The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

Many of Susannah Grant's movies are based on true stories, which, for a writer, often invites thorny questions about adaptation — What should I include? Is it essential that every detail I include happened verbatim? In answering these questions during today’s fascinating conversation, Susannah sheds light on an important reality: sometimes in fiction writing, there’s profound difference between truth and facts.

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Justin Kuritzkes is having a good year. Two of his scripts, Challengers and Queer, were brought to life by world-renowned director Luca Guadagnino. Despite being about wildly different worlds, both scripts center complicated characters swirling in complicated romantic dynamics. Challengers, our focus of today's conversation, was born out of Justin's newfound interest in tennis, and a fascination with what might be happening off the court between players in an intimate sport. His script instantly attracted Zendaya’s attention, so it’s safe to say he did something right!

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Despite the BAFTA wins, Peabody Awards, and IFTA nominations, Sharon Horgan didn't really begin her writing career until her mid-30s, but her previous professional experiences have given her valuable ammo to write interesting, nuanced characters. Today we discuss how she reveals that nuance as she writes. Season two of Bad Sisters is available on Apple TV+ now.

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Thanks to AFF for welcoming us back this year for another Story Workshop, and a special thanks to Brittney, Jessica, and Adam for sharing their projects. If you'd like to reach Adam to discuss his cult-inspired TV show, you can reach him here: https://www.adambranson.com/contact

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As writers, we're aiming to create the most believably human characters we can, and one of the best ways to do this is to understand their psychology. Today, we're honored to welcome world-renowned psychiatrist Dr. Dan Siegel to share how human beings form belief systems based on traumatic experiences in their developmental years, and what it takes for them to transform (a.k.a., the three-act journey of a feature).

GET DAN'S NEW BOOK HERE!

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Jenna Lamia's first producer/creator/showrunner credit wasn't just a success — it was a smash hit, becoming one of Netflix's top five most streamed TV seasons EVER. The show, which stars Nicole Kidman, is a sleek and funny murder mystery set around a bougie Nantucket wedding, and today, Jenna talks all about how she adapted Elin Hilderbrand's best-selling novel into one of the year's most successful shows.

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Another mailbag! We answer your brilliant questions, and talk a bit about Austin. Buckle up!

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On today's eerie episode, we welcome three creatives behind Hulu's new campy horror slasher film, "Carved" - director and co-writer Justin Harding, co-writer Cheryl Meyer, and star Peyton Elizabeth Lee - to talk about horror, and particularly, how to write it. Happy Halloween!

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We talk about ACTIVE protagonists all the time on the show, but we know that creating one is easier said than done. Luckily, Meg and Lorien have a laundry list of practical exercises you can explore today to bring your protagonist to life.

But first, we talk with longtime TSL listener and TSL workshops member Laurel Senick about a lovely, lava-filled email she sent us.

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How does a TV writer go from working on a classic sitcom (The Office), to a deeply-felt immigrant dramedy (Little America), to creating a hidden camera show (Jury Duty), and most recently, creating an Emmy-nominated female-driven workplace drama (Lessons in Chemistry)? Hard work. Despite his mega-career, Lee Eisenberg doesn't believe he is in the upper echelon of Hollywood's most talented writers, but he does believe he outworks almost anyone else in town. Tune in to find out how you can, too.

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