The Writers Hangout

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...

HAPPINESS INCLUDED: It’s finally time for Jan, Jan, Jan! Sandy has a groovy chat with the legendary Eve Plumb, famously known as the misunderstood middle child, Jan from The Brady Bunch. Eve offers delightful insights into her new memoir, “HAPPINESS INCLUDED: Jan Brady and Beyond.” Since Eve and Sandy are longtime friends, their conversation feels like a cozy, personal catch-up—plus, they even tal...

In today's episode, Sandy breaks down Agent vs. Manager and the important facts screenwriters need to know. Plus, Sandy dives deep and shares the latest details of the courtroom drama centered on screenwriter Kurt McLeod and Zero Gravity Management over an alleged conflict of interest arising from Zero Gravity Management's negotiation of his deal to write Copshop. Copshop written by Kurt...

Sandy chats with film producer, writer, and director Max Neace about his journey into the entertainment world. Max shares how he learned the ropes of producing and used that knowledge to make his own movies, like Shift—a thrilling film created mostly within tight constraints. The story of SHIFT sounds simple but intriguing: what if a thriller stayed inside a security office? Max also produced othe...

We are so happy to have as our guest, Thom Harp, a screenwriter and director recognized for his work in comedy films and digital media. Thom is here to discuss 'HOME DELIVERY,' his latest comedy, which he both wrote and directed, scheduled for release on March 27 at a local theater. Furthermore, Thom has three feature projects in development: the teen comedy 'CRASH COURSE' for...

We're delighted to introduce Spade Robinson, a talented filmmaker, screenwriter, and story consultant. She runs the Atlanta Film Project, a consulting firm dedicated to helping storytellers polish their scripts and projects. Currently, Spade is working on her debut feature film, 'Late Bloomers,' set against the beautiful backdrop of the American Heartland. In our chat, we explore wh...

We’re thrilled to welcome Joel Church-Cooper, a highly admired TV showrunner celebrated for his talent in creating shows around the industry’s top comedic voices. We hear how Joel took a viral short video and turned it into the acclaimed half-hour comedy series BROCKMIRE, featuring Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet. Joel also shares the hurdles he faced along his writing journey and how improv played a...

We're excited to welcome suspense author and travel journalist Dawn M. Barclay. She's here to share insights about her intriguing book: Vacations Can Be Murder, a fascinating travel guide that uncovers the locations of major crimes and buried bodies in New England. Writers and reference books can be great sources for screenplay ideas, and this book offers countless ideas on every page. W...

Have you ever wondered what a film and television producer does and thinks? Well, you’re in luck because our guest is the talented Marc Resteghini, a producer who owns Jack Tar Pictures, a company based at Amazon Studios. Marc’s first release under this banner is set for March 4, 2026, with Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock, an origin story. Previously, Marc spent over eight years helping to build Amaz...

Sandy recently came across an article in Variety that she thinks could spark your creativity for your next screenplay, short film, or vertical series. We also take a moment to revisit the March 2024 episode of 'Don’t You Forget About John Hughes,' where Terry and Sandy dive into four inspiring quotes by the legendary screenwriter, producer, and director John Hughes. As one of Hollywood&a...

As a winter storm sweeps across the United States, bringing heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies and Plains through the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, we hope everyone stays warm and safe. Today, we're excited to welcome Brian Austin Green, a talented actor who's been a familiar face on television for over thirty years. He's most popular for his role as David...

This week, we invite the esteemed Peter Dekom to provide an in-depth analysis of the intense bidding wars between Netflix and Paramount, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities confronting the entertainment industry today. How do these dynamics influence writers, creators, and the future of storytelling? Executive Producer Kristin Overn Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis Producer Terr...

Watching movies can significantly boost your writing skills by providing a visual masterclass in storytelling, character development, and structure that you can actively analyze and incorporate into your work. We highlight five key areas a screenwriter should focus on while watching a film to improve as a writer.  Executive Producer Kristin Overn Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis Producer...

Sandy explores a recent Ankler.com article titled: 'Gen Z Is Huge. Their TV Shows Are Tiny. And Hollywood Is Panicking,' written by Whitney Friedlander. Showrunners Nahnatchka Khan, Ben Kronengold, and Rebecca Shaw, along with top executives, discuss the industry's biggest missed demographic target, and how the HBO series 'I LOVE LA,' created by Rachel Sennott, about a clo...