This week's On Story, hear from the teams behind Orange is the New Black, Casual, and Wet Hot American Summer as they discuss pushing boundaries through comedy and the new frontier of television distribution.

Jenji Kohan is a writer, producer and showrunner, whose writing credits include The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Mad About You, Sex in the City, and Gilmore Girls. She created the popular Showtime series Weeds, which garnered her a Writers Guild Award for ‘Best Episodic Comedy’. Kohan’s Netflix original series Orange is the New Black is based on Piper Kerman’s memoir by the same name, and follows Kerman’s 15-month sentence at a minimum-security federal prison. The following segment with Jenji Kohan was recorded in 2013 at the 20th Austin Film Festival. 

Orange staff writers Lauren Morelli and Stephen Falk take us deep inside the writer’s room for a look at the process of making this hugely popular series.

The Hulu original series Casual is created by Zander Lehmann and developed by writer director Jason Reitman, producer Helen Estabrook and screenwriter Liz Tigelaar. This conversation was moderated by producer and manager Linnea Toney at the 22nd Austin Film Festival in 2015. Indie film writer and director Jason Reitman talks about his first experience working in television, and the major differences in the creative process.

This week, Robin Swicord discusses adapting and directing the E.L. Doctorow short story, Wakefield, and screenwriter Jenny Lumet looks back on her critically acclaimed film, Rachel Getting Married, and working with legendary director Jonathan Demme.

Robin Swicord is primarily known for her work as a screenwriter for Memoirs Of A Geisha, Little Women, Matilda and Practical Magic. In 2009 Swicord received an Oscar nomination for her contribution to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a project Swicord originated and worked on for more than a decade. Swicord made her feature-directing debut with The Jane Austen Book Club, for which Swicord also wrote the screenplay adaptation. She directed her second film, Wakefield, in 2016, which she adapted from a short story by E.L. Doctorow. Robin Swicord spoke with Austin Film Festival Executive Director Barbara Morgan following the release of Wakefield in 2016. Clips in this episode copyright IFC Films, Mockingbird Pictures, and Dominion Pictures.

Jenny Lumet is the screenwriter of Rachel Getting Married for which she received the 2008 New York Film Critics Circle Award, Toronto Film Critics Association Award, Washington D.C Film Critics Association Award, and an NAACP Image Award. She has worked in both film and television, and is an Executive Director of BINDERCON, a conference for Women and Non-gender conforming writers. Jenny Lumet spoke with Christopher Boone at the 22nd annual Austin Film Festival in 2014. Clips in this episode copyright Sony Pictures Classics Inc.

This week, Emmy-award winning writers Greg Daniels and Alan Yang look back on their respective journeys writing some of television’s greatest comedies. Daniels reflects on his writing career ranging from Saturday Night Live, to adapting the American version of The Office and co-creating Parks and Recreation. Master of None co-creator Alan Yang then discusses writing naturalistic comedy culled from personal experience, crafting cultural commentary, and the importance of representation in the media.

On this week’s On Story, author Philipp Meyer discusses adapting his novel for AMC’s new show The Son, followed by screenwriter Mark L. Smith dissecting the Oscar® winning and box office hit film, The Revenant.  

Philipp Meyer is the author of the critically lauded novel American Rust, winner of the 2009 Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second novel, The Son, was an international bestseller, translated into over twenty languages and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The Son has now been developed for AMC by Meyer, along with Hemlock Grove show-runners Brian McGreevy and Lee Shipman. The 10-episode first series premiered on April 8th 2017.

Barbara Morgan spoke with Philipp Meyer at the 2017 On Story TV Premiere Party at KLRU studios in Austin Texas. Clips in this half of our show copyright American Movie Classics and Mad Hatter Entertainment.

We go now to Mark L Smith, the screenwriter behind last year’s hit, The Revenant. Directed and produced by Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant is a semi-biographical western based in part on Michael Punke’s novel of the same name, describing frontiersman Hough Glass’s experiences in 1823. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Glass and co-stars Domhnall Gleeson, Tom Hardy and Will Poulter. Our guest, Mark L. Smith wrote and directed the film Séance, and his screenwriting credits include the films Vacancy and Joe Dante’s The Hole. Screenwriter Christopher Boone spoke with Mark Smith at the 23rd Austin Film Festival in 2016. Clips in this episode copyright Regency Entertainment (USA), Inc. 

AFF’s Playwriting Competition is currently accepting submissions for 2017. Today, May 10 is the Final Deadline. All entrants receive free reader comments and advancing writers will be afforded exclusive panels, workshops, and networking opportunities at AFF’s Annual Screenwriters Conference this October 26th through the 29th. For more information and to submit, please visit www.austinfilmfestival.com.

It is a truth widely acknowledged that no one goes into theatre to strike it rich as a playwright. As the creative landscape continues to grow within film, television, and new media, there are now more avenues for playwrights to truly make the world their stage. On April 5, 2017 in New York City, Austin Film Festival partnered with the Writers Guild of America, East; the Dramatists Guild of America, and The New School for a conversation that featured playwrights who have turned their passion for the stage into a valuable currency in other mediums. Panelists include Hannah Bos (Mozart in the Jungle), Peter Hedges (About a Boy, Pieces of April), Theresa Rebeck (Smash, Harriet the Spy), and Diana Son (Thirteen Reasons Why, American Crime). The panel was moderated by Pippin Parker, Dean for The New School for Drama. We began with a discussion on breaking in.

This week’s On Story, Guardians of the Galaxy screenwriter Nicole Perlman, and The Walking Dead screenwriter Angela Kang followed by Thor screenwriter Ashley Miller, The Avengers screenwriter Zak Penn, Hulk screenwriter John Turman and Smallville screenwriter Michael Green.

This week's On Story episode remembers legendary director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Rachel Getting Married, Philadelphia) who was honored for his Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking at the 20th anniversary Austin Film Festival in 2013. Demme sat with Paul Thomas Anderson to discuss his career and more. This episode also features a conversation with iconic director Ron Howard (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, In the Heart of the Sea) who offers up an epic master class of story, redemption and entertainment.

This week, On Story brings you a discussion with the producer behind such iconic classics as Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Color Purple, The Warriors, Poltergeist, Jurassic World and the new documentary Finding Oscar, Frank Marshall.

With more than seventy films to his credit, Frank Marshall is a visionary filmmaker who has helped shape American cinema. Marshall’s credits as a producer include some of the most successful and enduring films of all time. His movies have been nominated for a multitude of Academy Awards, including Best Picture nominations for such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Color Purple, Seabiscuit and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Marshall has garnered wide acclaim as a film director, having brought to the screen such memorable movies as Arachnophobia, Alive and Eight Below. Recent projects include Jurassic World, Steven Spielberg’s The BFG, Jason Bourne and Clint Eastwood’s Sully. Frank Marshall’s latest film, Finding Oscar, is in theaters now. Barbara Morgan spoke with Frank Marshall at the 23rd Austin Film Festival in 2016. Clips in this episode copyright Arthur and Associates, Spyglass Entertainment Group, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and The Kennedy Marshall Company. 

AFF’s Screenplay Competition is currently accepting submissions for 2017. April 20 is the Regular Deadline and May 15 is the Late Deadline. All entrants receive free reader comments and advancing writers will be afforded exclusive panels, workshops, and networking opportunities at AFF’s Annual Screenwriters Conference this October 26th through the 29th. For more information and to submit, please visit www.austinfilmfestival.com.
 
In partnership with the Academy Education and Nicholl Fellowships Programs, AFF presented “Launching Your Writing Career” on Saturday, April 8th, 2017 at the Academy’s beautiful Linwood Dunn Theatre in Hollywood. This podcast includes highlights from the first panel discussion called “How to Break In: Becoming a Working Writer” featuring writers who have utilized their recognition from the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition and the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting to become a working writer. Panelists included Nicholl Fellows Michael Werwie and Alisha Brophy, AFF Winner Wes Brown, and AFF Finalist Jimmy Mosqueda. The panel was moderated by Matt Dy (DEE), AFF Screenplay Competition Director. The event began with a few words from Greg Beal, the Director of the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

This week, The Leftovers show-runner Damon Lindelof discusses his HBO show on the eve of its final season and we examine psychological thrillers with the writers behind American Horror Story, Redeye, Shut In and more.

Film and television writer and producer Damon Lindelof is best known as the co-creator of the ABC series Lost, and as the co-writer behind the films Star Trek- Into Darkness and Prometheus. Damon Lindelof also co-created HBO’s The Leftovers with novelist Tom Perrotta. The third and final season of The Leftovers premieres this month on HBO. We caught up with Damon Lindelof by phone last month. Clips in this half of our show copyright Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. We open with a clip from season 2 of the show. A quick word about this episode, some of the themes discussed may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

James Wong is a writer-executive producer of American Horror Story. He’s also known for having created the Final Destination franchise and for his work as a writer, director and producer on The X-Files.

Christina Hodson is the former development executive-turned screenwriter behind the recent horror-thriller Shut In, starring Naomi Watts as well as the erotic thriller Unforgettable. Her current projects include a reboot of The Fugitive and a coming film in The Transformers franchise.

Carl Ellsworth is a screenwriter whose credits include Disturbia, and the reboots of The Last House on the Left and Red Dawn. His television work includes episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess. Carl’s upcoming projects include a Gremlins reboot for Warner Bros. and producers Chris Columbus and Steven Spielberg.