Happier in Hollywood

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...

Liz and Sarah have a confession to make — despite swearing Season Two of Fantasy Island will be different, they’re already working weekends. Arg! Then, in their new HIH WFH (Happier In Hollywood Work From Home) segment, they explain how the Writers’ Room is breaking story remotely using WritersRoom Pro®. Next, in Take A Hike, Sarah has an “ah ha” therapy moment about the difference between trying...

Liz and Sarah open the floor to listener questions! Hot topics include: parenting, chickens, Corgis, and more! How do Liz and Sarah know if a story has “legs”? What financial advice do they have for a career in Hollywood? And between it all, do Liz and Sarah actually sleep? Lastly, this week’s Hollywood Hack gives you ergonomic support in your car or home: BackJoy’s SitSmart Core Traction Back Sup...

Liz and Sarah reveal their team motto for the new year — What Would Dolly Do 2022! Their goal is to harness Dolly Parton’s spirit of strength, fun, and goodness. They also plan to wear more eye shadow. In Take A Hike, they each make a commitment to make one change for their mental health and one change for their physical health in 2022. Sarah is going to cut down on scrolling and increase how much...

Liz and Sarah discuss the necessity of staying nimble as they write and produce Season Two of Fantasy Island. “Lean TV” requires a lot of juggling! Then, in Amplify, Liz talks about her new favorite show, The Sex Lives of College Girls. Next, they introduce a brand new segment – HIH WFH (Happier In Hollywood Work From Home) – and reveal a strategy to protect important work time when there’s a lot...

Let’s face it— sometimes things go wrong. Liz and Sarah discuss how when they had to manage a recent snafu, they took a lesson in leadership from Captain Lee on Bravo’s Below Deck: STAY CALM. Then, in Take A Hike, Nacho saves the day! Liz and Sarah share the mental health benefits of actively transitioning between Work and Not Work… and how a certain Corgi puppy helps. Next Liz and Sarah answer a...

Now that we’re all (sort of) heading back to work after the pandemic, what does “the new normal” look like? Liz and Sarah discuss the pros and cons of a hybrid work environment. Pro: less snacking. Con: fewer jobs for support staff. Then Liz and Sarah respond to a Mailroom comment about how taking a leap into the unknown can lead one down unexpected paths… and to surprising success. Next, in Take...

In this C13Features podcast movie presentation of Ghostwriter, Kate Mara and Adam Scott star in a psychological thriller about a former journalist who reluctantly accepts a job ghostwriting a new murder mystery novel for an eccentric billionaire. Kate Michaels has been living a solitary life after a traumatic experience, but after pressure from her rational agent and candid best friend, she begrud...

Liz shares that while both she and Sarah embraced gratitude over Thanksgiving, Liz also felt another “g” emotion… guilt! Turns out it’s hard to enjoy a few days off when so much work looms on the horizon. One solution? Remember that relaxing now leads to more productivity later. Then, in L v. S (Liz versus Sarah), they debate the merits of sound baths. Liz finds a sound bath more soothing than a m...

As Liz and Sarah begin writing Season Two of Fantasy Island, they’re determined to maintain work boundaries — at least for as long as they possibly can. One strategy? Wait to answer non-urgent emails. In The Mailroom, they answer a listener question about how to transition from unscripted to scripted television. Then Liz and Sarah talk to their brand new assistant, Lauren Conoscenti, about how her...

Liz and Sarah analyze different kinds of decision making. Do you follow your gut? Take the path of least resistance? Make decisions by committee? Then, in From The Outer Office, they talk to their former assistant and current Executive Story Editor on Season Two of Fantasy Island, Brook Sitgraves Turner, about what it’s like to climb the Writers Room ladder. Her advice? Take an improv class. Brook...

Liz and Sarah share HUGE news! There will be a Season Two of Fantasy Island! Now that they’ve accomplished this major goal, what’s next? They’re setting their sights on making it to one hundred episodes. Or maybe seventy-five... In Hits & Bombs, they give a big Hit to two colleagues — Marie Jacobson and Ray Ricord of Sony Gemstone — for being such cheerleaders. They also give a Bomb to the bureauc...

Season One of Fantasy Island was a sprint that left Liz and Sarah flat on the ground. As they look ahead to a possible Season Two, they discuss how to have their work life resemble a hike instead. Yes, it will be arduous, but they also want to enjoy the view. Then Liz answers a Mailroom question about her name. In a special L v. S (Liz versus Sarah), Liz announces that she has a new puppy — a Corg...

With Season Two of Fantasy Island  still up in the air, Liz and Sarah have decided to embrace Hiatus Mode! What does that mean? Going to their favorite hiatus restaurants (including Benihana), taking short trips to see friends, and — for Sarah — getting out her spinning wheel. In Take Two, they have MORE great gifts ideas for this holiday season. Thanks, Listeners, for all the suggestions! One pop...