Act Two Podcast

In Part Two of a series about the Screenwriter's lifestyle, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dig into all the ways being a professional Screenwriter is exactly the dream you imagine it to be, and more. If you think you can't handle the Ugly Truths of the previous episode, maybe this will change your mind.   TWIW: Tasha had to brainstorm horror movie ideas from scratch; where did she start? Questio...

Being a Screenwriter is a worthy dream that is attainable. But the dream is much different than we imagine. In this Part One of a series, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the realities of a professional Screenwriter's lifestyle, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.   TWIW: What to do when a studio wants to make a movie from a terrible book?    Questions / Comments:  ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edit...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman read real studio script coverage of their old specs, and it's... painful. Plus, they discuss some of this year's Oscar nominees, their predictions, their reactions, and why! TWIW: Josh has a breakthrough by writing an Act One with no plan / Tasha wrote a movie treatment in a single day and has never felt so alive / We watched & discussed ET for February's Patre...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit with Executive Director of Scripted Series at Legendary, Anna Halligan, to get a behind-the-scenes look at her day-to-day as a TV executive, including how she works with writers and what she wishes writers knew. Anna shares her insights on everything from generals, pitching, developing scripts at the studio level, and her unique journey to finding TV developmen...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman field listener questions on free work, working on spec with a producer on your own original idea, and how to approach a producer when you don't like their ideas.  Also included: Are You Excited?!: February Edition TWIW: Tasha is inspired to take karate after watching this Oscar movie / Josh has an AI scare Questions / Comments:  ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by th...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with long-time Universal Pictures Story Analyst, Ray Kolasa, to chat about the process a script goes through when it's sent to a studio, from submission, development to production. What do studios look for, what scripts work and don't work, and what writing lessons are there to learn from someone whose read thousands of scripts at the studio level?   Quest...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss Franklin Leonard's much-debated post: The Moral Case for Selling Out and whether "selling out" is the key to having a Screenwriting career in Hollywood.   TWIW: Sam Raimi's SEND HELP is quite the theater experience / Is Marvel's WONDER MAN the most accurate depiction of life as an actor in Hollywood? / A listener demands to know why Tasha did not like Oscar...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman field a listener question about Free Work, the nemesis of all Screenwriters, and the particular bane of up-and-coming Screenwriters. They talk about their own experiences with Free Work early in their careers and now, how they dealt with them, how best to protect yourself against endless unpaid drafts, and what's realistic about Free Work and our careers as Screenw...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the question we've all gotten from execs -- "Why you?" They discuss why they ask this question, what it means, and how best to answer it, including examples from real-life situations.    TWIW: Tasha just finished her spec adaptation of a book! What next? / Josh battles a coyote, and gets a new story idea / Has Tasha seen all the Oscar movies yet? / Tasha's...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with editor Patrick Tuck (THE LOW DOWN, RESERVATION DOGS, CHAD POWERS) to discuss how writers' stories evolve in the editing room, lessons writers can learn from the post process, how writers can avoid common post pitfalls, and more!    Questions / Comments:  ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

Scott Glassgold, founder of management & production company Ground Control, has recently made waves in Hollywood for finding short stories on Reddit and turning them into high-profile sales for new writers. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman walk through that process with Scott and discuss the potential of the short story market for writers in any stage of their career.   Questions / Comments: ...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk 2026 Screenwriting goals and how to achieve them realistically. They discuss breaking screenwriting goals down into actionable steps, scheduling yourself, and other useful tips to stay on track this year.   TWIW: Tasha visited the Academy Museum over break / Tasha loved The Anaconda / Watching The Housemaid in a full theater made a big difference / A Spielberg...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss how many of their 2025 Goals they achieved (spoiler alert: Josh beat Tasha), and what they can learn from their successes and failures going into 2026.    Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss Final Draft blog by Ken Miyamoto,  How to Plan Your Entire Screenwriting Year: A Month-by-Month Guide . They break down tasks for each month, discuss practical solutions to achieving those tasks, and why thinking about your year in these terms sets you up for success (and they maybe fangirl over Ken a little bit).    TWIW: Tasha got very different notes on...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman chat about Tasha's newest season of Tomb Raider: the Legend of Lara Croft now on Netflix, how the idea for the season came together, and behind-the-scenes writing stories.    TWIW: The Blacklist 2025: Who's Who and trends Josh is seeing / Tasha went to a BAFTA Games Mixer and sweated profusely / If you can spot the reference to Tasha & Josh's favorite movies in...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk through Final Draft's 5 Pieces of Advice to Tell a Compelling Tale and offer their own specifics on why and how these pieces of advice work in your writing.   TWIW: This month's Running Man Q&A Patreon Zoom / Netflix buying WB? / Tasha's show The Mighty Nein is #1 in the US, Canada & Europe! / Vince Gilligan is so damn good at creating character-driven...

This week, Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk about living outside LA, where Tasha’s pitch stands, and an overdue double-dose of “Are You Excited?” - covering both November and December.   Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman field a listener question and discuss the tips & tricks they use to get unstuck in their writing.   TWIW: Is The Hunger Games a perfect movie? / Returning to "the big paper" for a video game adaptation pitch.   Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Showrunner and co-host Tasha Huo's show premieres November 19 on Amazon Prime Video, and Josh makes her talk about it! Tasha reveals how she got the job adapting the Critical Role live D&D campaign, what the writing process was like to adapt something so massive and beloved, and what it was like working with the "nerdy ass voice actors" of Critical Role.   Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@g...

We have a repost this week: Holidays are here, and it’s time to panic about what to get your reps. Freak out no more! Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman give some great gift ideas, and share some insider info from reps themselves on what gifts they are actually looking for this year.   Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Hollywood moves fast, and even the best careers can fade. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman share ways to stay relevant as a screenwriter and keep your career thriving. Plus... TWIW!   Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist 

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman chat with horror writer and Friend of the Podcast, David Levinson (Welcome Home), about their favorite movie villains and how they were written to make a lasting impression.   TWIW: How do you manage the financial realities of being a spec writer? / What are Tasha, Josh and Dave dressing up as for Halloween??   Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited b...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss a listener question -- When do you know your script is ready?    TWIW: Good Boy, the horror movie from the POV of a dog and how Tasha hated it and finally learned to feel / Tasha & Josh are donating a 30-minute notes session for charity at Cause for Entertainment , a charity to support Breast Cancer Research and those affected by breast cancer.    Quest...

It’s Austin Film Festival time! Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman tackle the art of networking - a word that makes most writers shiver. They share how to approach it authentically, spark conversations, and avoid the common pitfalls that kill a good impression. Plus, a new round of Are You Excited? - where they dig into the month’s releases.   Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by...

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss Tasha's dialogue hack to quickly improve your dialogue and trim pages.    TWIW: What does it mean when a manager or agent "hip-pockets" you? / Tasha had a MIGHTY NEIN screening at SCAD and now she wants to go to there / The difference in approach between being a fan of an IP and just taking an IP job. / Storytelling lessons learned from our September Patreo...