This year, one of the most talked about Animated Shorts at this year's Oscars is WAR IS OVER. The project, inspired by the Music of John and Yoko, is an 11-minute animated short featuring the 50-year-old classic song Happy Xmas (War Is Over), set against the backdrop of WWI.

Today, we welcome three of the shorts' brilliant creators: Pixar alum and Oscar®-nominee Dave Mullins, Golden Globe®-Nominee Brad Booker, and co-writer Sean Ono Lennon who executives produces alongside his mom, Yoko Ono.

This is part ONE of our two part conversation with the brilliant trio, so make sure you tune into part two tomorrow!

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nimona isn't just one of 2023's best animated movies, it's one of 2023's best movies, full stop (and yes, it is Oscar-nominated). Today, we welcome one it's co-writers, Lloyd Taylor, to talk about adapting ND Stevenson beloved graphic novel, working through a roller coaster development window, and not being afraid to blow up his own work in service of finding the best version of a movie possible.

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth Hargrave's debut board game Wingspan has become a one this century's most definitional games, but her inspiration to create was pretty simple. She says, "I felt like there were too many games about castles and space, and not enough games about things I’m interested in. So I decided to make a game about something I cared about." This is just one of the MANY points that will apply to your life as a writer.

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

STORY ENGINE. Two words we so often dread, but let's be honest: the engine of your story is what POWERS your movie. It's make, or break. And today, we break down eight elements to test whether or not you are on your way to a feature film story engine that will take you from fade in, to fade out!

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite this being his first produced feature, David Hemingson's script for THE HOLDOVERS is one of the most celebrated of the year, nominated for over 40 industry prizes (including the Oscar), having won many of them. He's a self-proclaimed "journeyman" writer having bounced between children's animated, network comedy, and hourlong procedurals for over two decades. Even given his decades of experience, his approach to working with Alexander Payne was still one of humility, openness, and discovery. Today, David, Lorien, and Jeff, discuss how Hemingson's "unsellable" pilot about an all boys prep school became a new American classic.

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hearing Celine Song discuss her authority as an artist is powerful stuff. Despite no feature film directorial experience, she knew she had the secret key to lead the production of Past Lives, which is now a 2024 Oscar nom: a fierce commitment to her script, the story, and characters. For Celine, all of the power and authority that we bring to our work comes from the simple fact that we are the authors and engineer of that sacred document that drives the whole thing: the script.

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk about lava, character wounds, and emotional storytelling ALL THE TIME on the show, but it's important to remember: there's more to good storytelling than an emotionally juicy character. Today, Oscar-winner (and friend-of-the-show) Michael Arndt discusses this, along with trends he is noticing in the evolving world of 21st century cinema.

GREAT RESOURCES FROM MICHAEL:

http://www.pandemoniuminc.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@michaelarndt8848

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cord Jefferson knows what if feels like to watch a project die. Recently, he had a greenlit show that was so close to shooting that the production office for the show had an physical address. And then, it died. In a creative funk, Cord discovered Percival Everett's novel Erasure which immediately reignited a passion in Cord, and eventually became his debut feature film AMERICAN FICITION. Today, Cord discusses the process of adapting the novel.

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ORIGINALLY BROADCAST ON JUL 26, 2023

Despite being a multiple Academy Award winner, celebrated producer, and feature/TV director, Jodie Foster is still aiming for a singular goal: to tell truthful stories. On today's show, we discuss how Jodie processes her work, how she collaborates with others, and what Robert De Niro taught her on the set of Taxi Driver.

Join Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever feel stuck in your work? Like there's an invisible wall blocking you from generating your best material? You're not alone, and today, we're thrilled to be joined by 5-time NYT bestselling author Adam Grant to talk about just this. Adam's new book HIDDEN POTENTIAL illuminates how we can elevate ourselves and others to unexpected heights, which couldn't be more relevant to you as a writer.

JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices