Runaway Productions, good and bad pitch videos, how to network globally online, pitching to professionals on LinkedIn, her decision to move to North Carolina, and how to get things made not being in Los Angeles or New York.

‘Shooting for the Stars’ is for those creators tired of facing rejection. “With over 25 films produced in 25 years, including feature films, short films, documentaries, and web-series, you’ll learn Linda’s process to consistently produce high quality entertainment. Using her case studies, you’ll learn what to do to avoid costly mistakes and get your film finished.”

We also reference Jon Albert, documentary filmmaker behind ‘Cuba and the Cameraman’ from Episode 18 of the podcast.

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

“I just took a poll with my team and right now, we have about 20 projects in development,” says Robert Rippberger. “I’m trying to tell stories that are speaking to something larger, less of a weekly news cycle, the role of storytelling and social impact entertainment.”

In The Power of Storytelling: Social Impact Entertainment, the book follows the way we transform ourselves through storytelling, how to look at entertainment and media in positive and negative terms, and how a simple narrative can change the world.

In this interview, we talk about the importance of a sense of urgency as a creative, operating in your own echo chamber, understanding which tasks actually move the needle, working on projects that are guaranteed to get finished, why filmmaking is not sustainable, why you don’t need permission, and how to be a visionary with an abundant mindset but still consider conversation and innovation for scarce resources.

Learn more about Robert’s movie studio in North Carolina, Ascent Studios, back in Episode 431 of the podcast.

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

‘Songs for Ivy’ is a touching and enlightening perspective on topics such as childhood and terminal cancer, alcoholism, drug addiction, work addiction, morbid obesity, family dysfunction, end-of-life issues, love and complex family relations all rolled together to reveal the complexity of the human soul.

In this interview, Carlos talks about creative acts that bring joy, his radical life transformation, rediscovering his love for music and the written word, how creativity leads to healing, working with editors, and his writing process for ‘Songs for Ivy.’

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

“Movies and television is always what I wanted to do,” says Eric Martin. “I don’t remember it wasn’t a time it wasn’t the main interest in my life, but screenwriting is something I was a little bit late too. I was a latchkey key and I viewed writing as work, something to get done to go watch movies.”

“But there were a series of teachers who kept pulling me aside and said, ‘You’re a writer, do you enjoy this?’ It kept happening so the message finally got through to take it seriously and put in that kind of effort.” Looking back, Martin says he understood story structure just from watching so many movies. He also had a teacher teach the hero’s journey to write essays.

“I don’t actually think about structure when I write. Use the hero’s journey. Don’t use it. I personally hate writing textbooks. Any book that tells you how to write is bullshit. I think you pick it up and inherently understand it. I think it’s baked in even if you think you’re following it. It’s just there. It’s part of the western storytelling ethic.”

Rather than obsessing over screenwriting books, Martin would tell you to “go live some life.” He adds, “Don’t try to read a bunch of things and use a theory on anything. Live some life and I think you’ll understand [life] on a deeper level. I see a lot of stuff out there and it feels hollow. People who do depthful work live interesting lives.”

This has led Martin to focus on “character and story.” As a screenwriter, this is always the focus, whether it’s his TV movie The Other Mother, the Starz series about professional wrestling Heels, or his latest project, the newest installment of Loki for Marvel and Disney.

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

As a screenwriter, Tyler MacIntyre co-wrote ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s.’ The story follows “A troubled security guard begins working at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. During his first night on the job, he realizes that the night shift won't be so easy to get through. Pretty soon he will unveil what actually happened at Freddy’s.”

As a Director, MacIntyre directed Justin Long and Joel McHale in ‘Its a Wonderful Knife.’ “After saving her town from a psychotic killer, Winnie Carruthers' life is less than wonderful. When she wishes she'd never been born, she finds herself in a nightmare parallel universe where without her, things could be much, much worse.”

In this interview, we talk about the game of development, getting started as an Editor, creating an uplifting slasher movie, a good ratio for comedy-horror movies, casting people who have a history of the genre you’re creating, casting to play against type, logistical frustrations in filmmaking, and advice for making horror movies on a responsible budget.

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!f

Rick Garman moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18 to be an actor. “I got out as soon as I was sure my parents couldn’t send a sheriff to bring me back,” he jokes. “I went to acting school, worked a bunch of jobs, and landed at a theater company called The Colony Theater.”

“One of our cast members had just passed away from aids. They wanted to do a play about [the subject], but our audience was very conservative and there was nothing else out there. I sat down and said, I’ve been in plays, I’ve said plays, I can write a play, so I wrote a play.”

The production won some awards and got performed around the country. “Writing became my passion. I wrote all the time even though I wasn’t getting paid for it.” This led to some spec scripts and pilots as Garman climbed the corporate ladder.

“It was about finding the characters and the heart, which has become my hallmark for lack of a better word” he said of this ability to walk the line of tough subjects but appease all audiences. “It was less about the issues and more about the people. The way big events affect people on a personal level.”

“One of my favorite themes in writing is that people are walking around in their everyday life, thinking the world is one thing, and then something happens and their world shifts. The rug gets pulled out from under them and they have to look at life and the world around them in a very different way.”

He eventually sold a TV movie script to a channel called Pixel, which led to four more scripts, and then an opportunity to pitch to Hallmark. “In 2017, I quit my high-paying executive job in the internet world (places like Disney and Yahoo) and became a writer full time. I’ve written about 40 movies in the last seven years.”

In 2022 alone, Garman has credits for Groundswell, Christmas at the Drive-In, and A Christmas… Present. This year, he’s got credits for Notes of Autumn and the new film, Christmas on Cherry Lane.

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

“The origin story feels pretty far away from where I am now,” says screenwriter Kelly Younger. “I started out in archeology. Truth be told, I wanted to be a Goonie,” he jokes. “I’m from a working class Irish family. My family went through a hard financial time. We actually lost our house when I was a kid.”

“In The Goonies, the kids are about to lose their homes, but then they find this treasure map, fight criminals, there’s pirate ships, but ultimately they find the treasure that is going to save the family home. That movie really hit me at a pretty important moment.”

“Then, when Indiana Jones came out, I wanted to be an archeologist. That was always my interest and facisnation. Lost civilizations and treasures. The kind of magic surrounding those kinds of stories. I was also a bit of a theater kid in middle school and high school. When it came time for school, I studied English Literature and the Classics.”

Eventually, it became obvious that Younger was making career choices based on movies. “Ultimately, I moved to Ireland and studied literature, drama, folk tales, mythology, and fairy tales. I started out as a student of storytelling, but then my theater background kicked in and I started writing plays—mostly because I was broke. I wrote a play and won 1,000 pounds and got involved in the Dublin Theater Festival.”

Eventually, this lead the screenwriter to Disney Animation where he worked as part of the “Story Trust,” providing feedback and advice for Moana, Cars 3, Coco, Incredibles 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Toy Story 4, Frozen II, Onward, Aladdin, and Raya and the Last Dragon.

As a screenwriter, Younger has credits on Muppets Now, Muppets Haunted Mansion, and the new Eddie Murphy comedy Candy Cane Lane. The story follows a man who is determined to win the neighborhood’s annual Christmas decorating contest until he makes a pact with an Elf who cast a spell on him which brings the 12 days of Christmas to life, and wrecks havoc on the town.

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.

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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!

‘Shot in the Arm’ explores the "anti-vax" movement both historically and in the angry political present, this vital account probes the divides and disinformation that threaten our future. This includes subjects like Oprah Winfrey, Del Bigtree, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

In this interview, I sat down with famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Director Scott Hamilton Kennedy. We talk about curiosities and responsibilities as storytellers, how to approach talent for documentaries, advice for interviewers, creating trust for viewers through a subject’s actions, how the two connected for this film, and the power of storytelling to effect change.

Make sure to also look for clips from this conversation on instagram @brockswinson

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.

And, 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 on your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!