Screenplayed Breakdown

Adam Wingard joins The Screenplayed Breakdown to discuss Onslaught, his return to independent filmmaking after years of working within the studio system. Adam discusses the filmmakers and films that shaped his approach, from John Carpenter and James Cameron to The Fog, Halloween III, Terminator 2, and No Country for Old Men. He breaks down how those influences came together in the film’s visual language, including the “war room” where he and his collaborators built a vision board from the movies that inspired them.

Adam also discusses the process of developing Onslaught from a much smaller, $300,000 movie into a larger-scale action film, and how he and writer Simon Barrett eventually found the story’s 24-hour siege structure. He explains how collaboration with actors like Dan Stevens and Rebecca Hall transformed the characters, why he believes filmmakers need to embrace big creative swings, and the challenges of maintaining a personal vision while working inside the studio system. Adam also reflects on the realities of making a sustainable living as an independent filmmaker and why low-budget movies can be a way into the industry, but not necessarily a way to stay there.

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Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker join The Screenplayed Breakdown to discuss Abbott Elementary, the acclaimed ABC comedy they co-created with Quinta Brunson. They discuss how a chance friendship between two interns eventually led them to running one of television's most successful network comedies.

Justin and Patrick break down their process for breaking a 22-episode broadcast season, building character arcs around "tent pole" episodes, and using collaborative outlines to bring an entire writers' room into the process. They also discuss what they learned from Quinta Brunson about allowing scenes to simply let audiences live with characters, why character work should come before plotting, and how casting can fundamentally change the characters on the page.

Justin and Patrick previously co-created Surviving Jack and Harley Quinn, and have worked together in television since meeting as interns at Quentin Tarantino's production company.

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Michael Sarnoski joins The Screenplayed Breakdown to discuss The Death of Robin Hood, a new reimagining of the legendary outlaw starring Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer. Michael discusses his lifelong fascination with the Robin Hood myth and why he chose to tell the character's final chapter.

Michael breaks down his writing process, from his vomit pass first drafts to discovering characters organically as he writes. He also discusses balancing writing and directing, shooting ambitious action sequences in just thirty days, and why he believes the best creative work comes from following ideas that seem impossible or even like bad ideas on paper.

Michael previously wrote and directed the acclaimed drama Pig starring Nicolas Cage and directed A Quiet Place: Day One.

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Megan Gallagher joins The Screenplayed Breakdown to discuss Peacock’s hit thriller series 'All Her Fault,' starring Sarah Snook. As the show’s lead writer and showrunner, Megan breaks down the process of adapting Andrea Mara’s bestselling novel into an eight-episode television event and reveals how major storylines, characters, and twists were developed specifically for the series.

Megan discusses her unconventional path into the industry, moving from the United States to Norway and building a television career through the British and European production systems. She explains the differences between American and British writers' rooms, the challenges of constructing a mystery that keeps audiences guessing, and the importance of creating satisfying twists that feel surprising yet inevitable.

The conversation also explores Megan’s experience assembling a writers' room, working with directors Minkie Spiro and Kate Dennis, and translating complex character dynamics from page to screen. She reflects on writing personal material inspired by her own family, the realities of sustaining a career in Hollywood, and why success in the entertainment industry is less about connections and more about persistence and hard work.

Before creating 'All Her Fault,' Megan wrote and produced television projects across Scandinavia and the United Kingdom, including work for BBC One. She continues to develop character-driven thrillers and adaptations for international audiences while serving as a writer, executive producer, and showrunner.

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In this episode, Andrew Guest joins the Screenplayed Breakdown to discuss Marvel's new show, Wonder Man. Andrew is the showrunner of the series and brings with him a wealth of television experience, having worked on landmark comedies including 30 Rock and Community before moving into the Marvel universe with Hawkeye.

Andrew reflects on the experience of working within the Marvel machine, including what it is like to collaborate with Kevin Feige, and how the writer's room for a streaming show differs fundamentally from the network television rooms where he came up. He also touches on the dual nature of Hollywood that Wonder Man itself explores, the industry as both a source of genuine inspiration and deep frustration, and closes with what advice he would offer his younger self at the start of a career that eventually landed him at the helm of one of Marvel's most unconventional projects.

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In this episode, Oren Uziel joins the Screenplayed breakdown to talk about his journey from failed attorney to Hollywood screenwriter, the making of Spider-Noir and what it took to get Nicolas Cage on board, his thoughts on breaking into the industry without a film school background, and where he sees the future of writing in the age of AI.

Oren is the showrunner and creator of Prime Video and MGM+'s Spider-Noir starring Nicolas Cage, and a screenwriter whose credits include 22 Jump Street, the Netflix thriller Shimmer Lake, which he also directed, and The Cloverfield Paradox He broke into the industry by winning an award at the Austin Film Festival and has built a career spanning studio features, independent film, and prestige television.

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Drew Goddard joins The Screenplayed Breakdown to discuss 'Project Hail Mary, ' a new film starring Ryan Gosling directed by creators of the 'Spiderverse' franchise Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Drew's script is adapted from the book of the same name by Andy Weir.

Drew discusses the challenge of writing a script with minimal characters and dialogue, as well as adapting such a dense, scientific novel. We hear about Drew's upbringing and early struggles in Hollywood as well as his love for filmmaking that has kept him going strong after twenty-five years in the entertainment industry.

Drew previously adapted Weir's book 'The Martian' for the 2015 film of the same name starring Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott. Drew has also written on such television shows as 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Lost' and created the Netflix series 'Daredevil.' He has also written and directed the feature films 'Cabin in the Woods' and 'Bad Times at the El Royale.'

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Seinfeld writer and Curb Your Enthusiasm director Jeff Schaffer joins The Screenplayed Breakdown for an in-depth discussion of how one of television’s most influential comedies is actually made. Drawing on three decades of collaboration with Larry David, Schaffer explains why Curb is built without a traditional script, how stories are constructed through outlines rather than dialogue, and why Larry David actively avoids rehearsal to preserve genuine surprise on set. The conversation traces Schaffer’s career from Seinfeld to Curb, highlighting how both shows rely on rigorous structure beneath an appearance of chaos.

Schaffer also details the practical realities of directing improvisation: live-directing actors, moving cameras mid-scene, feeding lines during takes, and shaping episodes simultaneously as writer, director, and editor. He describes Curb as being written three times — in outline, on the day of shooting, and again in the edit — and explains why some of the show’s most iconic moments emerge unexpectedly in the moment. The episode offers a rare, craft-focused look at improvisation at the highest level of television, aimed at film fans, television audiences, and anyone interested in how great comedy is actually made.

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Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer discuss learning rigor from Wes Anderson, how defending murderers can make someone a better writer, and why first drafts are supposed to be difficult. In a loose, wide-ranging conversation, they break down how Baumbach’s early, half-formed ideas slowly turned into a finished script through collaboration, argument, and repetition.

Baumbach reflects on working with Wes Anderson early in his career and how that experience taught him not to settle for scenes that merely function, but to keep revisiting the work until it truly clicks. That discipline shapes his process today and defines his collaboration with Mortimer, who describes acting as both creative partner and structural enforcer, pushing story logic while learning to trust that rough early drafts are part of the job.

Mortimer shares how her father’s career as a criminal defense barrister — defending even the most unsavory clients — shaped her approach to character, empathy, and judgment, and why treating every character as innocent until proven otherwise leads to richer storytelling. Together, they talk about why most writing starts out bad, how cutting scenes often helps better versions emerge later, and how creative disagreements can strengthen a script.

The conversation also touches on directing actors, including working with George Clooney, and why sticking closely to the page can actually give performers more freedom. It’s a casual, honest look at collaboration, craft, and the long, uncomfortable process of turning ideas into films.

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In this episode, Jenny Han, creator and showrunner of 'The Summer I Turned Pretty,' pulls back the curtain on how the series was built with patience, emotional confidence, and a deep trust in the audience. She talks about writing “lean,” letting quiet moments breathe, and resisting the urge to chase shock in favor of something more lasting. The result is a show that unfolds gently, rewarding viewers who linger, notice, and return—one that believes the emotional payoff is worth the wait.

Han also reflects on memory as the heartbeat of the series: how nostalgia, warmth, and realism shape the tone, making the show feel less like a story being told and more like one being remembered. She explains how seemingly small conversations and fleeting moments were planted early, designed to echo years later, and why those delayed resonances often hit the hardest and stay with people long after each episode ends.

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