In this episode Hilliard and guest co-host filmmaker/cinematographer (nephew) William M. Barclay sit down with Icon, Emmy-winning director/producer PARIS BARCLAY.
HIGHLIGHTS: Paris’ Revival of his musical LETTERS FROM NAM, indie film and its importance today, using resources around you, Paris’ start directing music videos, pivoting to directing episodic TV, interview questions for directors, working with writer/producers, shortlists and its importance, set etiquette, directing Dahmer, Paris’ upcoming Billy Preston: That’s the way God Planned It documentary and so much more!
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Merch (NEW T-SHIRTS/HOODIES)
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@Hilliard Guess on all social media
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IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom
Guests:
@PKbarclay
@Wmb.photography
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In this episode, Hilliard and guest co-host actor/filmmaker Denzel Whitaker (Black Panther, The Great Debaters) sit down for an in-depth, hilarious conversation with episodic director/producer KEN WHITTINGHAM, the man behind directing over 350 episodes of comedy television!

Highlights: Ken’s rise from PA to Stage Manager in multi-cam comedies, Marla Gibbs giving him his first Story By credit on the hit series 227, landing his first directing gig on Malcolm & Eddie, directing single camera shows like Bernie Mac, The Office and Scrubs, working with writers/producers, tricks to showing your voice on a series, working with actors on set, shadowing directors on the set, being overly prepared to direct your episode and so much more!

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Our Motto: “Keep it GAME all day!"

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EMAIL:
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IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom
Guests:
@Kennywhitt
@DenzelWhitaker

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In this episode, Hilliard and guest co-host, tv/film writer Saeed Crumpler recorded a "LIVE" Screenwriters' Rant Room podcast at the Bravemaker film festival in Redwood City, California!

HILLIARD GUESS 

With credits on Deadly Class (SYFY), showrunner on the award-winning digital series TICKER, Exec Producer on Amazon’s CROSS: AFTER HOURS, and the upcoming coming-of-age film MERMAID!, Hilliard Guess knows what it really takes to make it in Hollywood.  graces the cover of the esteemed iTunes book "The Top 100 Indie Writers in The World" and is revered as the longtime host/moderator of the popular “Screenwriters’ Rant Room”, as well as the WGAW “3rd & Fairfax” podcasts, where he drops industry game with some of our top luminaries.

He is the host of both long-running podcast SCREENWRITERS RANT ROOM and the WGAW 3rd & FAIRFAX where he drops industry game with some of our top luminaries and Filmmakers.

He recently completed the new WGAW TV WRITERS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (4 Producers-Showrunners) and is busy developing TV and Film projects for some major companies in Hollywood.

SAEED CRUMPLER

A fellow in the 2021 Nickelodeon Writing Program, and he's in a First Look deal with SONY TV. Saeed’s been staffed on FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS for Showtime. He consulted on BLINDSPOTTING for STARZ, working closely with Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs. In 2021, Saeed completed a feature rewrite on MTV's HIP-HOP FAMILY CHRISTMAS for Jamie Foxx's company and a biopic about legendary underground hip-hop artist Mac Dre for Double Down Pictures.

A Bay Area screenwriter with a music background, as a former hip hop artist in the hyphy scene, he has recorded with Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, and Chamillionaire. Saeed strives to bridge the gap to bring stories from the subculture into the mainstream.⁠

WWW.SCREENWRITERSRANTROOM.COM

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Our Motto: “Keep it GAME all day!"

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EMAIL:

[email protected]

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@Hilliard Guess on all social media 

@Hilliardguess.bsky.social

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@balance510

In this episode, Hilliard and guest co-host, writer/producer Dwain Worrell sit down for a super fun conversation with Co-Executive Producer CHRIS RAFFERTY (THE FLASH, COBRA KAI & LUCIFER)!

Chris has been a lifelong artist in many different fields. He grew up an illustrator with dreams of drawing comic books. Made short films while earning a film degree at UC Santa Barbara. Spent time on stage acting and in front of cameras doing improv. All while earning a living in a decade-plus career as a graphic designer.

But a crossroads in life inspired him to drop everything to go all-in on his greatest passion (and what he’d been spending years of early mornings & weekends on) — his writing. His career change was complete after he earned a spot in the prestigious Warner Bros Television Writers’ Workshop, and went on to write & produce for the first season of THE FLASH, the final season of COBRA KAI, and all 6 seasons of LUCIFER.

When he’s not hustling for his next staff job or developing his own shows & original comic books, Chris can be found doing hard labor (renovations & yard work) for his Valley home and enjoying life with his Brazilian wife and her two Portuguese-meowing cats.Another dope episode!

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Our Motto: “Keep it GAME all day!

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For information, Merch (NEW T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!

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EMAIL:[email protected]

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hilliard Guess on all social media

@Hilliardguess, bsky.socialIG:

@ScreenwritersRantRoomGuests:

@Chrisrafferty

@Worrell_dwain

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In this episode, Hilliard and guest co-host writer/dir/prod Fia Perera sit down for a 2 hour, in-depth conversation with writer/director/executive producer ERIC DEAN SEATON!

Highlights: Working his way up as an AD, getting his first episodic directors gig, sustaining a long career, directors get hired for what you've already done, creating a graphic novel an producing the award-winning short, fake it til you make it and we open it up to a room full of filmmakers who "ASK US ANYTHING!"

More about Eric:
With a Daytime Emmy nomination and three NAACP Image Award wins, Eric Dean Seaton stands out as one of the most dynamic and versatile storytellers in television, seamlessly crossing genres and styles.

In the dramatic realm, Seaton has directed and executive produced the pilot and series Average Joe. His episodic work includes episodes of Will Trent, High Potential, The Cleaning Lady, Superman and Lois, Batwoman, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, The Flash and All American: Homecoming.

In the world of single-camera comedies, he has contributed to hits like Modern Family, Black-ish, The Goldbergs, American Housewife, Life in Pieces, and Grown-ish. 

In multi-camera productions, Seaton has taken on pilots for Family Reunion, The Prince of Peoria, Raven’s Home, Mighty Med, and Kickin’ It. Additionally, his work in variety includes helming the beloved sketch shows All That and So Random making him one of the very few directors to have successfully navigated every style of narrative television.

In addition to his work behind the camera, Seaton is the creator, writer, and publisher of the critically acclaimed graphic novel series Legend of the Mantamaji, and its sequel, Legend of the Mantamaji: Bloodlines. He also directed the accompanying multiple award-winning Legend of the Mantamaji: Live Action Short.

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Our Motto: “Keep it GAME all day!"

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For information, Merch (NEW T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!

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EMAIL:
[email protected]
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@Hilliard Guess on all social media
@Hilliardguess.bsky.social
IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom

Guests:
@Ericdeanseaton
@theglobalactivista

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In this episode, Hilliard and Queer guest co-hosts writer/producer Deonte Staats, actor/filmmaker Dalila Ali Rajah and writer/content creator Skylar Ezell sit down in a super fun, engaging, 2-hour episode chopped full of game.

Some topics: Highlighting people in our culture, anti-fem insults, "it’s just a phase," acceptance of being Out, a Platinum Gay, Shout Out to Patrick-Ian Polk and the new Noah’s Arc Film, centering Queer characters in your work, where to find inspiration for characters, who we are as writers, queer tropes, straight men insecurities and soooooooo much more!

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Our Motto: “Keep it GAME all day!”

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WWW.SCREENWRITERSRANTROOM.COM

For information, Merch (NEW T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!

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EMAIL:
[email protected]
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@Hilliard Guess on all social media
@Hilliardguess.bsky.social
IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom

Guests:
@Checkmystaats
@Dalilaalirajah
@skylardawriter

In this episode, Hilliard and guest co-host writer/producer Deonte Staats sit down for a two hour, nothing but game conversation with Showrunner/Co-Creator of the new MAX hit series DUSTER!

Highlights: LaToya’s time in the Warner Bros Writers Workshop, the Overall Deal and how it works, the John Wells system, creating the show Duster, casting, staffing the room, the importance of what’s on the page and we later open it up for a super fun Q&A with a group of Emerging Writers who were in the building!

About LaToya: Born and raised in Los Angeles, writer-producer LaToya Morgan is known for her work on Shameless, Parenthood, Turn: Washington’s Spies, Into the Badlands and The Walking Dead.

Recently, she joined forces with J.J. Abrams to co-create, showrun and executive produce the HBO MAX series Duster under her shingle TinkerToy Productions alongside Bad Robot for Warner Brothers Television which had its international premiere at Canne series, the Cannes International Series Festival in France in the Spring of 2025. The show premiered May 15th, 2025 is currently airing on the streamer weekly on Thursday nights through July.

On the feature side, Morgan has projects at Universal, Paramount, and was tapped by Amazon/MGM and horror grandmaster George Romero’s family to write a new sequel to the iconic film Night of the Living Dead.

Morgan is an advisor and mentor for the Sundance Institute, Film Independent, and Outfest Episodic Labs and the WGA’s Inclusion and Equity committee. She wrote, produced and directed the award winning short film Team Marilyn which was distributed on STARZ and is expanding into a feature film. In addition to writing for DC Comics, Morgan’s best-selling genre-bending sci-fi comic book series Dark Blood was recently published by BOOM! Studios.

She was enlisted by the company once again – this time along with Creed star Michael B. Jordan and his company Outlier Society – to write Creed: The Next Round, the first ever comic book tie-in for the franchise.

Morgan holds an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute Conservatory, is a two-time NAACP Image Award nominee, and a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

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Our Motto: “Keep it GAME all day!"

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For information, Merch (NEW T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!

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EMAIL: [email protected]
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@Hilliard Guess on all social media
@Hilliardguess.bsky.social
IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom

Guests:
@Morganicink
@Checkmystaats

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In this Season Finale episode, Hilliard and guest co-host, comedy writer Myles Warden sat down for a super fun, 2-hour episode with CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER STACEY EVANS MORGAN!
We talk about Stacey’s amazing journey from assistant to co-ep, challenges as a writer, investing in yourself, opening doors for yourself, saying yes to opportunities, producing outside of scripted TV, speaking gigs, being the sexy writer in Hollywood, traditional staffing season, having an entrepreneurial spirit, working and developing series' with her brother showrunner Bentley Kyle Evans, the If Come Deal and how it works, the importance of emerging writers writing Spec Scripts and so much more!

In case you don't know, entertainment industry veteran, Stacey Evans Morgan is a television writer and producer with credits on the Disney Channel/Disney Plus show “Saturdays” and she has also written and produced on scripted series such as, “The Parkers”, “Love That Girl”, “Family Time”, “In the Cut and Partners in Rhyme starring MC Lyte and written for shows “One on One”, “Jamie Foxx Show”, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and the DreamWorks Animation series “Madagascar: A Little Wild.” In addition to scripted series, Stacey has written for live television productions such as the NAACP Image awards and The Gracies.

Stacey wrote and directed the short film “21 Days of April” and she is a published poet, essayist and author of her first novel which was adapted from an original screenplay already and later optioned for a film in 2023. A firm believer in “Paying it forward by giving back” Stacey has taught master classes in TV Writing at Delaware State University, Howard University and she has served as an Adjunct Lecturer at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Television as well as her own online workshop series. Stacey has an original TV project currently in development under an “If-Come” deal and continues to live
by her mantra: Write the Vision!

This is a don’t miss episode y’all!

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For information, Merch (T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hilliard Guess on all social media
@Hilliardguess.bsky.social
IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom
Guests:
@staceyevansmorgan
@reallymighty

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We invest countless hours per week to deliver the actionable content that goes into this podcast. We appreciate your support!

Our Motto: “Keep it GAME all day!"

In this episode, Hilliard & guest co-host Saeed Crumpler sat down with one of our favorite repeating guests AARON RAHSAAN THOMAS, acclaimed TV, Film writer/producer/ creator/co-showrunner of S.W.A.T., who began his career on Soul Food, Saturday Night Lights, Numbers, CSI NY, Southland, Sleepy Hollow and The Get-Down to list a few!

We talk about how Arron developed and pitched S.W.A.T., how writers can use certain techniques when pitching their projects to networks or PODS, pivoting while shooting during COVID and after the death of George Floyd, management and producing, serving the client, giving yourself room to improvise, why TV Spec scripts are important and so much more!

This is a don’t miss episode y’all!

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For information, Merch (T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!
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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hilliard Guess on all social media
@Hilliardguess.bsky.social
IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom

Guests:
@arthomastv
@balance510

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We invest countless hours per week to deliver the actionable content that goes into this podcast. We appreciate your support!

Our Motto: “Keep it GAME all day!"

In this episode, Hilliard and guest co-host TV/Film writer Saeed Crumpler sat down with big bro Showrunner GLEN MAZZARA (Crash, Damien, The Walking Dead, Hawthorne, Extraction to list a few)!

HIGHLIGHTS:

The WGA's new TV Writers Leadership Training Program, what Glen's been up to since our last episode #93 back in 2016, how to handle Development, Pitching & Notes, protecting yourself when times are slow, writing for tone, breaking down the first day/week in the writers' room and almost 2 hours worth of industry game!

https://bit.ly/SWRR519

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For information, Merch (T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!
www.Screenwritersrantroom.com

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IG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom

Guests:

@glenmazzara@balance510

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