The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

One of Netflix's most celebrated animated movies of the year comes from our very own Meg LeFauve, whose beautiful script for "My Father's Dragon" was brought to life by Nora Twomey, one of our industry's most celebrated animated directors. Nora and Meg discuss how the movie came to fruition, what the development process looked like, and why precision and attention to detail in our storytelling is...

We have all been very busy so our new episodes for the next two weeks will be dropping on Mondays. Thanks for your patience! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few jobs more mentally strenuous than that of a writer. Rejection. Writers block. Notes. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. But today, bestselling author and thought leader Dr. Kristin Neff - renowned for her decades of research - is here to teach us about the beauty and the POWER of self-compassion. It will fundamentally shift the way you see you execute your creative life! PURCHASE KRISTIN'S BOOKS:...

Patrick Osborne may have won an Oscar for his short film feast, but finding the conviction to stick to his creative "North Star" while writing is still a journey. Find out how he does it on today's episode. Patrick Osborne - is An Oscar, Emmy, and Peabody winning (and even Grammy Nominated) Writer/Director and animator. Patrick animated on a bunch of Feature films like Surf's Up, I am Legend, Bolt...

Tone is consistently one of the most challenging things that Screenwriters face. What is it and how do we capture it on the page? We're thrilled to be joined by super-producer and friend-of-the-show Sheila Hanahan Taylor to unpack ALL of that today. Buckle up! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for your patience! Editing now, and new episode drops tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we take more questions from our brilliant listeners about: script readability, pilot v. feature format, and how to (as always) mine more emotionality from our characters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meg and Lorien are BACK from their labs (Africa and Italy respectively - casual), and they have LOTS of thoughts. We discuss how to be great mentors, and of course, for our listeners, great mentees. This is your ultimate writing lab guidebook. SEE MEG AND LORIEN IN AUSTIN MEG + Joe's Workshop Saturday October 29, 2022 9:00am - 10:15am CDT St. David's Episcopal Church, Eden's Center 301 E 8th St, A...

Matthew Gentile has wanted to be a filmmaker since seeing Dog Day Afternoon as a 12-year-old. After graduating from AFI and winning an Emmy for his short FRONTMAN, Matthew's debut feature is about to drop theatrically This Friday. How does a first time feature filmmaker snag Tom Pelphrey, Jacki Weaver, Idina Menzel, and Ryan Phillippe for his cast? He gets into all of that today. Learn more about...

Lorien is still living her best life in Italy, so Jeff and Meg hit the mic to take YOUR questions, wherin we discuss main relationships, subtext with your lava, and widow words! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a pen and paper? Might want to grab them now... Andrew Stanton wrote and directed Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, and Wall-E, all of which consistently rank among the best films of this century, and best animated films ever made. In live action storytelling, he's become a critically acclaimed director, working on shows like Stranger Things and Better Call Saul. Andrew is considered one of...

How did one writers group produce 3 Nicholl winners in 6 years? Hard work, dedication, and a highly conscientious and regimented approach to getting shit done. Today, Nicholl winners Alisha Brophy and Scott Miles get into ALL of the details of their notoriously successful writers group, and how you can succeed too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Metaverse, and why does it matter? Ask Ben Grosmann... In 2013, he was nominated for an Academy Award for the film Star Trek Into Darkness. In 2012, he won an Academy Award for the film Hugo. In 2006, he won an Emmy for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for the Scifi Miniseries The Triangle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether it's the logistics of procuring rights, the challenging of changing an ending, or the fear of meeting that author who originated the story you're telling, adaptation invites a LOT of questions. Today, we discuss them! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jen Grisanti thought she had her dream job as a studio exec at Paramount/CBS, but when her contract wasn't renewed AND she was working through a very public divorce, she realized she was given the greatest gift she could have a storyteller: wounds and a potential to heal those wounds. This new philosophy has helped Jen create a new approach to writing, which she has been teaching writers all aroun...

Dan O'Shannon has worked on some of American television's most iconic shows in history, but for him, every new project is a refreshed exercise in humility and starting again. Dan talks about what makes something funny, how to draw UNIQUE comedic characters, and what it really takes to succeed in our business in writer. DAN'S BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/What-Are-You-Laughing-Comprehensive/dp/14411...

Yes. That's right. Today we're bringing you ONE HUNDRED lessons we've learned about writing, in honor of...yes, that's right, our 100th episode!!! Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We wanted to give our listeners a preview of our PATREON, so you'll hearing three bite-sized samples for some of our workshops.  If you're interested in joining the Patreon, you can sign up here: www.patreon.com/TheScreenwritingLife For questions/sign up info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHnbm7i9udM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There may be no topic we discuss more on this show than Lava, so we decided to put an episode together unpacking the entire volcano. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're BACK. After vacations, appointments, film festivals, and, oh yeah, writing, Meg, Lorien and Jeff check back in to discuss what they've been learning about their writing and themsleves in the last 6 weeks.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks to our intern BORIS for cutting together another great BEST OF episode. Today we feature clips from the following episodes: 88 | Alex Kurtzman & Jenny Lumet: Why Destabilization Is Essential For Your Writing 86 | Dr. Strange 2 Writer Michael Waldron On Emotionally Authentic Writing 90 | Finding The Thematic “Thesis Statement” Of Your Script w/ Maggie Cohn 78 | Character Poles: A Simple but...

Enjoy our final panel coverage from our time at the SLO film festival! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many writer/directors have gotten their starts with short films. Today we discuss what makes a great short, and how they can help (and not help) advance your career as a writer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another WONDERFUL story workshop from Meg + Lorien.  To see Jeff's film in CLEVELAND on 7/6 @ 7:30pm, buy tickets here: https://omniwebticketing6.com/cleveland/cedarlee/?schdate=2022-07-06&perfix=131376 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David F.M. Vaughn, award-winning actor, director, composer, and writer, is obsessed with getting detailed about the behind-the-scenes aspects of this sometimes very mysterious business. Having just come off of his first staffing gig, David has TONS of insight about what a writers room REALLY looks, and how we can prepare for them.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices