Act One Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 50 - Special Episode featuring a panel discussion on the topic of "How to Give Notes to Screenwriters" with producer/creative executive Owen Shiflett, screenwriter Clare Sera, and screenwriter/producer Quinton Peeples. Great storytelling thrives on great feedback. This class explores how to give notes that inspire, not deflate—how to challenge w...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 49 - Special Episode featuring a case study from the 2025 Producing and Entertainment Executive Program on the new Lionsgate/MGM+ show, ROBIN HOOD, now streaming. During the Act One Producing and Entertainment Executive Program, we occasionally offer case studies of projects for the students to watch and discuss with the filmmakers. Recorded on Saturday,...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 48 - Interview with Directors Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes of the new film, DAVID . From the songs of his mother’s heart to the whispers of a faithful God, David’s story begins in quiet devotion. When the giant Goliath rises to terrorize a nation, a young shepherd armed with only a sling, a few stones, and unshakable faith steps forward. Pursued by pow...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 47 - Interview with Director and Screenwriter, Spencer Folmar. Spencer Folmar is the co-writer and co-director of the new film, SAINT NICK OF BETHLEHEM , starring Daniel Roebuck. Based on a true story about Allen Smith's life, this inspiring story follows a man who, after the heartbreaking loss of his son, transforms his grief into a beacon of hope f...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 46 - Interview with Producer, John Shepherd. John Shepherd is a 30-year veteran of indie & studio film. As a producer, John’s known for such films as Emanuel (2019), The Stoning of Soraya M. (2008), Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) and The Ultimate Gift (2006).  His latest film is Sarah’s Oil which is inspired by the remarkable true story of Sarah...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 45 - Interview with Screenwriters Jacob Roman and Kenny Ryan of the new film, ELEVATION . After meeting in college, KENNY RYAN and JACOB ROMAN teamed up to sell their first script, DAVID VS GOLIATH (a 300-style take on the Biblical epic) to Sony Pictures.  Since then they’ve sold multiple feature projects around town, most recently ELEVATION , which they...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 44 - Interview with Director and Screenwriter, Christine Swanson. Christine Swanson is the writer/director of the new film, ALBANY ROAD, starring Renée Elise Goldsberry and Lynn Whitfield. The film is about a New York executive who is forced to share a rental car with her ex-fiancé's mother, only to discover that the mother is hiding a major secret....

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 43 - Interview with Screenwriter Andrea Nasfell and Producer Brady Nasfell of the new film, MR. MANHATTAN. Brady Nasfell has produced feature films and television for Netflix, Sony, Lionsgate, Fox Sports, NBC, VH1, Discovery Networks and independent distributors.  Recent films include MR. MANHATTAN (starring Alexa and Carlos PenaVega), FOURTH OF JULY (sta...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 42 - Interview with Director and Screenwriter, Andrew Hyatt. Andrew Hyatt is the director and co-writer of the new film, SIGHT , starring Greg Kinnear and Terry Chen, which follows the true story of Dr. Ming Wang, a Chinese American who defies all odds to become a world-renowned eye surgeon. Drawing upon the grit and determination he gained from a turbule...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 41 - Interview with Director, Screenwriter and Musician, Adam Anders. Adam is the director and co-writer of the new film, JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM , a musical adventure about the birth of Christ which is being released exclusively in theaters by Sony Pictures on November 10th. Adam is a four-time Grammy® nominee and two-time People's Choice Award winner....

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 40 - Interview with Producer, Nick Moceri. Nick Moceri is the founder of All Night Diner , a production company that works in film, television, podcasts, and digital media, and the co-founder of Nightlight Media, a joint venture with writer/director/producer Adam Anders. Nick is one of the producers of the recently released film, SITTING IN BARS WITH CAKE...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 39 - Interview with Screenwriter, Karen Hall. In her career as a screenwriter, producer and creative consultant, Karen Hall has worked on numerous television series, including M*A*S*H, Hill Street Blues, Moonlighting, Roseanne, Grace Under Fire, Northern Exposure, Judging Amy and The Good Wife . She has received seven Emmy Award nominations, as well as th...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 38 - Interview with Producers, Aaron Benward and Cliff Young. Aaron Benward comes to Watershed Motion Pictures by way of the music business where he started his career as one half of the award-winning father/son duo Aaron Jeoffrey. He followed that up as the founding member of the 3 time CMA and ACM nominated duo Blue County. Aaron’s creative skills conti...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 37 - Interview with Director and Screenwriter, Brandon Dickerson. Brandon Dickerson is an award-winning writer/director/producer honored for his work in film, documentaries, commercials, and music videos—including the coveted Cannes Gold Lion. After building a career directing hundreds of high-profile commercials and music videos, Dickerson shifted his fo...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 36 - Interview with Author, Andrew Peterson and Producer, J. Chris Wall. Andrew Peterson is a recording artist, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, and the award-winning author of THE WINGFEATHER SAGA book series. His music has garnered three separate Dove Award nominations. In 2008, driven by a desire to cultivate a strong Christian arts community, Andrew f...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 35 - Interview with Screenwriter, Buzz Dixon. Buzz Dixon writes oddball TV / movies / games / comics / novels, putting words in the mouths of Superman, Batman, Conan, The Terminator, Optimus Prime, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mork & Mindy, Scrooge McDuck, Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, plus more G.I. Joes and My Little Ponies than you can shake a sti...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 34 - Interview with Writer/Director, Nathan Scoggins. Nathan is the writer/director of the film, WHAT REMAINS. The film tells the story of a  small town pastor who is forced to reckon with an act of forgiveness when the convict he forgave for murdering his wife returns to town five years later, while the town sheriff investigates another murder that may b...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 33 - Interview with Screenwriter, Paul Guyot. PAUL GUYOT has written and produced more than 200 hours of television. His work includes the JJ Abrams created FELICITY, the Emmy-winning JUDGING AMY, and LEVERAGE for TNT which won back-to-back People’s Choice Awards. Guyot served as Co-Executive Producer on THE LIBRARIANS, including taking over all showrunni...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 32 - Interview with Screenwriter and Producer, Michael Warren. Michael Warren began his career writing for television as executive story consultant on the classic television show, HAPPY DAYS. He then went to Warner Bros. where he was an executive producer on PERFECT STRANGERS.  He also co-created and executive produced two of the longest running shows on...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 31 - Interview with Screenwriter, Eboni Freeman. Eboni Freeman is a native Angelino who got her start in the television industry working for FOX Sports.  While at FOX, she won an Emmy for her work on the 2015 Women’s World Cup.  In 2016, Eboni was chosen as a Sundance Episodic Fellow and was also selected for WeForShe’s WriteHer List. She most recently wa...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 30 - Interview with Director/Producer, Arthur Anderson. Arthur Anderson began his film career while attending the University of South Carolina. Because of his background in live radio comedy sketches, local advertising agencies hired him to develop comedic radio and television commercials to promote their clients’ products. In his junior year at USC, Arth...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 29 - Interview with Screenwriter, Quinton Peeples. Quinton Peeples was born in San Angelo, Texas, raised in nearby Abilene and remained there until 1984. His vision of pursuing a career as a painter was quickly falling apart and he found himself answering a different call – the entertainment business. He arrived in Los Angeles immediately following the su...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 28 - Interview with Producer Karen Covell and Composer James Covell. James Covell is an award winning composer who writes music for Film, Television, Theatre and the Concert Hall. Karen Covell is an independent producer of film and television, as well as the founding Director of the Hollywood Prayer Network. The Covells have co-authored three books: How T...

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 27 - Interview with Screenwriter and Director, Brian Baugh. Brian Baugh is a director, screenwriter, and producer known for creating socially relevant and inspiring human stories that cross genres.  He has spent the majority of his time working in feature films, but also has extensive experience in television, commercials, documentaries, and web content....

Send us Fan Mail Act One Podcast - Episode 26 - Interview with Screenwriter, Zena Dell Lowe. Zena has worked professionally in the entertainment industry for over 20 years as a writer, producer, director, actress, and story consultant. Zena also teaches advanced classes on writing at conferences all over the country, and as an adjunct professor at Covenant College in Georgia, Regent University in...