We're back for another year of the pod!! For our first episode of season six, we reflect on our experiences and growth throughout 2025. We chat about the challenges of balancing writing with full-time jobs, our personal lives and, you now, trying to do ALL THE THINGS! We manifest our goals for 2026, crown the best romcom of 2025, and Isabel shares her hot take on The People We Meet On Vacation!

Feel free to email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Instagram & Threads: @whenisabelmetaviva

Follow Isabel on Instagram & Threads @adventuringisabel

Follow Aviva on Instagram & Threads: @avivapeltin

Hi, everyone. What a surreal episode to publish, but Aviva’s producer, mentor, and friend, Karen Glass, passed away unexpectedly this week. We are heartbroken. We wanted to re-release the conversation we had with her from season one of the podcast in 2023. It was a privilege to hear all her amazing stories — she made all our favorite films from childhood. We are sending love to her family and friends. She will be greatly missed. 

May her memory be a blessing. 

זִכְרוֹנָהּ לִבְרָכָ.

Zikhronah livrakha

Read about her legacy: https://deadline.com/2025/12/karen-glass-dead-pickleball-christmas-1236656852 

She's back...our first guest on the pod, Carley Smale, joins us almost exactly two years later for a fun catch up! We loved getting to hear how Carley's career has grown since we last had her on the pod! In this episode, we chat about the challenges of maintaining creativity amidst life's pressures, the current slowdown in the entertainment industry, and the importance of persistence in pursuing creative goals! We're also so excited for her because her first Netflix Christmas movie, "My Secret Santa, " is about to come out!! She also has another Christmas movie, "Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch" coming out on Lifetime too -- time to start the Christmas movie marathon!

Trailer for 'My Secret Santa:' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9Y5qYp8ro8

Press release for Thank God" Christmas at Keller Ranch: https://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2025/10/lifetime-announces-christmas-film-thank.html

Follow Carley on Instagram at: @YouveGotSmalee

Listen & follow her podcast: @teenagedirtbagzpodcast

Feel free to email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Our new Bluesky account: whenisabelmetaviva.bsky.social

Instagram: @whenisabelmetaviva

Follow Isabel on Instagram: Isabel_k_t ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Aviva on Instagram and BlueSky: @avivapeltin

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/la-vita-bella

We're beyond excited to share this week's episode of the pod because we finally set it up....and got to chat with Claire Scanlon, the director of Isabel's fav Netflix romcom, Set It Up!! We discuss the making of Set It Up and Claire's journey to becoming a director and editor for shows such as The Office, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and The Good Place. Claire shares sooo many fun stories from the set of Set It Up, so if you also love the movie, you're gonna love listening to Claire's memories! We also got to discuss chemistry between actors (spoiler alert: someone else was originally meant to play Harper!!) and hear all about Claire's upcoming adaptation of the hit book, The Love Hypothesis!

About Claire: Claire Scanlon directs single cam comedies for both network and cable. She started her career editing documentaries for PBS and the Discovery Channel. After supervising post and producing Last Comic Standing, she joined The Office in its fifth season. After directing The Office, Claire transitioned over to directing full time in 2013.

Claire’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0768957/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Follow Claire on Instagram: @clairescanlon

Feel free to email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Our new Bluesky account: whenisabelmetaviva.bsky.social

Instagram: @whenisabelmetaviva

Follow Isabel on Instagram: Isabel_k_t ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Aviva on Instagram and BlueSky: @avivapeltin

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/la-vita-bella

This is a fun episode of the pod as we chat with Susannah, a matchmaker and screenwriter, about dating and...well, writing about it! Susannah is a professional matchmaker, so we discussed the recent fake romcom, Materialists, and shared all our hottest takes! Susannah also shares about her journey in screenwriting, her experiences in the Green Room Fellowship, and her thoughts on the challenges of creative processes and the future of matchmaking in a digital age.

Follow Susannah on Instagram: @supstend

Green Room Table Read: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nwsg-green-room-table-read-tickets-1774635445389?aff=eemailordconf&ref=eemailordconf&utm_campaign=order_confirm&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite&utm_term=viewevent

Susannah's Blog: https://www.tellyfish.com/

48-Hour Film Project: https://www.48hourfilm.com/seattle/horror

Feel free to email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Our new Bluesky account: whenisabelmetaviva.bsky.social

Instagram: @whenisabelmetaviva

Follow Isabel on Instagram: Isabel_k_t ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Aviva on Instagram and BlueSky: @avivapeltin

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/la-vita-bella

This week on the pod, we are joined by another screenwriting Twitter friend, Paulina Ward! We had such a cute chat about our shared experiences in the screenwriting world, the challenges of trying to be authentic with our creative expressions on social media, and Paulina teaches us all about audio dramas!

Follow Paulina on Instagram: ⁠@princesspaulinaaa

Paulina's Production Company: www.zaspaproductions.com

Feel free to email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Our new Bluesky account: whenisabelmetaviva.bsky.social

Instagram: @whenisabelmetaviva

Follow Isabel on Instagram: @Isabel_k_t ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Aviva on Instagram and BlueSky: @avivapeltin

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/la-vita-bella

Welcome to the first table read on the pod! This episode features a unique table read format. We are joined by 6 professional actors who read for the characters in Isabel's romcom fan fiction script, 'Dating Zac Efron'.

Logline: Actor Zac efron tries to use tinder but gets no swipes because people think his account is a catfish. When he calls Tinder customer support for help, the customer service agent inadvertently falls in love with him.

Starring:

Anthony Zambito

Zac Efron, Cody, Random Guy At Beach, Random Guy At Concert

Mary Catherine Lorio

Liz

Hannah Marie Hines

Abigail, TV Reporter, Anna Kendrick, Female Reporter, Casting Agent #2, Studio Executive #1

Avra Friedman

Natalie, Girls #1 & #2, Other Woman On Show, Blonde Girl, Another Girl, Mexican Girl, Goth Woman, Crying Woman, Casting Agent #1, Studio Executive #2

Oscar "Omar" M Garcia:

Taylor Lautner, Adam Devine, Dave Franco, Nev Schulman, Manager, Security Guard

Scott Sinnott:

Robert Pattinson, Timothy, Male Reporter, Zac's Agent, Seth Rogen, Max & Door Person

Aviva Peltin

Cashier, Sexy Gym Girl, Customer, Random Co-worker Fan, Talk Show Host, Woman On Show, Casting Agent #2, Random Driver, Director, Salesperson,  Random Girl, Taylor Lautner's Wife 

@anthonyzambito

@mclorio

@hannahmhines

@avrafriedman

@catmanscotters

@omarelactor

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Y3u6F9rKHyj9YSQfxYpAJ?si=f62126c256ac4287

Www.whenisabelmetaviva.com

Feel free to email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Our new Bluesky account: whenisabelmetaviva.bsky.social

Instagram: @whenisabelmetaviva

Follow Isabel on Instagram: Isabel_k_t ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Aviva on Instagram and BlueSky: @avivapeltin

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/la-vita-bella

Welcome back to another episode of the pod! We are so excited to share this interview we did with Sofia Alvarez!! Sofia joins us to share her journey from playwright to screenwriter, discussing her work on adaptations like 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' and 'Along for the Ride.' We chat about the intricacies of character development, the importance of the editing process, and of course, our shared passion for romantic comedies!!

About Sofia:

Sofia Alvarez is a playwright and screenwriter. Her television credits include MAN SEEKING WOMAN (upcoming, FXX) and the first season of SIRENS (USA). Her plays include Between Us Chickens (SCR, EST LA), Life Drawing, The Fish Bowl, NYLON, Friend Art and Corpse Pose. She is a member of the Ars Nova Playgroup and Primary Stages Dorothy Streslin New American Writer’s Group. Her work has been seen at South Coast Rep, Primary Stages, Ars Nova, Rattlestick, EST LA, IAMA and the Amoralists Theater Co. She is an alumna of Bennington College and the Juilliard School’s Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program. Sofia Alvarez is known for To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020), To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) and Along for the Ride (2022).

Follow Sofia on Instagram: @abirdabroad

Follow Sofia on Substack: https://substack.com/@seabirdflight

Feel free to email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Our new Bluesky account: whenisabelmetaviva.bsky.social

Instagram: @whenisabelmetaviva

Follow Isabel on Instagram: Isabel_k_t ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Aviva on Instagram and BlueSky: @avivapeltin

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/la-vita-bella

A special episode of the pod is releasing on 10.18.25, which happens to be Zac Efron's birthday!!

Isabel & Aviva are joined by 6 actors for a table read of Isabel's romcom fan fiction script (you know, the one that led to our Twitter meet cute?) titled, "Dating Zac Efron!"

Logline: Actor Zac efron tries to use tinder but gets no swipes because people think his account is a catfish. When he calls Tinder customer support for help, the customer service agent inadvertently falls in love with him.

Subscribe to be notified when the episode releases on Saturday!

This week on the pod, we chat with Instagram screenwriting influencer, writer, and actor, Julia Yorks! We loved this lil chat with Julia getting to hear about her journey from being a child actor to becoming a successful screenwriter. We chat about the importance of social media in storytelling, the challenges of navigating the industry, and the need for more representation in rom-coms, especially for those of us in the mid-30s age bracket!

About Julia:

Julia Yorks was born in New Hope, PA. At an early age, she began landing roles on commercials, TV shows, and films, such as "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," "Unbreakable," "Hack," and "The Happening." Julia also started writing at the age of nine, creating a guide book to her hometown called, "The Kids Guide to New Hope." Years later, Julia chronicled her experience writing the book in an edition of the popular "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. Julia attended the prestigious Lawrenceville School and Northwestern University before graduating from University of Southern California. Soon after, she landed the role of "Chrissy Farrior" in Chris McQuarrie's "Jack Reacher." On the writing side of things, Jula worked as a script coordinator before being promoted to staff writer on DreamWorks/Netflix's "The Adventures of Puss in Boots." Julia was also on the staff of "Trolls: The Beat Goes On," and wrote freelance episodes of Activision Blizzard's "Skylanders Academy," as well as a yet-to-be-announced series for Hasbro. Julia is in development with Freeform on an original project.

Follow Julia on Instagram: @juliayorks

Follow Julia on X: @juliayorks

Follow Julia on TikTok: @juliayorks

Work with Julia: https://stan.store/juliayorks

Feel free to email us: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Our new Bluesky account: whenisabelmetaviva.bsky.social

Instagram: @whenisabelmetaviva

Follow Isabel on Instagram: Isabel_k_t ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Aviva on Instagram and BlueSky: @avivapeltin

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/la-vita-bella