Writers Group Therapy

Artificial Intelligence already suggests what movies and shows to watch on Netflix, what products to buy on Amazon, and writes stories about sports scores, weather reports and stock prices that you hear on the radio and TV. With technology already able to create real actors in movies, and soon their voices, what’s next for A.I. in Hollywood? Experiments in A.I. screenwriting are ongoing. Should yo...

We talk with horror author and screenwriter Tim Gabrielle. He has two novels, "This Land of Monsters" and "The Eighteenth," the latter he has adapted for screen which has placed in four screenwriting competitions. Tim discusses his creative process and screenwriting from his home in Ontario, Canada. He also is in the process of starting a podcast titled "Histories & Mysteries" that features myster...

Rising star writer/producer Jason Goldberg discusses his career development and writing process. His new film "Stay Out of the F***ing Attic" is streaming on Shudder and his name is on The Launch Pad Young & Hungry List and ISA’s Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch List. Find Jason online: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jscottgoldberg83 IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2661125 Shudder: https://www....

Like the pandemic that won’t go away, here is our COVID-19 One Year Later in Hollywood episode. What’s changed? What hasn’t? Where do we go from here? SHOW NOTES:  Session #108 - Our first episode in lockdown

It’s hard to open YouTube without seeing a video on the “Exodus” from Los Angeles and the death of Hollywood. In this session, we debate the health status of Hollywood from the writers’ room to the movie theaters and everything in-between. SHOW NOTES: Hollywood’s Obitutary, the Sequel. Now Streaming - The New York Times Movies aren’t dead but Hollywood is struggling Is ‘Everyone’ Leaving Los Angel...

We speak with producer, director and writer Jeff Deverett about writing movies for the growing streaming market and how his experience, as a lawyer and distributor helped in producing seven movies and distributing three of them on Netflix. SHOW NOTES: Deverettmedia.com: https://www.deverettmedia.com How To Get A Movie On Netflix - Jeff Deverett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNXGhUcJArw

The writing/directing team of Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz discuss the genesis of their collaboration and creative journey to “Antebellum” and their upcoming movie and TV projects.   SHOW NOTES: Antebellum Website (Lionsgate): https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/antebellum From Social Action Campaigns to 'Antebellum': Meet Hollywood's Power Directing Duo:  https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/f...

Heather Fitzgerald is the author of the young-adult fantasy series The Tethered World. Heather discusses her path to becoming an author, the influences that inspired her and launching a franchise in the Christian book market.    SHOW NOTES: Website: http://www.heatherllfitzgerald.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherLLFitz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherllfitzgerald/   Audio Book G...

Our guest is Mike Miller, CPA from Cleveland, Ohio, (disclaimer: Mike is Tom's accountant) to discuss what creatives should consider when preparing their tax returns. Including: What qualifies as a creative performer? Do you need an LLC? What's deductible and what's not? What about stimulus checks and more!   SHOW NOTES: Contact Mike Miller at ‭(440) 461-4066‬ or mikeamcpa@aol.com Tom and Rachanee...

Join us for a not-so-nostalgic look back at this year, a look forward at what's coming, and our special guest Stephen Smith and the Story Behind "A Christmas Carol" webinar.   SHOW NOTES: Steven Smith: www.mediasteven.com 'A Christmas Carol: The Surprising Story behind Dickens’ Classic' Webinar (12/23/2020) by the New York Adventure Club

We interview Kelley Carter, the Sr. Entertainment Reporter for ESPN's "The Undefeated," about her career, starting from her days at Michigan State University, to the Detroit Free Press and USA Today and now creating a scripted drama for Showtime.

We interview award-winning author and publisher Miralee Ferrell this week. She has published 26 books three of which have been produce by the Hallmark Channel as movies. Her publishing company, Mountain Brook Ink, opened in 2014, is "a publisher of high-quality inspirational fiction,” whose tag line is “fiction you can believe in.” They work with new and established authors, including children’s a...

We welcome screenwriter/comedian Wendy Wilkins to the podcast this week. Wendy has been a Warner Brothers Writers' Workshop Participant, an ABC/Disney Writing Program Finalist, a Final Draft's Big Break Contest Top-10 Finalist, a Women In Film: NY/Meryl Streep Writers Lab Finalist and a 2018 Austin Film Festival Second Rounder along with 50 other competition placements and awards. We discuss her e...

American movies and TV shows are watched around the world, but to others, we do some weird stuff. For this lighter session, we analyze the depiction of Americans in entertainment based on the Buzzfeed list “37 Things Americans Do In Movies/TV Shows That Truly Confuse Non-American.” Show Notes: Buzzfeed article “37 Things Americans Do In Movies/TV Shows That Truly Confuse Non-American”:  https://ww...

  In today's session, we interview Libby Ward, the author of the bilingual children's book "Luchadoremice," which she also illustrated, and discuss her work writing for TV ("Be Cool, Scooby Doo!", "Sex Sent Me to the ER," and "Q Wunder"), and her other many talents! SHOW NOTES: Sneaky Varmint (Libby's Website): http://www.sneakyvarmint.com "Luchadoremice": http://www.luchadormice.com Libby on Inst...

The Library Agency Owner & Head Agent Julia Irzyk is our guest in today’s session. Julia talks about how the landscape is changing for her business and clients with Covid, the WGA/agency battle, and too many zoom meetings, and how to survive it all.  Show Notes:  The Library Agency:  https://www.thelibraryagency.com

We go meta in this session why you might, or might not, want to start one and giving you some practical how-to advice on producing your podcast. In the interview, we welcome Robin Who, writer and host of the Frantastic Stories podcast with “stories of every shade of life.” Show Notes: Where to find Robin Who online: Website is  http://www.frantasticstories.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/sh...

Susan Gallagher is an actor/writer/producer who can be seen on the former YouTube, now Netflix show “Cobra Kai,” as Homeless Lynn, as well as the upcoming Sam Medina film “22 - The Unforgotten Soldier.” We discuss building your own career and how she’s doing it outside of Hollywood. Show Notes: Cobra Kai on Netflix:  https://www.netflix.com/title/81002370 A Portrait of a Woman at Dawn:  https://ww...

In this session, we talk with Mattson Tomlin, the screenwriter of the action/sci-fi Netflix film "Power Project." (23:15) Mattson also scripted and produced the upcoming film "Little Fish" starring Olivia Cooke and has gained attention for being brought onboard to co-write "The Batman" with Matt Reeves. We also discuss the new WGA MBA contract, Mulan and other big budget films on the small screen,...

Contained scripts are in high demand and it's not just because Covid-19 has made big film productions extremely more complicated and costly. Indie filmmakers have a real opportunity with their smaller productions to find distribution and an audience. Those filmmakers need scripts. We discuss writing a contained script and why you might want to.  SHOW NOTES: Inktip:  https://www.inktip.com Screenwr...

We round up most of the finalists of the 2017 Playstation Emerging Filmmaker Program, of which Tom was one, to see how their various experiences since the contest unfolded. How did winning/or not winning, affect their screenwriting career? Panelists (See http://www.writersgrouptherapy.com for full show notes): Shira Rosenweig Vanessa King Max Cannon Tyler Terribile Daniel Omrani Rob Sorensen Kevin...

In this session, we discuss the creative and business behind the endless franchises and how writers are affected by them.  SHOW NOTES: None this episode

In this session of Writers Group Therapy, we interview interview John Scalzi, the Hugo-Award Winning, NY Times & Amazon Best Selling science fiction author. Also WGA has claims dismissed - Steven Soderberg and DGA Covid 19 Planning - Unions ask for deductions back - NBCU vs AMC - and more! SHOW NOTES: John Scalzi's website: https://whatever.scalzi.com/ Follow John Scalzi on Twitter: https://twitte...

In this session of Writers Group Therapy, we interview screenwriter and blogger Jaime Jessup. Also: WGA News, Virtual SXSW, Brooklyn Nine-Nine Writers Room, HITRECORD.org  and more. SHOW NOTES: Jaime Jessup's Blogs: http://calamityjay.blogspot.com/ https://medium.com/@calamityjay   SXSW-Amazon Virtual Fest Sets Lineup for April 27 Launch https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sxsw-amazon-virtual-f...

In this session, we talk with manager-turned-agent Joseph Fronk about working through the Covid 19 crisis and what writers should be doing now to prep for after. Also a Quibi review, Masterclass with Aaron Sorkin and how Hollywood can restart production safely. SHOW NOTES: Quibi: https://quibi.com Artistry: https://www.artistry.net Masterclass: https://www.masterclass.com