The Writers Hangout

What makes a screenplay truly unforgettable? Is it the plot, the dialogue, or the relationships that keep audiences emotionally invested until the very last scene? In Part Two of our conversation with Michael Weiss , author of Beyond the Hero: Relationship-Driven Screenwriting and the Secret to Hollywood's Greatest Scripts, we dive deeper into the art of storytelling and discover how focusing...

What if the secret to writing a great screenplay isn't your hero's journey, but the relationship that drives the story? This week on The Writers Hangout , Sandy welcomes screenwriter, author, and award-winning instructor Michael Weiss for a fascinating conversation that just might change the way you approach your next screenplay. Michael's screenwriting credits include Journey to th...

Grab a blanket, pour something warm, and settle in! This week, The Writers Hangout revisits a favorite episode, celebrating five wonderfully cozy fall films: Stepmom, The Family Stone, Mystic Pizza, When Harry Met Sally, and Baby Boom . From Nora Ephron dialogue and Julia Roberts in Central Park to Diane Keaton in Vermont, we’re talking great writing, memorable performances, gorgeous fall foliage,...

What does it take to turn a screenplay into a terrifying feature film? On this episode of The Writers Hangout , host Sandy welcomes Daniel Byers, writer and director of Dark Hollow , an independent folk-horror film that blends Appalachian folklore, practical creature effects, and a chilling story rooted in the region’s coal-mining history. Daniel’s screenplay, originally titled Paradise , won the...

What’s it really like to work for a Hollywood legend? On this episode of The Writers Hangout , comedian and screenwriter Charlie Nadler takes us behind the scenes of his career in Hollywood, including his time as Rob Reiner’s executive assistant and his work at Castle Rock Entertainment. Charlie shares stories about working with Rob and getting a firsthand look at the filmmaking process. He also t...

In honor of Dolly Parton's recent passing, we are rewinding our episode with 9 to 5 screenwriter Patricia Resnick. We have a fantastic episode for you—and one that feels especially meaningful as we remember the extraordinary Dolly Parton. My guest is screenwriter, producer, and stand-up comedian Patricia Resnick , best known for writing the iconic film 9 to 5 , starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fon...

What happens when a struggling writer claims a Hollywood powerhouse stole her idea? In this episode of The Writers Hangout, Sandy takes a closer look at a lawsuit filed by writer Lauren J. Salkin, who alleges that Taylor Sheridan and others used elements of her 2016 pitch, Sovereign Nation, to create the hit series Yellowstone. Sandy breaks down a recent Variety article about the lawsuit and exami...

Let us introduce you to the fascinating and luxurious world of Stephen Leo Bing, an American businessman, philanthropist, film producer, and screenwriter. Sadly, Steve Bing passed away from multiple blunt-force trauma after jumping from the 27th floor of a luxury apartment building in Century City, Los Angeles, on June 22, 2020. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner officially confirmed...

Rewind. Did you know there was another SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE besides the animated blockbuster starring Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and Fred Armisen? The first SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE hit theaters in 1993 and was the first feature-length live-action film based on a video game. Directed by the husband-and-wife team Rocky Morton and Annabel...

Hang out with us for a fun conversation with Lisa Orkin and Harris Orkin — daughter and son of legendary radio writer, actor, and producer Dick Orkin. Dick Orkin, the mind behind the iconic radio serial “Chickenman” and the creative powerhouse The Famous Radio Ranch, was hailed by Newsweek as the pioneer of “The Advertising Theater of the Absurd.” He revolutionized audio advertising with his use o...

Thanks for hanging out with us! In this REWIND episode, Sandy and Terry dive into a fascinating Twitter thread that shares some really valuable insights into how signed writers found their representation. A big thank you to Tyler Clair Smith, the talented writer on X who inspired this episode. Be sure to follow Tyler Clair Smith at @tclairsmith—we certainly did! In this episode, we discuss helpful...

What makes Terminator 2: Judgment Day one of the greatest films ever made? We're excited to have Becky D'Anna join us! Becky is a podcaster, a movie historian, and a lifelong cinephile with a 26-year career in movie marketing. We'll dive into an engaging chat about The Terminator, Comic-Con, the works of Ingmar Bergman, and much more! Becky shares how watching Terminator 2 on openin...

What can screenwriters learn from one of the greatest filmmakers of our time? In this episode, we explore five inspiring quotes from Academy Award-winning writer and director Christopher Nolan and break down the storytelling principles behind his remarkable career. From Memento and The Dark Knight trilogy to Inception , Interstellar , and Oppenheimer , Nolan has built a reputation for creating emo...

REWIND This episode explores the remarkable life and tragic death of Doug Kenney, the comedic genius behind Animal House and Caddyshack, and a co-founder of National Lampoon. Friends and collaborators described Kenney as a brilliant creative force whose influence helped redefine American comedy. At just 33 years old, his life came to a sudden and mysterious end after falling from a cliff in Hawaii...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Victoria “Vicky” Hart , daughter of acclaimed television writer Stan Hart , whose remarkable career helped shape some of the most beloved comedy programs in television history. Stan Hart, alongside writing partner Larry Siegel, was a key writer for The Carol Burnett Show , earning multiple Emmy Awards for his work. His extensive career also included writing cre...

Filmmaker Billy Luther talks with Sandy about his coming-of-age film, ‘Frybread Face and Me,’ which was executive-produced by Taika Waititi and distributed by Ava DuVernay’s company, Array, on Netflix. Written and directed by Billy, ‘Frybread Face and Me’ was selected for SXSW 2023's Narrative Spotlight and TIFF 2023's Discovery and New Wave Selects. Billy’s feature documentary, Miss Nav...

Rewind. Sandy and Terry will discuss Billy Wilder's 10 tips for screenwriters. Few screenwriters are as pedigreed as Billy Wilder, who is renowned as one of the most creative filmmakers of American cinema's Golden Age. Wilder was nominated 21 times at the Academy Awards, 13 for screenwriting and 8 for direction. He won the Best Director award for his 1945 film "The Lost Weekend&quot...

In today’s episode, we're diving into a key principle of screenwriting: SHOW DON’T TELL. This simple yet powerful rule can truly elevate your writing to new heights. These three words hold a lot of meaning—so what exactly does SHOW DON’T TELL mean? Join us as we explore this idea and share some great examples from well-known films and TV shows that beautifully illustrate this principle. Execu...

REWIND. Two PAGE Awards Judges, Victoria Lucas and Laurie Ashbourne, discuss how they evaluate your screenplays, whether you're just starting or have a script in the competition. You do not want to miss this inside talk. ⭐️ Laurie Ashbourne began her film career in Disney animation and has worked over the past 20 years as a story consultant, writer, and producer for Disney, Amazon, and many...

REWIND of two more PAGE Awards Judges, Dwayne Smith and Mike Kuciak, continues the conversation about how they evaluate your screenplay. Mike Kuciak has two movies coming out in 2022; he's the writer-director of one and the writer-producer of the other. He's a producer on a third film scheduled to begin production in late 2022. He has served as a producer and executive producer on severa...

REWIND. PAGE Awards Judges David Portlock and John Evans continue our conversation about how they evaluate your screenplay. These two judges share a lot of helpful information in this interview. ✰ David Portlock has worked as a script reader for United Talent Agency and currently works for Bassett Vance Productions. Over the past 15 years, David has consulted and assisted dozens of writers in deve...

REWIND. We continue our conversation about how PAGE Awards Judges evaluate your screenplay with Karen Craig and Scott Barkan. Next week, to wrap up this four-part series, we’ll be talking to Kristin Overn, the Founder and Executive Director of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards. Karen Craig is a professional screenwriter and script doctor whose credits include AMERICAN PSYCHO II, starring...

Rewind. Spend some time with Sandy and Terry as they explore one of the most iconic last lines in cinema, "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown," from the 1974 film CHINATOWN, written by Robert Towne, directed by Roman Polanski, and starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. In this episode, they reveal the fascinating story of how this memorable line nearly didn’t make it and why! Execut...

In today’s show, Sandy shares some fun insights about onomatopoeia, which can be a writer’s best friend when you want to avoid using the same dull words repeatedly—especially in action scenes. Onomatopoeia is when a word is formed to imitate a sound, like “Boom!”, “Pow!”, or “Splat!”. If you're a screenwriter, it’s a handy trick to keep in your toolkit, especially when crafting exciting actio...

Rewind.  Did you know that our host and creator of The Writers’ Hangout, Sandy Adomaitis, has extensive experience in script development for both television and film? She has worked with some of the industry’s top showrunners, including Carlton Cuse, John Wirth, and Tom Spezialy. Now, for the first time, Sandy has compiled a list of ten warning signs that could dampen her enthusiasm for reading yo...