Unscripted with Lauren Marie Fleming

By Lauren Marie Fleming

A podcast about the creative process, resilience, and building a sustainable artistic life. Personal reflections on publishing, filmmaking, and what it actually takes to thrive as an artist today. ... more

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Unscripted with Lauren Marie Fleming:

How many episodes does Unscripted with Lauren Marie Fleming have?

The podcast currently has 30 episodes available.

Unscripted with Lauren Marie Fleming episodes:

August 06, 2026 How to Actually Make Money as a Writer
How much does it ACTUALLY cost to crowdfund an independent film? Most filmmakers hide their financial numbers and campaign failures, but on this show, there are no gatekeepers.
In this episode, Lauren is opening up the books with complete financial and emotional transparency about the recent crowdfunding campaign for her short film, No Animals Harmed. Whether you’re an indie filmmaker preparing your first launch or a supporter curious about where money actually goes behind the scenes, this breakdown reveals the real costs, hidden fees, and unexpected surprises of funding independent art.
🔗 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
👙 How Learning to Love My Body in a Bikini Helped Me Make a Movie
Read it: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/p/body-positivity-filmmaking
Watch it: https://youtu.be/vayelou8_lE
💸 IN THIS EPISODE:
• The hidden platform and credit card processing fees that immediately cut into your film budget.
• Seed&Spark vs. Kickstarter: Why Lauren chose Seed&Spark and the major 25% fee warning nobody tells creators about.
• The real physical and emotional toll of running a 30-day crowdfunding campaign.
• Full breakdown of the actual money raised: Donors, self-investment, and loans of services.
• How to define success vs. failure on your own terms in a gatekept industry.
🎥 FOLLOW OUR INDIE FILM JOURNEY:
🔗 http://NoAnimalsHarmedFilm.com
✨ CONNECT WITH LAUREN & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
✍️ Read the Substack: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/
📷 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmariefleming
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMarieFleming
📚 BOOKS BY LAUREN MARIE FLEMING:
🔗 Escape into the queer romcom Because Fat Girl: http://becausefatgirl.com
🔗 Practice radical self-love with Bawdy Love: http://bawdylove.com
🔗 Build your creative career with the Writer's Career Guide: https://laurenmariefleming.com/books/writerscareerguide
🚀 CREATIVE RESOURCES & COURSES:
🔗 Creative Life Blueprint: http://creativelifeblueprint.com
🔗 The 33 Asks® Framework: https://33asks.com
🔗 Write Your Friggin' Book Already®: http://writeyourfrigginbookalready.com
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
14min
July 30, 2026 The Real Cost of Crowdfunding: Behind the Scenes of Our Film Campaign
How much does it ACTUALLY cost to crowdfund an independent film? Most filmmakers hide their financial numbers and campaign failures, but on this show, there are no gatekeepers.
In this episode, Lauren is opening up the books with complete financial and emotional transparency about the recent crowdfunding campaign for her short film, No Animals Harmed. Whether you’re an indie filmmaker preparing your first launch or a supporter curious about where money actually goes behind the scenes, this breakdown reveals the real costs, hidden fees, and unexpected surprises of funding independent art.
🔗 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
👙 How Learning to Love My Body in a Bikini Helped Me Make a Movie
Read it: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/p/body-positivity-filmmaking
Watch it: https://youtu.be/vayelou8_lE
💸 IN THIS EPISODE:
• The hidden platform and credit card processing fees that immediately cut into your film budget.
• Seed&Spark vs. Kickstarter: Why Lauren chose Seed&Spark and the major 25% fee warning nobody tells creators about.
• The real physical and emotional toll of running a 30-day crowdfunding campaign.
• Full breakdown of the actual money raised: Donors, self-investment, and loans of services.
• How to define success vs. failure on your own terms in a gatekept industry.
🎥 FOLLOW OUR INDIE FILM JOURNEY:
🔗 http://NoAnimalsHarmedFilm.com
✨ CONNECT WITH LAUREN & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
✍️ Read the Substack: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/
📷 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmariefleming
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMarieFleming
📚 BOOKS BY LAUREN MARIE FLEMING:
🔗 Escape into the queer romcom Because Fat Girl: http://becausefatgirl.com
🔗 Practice radical self-love with Bawdy Love: http://bawdylove.com
🔗 Build your creative career with the Writer's Career Guide: https://laurenmariefleming.com/books/writerscareerguide
🚀 CREATIVE RESOURCES & COURSES:
🔗 Creative Life Blueprint: http://creativelifeblueprint.com
🔗 The 33 Asks® Framework: https://33asks.com
🔗 Write Your Friggin' Book Already®: http://writeyourfrigginbookalready.com
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
8min
July 23, 2026 This Should Be a Marketing Email. It's Not.
In this episode, Lauren skips the marketing pitch and gets honest about burnout, ambition, and why she's looking for a softer way to move through the world — even in the final hours of her crowdfunding campaign.
🎬 Why this isn't the marketing email it was supposed to be
🎬 On burning out spectacularly — and making a bad decision that hurt a friend in the process
🎬 What it actually takes to make a movie beyond money: rest, community, joy, artistry, patience
🎬 The drive and ambition that got Lauren out of her conservative hometown, through twenty years of rejection, and to airports and bookstores across the nation
🎬 The softer form of motivation calling to her from the future — and why she's finally listening
🎬 Permission to rush forward with excitement and glee, and permission to stop and catch your breath — both are part of living a boldly creative life
🎥 SUPPORT MY SHORT FILM:
🔗 NoAnimalsHarmedFilm.com
✨ FOLLOW ALONG IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS:
✍️ Subscribe on Substack: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/
📷 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmariefleming
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMarieFleming
📚 READ MY BOOKS:
🔗 Escape into my queer romcom Because Fat Girl: http://becausefatgirl.com
🔗 Learn to profoundly love your body with my workbook Bawdy Love: http://bawdylove.com
🔗 Build a writing career with my Writer's Career Guide: https://laurenmariefleming.com/books/writerscareerguide
🚀 RESOURCES TO BUILD YOUR BOLDLY CREATIVE LIFE:
🔗 Learn more about the Creative Life Blueprint: http://creativelifeblueprint.com
🔗 Learn more about 33 Asks®: https://33asks.com
🔗 Learn more about Write Your Friggin' Book Already®: http://writeyourfrigginbookalready.com
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
5min
July 16, 2026 The Loneliness Epidemic Is Real — and Here's What I'm Doing About It
In this episode, Lauren tackles the quiet epidemic affecting our generation: loneliness. She unpacks the staggering public health data behind our isolation and shares the exact steps she took to rebuild her community through art, dating, and film.
💔 The heavy reality of the US Surgeon General's 2023 loneliness declaration[cite: 5]
💔 Why 30% of millennials report feeling constantly or frequently alone[cite: 5]
💔 The dark side of "extreme self-reliance" and independence in millennial feminism[cite: 5]
💔 How the pressure to look "polished" online keeps us from sharing our true selves[cite: 5]
💔 Transforming the book launch of Because Fat Girl into a collaborative party[cite: 5]
💔 Reviving the "Queerie Bradshaw" blog and using the 33 Asks® program to go on 33 dates[cite: 5]
💔 Why making her upcoming film No Animals Harmed became the ultimate cure for her isolation[cite: 5]
🎥 SUPPORT MY SHORT FILM:
🔗 http://NoAnimalsHarmedFilm.com[cite: 5]
✨ FOLLOW ALONG IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS:
✍️ Subscribe on Substack: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/[cite: 5]
📷 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmariefleming[cite: 5]
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMarieFleming[cite: 5]
📚 READ MY BOOKS:
🔗 Escape into my queer romcom Because Fat Girl: http://becausefatgirl.com[cite: 5]
🔗 Learn to profoundly love your body with my workbook Bawdy Love: http://bawdylove.com
🔗 Build a writing career with my Writer's Career Guide: https://laurenmariefleming.com/books/writerscareerguide
🚀 RESOURCES TO BUILD YOUR BOLDLY CREATIVE LIFE:
🔗 Learn more about the Creative Life Blueprint: http://creativelifeblueprint.com
🔗 Learn more about 33 Asks®: https://33asks.com[cite: 5]
🔗 Learn more about Write Your Friggin' Book Already®: http://writeyourfrigginbookalready.com
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever[cite: 5].

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
7min
July 09, 2026 I Got a Rejection Today That Knocked Me to the Floor – Here's How I Got Back Up
In this episode, Lauren shares a raw, real-time look at how she processes massive creative rejection — and why putting yourself out there is a win, regardless of whether someone says yes or no.
💔 The heavy reality of wondering if making art is still worth it in your 40s
💔 Flashbacks to a Trader Joe's parking lot and the text that felt like the end of her publishing career
💔 How shifting your mindset around rejection can save your creative soul
💔 Real-time comfort from a giant white dog on the floor
💔 An inside look at the 33 Asks program and learning how to celebrate the ask itself
💔 Why your current rejection is proof that you are living a boldly courageous life
🎥 SUPPORT MY SHORT FILM:
🔗 http://NoAnimalsHarmedFilm.com
✨ FOLLOW ALONG IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS:
✍️ Subscribe on Substack: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/
📷 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmariefleming
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMarieFleming
📚 READ MY BOOKS:
🔗 Escape into my queer romcom Because Fat Girl: http://becausefatgirl.com
🔗 Learn to profoundly love your body with my workbook Bawdy Love: http://bawdylove.com
🔗 Build a writing career with my Writer's Career Guide: https://laurenmariefleming.com/books/writerscareerguide
🚀 RESOURCES TO BUILD YOUR BOLDLY CREATIVE LIFE:
🔗 Learn more about the Creative Life Blueprint: http://creativelifeblueprint.com
🔗 Learn more about 33 Asks®: https://33asks.com
🔗 Learn more about Write Your Friggin' Book Already®: http://writeyourfrigginbookalready.com
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
7min
July 02, 2026 It's Not That You're Bad at Tech. It's Misogyny.
In this episode, Lauren shares why coming home from a filmmaking tech event almost made her cancel her entire movie — and why that reaction has nothing to do with her actual competence.
🎬 Why Lauren felt "triggered" by tech — and why that word is exactly right
🎬 The physiological panic of learning film equipment as a first-time director
🎬 How misogyny in film school kept women out of cinematography and directing classes
🎬 The math problem: how Lauren went from best in class to "I'm just bad at math" — and how that mirrors her relationship with tech
🎬 What a gaffer, a grip, and G&E actually mean — and why she left film school not knowing
🎬 "God, give me the confidence of a mediocre white man" — on perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and doing it anyway
🎬 Why she's doing it scared, mediocre, and before she feels ready — and why you can too
🎥 SUPPORT MY SHORT FILM:
🔗 NoAnimalsHarmedFilm.com
✨ FOLLOW ALONG IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS:
✍️ Subscribe on Substack: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/
📷 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmariefleming
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMarieFleming
📚 READ MY BOOKS:
🔗 Escape into my queer romcom Because Fat Girl: http://becausefatgirl.com
🔗 Learn to profoundly love your body with my workbook Bawdy Love: http://bawdylove.com
🔗 Build a writing career with my Writer's Career Guide: https://laurenmariefleming.com/books/writerscareerguide
🚀 RESOURCES TO BUILD YOUR BOLDLY CREATIVE LIFE:
🔗 Learn more about the Creative Life Blueprint: http://creativelifeblueprint.com
🔗 Learn more about 33 Asks®: https://33asks.com
🔗 Learn more about Write Your Friggin' Book Already®: http://writeyourfrigginbookalready.com
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
8min
June 25, 2026 How Learning to Love My Body in a Bikini Helped Me Make a Movie
You wouldn't think that body positivity and independent filmmaking have much in common. But as someone who was once told Hollywood would be too fatphobic for someone like me, learning to love the skin I'm in was the ultimate game-changer for my career.
Stepping into my power as a queer, fat woman didn't just give me the confidence to wear a bikini at the beach — it gave me the confidence to go to law school, pitch to professionals, write best-selling books like Because Fat Girl, and finally step behind the camera as a director.
If the culture can be wrong about our bodies, they can be wrong about who is allowed to tell stories. I'm making my upcoming short film, No Animals Harmed, on my own terms — because the world needs our stories now more than ever.
🚀 RESOURCES TO BUILD YOUR BOLDLY CREATIVE LIFE
🔗 Learn more about the Creative Life Blueprint: http://creativelifeblueprint.com/
🔗 Learn more about 33 Asks®: https://33asks.com/
🔗 Learn more about Write Your Friggin' Book Already®: http://writeyourfrigginbookalready.com/
📚 LAUREN'S BOOKS
🔗 Read Because Fat Girl: http://becausefatgirl.com
🔗 Read Bawdy Love: http://bawdylove.com/
✨ JOIN THE UNSCRIPTED JOURNEY
✍️ Subscribe on Substack: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/
📷 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmariefleming/
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMarieFleming
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
3min
June 18, 2026 How a Cancelled UCLA Class Accidentally Gave Me My First Short Film Script
How a Cancelled UCLA Class Accidentally Gave Me My First Short Film Script
For 20 years I wanted to make a short film — and for 20 years I let having no idea what I'd write about stop me from making that dream happen. Then a cancelled UCLA class accidentally handed me my perfect script.
In this episode, I walk you through exactly how it happened:
*The sketch comedy class I almost didn't take,
*The four beats of sketch comedy that unlocked my storytelling brain.
*The moment my teacher told me to stop trying to cut my sketch down and turn it into a short film instead.
I also talk about why I walked away from Hollywood after film school, how writing a novel secretly prepared me to write a script, and why Roger Bannister's four-minute mile is the best metaphor I know for doing the creative thing you've convinced yourself is impossible.
What you'll learn:
* The four beats of sketch comedy (and why they work for short films too)
* Why the skills you already have are more transferable than you think
* How to recognize when you've been limiting yourself before you even tried
Follow the full filmmaking journey:
Substack: unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com
Instagram: instagram.com/laurenmariefleming/
YouTube: youtube.com/laurenmariefleming
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
7min
June 17, 2026 The Grim Reality for Women in Film (And Why I’m Coming Back Anyway)
In this episode, Lauren shares what she learned after spending a weekend with the Alliance of Women Directors — and why she left more convinced than ever that women are changing the film industry from the ground up, with or without Hollywood's permission.
🎬 A shocking statistic: in 2025, women held just 16% of directing roles and 7% of cinematographer roles in Hollywood
🎬 Lauren's backstory: entering film school in 2001, leaving in 2006 convinced she could never make it as a queer, fat woman in the industry
🎬 What changed after Because Fat Girl hit airports and bookstores nationwide
🎬 Inside the Alliance of Women Directors conference: collaboration over competition, zero gatekeeping, and a room unlike any she'd been in before
🎬 The two things every woman told her when she shared her story — and why both mattered
🎬 What "no gatekeeping" actually looked like: producers, software, grants, funding, even cinematography workout routines, all shared freely
🎬 Lauren's promise to keep sharing everything she learns as she returns to filmmaking
🔗 Learn more about the Creative Life Blueprint: http://creativelifeblueprint.com/
🔗 Learn more about 33 Asks®: https://33asks.com/
🔗 Learn more about Write Your Friggin' Book Already®: http://writeyourfrigginbookalready.com/
📷 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmariefleming/
✍️ Subscribe on Substack: https://unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMarieFleming
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
8min
June 08, 2026 How a Cancelled UCLA Class Accidentally Gave Me My First Short Film Script
How a Cancelled UCLA Class Accidentally Gave Me My First Short Film Script
For 20 years I wanted to make a short film — and for 20 years I let having no idea what I'd write about stop me from making that dream happen. Then a cancelled UCLA class accidentally handed me my perfect script.
In this episode, I walk you through exactly how it happened:
*The sketch comedy class I almost didn't take,
*The four beats of sketch comedy that unlocked my storytelling brain.
*The moment my teacher told me to stop trying to cut my sketch down and turn it into a short film instead.
I also talk about why I walked away from Hollywood after film school, how writing a novel secretly prepared me to write a script, and why Roger Bannister's four-minute mile is the best metaphor I know for doing the creative thing you've convinced yourself is impossible.
What you'll learn:
* The four beats of sketch comedy (and why they work for short films too)
* Why the skills you already have are more transferable than you think
* How to recognize when you've been limiting yourself before you even tried
Follow the full filmmaking journey:
Substack: unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com
Instagram: instagram.com/laurenmariefleming/
YouTube: youtube.com/laurenmariefleming
Because the world needs our stories now more than ever.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit unscripted.laurenmariefleming.com/subscribe
...more
7min

FAQs about Unscripted with Lauren Marie Fleming:

How many episodes does Unscripted with Lauren Marie Fleming have?

The podcast currently has 30 episodes available.