Writers Group Therapy

In this session, one of our favorite guests is back, screenwriter, producer, documentarian and author Steven Smith, to discuss working in Hollywood in Covid 19 lockdown times. Steven is a 4-Time Emmy nominee; producer and writer of over 200 documentaries for television, home video and other media. He has authored two books, his newest coming out in May, is the biography “Music by Max Steiner: The...

This special session was recorded live on Facebook. Watch the video at  https://www.facebook.com/1576537085753881/videos/653104418858442 In this session, we discuss writing about a crisis IN the middle of the crisis, increased copyright fees, Hollywood working virtually, WGA news, and more. Show Notes: Writers Group Therapy on Podchaser.com:  https://www.podchaser.com/WGTherapy Copyright Fee Sched...

On this session, Tom interviews Rachanee about her new comedy podcast "Ex Pat." Also, we discuss how Covid 19 is impacting Hollywood and how you can prepare for it, WGA and NBCUniversal, more Pilot Season news, Streamers and Basic Cable channel alliances.   SHOW NOTES:  Covid 19: In the week between recording this episode and publishing it, massive changes swept Hollywood as concerns about the Cov...

In this mega-session of Writers Group Therapy, we interview Sam Gasch, host of the “Ideal Remake” podcast, as well as discuss the Oscars, the Mini-Slug line, WGA’s upcoming contract negotiations and studios stockpiling scripts, Mulan, Representation, NBC's Peacock streamer and more!   SHOW NOTES: Sam Gasch:  https://twitter.com/samgasch Ideal Remake Podcast:  https://linktr.ee/idealremake Ideal Re...

In this session of Writers Group Therapy we discuss Awards Season including the Oscar and WGA Awards nominations, Pilot Season, What's next for Disney+, and Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. SHOW NOTES: WGA Awards Nominations: https://awards.wga.org/awards/nominees-winners Deadline.com's Primetime Pilot Panic section: https://deadline.com/category/primetime-pilot-panic/ Disney+ Subscribers Cancelling...

Happy Holidays! In this session, we talk about our awesome listeners on Spotify, networking through the holidays, a #PayUpHollywood update, YouTubers preparing for COPPA enforcement, and the growth of narrative podcasts and how/why/should you make one.  SHOW NOTES: Pay Up Hollywood: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/verve-raise-assistant-pay-response-payuphollywood-1261093 https://www.hollywo...

In this session, we interview Aron Eli Coleite, the Executive Producer and writer of Netflix’s new apocalyptic show “Daybreak." We also discuss how streamers are taking films from theaters and how that impacts writers, Tom's latest Masterclass update, film festival fiascos and how to avoid them, and fellowship deadline changes of which you should be aware. Show Notes: Aron Coleite: https://twitter...

With HBO Max (Warner Bros.) and Disney+ pulling their branded films and shows behind their walled-off kingdoms, will networks, and theaters, see more original spec scripts filling their screens? Also, MoviePass is dead, finally...or not? Early Oscar contenders. TikTok as a new place to source talent...and Will Smith. 

In this week's session, we interview animation writer Grant Moran about his work as well as his unique non-profit KEPYR (Kids Entertainment Professionals for Young Refugees) that rallies the global children’s entertainment community in support of UNICEF’s vital and heroic work addressing the worldwide child refugee crisis. We also discuss: the latest WGA/ATA news; how to ask for what you want; the...

This is our 100th session of Writers Group Therapy! Thank you to all our listeners for joining us in our common goal to grow as writers. In this week's session, we look back at the past two years at how far we've come, as well as looking forward to a new year and a new Writers Group Therapy. SHOW NOTES: None this episode.

Executive Producer, Director and Writer Bill Watson speaks with us in this week's session about Plan P Live! - his series of live b-movie screenings with puppets of characters from the movie, made by Bill, singing, joking and riffing on their movies.  SHOW NOTES: Plan P Live - www.planplive.com @planplive on: Twitter:  https://twitter.com/planplive Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/planplive/...

Everyone has something going on in Hollywood and they all want your help, or money, with it. Especially when it's a cool project or a friend, it's hard to say no. In today's session, we discuss when to say no, and how to do it as well. SHOW NOTES: None this episode

Being the best screenwriter you can be takes work, practice and sometimes, help. How much help? Should you hire a writing coach to help you with your latest script? Or maybe a career coach to guide you on your journey? We discuss in today's session. SHOW NOTES: None this episode

In this week's session, Tom and Rachanee take a writer's high-level look at the 2019 pilot season to see how diversity is doing, what's trending, what's not, and what's new again. SHOW NOTES: Hollywood Reporter: TV Pilots 2019: The Complete Guide https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-pilots-2019-complete-guide-1172633

Carolyn Martin is a screenwriter and retired licensed counselor, marriage and family therapist who reached out to us after listening to Session #89 - Writing Hard Scenes . Her experience with victims and patients who have experienced various physical and mental trauma intrigued us. This session is our interview with her where we discuss how her work as a therapist helps inform her writing, and how...

Do you ever feel like it’s never going to happen? Is this business just not for you? In today’s session, we discuss when is it time to throw in the towel and try something else.  SHOW NOTES: None this episode

With studios more risk adverse to original ideas and seemingly rebooting anything under the sun, should you write a reboot? In today's session, we discuss how writing reboots works for or against you in contest and pitches. SHOW NOTES:  Session #27 - Contest, Fellowships & Festivals: http://www.writersgrouptherapy.com/2018/03/session-27-contests/ Session #79 - Is it a Sequel, a Remake, or a Rehash...

In today's session, we interview Mike Blum, Chief Creative Officer at Pipsqueak Animation. Mike is a writer, director and producer who started making animated films while at Disney Feature Animation. SHOW NOTES: Pipsqueak Animation: http://www.pipsqueakfilms.com

What are you writing plans for the Summer? In this session, we talk about strategy and options for making the most of your time as a writer over the Summer. SHOW NOTES: None this episode.

Everyone in Hollywood has a webinar, podcast or workshop that will answer all you questions about getting into and working in the business. Masterclass is a unique online educational platform where some of the most successful, highest regarded, industry icons will share their wisdom and techniques with you. In today's session, Rachanee and Tom share their experiences become students in Masterclass...

They're not something we, hopefully, as writers, have personally experienced. So, how do you write scenes depicting rape or abuse, murder or drugs? We discuss in this week's Writers Group Therapy.  SHOW NOTES: none this episode

Where's the line between paying homage and ripping off a well known movie or TV show?    SHOW NOTES: IMDB "Biggest Movie Ripoffs" https://www.imdb.com/list/ls000660189/ Ranker "16 Popular TV Shows Sued for Being Rip-offs" https://w ww.ranker.com/list/popular-TV-shows-sued-for-copyright/robert-wabash The Richest "25 Most Shameless TV Show Rip-offs" https://www.therichest.com/shocking/25-most-shamel...

It's not everyday that a TV show makes it to four seasons, the magic number for syndication, let alone go beyond to seven, or 10, or even, as record holder The Simpsons currently stands, 30. In this session, we discuss what makes a show go the distance. Why doesn't it "jump the shark"? SHOW NOTES: Longest Running Primetime TV Series

In this week’s session we interview documentarian and author Steven Smith. Steven has produced over 200 documentary features ranging from “The Sound of Music,” to “Star Wars,” to “Aquaman.” We discuss his love of film and telling the stories behind the stories. SHOW NOTES: none this episode 

Besides the stories we put into our scripts, we all have our own "writer's story." How does your writer's story influence how and what you write? We discuss our stories and how they drive us in today's session. SHOW NOTES: See also: Session #45 - Writing Personal Statements: www.writersgrouptherapy.com/2018/07/session-45-personal/