5AM StoryTalk

Starting a 2nd draft is one of the ultimate tests for screenwriters. Here’s why diving in too fast is a creative disaster! Fresh off wrapping the first drafts of two scripts (a TV pilot commission and a feature spec), I'm breaking down how I find perspective on my work, as well as my specific strategies to prepare for my next draft that will hopefully help you elevate your story from a messy 1...

Why does Disney’s modern era of ‘Star Wars’ leave so many fans indifferent at best and running away at worst? It isn’t just you – and it isn't a lack of explosions and lightsaber duels. In this episode, I take a close look at the new film ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ to diagnose a massive narrative crisis in not just it, but most ‘Star Wars’ projects post-George Lucas. By breaking this golden r...

Remember when we wanted to make films, not just generate them? Let’s dive into why AI filmmaking strips away the friction, chaos, and collaboration that also produces the greatest films. It also robs the process of its most important element — fun! We’re going to explore the corporate push to turn a bespoke, human art form into disposable, mass-produced, flat-pack junk — call it the IKEA-fication...

Our society has traded collective awe for isolating screens — and our art is paying the price. Psychologist DR. DACHER KELTNER knows a thing or two about awe as the director of the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab, author of the book ‘Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life’ , and a key creative consultant on Pixar’s ‘Inside Out’ . Awe is the psychological engine...

Getting feedback on a script or novel shouldn't be so anxiety inducing. This episode of 5AM StoryTalk is the ultimate notes survival guide for screenwriters and authors receiving feedback – and a masterclass for producers, agents, and book editors looking to deliver critiques that actually inspire great revisions! 👉 SCREENPLAY PERFORMANCE STUDIO: Today's episode is brought to you by Scree...

Are you overcomplicating your world-building? I’m breaking down why the most effective story worlds are built on simplicity — and why I opted (counterintuitively) to instead take a “maximalist” approach to my storytelling with my latest TV pilot script commission . The good news is, I finally heard from my producers what they think about the work I did, which I’m going to be filling you in about,...

Writers, stop trying to control the darkness and start letting it speak. Actor, filmmaker, and comic book creator DAVID DASTMALCHIAN ( ‘Dune’ , ‘Late Night with the Devil’ , ‘Murderbot’ ) joins me to discuss why the most dangerous thing an artist can do is try to "button up" the darkness. Through the lens of his life, career, and bold new graphic novel ‘Through’ , we explore the thin lin...

Are you thinking about writing a feature spec script? I’m breaking down the 4-part stress test I used to pick my first big-screen project in five years. Today on The Brew — an intimate 5AM StoryTalk series on the struggles and successes of life in the arts — I’m sharing the exact process I used to identify and fall in love with an idea that would also have commercial appeal . Whether you are a scr...

We’ve all said it: "They don’t make movies like they used to.” It's true, too...but Andy Weir's PROJECT HAIL MARY is the blueprint for how to fix the problem! This is the story of how my 11-year-old son — a kid raised on a steady diet of Marvel and Star Wars — ended up sobbing through a 28-year-old disaster flick and declaring it the best thing he’s ever seen. It’s also about why Holl...

What happens when our cultural stories fail to tell the truth about where we’ve been and where we’re going? Independent immigration researcher and campaigner ZOE GARDNER joins me to challenge the dehumanizing narratives surrounding immigration, refugees, and borders. We dive deep into the intersection of policy, power, and the arts to uncover the systemic forces reshaping our global social landsca...

This is a Hollywood horror story about the dumbest thing to ever happen to me as a screenwriter - including the exact moment a room full of industry pros realized the embarrassing six-figure mistake that had been made. ON THE ITINERARY THE “DRACULA” HANGOVER: Recovering from creating a TV series that turned into a "shit-show" while your career is technically booming. THE GOLDEN GOD TRAP: When “we...

If you’re struggling to master screenplay structure and finding that screenwriting guides aren’t making it easier like they promised, this episode of THE BREW (formerly 5AM RealTalk) is for you. The bad news: those mass-marketed screenplay templates you’ve been told to follow are originality killers – and their “hacks” tend to turn you into a hack. The good news: While there is no cheat code to be...

"Every billion-dollar movie has tapped into something personal." Screenwriting isn't just a craft – it’s a psychological excavation. In this episode of 5AM StoryTalk, I sit down with Oscar-nominated screenwriter and co-host of ‘The Screenwriting Life’ MEG LeFAUVE (‘Inside Out’, ‘Captain Marvel’) and filmmaker JOE FORTE (‘The Man Who Saved Ben-Hur’) to pull back the curtain on the "sacred act" of s...

If you’ve ever felt the crushing weight of a culture that demands “content” but punishes audacity and ambition from its artists, this ep is for you. 💪 Are you confused why 'Sinners' didn’t walk away with the Oscars’ biggest prizes? Unsure why the theatrical box office is in free fall? Or are you taking as few risks in your own work as the people you complain have ruined the artforms you love most...

“20 years ago, it was possible to sell a film/TV pitch based on a badass title alone. Today? I have an A-list actor attached and still can't get paid.” 🎬✍️ In this episode of 5AM STORYTALK , I pull back the curtain on the back-breaking, soul-crushing work that is development in modern Hollywood 🎬. By way of a personal anecdote from my 20 years as a professional screenwriter and TV creator – invo...

Emmy-nominated musician and comedian, actress, and TV creator RIKI LINDHOME (Garfunkel and Oates, 'Wednesday', 'Knives Out') discusses the "freedom of no opportunities", how failing at the traditional Hollywood audition circuit forced her to invent a singular, transgressive career on her own terms, and her new comedy album 'No Worries If Not' and one-person musical 'Dead Inside' that fearlessly, d...

Are you spending more time chasing the work than actually creating it? In this Feb. 24, 2026 episode of The Brew, things get uncomfortable. I’m pulling back the curtain on the artist's gig economy and admitting things I’ve hidden from my closest friends for years. If you’ve ever screamed "I can’t do this anymore" into the void of an 80-hour work week, this one is for you. I hope it helps. On the i...

FATIMA PAYMAN is a former refugee who became one of the youngest senators ever elected to the Parliament of Australia—where she has courted controversy on more than a few occasions. Today, the Senator joins me for some 5AM StoryTalk, and it’s one hell of a conversation. We tackle the decline of freedom of speech in Australia, the role of multiculturalism in the country’s art and identity, and whet...

Screenwriter-director JUSTIN SIMIEN (Dear White People, Haunted Mansion, Hollywood Black) discusses his life and craft, truth-telling in your art, finding your voice as an artist in an industry that increasingly doesn’t want you to have one, and Hollywood’s problematic relationship with Black artists. Pay attention, screenwriters: This episode is an intimate look at breaking into and sustaining yo...

5AM RealTalk is a 5AM StoryTalk plog where Cole Haddon - veteran screenwriter (creator, 'Dracula') and novelist ('Psalms for the End of the World') - discusses the highs and lows of his life as an artist and human being living and creating in Australia. On the itinerary today (Feb. 10, 2026): America in the shitter, the death of neoliberalism, and racism on the march in Australia Artists answer th...

5AM RealTalk is a 5AM StoryTalk plog where I discuss the highs and lows of my life as a screenwriter/novelist and human being. On the itinerary today: I turned in my pilot script! - producer reaction/notes anxiety - final podcast episode of 2025 - the Bondi Beach terror attack hits close to home for me - the murder of Rob and Michele Reiner - Bret Easton Ellis on why he writes - by contrast, why R...

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE is one of the most beloved Christmas films ever made. But the real reason behind the holiday classic’s enduring popularity isn’t what you might think it is - and it ensures you can never get bored of it Spoiler: It’s not because life is all that wonderful. This is an audio essay about growing up and older, grief, and why we’re all George Bailey. If you’re a storyteller, you’r...

What do Hallmark Christmas films reveal about the state of our world? Why do millions of people turn to these stories every December for comfort and connection? Power Ranger – ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops’ agent – one of the best parts about Christmas. Today, I’m joined by actress (and dear friend) ERIN CAHILL . In this deeply intimate episode of 5AM StoryTalk, we go far beyond the IMDB credits. We ex...

5AM RealTalk is a 5AM StoryTalk plog where I discuss the highs and lows of my life as a screenwriter/novelist and human being. On the itinerary today: I bought a house in Australia! – 35% off 5AM StoryTalk Newsletter & Podcast yearly subscriptions – my favorite Christmas movie – Joey Ramone on what punk really means – sayonara, Hollywood – ‘The Bishop’s Wife’ is a perfect film, fight me – how...

The ' Despicable Me' films — ' The Secret Life of Pets' — ' Schmigadoon!' . This week, I'm joined by screenwriter CINCO PAUL whose credits include these titles and many, many more. We’re about to discuss his life, craft, and becoming the writer he always wanted to be 25 years into his career. This is is an incredibly illuminating deep dive into professional success and how that can sometimes becom...