Happier in Hollywood

This week, Liz and Sarah have a reality check for aspiring TV writers. From making less money to doing free work, the business has gotten even more brutal. Their advice? Follow your dreams, but know what you’re in for. In Take A Hike, Liz and Sarah talk about the importance of work traditions—how they mark milestones, help them bond, and make hard work more fun. Next, in The Craft (& Fain), they a...

Even though Liz and Sarah are still in the middle of post production for Season 2 of Fantasy Island, they discuss how they feel like they’re on vacation! In Take A Hike, they reveal their summer themes: Liz is planning a Summer of Health, and Sarah is looking forward to a Summer of Settling (in a good way). Next, in Amplify, they spotlight the delightful Gordita Chronicles, a new show on HBOMax th...

Liz and Sarah celebrate wrapping production on Season Two of Fantasy Island! They discuss the Season Two “production curse” and how knowing even The Godfather faced challenges was a comfort. In The Mailroom, Liz and Sarah answer TWO listener questions—how they approach being career-oriented moms and how to give great notes. Then, in Hits & Bombs, Sarah has a Bomb for the guy in the NRA T-shirt at...

It’s time for Spring Listener Questions: Part 2! What do Liz and Sarah wish they knew about life—and Hollywood—when they graduated high school? Did they ever have a crush on the same person? Get the scoop on everything from insider details on working with a lean budget to bunnies and Corgis to where they’re shopping for clothes! Get in touch on Twitter: @sarahmfain & @elizabethcraft Get in touch o...

It’s time for Spring Listener Questions: Part 1! Besides the writing, what parts of showrunning do Liz and Sarah particularly enjoy? Why do TV shows today show so… much… vomit?! Liz and Sarah answer your burning questions on all things from Fantasy Island to reality TV to “practical pants.”  Get in touch on Twitter: @sarahmfain & @elizabethcraft Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit...

Liz and Sarah have a new strategy: You Ain’t Gonna Need It! YAGNI—a tip from a listener—is helping Liz and Sarah think about work differently. One example? Not spending energy on projects before they’re done deals. In Take Two, listeners share times in their lives that give them the same feeling of euphoria that Liz and Sarah get from handing in the last script of the season. Then in HIH WFH they...

Liz and Sarah have—knock on wood—finished writing Season Two of Fantasy Island! They discuss the euphoria they felt after turning in the last Studio/Network draft and share how they celebrated. What compares? Finishing a trial, the last day of school, giving birth… Next, in The Craft (& Fain), Liz and Sarah dub themselves The Queens of Cutting! They reveal the tricks—removing couplets, focusing on...

Liz and Sarah have news—the Big Summer Fun of Fantasy Island is now Big Fall (Or Winter) Fun on FOX! They discuss getting the call and what the move to in-season means for the show. Spoiler alert—it’s good! Then, in The Craft (& Fain), Liz and Sarah have acquired new writers’ room lingo! What’s a front porch? Back porch? How about funneling? Then, in HIH WFH, they share a wellness concern—the lack...

This week, Liz and Sarah discuss wrapping the Writers’ Room for Season Two of Fantasy Island! Now they have Senioritis, but there’s still so much to do... They also announce that Season Two premieres Tuesday, May 31st at 9/8c on FOX—save the date! Then, in Take A Hike, Liz and Sarah discuss strategies for getting good sleep while stressed—L-Theanine pills, a muslin blanket, bamboo sleep pants, pod...

This week, Liz and Sarah have a special guest co-host, friend of the pod and camp owner extraordinaire, Audrey Monke! The three deep dive into grit—how grit helps at work, growing your grit, and why stepping out of your comfort zone is key to gritty resilience. Then, in Take A Hike, EVERYTHING has been going wrong on Season Two of Fantasy Island. Liz and Sarah run through the problems—rain, COVID,...

What’s missing around your workspace? Liz and Sarah discuss the importance of having solid basics—Sarah needs a good chair, Liz needs pens! Then, in A Day In The Life, Liz and Sarah take listeners through a typical day of showrunning Season Two of Fantasy Island. From cut notes to COVID hurdles to delivering scripts on tight deadlines, this year has been all about staying nimble. Finally, this wee...

This week, Liz and Sarah share wisdom gleaned from Twitter—specifically, insights for lower level writers from TV writer Jeane Wong. One piece of advice? Think of the writers room as a dinner party. Next, in Take A Hike, they recommend a tried and true tactic to make a deadline more fun—have a work slumber party! Then, in Hits & Bombs, Liz and Sarah give a Hit to Fantasy Island composer Genevieve...

With three episodes left to break for Season Two of Fantasy Island, how do Liz and Sarah handle a morale killer? The short answer – they lean on their team and get to work. Then, in Take Two, Liz and Sarah revisit busy bragging. In Amplify, Liz shouts out the Netflix reality series, Deaf U, for both its unique look into Deaf culture and its soapy excellence. Finally, this week’s Hollywood Hack wil...

In the thick of double days and double deadlines, Liz and Sarah call in reinforcements! They’ve added their good friend and TV writer Karine Rosenthal to the Fantasy Island S2 Writers’ Room. Liz and Sarah discuss delegating writing tasks so they can branch off to deliver documents and cuts and how fresh eyes later in the season really help! Then, in L v S, are Liz and Sarah guilty of “busy braggin...

Liz and Sarah share strategies for making a lean TV budget work and discuss putting them into action on Fantasy Island. At every stage of the process, there are ways to make smart adjustments—from keeping above-the-line costs down, to writing to locations, to shooting double up days, to accepting they’ll never have a recognizable needle drop. Limitations foster creativity…right?! Then, in HIH WFH,...

What does it mean to be a professional? Liz and Sarah deep dive into what pros do differently. From how they communicate, to anticipating needs, to seeing the void and filling it—professionals make it easy to work with them. Then, in Hits & Bombs, Liz gives hits to two TV shows—The Dropout and Dopesick—and a bomb to herself for (a lack of) home office organization. Finally, this week’s Hollywood H...

Liz and Sarah embrace the fact that sometimes things just suck. Sarah moved last weekend—and, yep, it sucked. But acknowledging the suck and not trying to put a spin on it somehow made it easier. In Take Two, Liz and Sarah share a supersized list of travel hacks from a former flight attendant. Small things—a white noise machine, smoothies, a pre-written checklist—can make your next trip, well, not...

How do creative people budget? Creatively! Liz and Sarah talk MONEY—and how to manage it—with financial coach Dylan Snowden. Dylan shares how his background in the arts informs his work today, common mistakes, and how to set yourself up for financial success. Then, in Take A Hike, Liz and Sarah tackle the Sunday Night Blues. Listeners had lots of great suggestions—from planning a Sunday Spa, to me...

Liz and Sarah are back from Puerto Rico! They discuss how being on location can be a (busy!) break from reality and how they’re tackling re-entry to their lives in Los Angeles and Ojai. Then, in Take A Hike, it’s crunch time on Fantasy Island. Liz and Sarah explain what double days are—two crews shooting two episodes at the same time—and how they’re managing the pressure with breathing techniques,...

It’s the 250th episode of Happier In Hollywood! Liz and Sarah celebrate by recapping their twenty-five favorite topics featured on the podcast. From their very first Hollywood Hack—saying “fuck” in a meeting—to revelatory conversations with guests like Channing Dungey, Marcia Clark, Annie Duke, and more. Favorite pointers include “be an insulator,” the value of the “boulder pusher,” what to wear o...

Liz and Sarah discuss how taking a moment to add a personal touch to your work can make a big impact. One example? The necessities-filled beach bags that Fantasy Island production had waiting for them in their hotel rooms. Next, now that Liz and Sarah are back in Puerto Rico for Season Two, they assess what they REALLY need to WFH—Work From… Hotel! At the top of the list—free breakfast, a coffee m...

TV writers wear many hats, and it’s important for writers of all levels to have the chance to wear them. Liz and Sarah share how getting to do ALL parts of the job early on in their career helped them learn how to run a show, and how offering the same opportunities they received makes the job more fulfilling for everyone. Next, in Take A Hike, Liz has some news of the four-legged variety—Nacho the...

A kind word goes a long way! As Season Two of Fantasy Island takes shape, Liz and Sarah discuss how getting positive feedback on their work energizes them to work even harder – and it makes it easier to take criticism. In Hits & Bombs, Liz and Sarah give a mutual Hit to their assistant, Lauren, for her help with the podcast, and they give a mutual Bomb to meetings that should be emails. Sarah also...

Do you have a room in your home that’s reserved for guests? Liz and Sarah discuss the merits of staking a claim and taking up space. Then, in Hollywood Jobs, they talk with Fantasy Island’s Music Supervisor Melany Mitchell about how she became a Music Supervisor, what the job entails, and how she transports audiences through music, all while working with a lean budget. Next, in Amplify, Sarah shar...

Movie – and TV! – magic means making miracles happen each day, but sometimes those miracles aren’t enough. Liz and Sarah reflect on a remark from famed cinematographer Dante Spinotti that resonates with their current work on Fantasy Island. Then, in Take A Hike, they talk about the daily joy that’s sweeping the internet – Wordle! Next, in Amplify, Liz recommends a podcast that takes listeners on t...