Todd Harthan is currently the executive producer and showrunner on ABC’s HIGH POTENTIAL. In recent years, he has been executive producer on the Disney+ series CROSSOVER, ABC’s THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, and FBC’s THE RESIDENT.

HIGH POTENTIAL follows a single mom with three kids who helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during her shift as a police department cleaner.

In this interview, we talk about budgeting tips for writers, assembling a writer's room, his show HIGH POTENTIAL, the differences between writing for 22-24 episode seasons versus 10-14 episode seasons, 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!

Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson are the creators, showrunners, writers, and executive producers of the hit Showtime drama series, YELLOWJACKETS.

YELLOWJACKETS, equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story and coming-of-age drama, is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over.

YELLOWJACKETS stars Emmy Award-nominee Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, and Emmy Award-nominee Christina Ricci.

In this interview, we talk about the pros and cons of working as a writing partnership, the challenges and rewards of writing original content versus writing for existing shows, what they look for when hiring writers for their staff, the specific difficulties of writing a show with two timelines, 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!

Freddy Macdonald is a Student Academy Award winner and the youngest Directing Fellow ever accepted to the AFI Conservatory. Freddy’s AFI admission film, SEW TORN, was acquired by Searchlight Pictures, and it received an Oscar-qualifying theatrical release nationwide alongside READY OR NOT.

SEW TORN follows a seamstress who gets tangled in her own thread after stealing a briefcase from a drug deal gone bad. In an escalating game of cat and mouse, her different choices lead to drastically different outcomes along the way.

In this interview, we talk about his decision to attend film school (AFI), the creation of the short film SEW TORN as an application piece and its unexpected success, getting recognition from Joel Cohen and advice from mentors, the challenges of adapting the short film into a feature-length movie, 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!

Jonathan Tropper is an American novelist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the internationally best-selling author of six novels that have been translated into over thirty languages.

Most recently, he created the Apple TV+ Series YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, which follows a hedge fund manager who resorts to burglary after losing his job, targeting wealthy neighbors to maintain his family's lifestyle, but makes a fateful error breaking into the wrong home.

In this interview, we talk about writing characters who do questionable things but remain relatable, the casting of John Ham, the development process of the show, working with actors, 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!

Luke Barnett is an actor, writer, and filmmaker. On the acting front, Luke recently wrapped season 5 of AppleTV+'s critically acclaimed sci-fi drama FOR ALL MANKIND, where he recurs as suit supervisor Mike Shaw (we also spoke with the creators of this series back in Episode 363.)

This year, his short film THE CROSSING OVER EXPRESS, which he wrote, directed, and starred in, went viral on X (formerly Twitter) and is now being developed as a feature.

Luke's short, The Crossing Over Express, got nearly 2 million views in 30 days, for a personal gut-wrenching story (shot in just 1 day with a skeleton crew).

Here's what else happened:

-6 managers / agents reached out to rep him

-100s of fans reached out about the emotional core

-Countless industry pros re-shared the post

-Featured in Variety, Deadline, No Film School, etc.

-Currently developing a pitch for a full feature version

If you haven't seen it yet, here's a link to Luke's Profile and the Short is pinned at the top:

https://x.com/LukeBarnett

In this interview, we talk about his breakthrough with FUNNY OR DIE, creating viral content, the success of THE CROSSING OVER EXPRESS, the importance of proactivity and positivity, the reality of film festival politics, and much more.

As a special note, this was part of our new LIVE interview series in partnership with Buzztown, a community for serious screenwriters, where students also participated in this interview. You can learn more or join the waitlist here: https://www.scriptmastermind.com/buzztown62993179

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!

Jon Shaivitz is an LA-based writer and director. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2009, he's earned recognition in prestigious competitions such as the Academy Nicholl Fellowship (Top 50), StoryPros (Runner-Up), and the Atlanta Screenplay Awards (Best Feature).

His work has led to multiple script options, industry collaborations, and a growing reputation as a bold, innovative voice in filmmaking. In 2025, Jon makes his feature writing and directorial debut with ROSES ON THE VINE, a gripping drama set for worldwide release.

Recently, he’s been working on reinventing the screenplay-to-film pipeline with Pitcheroo, a game-changing new platform where screenwriters can connect with producers to get movies made.

Pitcheroo.com will launch Summer 2025 and soon after, Pitcheroo.org, a sister site that is non-profit to train and lift up the next generation of creators.

You can join their mailing list here: https://form.jotform.com/250508294545157

In this interview, we talk about his background and career, the film industry in Baltimore and the DC area, his film ROSES ON THE VINE, the concept and purpose of Pitcheroo, the problems with traditional screenwriting contests, 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!

Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield are the dynamic duo behind the highly anticipated Netflix comedy series THE FOUR SEASONS, a show they co-created with Tina Fey, inspired by the classic 1981 film.

Fisher previously co-created the hit NEVER HAVE I EVER and wrote for BROOKLYN NINE-NINE and THE MINDY PROJECT, and Wigfield created SAVED BY THE BELL, GREAT NEWS, and won an Emmy for writing the 30 ROCK finale.

THE FOUR SEASONS follows three suburban couples vacationing together each season, but tensions arise when one couple splits up and the husband brings a much younger woman on subsequent trips.

In this interview, we talk about the nature of writing for comedy, the changes in the sitcom/comedy landscape, the development of the show, including the initial concept and inspiration from the movie, the writing process for the show, 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!

Katie Robbins and Sarah Sutherland are the showrunners of Hulu's highly anticipated limited series, GOOD AMERICAN FAMILY, starring Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass.

The series follows a Midwestern couple who adopts what they believe is a little girl with dwarfism as they begin to raise her alongside their three biological children, falling into a battle fought in the tabloids, the courtroom, and ultimately their marriage.

Robbins' previous credits include the AppleTV+ drama series SUNNY, the award-winning Showtime drama series THE AFFAIR, and Amazon’s THE LAST TYCOON.

Sarah Sutherland was previously a co-executive producer on NINE PERFECT STRANGERS for Hulu and a Supervising Producer on SUNNY for Apple TV+, starring Rashida Jones.

You can listen to my previous interview with Katie where we talk about her series SUNNY, right here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep567-katie-robbins-showrunner-the-affair-the-last/id1292130289?i=1000669592206

In this interview, we talk about the creation of the show GOOD AMERICAN FAMILY, including the concept, research, and narrative perspective, the casting process — particularly the casting of the role of Natalia, advice for aspiring writers, 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!

NYU roommates Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, established a working partnership through their love for genre films. Their filmography includes the thrillers BODY, THE STAKELANDER, and the critically acclaimed VILLAINS, starring Bill Skarsgård and Maika Monroe. They continued their success with SIGNIFICANT OTHER and their newest action-comedy film NOVOCAINE.

NOVOCAINE follows a man, incapable of feeling physical pain, who transforms his rare condition into an unexpected advantage when the girl of his dreams is kidnapped.

In this interview, we talk about the making of their first films, the importance of film festivals versus online platforms like YouTube, how their directing partnership formed, the challenges and process of preparing to direct action sequences, 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!

Ian Seabrook is a highly acclaimed Director of Photography, celebrated for his mastery of underwater cinematography. His recent work includes lensing both underwater and main unit photography for the upcoming thriller LAST BREATH starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole.

Seabrook's extensive filmography features blockbuster hits like INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY and DEADPOOL 2. His television credits include WEDNESDAY, SHOGUN, LOST IN SPACE, and SEE.

In his latest work, LAST BREATH, we follow seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crew mate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.

In this interview, we talk about his decision to pursue film and the lack of formal education in underwater cinematography at the time, the complexities of underwater filming, the cinematography in Last Breath, 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!