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Screenwriting: From the Trenches
By Rob Hagans & Kay TuxfordTV & Film
Screenwriting: From the Trenches episodes
- So… You Want to Write a Screenplay?
Rob & Kay are writing New Things™. You might be writing new things. You want want to write a New Thing™ for the first time. If so, this episode is for you, where Rob & Kay discuss how to put yourself in the Mental Palace from whence you shall write a (the) script.
This Week’s Resource:
Simple. Film Courage’s Compilation Video: 10 Ways to Come Up With Movie Ideas. Simple. Nuff said.
Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Zack's New Staffing Video, "My Name is Zack"
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
Disney caught using creepy AI extras in new movie "Prom Pact"
Nathan Graham Davis' episode of the podcast
"Curfew" short film
Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook
Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map
How to Make a Movie for $1000
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 25 min - Writing Queer and Minority Characters in 2023!
Rob & Kay have BEEF. This extra-large episode covers a potentially sensitive topic. The treatment of minority & queer characters in your screenplays -- avoiding tropes and what to consider when writing outside your experience. They also name some great, current, examples of shows getting diversity, sensitivity and inclusion right, and shed light on they refer to as "jumping cat" clichés.
Our Weekly Resource:
Kay found a list of Diversity tests, from WeScreenplay, which you can apply to your script to make sure you are being inclusive.
Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
A Summary of the WGA's new MBA
Video on Plotdot.ai
Totally Killer Trailer (Red Band)
How to Make a Movie for $1000
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 44 min - How to Land Act Three!
Rob & Kay have talked Acts 1 & 2 and now wish to complete the trilogy by talking about how to land act 3! They discuss the old adage "If you have act three problems, you have act one problems..." (truth!), while taking you through the screenwriting math you need to have followed to have things add up in your final act. They also talk about the dreaded FOURTH ACT (don't you dare do this!), and talk about even as you are paying off everything, you need end memorably.
Our Weekly Resource:
Just like with Act 2, we’re giving you a little homework with a YouTube Video Playlist on the craft and execution of act three. Kay and Rob are not the only game in town when it comes to the craft of screenwriting so here are some of our peers and betters speaking to the subject for free (just as we like it) for you to mainline into your brain like screenwriting dope. Yes, we’re fine with that metaphor. Stop stalling, go watch.
Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
A Summary of the WGA's new MBA
The Onion Article mentioned by Kay on the strike
How to Make a Movie for $1000
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 11 min - Screenwriting is a Moving Target! (w/David Williams)
Rob & Kay sit down with David Williams to discuss how, despite their individual achievements (which, for Dave, includes being included on the 2022 Blacklist), each is looking for ways to improve their hold -- their craft -- on screenwriting. They also get to know Dave a bit, how he came to be in the business, and then in the middle of the podcast, our hosts (and guest) get news about the Writer's Strike.
Our Weekly Resource:
Again, with two (free) resources this week, the first being Isabel Dréan's FREE Christmas Seminar, which, will only be viable up to 3pm EST/2pm CST/12pm PT ON Tuesday, September 26th, 2023, BUT -- it's a free webinar on how to write/break-in by writing a Christmas movie, over 200 of which are written every year!Our second resource of the week is a YouTube video called UnF*ck Your Screenplay in Like 5 Minutes, and it doesn't disappoint, offering solid advice on how to write more polished screenplays and avoid the pitfalls that a lot of beginning/intermediate screenwriters might not even know they're making.Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
“Adventures in the Screen Trade” by William Goldman
That Page from "No One Will Save You"
How to Make a Movie for $1000
Dave's Twitter
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 26 min - How to Write a KILLER First Page!
This week, Rob & Kay are talking about dat first page. How to keep em reading, how to knock 'em dead, and how to set expectations. They explore why the "Opening Image" (of all the beats in Save the Cat beats) is so important, what tropes/clichés must be avoided or subverted, how to prepare your audience for the script they're about to read, and, of course, what that page should LOOK like.
Our Weekly Resource:
The Black Magic Camera App! This week, Blackmagic decided to try and casually murder Filmic Pro. But the app is free! (which we love) and basically turns the iPhone into the mobile version of the pocket cinema camera (making it an *actual* pocket cinema camera?), due to the usage of the Blackmagic OS from their cameras. This makes shooting on your iPhone so breezy and makes Filmic Pro’s subscription based app look silly. Fuck the patriarchy, use Blackmagic.Also, this the last week for our giveaway! We have been gifted several Vomit Draft Notebooks from Impossible Kingdom and are giving them away to our listeners! This covers three of our favorite things: we love the promotion of writing scripts by hand, we love Vomit Draft Notebooks and we love to give away free shit! And, AND, to satisfy you Team Kay Tuxford outliners out there, we are also giving away PlotFold Screenwriting Maps! So remember, you enter yourself to win if you rate, review, and subscribe, then email us screenshots – the receipts of doing so – for which you will receive a VD Notebook AND a Screenwriting Map. If you RT us on Twitter when we post this episode, you’ll be entered into a randomized generator drawing for a Screenwriting Map. And if you Quote Tweet any promotional tweet this episode, you’ll be entered into a randomized drawing for a Vomit Draft notebook. We’re so excited to do this, and have been holding it under our hats for awhile trying to make this partnership between us and Impossible Kingdom happen. We love their products and we’re so happy they decided to sponsor this giveaway and trust us with their products.Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
“Adventures in the Screen Trade” by William Goldman
Our Episode with the Producer/Co-Writer of "Searching"
Shaun of the Dead Script
Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook
Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map
How to Make a Movie for $1000
The Giveaway over on Rob's Channel
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 8 min - Is Your Script Ready? (OUR CENTENNIAL!)
100 EPISODES!
Rob & Kay have defied Vegas odds and have made it to episode 100, in which they wax poetic on the subject of "Is Your Script Ready?" Ready for what? To be sent to producers/managers/agents -- but first it's time to take a long, hard look at your script and see how it holds up against a checklist that Rob & Kay breakdown for you listeners. Thank you so much for sticking with us for 100 episodes, it really means a ton. And nothing would us happier than to make it another 100 (if not longer).Our Weekly Resource: This week we have TWO Resources, the first of which is the Criterion Channel– the only streamer that includes audio commentaries. Nothing like learning from the people who’ve made your favorite movies.Our second is our continuing giveaway from last week. A reminder that we have been gifted several Vomit Draft Notebooks from Impossible Kingdom and we are giving them away to our listeners! This covers three of our favorite things: we love the promotion of writing scripts by hand, we love Vomit Draft Notebooks and we love to give away free shit! And, AND, to satisfy you Team Kay Tuxford outliners out there, we are also giving away PlotFold Screenwriting Maps! So, how do you get them? Well, if you rate, review, and subscribe, and email us screenshots – the receipts of doing so – you will receive a VD Notebook AND a Screenwriting Map. If you RT us on Twitter when we post this episode, you’ll be entered into a randomized generator drawing for a Screenwriting Map. And if you Quote Tweet any promotional tweet this episode, you’ll be entered into a randomized drawing for a Vomit Draft notebook. We’re so excited to do this, and have been holding it under our hats for awhile trying to make this partnership between us and Impossible Kingdom happen. We love their products and we’re so happy they decided to sponsor this giveaway and trust us with their products.Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
“Adventures in the Screen Trade” by William Goldman
Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook
Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map
How to Make a Movie for $1000
The Giveaway over on Rob's Channel
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 21 min - FINISH YOUR SCRIPT!
Rob & Kay want to encourage you to FINISH YOUR SCRIPT. In the episode they tell you why a finished script is currency and how ideas, while they may seem important, are essentially worthless. They also talk about how to put your enjoyment into the finishing of a screenplay and how that can keep you moving forward. Basically, if you needed a swift kick in the pants to finish that script, take a listen to this.
Our Weekly Resource: This week’s resource is a giveaway! We have been gifted several Vomit Draft Notebooks from Impossible Kingdom and we are giving them away to our listeners! This covers three of our favorite things: we love the promotion of writing scripts by hand, we love Vomit Draft Notebooks and we love to give away free shit! And, AND, to satisfy you Team Kay Tuxford outliners out there, we are also giving away PlotFold Screenwriting Maps! So, how do you get them? Well, if you rate, review, and subscribe, and email us screenshots – the receipts of doing so – you will receive a VD Notebook AND a Screenwriting Map. If you RT us on Twitter when we post this episode, you’ll be entered into a randomized generator drawing for a Screenwriting Map. And if you Quote Tweet any promotional tweet this episode, you’ll be entered into a randomized drawing for a Vomit Draft notebook. We’re so excited to do this, and have been holding it under our hats for awhile trying to make this partnership between us and Impossible Kingdom happen. We love their products and we’re so happy they decided to sponsor this giveaway and trust us with their products.
Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
Our Second Podcast Robinson and Powell
Threshold Trailer
Tony Gilroy's Picket Line Speech
Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook
Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map
How to Make a Movie for $1000
The Giveaway over on Rob's Channel
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 8 min - Turning a $500 Short into the $6M Feature Film, 'The Shift'! (w/Brock Heasley)
Rob & Kay interview Brock Heasley, whose upcoming sci-fi film, The Shift, based on his microbudget short (of the same name), readies itself for theatrical release in December care of Angel Studios. Our Screenwriting duo pick their guest's brain over a multitude of topics, including: what needed to change from the short over to the movie, how Brock struggled with writing to budget constraints, and how to overcome the shadow of so-called "faith based movie" stigma while still adhering to his principles based upon his own faith.
Our Weekly Resource:
This week’s resource is the short version of “The Shift'' which is available on YouTube for free, both under the Angel Studios banner andin its original version. Plus, it’s free, which, y’all know we love, so check it out and see if it can inspire you to write your own short version (or scene) of/from a feature film concept.Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
Brock on the Web
Brock's Books -- yes, he's an author!
How to Make a Movie for $1000
Brock's Twitter
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
50 min - How to Make Your Script STAND OUT from The Crowd! (Adapting Script Format)
This week, Rob & Kay are talking about how to (safely) “adapt” your style, in order to make YOUR script stand out from the crowd of stale, sterile, scripts out there adhering to the stodgy, and frankly typical, screenwriting formatted norms.
Our Weekly Resource:
We've got a list of scripts that broke screenwriting format, and yet SOLD: Kate, A Quiet Place, The Matrix, Michael Clayton, Nightcrawler (no sluglines), Cobweb (left justified format), Oppenheimer (in 1st person), Little Women (color-coded), The Beaver (opening montage), Wall-e (no dialogue, stacked action), Sound of Metal (paragraphs of desc.)Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
How to Make a Movie for $1000
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 5 min - Surviving (and Fighting) Writer's Block!
Kay has Covid and Rob is sassy! But they both have Writer's Block, so the two of them sit down, as always to break down the phenomenon that is tHe bLoCk, as well as how to fight it while prioritizing your own mental health/general well-being.
Our Weekly Resource:
We've got an article from Variety, entitled, Script Secrets From Hollywood’s Top Creators: How to Conquer Writer’s Block, which is so self explanatory that there's really no need to go any further than that.Notes From the Episode:
Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper)
Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood"
Sarah Silverman walks back her comments about SAG-AFTRA
Stephen Amell puts his foot in his mouth, attempts to remove it, then chokes on his socks
Zaslav claims WB Discovery saved $100M last quarter...by not making things.
WGA & AMPTP Can’t Agree To Resume Negotiations
How to Make a Movie for $1000
Kay's Twitter
Rob's Twitter
Zack's Twitter
Email us(!)
1 hr 12 min
About Screenwriting: From the Trenches
From the publisher's feed
A podcast about the craft and expression of screenwriting -- in all its forms -- from the perspective of writers just like you.