General Meeting with Becky Sloviter

This week's episode was a reminder of exactly why I wanted to start this podcast: a vulnerable, deep, honest, and funny conversation that of course culminated in a chat about Twin Peaks — what a dream (pun intended).

Seth Grahame-Smith (The Lego Batman Movie, It) is an incredibly accomplished screenwriter, New York Times best-selling author, successful producer, and (not for nothing) all-around great dude — and yet he still grapples with deep-seated feelings of inadequacy and failure.

In our candid, wide-ranging conversation, Seth traced his path from growing up in Connecticut — where photos of Scorsese, Coppola, and Spielberg covered his bedroom wall and his lifelong worship of James Cameron began — to film school at Emerson College, and then to Los Angeles the week he graduated. He was still deciding whether to pursue writing, directing, or cinematography when a serendipitous offer to write a book led to bestsellers 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' and 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter', which were both quickly adapted into movies as Seth found himself shot out of a cannon.

Seth and I both got very real about why so many of us are drawn to Hollywood (spoiler alert: processing trauma), and how the nature of being an artist makes it all the more challenging to navigate the "dagger in your heart 95% of the time" that describes even the most successful Hollywood careers.

We also dug into Seth's desire to reinvent himself, why directing a movie soon feels so vital to him, his collaborations with producing partner David Katzenberg, and the invaluable support he's received from David's father, Jeffrey — and why the moments he's spent working with some of his childhood idols, including Tim Burton and Steven Spielberg, are what he cherishes most, family aside.

I personally got so much out of our conversation, and Seth's willingness to be vulnerable inspired me to share more than I normally would. But most importantly: it's a blue rose. Twin Peaks FOREVER.

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Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Seth Grahame-Smith - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0334381/

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This week, Becky welcomes Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up comedian, and Cincinnati Bengals superfan Jasmine Pierce (Saturday Night Live, Big Mouth) to the pod for a chat about the importance of finding your voice, remaining authentic (even and especially in Hollywood), and their queen, Oprah.

Acting since elementary school, Jasmine traces her path from an incredible performing arts school in Cincinnati to her time as an undergrad at NYU, where she ultimately pivoted from acting to stand-up comedy and writing, and found her passion and purpose. Becky and Jasmine dive into mentorship and the remarkable difference unsolicited words of encouragement can make — especially when they come from SNL Head Writer Anna Drezen (and General Meeting Episode 5 guest, just saying) when you're just starting out.

Jasmine talks about her early years writing for the satirical website Reductress, landing her first gig at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and then, after a brief stop at Crank Yankers, finding her way back to 30 Rockefeller Plaza as a writer for Saturday Night Live. She and Becky discuss what it was like to start at SNL a few months before a global pandemic hit, and how she and frequent collaborator Chloe Fineman leaned on each other through the wild experience of making the remote shows in the spring of 2020.

And finally, Jasmine shares what it was like to write on the final season of Netflix's Big Mouth, what she learned from brilliant showrunners Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett & Mark Levin, and how the show is truly a source of sex education alongside the comedy and heart.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

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Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Jasmine Pierce - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5276392/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Becky welcomes a filmmaker she truly adores: writer/director Jason Orley (Big Time Adolescence, I Want You Back), whose upcoming film, Close Personal Friends, stars Jack Quaid, Lily Collins, Brie Larson and Henry Golding, and will be a 2027 release from Amazon.

Jason traces his path from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan to NYU film school, which led to amazingly formative years learning from our queen Nancy Meyers before writing what would become his directorial debut, Big Time Adolescence — starring Pete Davidson and a newly-discovered Sydney Sweeney, a screenplay he wrote at Jon Lovett's house just as Lovett was starting Pod Save America.

He then shares stories of his continued collaborations with Pete Davidson: on his Peacock show, Bupkis — and how Pete's appeal brought together incredible actors like Steve Buscemi, Edie Falco, Joe Pesci, Bobby Cannavale, and even former Vice President Al Gore — as well as his yet-to-be-made (but someday - we're manifesting!) Ramones biopic with Pete at the center.

Jason also recalls what it was like to have his debut film open in theaters the weekend the world shut down, and how he made I Want You Back — his rom-com starring Jenny Slate and Charlie Day — masked up during the pandemic (yet still a fantastic experience).

Plus: some behind-the-scenes scoop on Close Personal Friends, including the Meghan Markle cameo — which finally gave Becky the opportunity to share a heartwarming personal insight about the famous Montecito resident. Jason and Becky also dive into the imposter syndrome that often accompanies first-time directing, and why the fact that it took a while to get his first movie made actually had some upsides.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalmeetingpod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalmeetingpod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@generalmeetingpod

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6RsxRaefiegM4RBODS36Xc?si=8f28c55191ad43ce

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/general-meeting-with-becky-sloviter/id1836044182

Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Jason Orley - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3753276/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Becky welcomes director Lena Khan (The Tiger Hunter, Flora & Ulysses) to talk about her new Netflix film, Best of the Best — a raucous comedy set in the cutthroat world of collegiate Bollywood dance competitions. It stars once-in-a-generation talent Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever), is co-written and produced by the brilliant Hasan Minhaj, and hits Netflix this Friday, September 18th.

Lena takes Becky back to what actually inspired her to become a filmmaker — after starting at UCLA as an engineering major, before Don Cheadle's unwitting influence convinced her to pivot to film. They chat about Lena's first movie, The Tiger Hunter, starring Danny Pudi and inspired by her own family's story, a path she ultimately pursued with encouragement from her colleagues at Participant Films. Then it's on to Best of the Best: what it actually takes to make a dance movie, and how she told Maitreyi Ramakrishnan that all she had to do was "become Channing Tatum" — which led to seven hours of dance lessons a day for her star.

Finally, during the "Last Looks" segment, Lena and Becky bond over their shared love of many things, but especially the Steve Martin/Nora Ephron classic My Blue Heaven, and the perfection that is Friday Night Lights.

Check out our episodes on YouTube as well! https://www.youtube.com/@generalmeetingpod

If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalmeetingpod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalmeetingpod

Website: https://www.generalmeetingpod.com

Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Lena Khan - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3414572/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week is another first as Becky welcomes young talent manager Matt Rosen to the pod. Matt represents Hollywood screenwriters and filmmakers, but that's not the main reason why Becky invited him onto the pod.

Driven by a desire to showcase underrepresented writers and help his clients share their stories, Matt has made a name for himself in Hollywood by doing something very unusual for someone in his position: posting hot takes, strong opinions and hilarious commentary about Hollywood every day on his Instagram stories — the movies he loves and which ones he thinks are garbage, the directors he thinks are hacks, the films people don't talk about enough, the stars who are overrated.

But as he and Becky go a little deeper, Matt reveals why his friendships make some movies and TV shows off-limits to his commentary, how Mr. Thomas Cruise is the only person in the world they'd close down Times Square for, and why Philadelphia sports fans can sometimes (often?) be described as mentally ill.

Matt and Becky also chat about the state of show business and the importance of keeping it real during these trying times, while Matt references some classics (that anyone interested in Hollywood will know or can seek out): 'What Makes Sammy Run' by Budd Schulberg, the 'karmic debt' that Steven Soderbergh famously talked about in his 'State of Cinema' speech in 2013 (link below), and why Dawn Steel's "they can kill you...but they can't eat you" has become a mantra for Matt.

Check out our episodes on YouTube as well! https://www.youtube.com/@generalmeetingpod

If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalmeetingpod/

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Website: https://www.generalmeetingpod.com

Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Matt Rosen - https://www.instagram.com/mattyrosen21/

Steven Soderbergh's 'State of Cinema' Speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQrFSUwFwUM&t=16s

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It's another one of Philadelphia's finest as acclaimed writer/director Dan Trachtenberg (Predator: Badlands, 10 Cloverfield Lane) joins Becky as she wears a Sixers t-shirt in honor of LeBron (still can't believe it!) for a wide-ranging conversation about creative collaborations, leaps of faith and where underdog mentality really comes from. 

First, Dan takes Becky back to growing up in Philly: working at Suncoast Video in the Willow Grove Mall, leaning into his passion for comic books and movies that laid the foundation for his directing career. Then Dan shares his path from film school at Temple University (go Owls!) to years of trying to make it in Los Angeles directing commercials, before his buzzy short films and a fortuitous connection from Philly helped him land the job directing his first film, 10 Cloverfield Lane — produced by one of Dan's biggest filmmaker influences, J.J. Abrams. 

Dan then shares the backstory of how he found a fresh and original way into the Predator franchise and how he's continued to build out the Predator universe in distinct ways — prequels, animated films, and not one but two incredible roles for Elle Fanning — and what else he's working on next. 

Dan and Becky also bond over their shared love of movies that try to show the full human experience — especially '80s and '90s movies, anything Spielberg touched, and definitely if John Cusack holds up a boombox. 

Check out our episodes on YouTube as well! https://www.youtube.com/@generalmeetingpod

If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalmeetingpod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalmeetingpod

Website: https://www.generalmeetingpod.com

Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Dan Trachtenberg - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0870469/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a damn fine episode this week as Becky is joined by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Macon Blair (Blue Ruin, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), whose latest film, Idiots — a darkly comedic road trip movie starring Dave Franco, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Mason Thames, Kiernan Shipka, and Peter Dinklage — comes out in theaters this Friday, August 28th from IFC.

Macon shares the initial inspiration for Idiots while giving a peek into how fruitful his collaboration with Dave Franco in particular was on the path to getting the movie made. Macon then indulges Becky's fandom over his previous films, sharing the backstory of how his collaboration with filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier (Rebel Ridge, Green Room) dates back to their childhoods in Virginia, and continues today with their production company, Bonneville Pictures. 

Macon also talks about his work as an actor — how playing his first deeply dramatic role in Blue Ruin didn't allow him to rely on his usual acting tricks, and how special it was to work with legendary filmmaker Christopher Nolan on Oppenheimer as well as acclaimed showrunner Sterlin Harjo on both Reservation Dogs and The Lowdown.

And finally, should you want to see Becky lose her mind with happiness, stay until the final "Last Looks" question, where Twin Peaks FINALLY gets its due from fellow die-hard fan Macon as they discuss a place both wonderful and strange.

Check out our episodes on YouTube as well! https://www.youtube.com/@generalmeetingpod

If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalmeetingpod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalmeetingpod

Website: https://www.generalmeetingpod.com

Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Macon Blair - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0086301/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the 50th episode of the pod, Becky is joined by someone very special to her family: writer/director Amy Talkington (Little Fires Everywhere, Valley Girl), who went on a 12 year odyssey with an incredible producer to bring the remake of the classic film Valley Girl to life as a jukebox musical for MGM.

Amy shares the juxtaposition of being raised in a prominent Dallas family while also being the "goth girl at cotillion," and how the countercultural music scene in Deep Ellum in the '80s saved her during those tumultuous teen years — ultimately inspiring her to leave Dallas and chase her dreams.

She then shares a few incredible stories from her encounters with legendary filmmakers: first, Milos Forman — while Amy was in graduate school at Columbia — whose feedback on her short film helped forge her fairytale launch into Hollywood; and then with the master himself, Francis Ford Coppola, and why their meeting was lovely but not at all what she expected.

Amy and Becky then reminisce about the commitment and dedication it took to get Valley Girl made and the many obstacles along the way — studio bankruptcies, multiple directors, a Logan Paul scandal, and a global pandemic, just to name a few — before connecting on the challenges of balancing motherhood and identity while navigating an artistic career.

Check out our episodes on YouTube as well! https://www.youtube.com/@generalmeetingpod

If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalmeetingpod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalmeetingpod

Website: https://www.generalmeetingpod.com

Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Amy Talkington - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0848090/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Becky is joined by an old friend with an incredible career trajectory. Maradith Frenkel spent 15 years as a top studio executive at Universal Pictures — working on films including Bridesmaids, Mamma Mia!, and Snow White and the Huntsman — before her entrepreneurial instincts and a desire to solve a problem for her newborn son led her to launch the wildly successful clothing company Little Sleepies.

Through Maradith's drive and perseverance, Little Sleepies developed a unique bamboo-based fabric that almost immediately soothed her son's irritated skin while reinventing a category in the baby clothing space. From there, she built the company from a scrappy start-up in her garage into the ever-expanding success story it is today: with billboards in Times Square, collaborations with Disney, Warner Bros., Paw Patrol, and (of course) Bluey, and a sizable headquarters in Hollywood.

Becky and Maradith reminisce about their days together at Universal Pictures before diving into Maradith's storied career path, how the skills she picked up in the film industry proved surprisingly transferable to launching a company all on her own, how — as Maradith puts it — "you never get anywhere without taking a risk," and why she's so proud to be part of people's happiest memories (or "go the f**k to sleep," as the case may be).  

Check out our episodes on YouTube as well! https://www.youtube.com/@generalmeetingpod

If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalmeetingpod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalmeetingpod

Website: https://www.generalmeetingpod.com

Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Maradith Frenkel - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2724059/

Little Sleepies: https://littlesleepies.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week's episode marks a first for Becky: a true 'general meeting' with a filmmaker she'd never met before and was delighted to sit down with: DGA-nominated director Jeff Wadlow (Imaginary, The Curse of Bridge Hollow), whose new survival thriller The Devil's Mouth, starring Kathryn Newton and Lana Condor, just premiered July 29th on Amazon Prime. 

Jeff takes Becky through his journey from growing up in Virginia to majoring in film at Dartmouth to earning his MFA from USC's Peter Stark Producing Program — but first, they dive (pun intended) into his experience making The Devil's Mouth in Thailand, including why he was drawn to this wholly original take on a shark movie and the challenges of filming on the open ocean.

Jeff then shares some incredible stories from his film school days — including the time he brought his mentor Warren Beatty to class — before getting into the backstory of the Adrenaline Film Project, a 72-hour filmmaking competition that Jeff launched more than 20 years ago in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia.

And poignantly, Jeff opens up about his close relationship with his aunt, Katie Couric, and what it meant to show up for his family when he moved in with Katie and her daughters following the tragic death of her husband, Jay, just a few years before Jeff's mother, Emily Couric, would also pass away from cancer — one of the many reasons Katie's work with Stand Up To Cancer is so personally meaningful to their family. 

Check out our episodes on YouTube as well! https://www.youtube.com/@generalmeetingpod

If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow, share, like, comment, all the things - thank you for your support!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalmeetingpod/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalmeetingpod

Website: https://www.generalmeetingpod.com

Host: Becky Sloviter

Guest: Jeff Wadlow - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0905592/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.