OnWriting: A Podcast of the WGA East
115 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 57 ratingsOnWriting is a screenwriting podcast brought to you by the Writers Guild of America, East. It's a show about the stories we see on our screens and the people who make them happen. Each week, writers from the film, television, news and digital media industries talk to us about their work - from pitching to production, from process to favorite lines, and everything in between. Season 1 is hosted by Jordan Carlos. Seasons 2 & 3 are hosted by Caroline Waxler. Seasons 4-6 are hosted by Kaitlin Fontana. Seasons 7 - 10 are hosted by Geri Cole.
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Episodes
Episode 61: Jen Statsky, "Hacks"
November 05, 2021 14:00 - 44 minutes - 50.9 MBHost Geri Cole is joined by Jen Statsky—co-creator and showrunner of the HBO Max series HACKS—to talk about the show's journey from an idea on a road trip to a hit series, why writing about people's flaws can bring out the best in a character, and the challenges of writing a comedy series about writing comedy. Jen Statsky is a TV writer and comedian who cut her comedy-writing teeth on Twitter. Her posts were popular, and she eventually found herself with enough of a following that, in 2011...
Episode 60: Danny Strong, "Dopesick"
October 29, 2021 14:00 - 39 minutes - 45.6 MBHost Geri Cole speaks with Danny Strong—creator and showrunner of the new Hulu series DOPESICK—about how he wove four stories across three timelines, writing stories that spark national conversations, and how falling into YouTube holes can be a part of the writing process. Danny Strong is a writer, director, and actor. Though he was initially best known for his roles in TV shows like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and GILMORE GIRLS, he quickly made a name for himself as a screenwriter. He earned...
Episode 59: Dan Perlman, "Flatbush Misdemeanors"
October 22, 2021 14:00 - 49 minutes - 56.1 MBGeri is joined by Dan Perlman—co-creator and co-star of FLATBUSH MISDEMEANORS—to talk about the show's journey from a short to a network series, how the real Dan and Kevin compare to their onscreen characters, and the importance of hearing judgment-free feedback. Dan Perlman is a writer, stand-up comedian, and director. As a comedian, he has been featured on Comedy Central and was named one of the New Faces at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. He wrote and directed the 2020 short film...
Episode 58: Lang Fisher, "Never Have I Ever"
October 15, 2021 18:00 - 46 minutes - 52.7 MBGeri is joined by Lang Fisher—co-creator and showrunner of the Netflix series NEVER HAVE I EVER—to discuss creating a comedy that’s rooted in grief, writing teen characters who sound like real teens, how casting tennis champion John McEnroe as narrator helped tie the whole series together, and more. Lang Fisher was a staff writer for The Onion and started her TV writing career at THE ONION NEWS NETWORK. Since then, she’s written on hit comedies like THE MINDY PROJECT, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, a...
OnWriting PRIDE: Steven Canals, "POSE"
June 30, 2021 22:14 - 48 minutes - 56 MBOnWriting presents the fourth and final week of OnWriting Pride: a series of live-recordings of the podcast in honor of Pride Month, presented by the WGAE LGBTQ Salon. Each episode features LGBTQ+ screenwriters and the LGBTQ+ stories they tell. For the fourth and final installment in the series, OnWriting host Geri Cole speaks with Steven Canals, the co-creator and executive producer of the FX drama series POSE. After receiving an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA, Steven Canals began his p...
OnWriting PRIDE: Nikole Beckwith, "Together Together"
June 25, 2021 14:00 - 47 minutes - 54.6 MBOnWriting presents week three of OnWriting Pride: a series of live-recordings of the podcast in honor of Pride Month, presented by the WGAE LGBTQ Salon. Each episode features LGBTQ+ screenwriters and the LGBTQ+ stories they tell. For our third installment in the series, Geri speaks with Nikole Beckwith, the writer and director of TOGETHER TOGETHER. Nikole Beckwith is a writer, director, and pen-and-ink artist. As a playwright, her work has been developed and performed in on stages in New...
OnWriting PRIDE: Kimberly Peirce, "Boys Don't Cry"
June 18, 2021 18:30 - 55 minutes - 63.7 MBOnWriting presents week two of OnWriting Pride: a series of live-recordings of the podcast in honor of Pride Month, presented by the WGAE LGBTQ Salon. Each episode features LGBTQ+ screenwriters and the LGBTQ+ stories they tell. For our second installment in the series, Geri speaks with Kimberly Peirce, the writer and director of BOYS DON’T CRY. BOYS DON’T CRY is the 1999 film based on the true story of Brandon Teena, a young transgender man trying to live and find love in Nebraska. On th...
OnWriting PRIDE: Emma Seligman, "Shiva Baby"
June 11, 2021 16:05 - 43 minutes - 49.6 MBFor the first part of our OnWriting Pride Month series, Geri is joined by Emma Seligman, writer and director of SHIVA BABY, to discuss the challenges of writing and directing a low-budget first feature, the ways Judaism and a love of cinema have shaped her storytelling, and how the film uses anxiety and a horror soundtrack to heighten the tension and the comedy. Emma Seligman is a Canadian filmmaker. While studying film at NYU, she made a number of short films, including “Lonewoods,” “Void...
Episode 53: Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, "Desus & Mero"
June 09, 2021 00:30 - 51 minutes - 58.7 MBGeri welcomes the Bodega Boys Desus Nice and The Kid Mero to the show to talk about what they do—and don't do—to put together their show; their unique approach interviewing illustrious guests; and why it's so important to be real and stay real with the people you work with… no matter how strong the brand. Desus Nice & The Kid Mero are former Bronx schoolmates who—while building their respective followings as formidable comedians in their own right—reconnected on Twitter and quickly became ...
Episode 52: Zack Akers, "Limetown"
June 04, 2021 15:45 - 44 minutes - 50.5 MBGeri speaks with Zack Akers, writer and co-director of SHIPWORM, about how the project is the first podcast to be covered on the Writers Guild Minimum Basic Agreement; the challenges and freedoms of writing for audio; and the roles that doctors working during the pandemic, a rented duck, and a rare & elusive type of mollusk have played in his creative process. Zack Akers, along with his creative partner, Skip Bronkie, run the podcast production company Two-Up, the studio known for groundbr...
Episode 51: Sierra Teller Ornelas and Mike Schur, "Rutherford Falls"
May 21, 2021 15:15 - 58 minutes - 66.6 MBTo kick things off for Season 9, Geri is joined by Sierra Teller Ornelas and Mike Schur, co-creators — along with Ed Helms — of the new Peacock sitcom RUTHERFORD FALLS, to discuss how the series tackles big issues around race and culture with an abundance of humor; how they built an inclusive and equitable writers' room; and how television, and the world, is better off when we learn from history. Sierra Teller Ornelas is a Navajo and Mexican American writer, producer, and showrunner whose ...
Episode 50: OnWriting Live – Eliza Hittman, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
April 06, 2021 22:00 - 48 minutes - 55.4 MBThe WGAE Women’s Salon presents a series of four live recordings of OnWriting in honor of Women's History Month. In each episode, we’re speaking with women screenwriters whose latest projects center on women’s stories. To wrap up the series, Geri speaks with Eliza Hittman, the writer and director of the acclaimed 2020 film NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS. Eliza Hittman is an award-winning writer and director from Brooklyn, NY. She is the writer and director of the 2013 drama IT FELT LIKE L...
Episode 49: OnWriting Live – Jenny Lumet, "Clarice"
March 27, 2021 02:30 - 40 minutes - 46.5 MBOnWriting presents the third in a series of four live recordings of OnWriting in honor of Women's History Month, presented by the WGAE Women's Salon. In each episode, we’re speaking with women screenwriters whose latest projects center on women’s stories. For the third installment in the series, Geri speaks with Jenny Lumet, the co-creator and showrunner of the new CBS series CLARICE. Jenny Lumet is a screenwriter and actress who is widely known for her screenplay for the acclaimed 2008 ...
Episode 48: OnWriting Live – Banban Cheng & Sasie Sealy, "Lucky Grandma"
March 19, 2021 18:15 - 45 minutes - 52.5 MBOnWriting presents the second in a series of four live recordings of OnWriting in honor of Women's History Month, presented by the WGAE Women's Salon. In each episode, we’re speaking with women screenwriters whose latest projects center on women’s stories. For the second installment in the series, Geri speaks with Banban Cheng & Sasie Sealy — co-writers of LUCKY GRANDMA. Banban Cheng is a writer and filmmaker who spent her childhood performing Chinese stand-up comedy in Houston, Texas. S...
Episode 47: OnWriting Live – Emerald Fennell, "Promising Young Woman"
March 12, 2021 14:00 - 49 minutes - 56.8 MBOnWriting presents the first in a series of four live recordings of OnWriting in honor of Women's History Month, presented by the WGAE Women's Salon. In each episode, we’re speaking with women screenwriters whose latest projects center on women’s stories. For the first of these Women's History Month episodes, Geri speaks with Emerald Fennell — writer and director of the dark PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN. Emerald Fennell is an actress, writer, and director. As an actor, she’s known for starring...
Episode 46: OnWriting Live - Shaka King, "Judas and the Black Messiah"
March 05, 2021 01:04 - 46 minutes - 53.2 MBOnWriting presents three live-taped episodes of OnWriting celebrating Black History Month, presented by the WGAE Black Writers Salon. In each installment, two co-chairs of the WGAE Black Writers Salon—OnWriting’s own Geri Cole and Rashidi Hendrix—speak with Black screenwriters who have each written amazing films about Black icons in history. For the third & final installment of the series, Geri and Rashidi speak with Shaka King, co-writer and director of JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH. Shak...
Episode 45: OnWriting Live - Suzan-Lori Parks, "The United States vs Billie Holiday"
March 05, 2021 01:02 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBOnWriting presents three live-taped episodes of OnWriting celebrating Black History Month, presented by the WGAE Black Writers Salon. In each installment, two co-chairs of the WGAE Black Writers Salon—OnWriting’s own Geri Cole and Rashidi Hendrix—speak with Black screenwriters who have each written amazing films about Black icons in history. For the second installment in the series, Geri speaks to Suzan-Lori Parks — Pulitzer prize-winning playwright and screenwriter of the new Hulu feature...
Episode 44: OnWriting Live - Ruben Santiago-Hudson, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"
March 05, 2021 01:00 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBOnWriting presents three live-taped episodes of OnWriting celebrating Black History Month, presented by the WGAE Black Writers Salon. In each installment, two co-chairs of the WGAE Black Writers Salon—OnWriting’s own Geri Cole and Rashidi Hendrix—speak with Black screenwriters who have each written amazing films about Black icons in history. To kick things off, we’re joined by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and the screenwriter of MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, which is currently available to stream on ...
Episode 43: Lena Waithe, "Twenties"
January 21, 2021 20:30 - 44 minutes - 40.8 MBGeri is joined by award-winning screenwriter Lena Waithe – creator of and writer on the BET comedy series TWENTIES – about never pandering to an audience, how the series A DIFFERENT WORLD influences her work, and how success can come in small doses. Lena Waithe is a screenwriter, producer, and actress known for her Emmy Award-winning writing on MASTER OF NONE, as well as for creating the Showtime drama series THE CHI and writing the screenplay for the 2019 film QUEEN & SLIM. Her latest p...
Episode 42: Terence Nance, "Random Acts of Flyness"
January 15, 2021 17:00 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBGeri and Terence Nance — creator, writer, director, and co-star of the new HBO Late Night series RANDOM ACTS OF FLYNESS — talk about the trauma in - and of - making art, how his writing takes place before he opens Final Draft, and how we can find success by looking in each other's faces. Terrence Nance is a writer, director, actor, and musician. His 2012 feature film AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY premiered at Sundance and received a Gotham Independent Film Award. He was the recipient...
Episode 41: Aaron Sorkin, "The Trial of the Chicago 7"
January 08, 2021 23:30 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MBGeri talks to writer and director Aaron Sorkin about spending 15 years writing his latest film, THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7; why intention and obstacle are the backbones of every good story; and how his career is kind of like being struck by lightning… if being struck by lightning were a good thing. Aaron Sorkin is the Academy, Emmy, Golden Globe, and Writers Guild Award-winning writer behind myriad films, television series, and plays including THE WEST WING, THE NEWSROOM, the play A FEW GO...
Episode 40: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
December 18, 2020 16:00 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MBGeri speaks to Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, and Peter Baynham—cowriters of BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM—about why they decided to revisit the iconic character, how intense it was to film that now infamous Rudy Giuliani scene, and the reality of filming in very dangerous situations. Sacha Baron Cohen is best known for his portrayal of bawdy and raucous fictional satirical characters such as Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard and Admiral General Aladeen. Sacha and his cowriters and fr...
Episode 39: Sofia Coppola, “On the Rocks”
December 11, 2020 21:00 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBGeri chats with Sofia Coppola—writer, director, and producer of ON THE ROCKS—about how her writing process has changed over the years, how family dynamics helped shape her work, and why it's so important to trust your instincts. Sofia Coppola’s career as a writer and director began with her 1999 film THE VIRGIN SUICIDES. Since then, Sofia has written and directed films like THE BEGUILED, THE BLING RING, MARIE ANTOINETTE, and LOST IN TRANSLATION. Her script for LOST IN TRANSLATION received ...
The OnWriting Guide to Crafting Scripted Podcasts: Part Three
November 02, 2020 19:30 - 44 minutes - 41.2 MBGeri Cole hosts the third installment of the OnWriting Guide to Crafting Scripted Podcasts. In Parts One & Two, Kaitlin Fontana spoke with podcast writers and producers about the industry’s business side: what the market looks like, how to break in, and how to protect yourself once you’re there; and about the creative side of the industry: from recruiting talent, to necessary skill sets, to creative satisfactions, and beyond. Now, in Part Three, Geri is joined by three guests—Lissette Al...
Episode 38: Julie Taymor, “The Glorias”
October 16, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBGeri speaks with acclaimed screenwriter, dramatist, and director Julie Taymor—co-writer and director of the new biopic THE GLORIAS—about her approach to storytelling, how projects can be shaped by limitations, how established creators like her still have to fight to get films like THE GLORIAS made, how travel has been the best education, and much more. Celebrated for her work on stage and screen, Julie Taymor’s writing and directing credits include the 2002 Frida Kahlo biopic, FRIDA; the B...
Episode 37: Cord Jefferson, "Watchmen," "The Good Place," "Succession"
October 10, 2020 00:30 - 38 minutes - 35.2 MBEmmy Award-winning writer Cord Jefferson joins Geri to talk about his experiences in the writers’ rooms for two of the most prestigious series currently on television, writing about race and extreme privilege, why staying in your lane is an antiquated idea, and more. Cord Jefferson was a journalist at Gawker from 2012 until 2014, when he joined the writing staff of the Starz sitcom SURVIVOR’S REMORSE. Since then, he has gone on to write for television series like THE NIGHTLY SHOW WITH LARR...
Episode 36: Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser, "The Choice 2020: Trump vs Biden"
October 02, 2020 22:00 - 43 minutes - 99.5 MBGeri is joined by documentarians Mike Wiser and Michael Kirk—the writer-producers of the FRONTLINE special “The Choice 2020: Trump vs Biden”—to discuss making documentaries that are hard-hitting but nonpartisan; their impressive catalogue of Frontline specials, which have examined everything from the Mueller report to Mitch McConnell’s takeover of the Supreme Court; the absurd timelines they work off of for all of their projects, and more. Michael Kirk was the original senior producer of F...
Episode 35: Amber Ruffin, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" & "The Amber Ruffin Show"
September 11, 2020 20:30 - 38 minutes - 43.6 MBGeri talks to Amber Ruffin—writer and on-air talent for LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS and the creator and host of the forthcoming NBC Peacock talk series THE AMBER RUFFIN SHOW—about the process of writing two shows concurrently, how she crafts jokes out of movie clichés, how wearing MC Hammer pants can teach you to be fearless in a writers room, and much more. Amber Ruffin is a writer and comedian who has written for LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS since its inception. As a writer for LATE NIGHT...
Episode 34: Charlie Kaufman, "I'm Thinking of Ending Things"
September 04, 2020 18:00 - 45 minutes - 52.3 MBSeason 7 host Geri Cole speaks with Oscar- and Writers Guild Award-winning screenwriter and director Charlie Kaufman about his latest film, how his writing is shaped by fear, finding meaning in his films, the benefits of walking, and much more. Charlie Kaufman is a critically acclaimed screenwriter and director. His writing credits include ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND—for which he received the Academy, Writers Guild, and BAFTA Awards for Best Original Screenplay—as well as BEING J...
Episode 33: Katori Hall, "P-Valley"
August 06, 2020 22:42 - 49 minutes - 56.7 MBKaitlin speaks with writer Katori Hall – the creator and showrunner of the Starz drama series P-VALLEY – about the show's journey from theater to TV, the showrunner as changemaker, how creating a show is like climbing a pole, and much more. Katori Hall is an acclaimed playwright whose stage credits include Hurt Village; Tina; and The Mountaintop – a fictionalized account of Martin Luther King Jr.'s last night alive, for which she received the 2010 Olivier Award for Best Play. P-VALLEY is...
Episode 32: Kristen Bartlett and Mike Drucker, "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee"
July 24, 2020 21:30 - 56 minutes - 64.7 MBKaitlin is joined by Kristen Bartlett and Mike Drucker—the Emmy-nominated and Writers Guild Award-winning co-head writers of FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE—to talk about the challenges of writing comedy remotely, how they're taking more creative chances with material and the benefits and responsibilities of being co-head writers of a late night show in 2020. Before their time on the Full Frontal writing staff, Kristen Bartlett wrote on two seasons of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, while Mike Drucker...
Episode 31: Ramy Youssef, "Ramy"
July 10, 2020 00:30 - 40 minutes - 46.9 MBKaitlin chats with Ramy Youssef—the writer, creator, Golden Globe-winning star, and frequent director of the Hulu comedy series RAMY—about the importance of representation in crafting his show, what was in his head when he won his Golden Globe, and why if you're going to be weird you have to earn it. Ramy Youssef kicked off his industry career as a co-star in the Nick at Nite comedy SEE DAD RUN, where he shadowed the writers' room. Since then, he's had a recurring role on USA Network's MR ...
Episode 30: Tony McNamara, "The Great"
July 02, 2020 20:30 - 35 minutes - 40.9 MBKaitlin is joined remotely by Tony McNamara—the Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning screenwriter and writer-creator of the satirical Hulu series THE GREAT—to discuss The Great's journey from theater to television, how smart women take on the status quo, and why the show's depiction of sex is so refreshing. Tony McNamara wrote a number of critically acclaimed films and TV series in his native Australia before receiving international attention - as well as an Oscar nomination and a BAFTA win -...
Episode 29: Liz Tigelaar, "Little Fires Everywhere"
June 26, 2020 22:30 - 52 minutes - 60.5 MBKaitlin chats with Liz Tigelaar – showrunner and head writer for the Hulu miniseries LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE – about the start of Liz's creative journey as a Dawson's Creek writer's assistant, how story arcs around mothers and daughters have evolved, why an intersectional writers' room is essential for all storytelling, and much more. Liz Tigelaar's long career in TV drama includes shows like BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ONCE UPON A TIME, and NASHVILLE, among others. She also created the CW serie...
Episode 28: Taika Waititi, "Jojo Rabbit"
January 23, 2020 22:30 - 29 minutes - 26.5 MBKaitlin is joined via phone by Taika Waititi -- the writer, director, and star of the film JOJO RABBIT, and the producer of the show WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS - both of which have earned him nominations at this year's Writers Guild Awards. Taika chats about writing a Nazi satire, using fear as a creative motivator, writing comedy when you aren't attracted to comedy writing, how he engages with the Indigenous filmmaking community worldwide, and more. Taika Waititi's filmmaking career starte...
Episode 27: Greta Gerwig, “Little Women”
December 23, 2019 17:00 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBKaitlin sits down with writer, director, and actor Greta Gerwig – the writer and director of the 2019 film LITTLE WOMEN – to talk about why the world needs a new version of the classic story; how Greta cuts down her 400-page first drafts; the intersection between women, money, and writing; and much more. Greta Gerwig started her film career with a small acting role in the 2006 film LOL. She went on to act in, co-write, and co-direct several mumblecore films over the subsequent years, and h...
Episode 26: Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
December 20, 2019 19:30 - 36 minutes - 33 MBKaitlin is joined by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, co-writers of A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, to talk about the eternal battle between cynicism and kindness, the gravitational pull of Tom Hanks, and how keeping bankers' hours keeps them sane. Before their most recent project, Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster were writers and producers on the recently concluded Amazon series TRANSPARENT, for which they won a Peabody Award and were nominated for Emmy, Writers Guild, G...
Episode 25: Noah Baumbach, "Marriage Story"
December 16, 2019 23:30 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MBIn the season 5 premiere, Kaitlin sits down with Writers Guild Award- and Oscar-nominated writer and director Noah Baumbach to talk about his latest film, MARRIAGE STORY. They discuss how a film about divorce is really a film about love, what New York and LA mean on screen, when you know you're ready to open that final draft file and really write, and much more. Noah Baumbach made his feature film debut with his critically acclaimed 1995 film KICKING AND SCREAMING, and has gone on to write...
The OnWriting Guide to Crafting Scripted Podcasts: Part One
December 03, 2019 05:15 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBOver the past five years, podcasts have exploded in popularity. You listen to them, and with over 700,000 active podcasts out there, chances are you or someone you know has a show of their own. A 2019 report by Edison Research found that 70% of the U.S. population has heard of podcasts and over 50% have listened to one. Fictional or scripted podcasts represent a small but steadily growing subset of the podcast industry. The Guild – and our members – have a lot of questions about this n...
The OnWriting Guide to Crafting Scripted Podcasts: Part Two
December 03, 2019 05:15 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBWhen you're a screenwriter moving to TV or a novelist moving to screenwriting or even a comedy writer moving to drama, you'll have questions about how this new territory differs from what you're used to. Questions like... how does breaking a script work? Or... how do I write character development over the course of a two hour film rather than over a full TV season? Questions are normal. But typically, there are at least some factors that are givens – things that have been established o...
Episode 24: Edward Norton, "Motherless Brooklyn"
November 15, 2019 00:30 - 54 minutes - 49.4 MBKaitlin chats with writer, director, producer, and actor Edward Norton about his many screenwriting jobs, how he gets past writer's block, his 20-year journey taking his latest film - MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN - to the big screen, and much more. Edward Norton had his film debut in the 1996 film PRIMAL FEAR, and within three years had risen to prominence for his starring roles in AMERICAN HISTORY X and FIGHT CLUB. Since then, he has received critical and cult acclaim – as well as numerous award...
Episode 23: Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, "Patriot Act"
October 24, 2019 20:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBKaitlin is joined by Hasan Minhaj and Prashanth Venkataramanujam, co-creators of the Netflix series Patriot Act, to talk about how they joined forces to create their headline-making series, the importance of a unique take on the news, and why you can never have enough late night shows. Hasan Minhaj is a comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. Before starting his time as host of PATRIOT ACT WITH HASAN MINHAJ, you may have recognized him from - among ot...
Episode 22: Tom Perrotta, "Mrs. Fletcher"
October 17, 2019 23:37 - 41 minutes - 37.6 MBKaitlin sits down with novelist, screenwriter, and showrunner Tom Perrotta to discuss his creative process, writing about sexual awakening, porn, adapting his latest novel into his latest TV show, and much more. Tom Perrotta is the bestselling author of nine works of fiction, including Election and Little Children, both of which were made into Oscar-nominated films, and The Leftovers, which he and Damon Lindelof adapted into a Peabody Award-winning HBO series. MRS. FLETCHER, Perrotta's n...
Episode 21: Lorene Scafaria, "Hustlers"
October 03, 2019 18:00 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBKaitlin sits down with Lorene Scafaria to discuss her latest film, HUSTLERS, as well as her writing processes for both adapted and original projects, the importance of portraying women and their relationships in a dynamic way, the work in sex work, and much more. Lorene earned her first Writers Guild credit with the acclaimed teen comedy NICK AND NORA'S INFINITE PLAYLIST. Since then, she's written and directed three films: SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD, THE MEDDLER, and - most ...
Episode 20: Warren Leight, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
September 12, 2019 22:45 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBKaitlin sits down with writer, showrunner, director, and playwright Warren Leight to discuss his career from stand-up comic to playwright to showrunner of IN TREATMENT and LAW & ORDER: SVU, running writers' rooms, how to shift the focus of a show with such a powerful legacy, the importance of having your work - and your writing team - reflect the real world, and much more. Warren Leight got his start in the entertainment industry with credits on features like MOTHER'S DAY and THE NIGHT WE ...
Episode 19: Lauren Ashley Smith, "A Black Lady Sketch Show"
September 05, 2019 19:30 - 43 minutes - 99.1 MBSeason 4 host Kaitlin Fontana talks with Lauren Ashley Smith about being the Head Writer for the HBO series A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW, her writing process, the importance of having diverse voices in entertainment, how she runs her writers' room, and much more. Lauren is a writer, actor, comedian, and producer, and the first black woman to be the Head Writer of a sketch television show. Before her work on "A Black Lady Sketch Show," Lauren was Head Writer of the critically acclaimed late nig...
Episode 18: Solvan "Slick" Naim, "It's Bruno!"
July 25, 2019 15:30 - 29 minutes - 27 MBCaroline spoke with Solvan "Slick" Naim—writer, director, rapper, actor, and creator of the Emmy-nominated Netflix series IT'S BRUNO!—about the ways that music informs and shapes his work, the importance of diversity-focused mentorship programs in the entertainment industry, his advice to those who are just starting to try launch their careers in film & TV, translating his love of his dogs into his show, and much more. Solvan "Slick" Naim is an Award winning Algerian-American writer, direc...
Episode 17: Gary Lennon, "Power," "Euphoria," "Hightown"
July 18, 2019 19:30 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBCaroline spoke with playwright, screenwriter, and showrunner Gary Lennon about embracing rejection; the elements of a successful writers' room; his philosophy on putting real life in your fiction; the new seasons of POWER, HIGHTOWN, and EUPHORIA, and much more. Gary Lennon's somewhat tumultuous childhood paved the way for the start of his writing career: his first screenplay, for the 1995 film DRUNKS, was an adaptation of his stage play, BLACKOUT – a series of semi-autobiographical monolog...
Episode 16: Tom Fontana, "City on a Hill"
July 02, 2019 20:30 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBCaroline sat down with the one and only Tom Fontana (for his very first podcast!) to discuss his writing process, running less-than-traditional writers' rooms, mentoring writers, his latest series - CITY ON A HILL, and much more. Tom Fontana's extensive résumé includes writer, producer, showrunner, and (co-)creator credits on several groundbreaking television series, including OZ, HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, THE PHILANTHROPIST, COPPER, and Netflix’s BORGIA. He has received internatio...
Episode 15: Robert & Michelle King, "The Good Fight," "Evil"
June 17, 2019 21:15 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MBCaroline was joined by writing team Robert and Michelle King—creators of THE GOOD FIGHT, their new series, EVIL, and the Writers Guild Award-winning show, THE GOOD WIFE—to discuss the upcoming seasons of THE GOOD FIGHT and EVIL, the difference between writers' rooms in LA and NYC, life as a married writing team, and more. Before their work on THE GOOD FIGHT and EVIL, the Kings co-created the political satire/science fiction BRAINDEAD and the police procedural IN JUSTICE. THE GOOD FIGHT- ...