Major Arcana is set in the backwoods of Vermont, an itinerant carpenter faces a quixotic struggle to end a legacy of alcoholism and poverty as he attempts to build a log cabin by hand. Producer and former Austinite Sarah Kolb spoke to discuss the unique challenges presented by Major Arcana.

Screening Times: 10/25, 8:00PM: Hideout Theater & 10/30, 3:15PM at the Galaxy Highland 10

After moving to Spain for her husband, Eva, a Paraguayan woman finds herself bored, unhappy, and sexually frustrated. Korean American Writer Jean Lee spoke to us about her love for spanish telenovelas and the unique set of circumstances that led her to helm this Spanish language comedy. This is a Spanish speaking film that contains subtitles.

Screening Times: 10/25, 9:45PM: St. David’s Bethell Hall & 10/30, 5:30PM at the Galaxy Highland 10

Though her Iranian parents long for their daughter to have the perfect Persian wedding, Nousha can’t seem to hold a relationship together long enough to ever see that through. That is, until she meets Alex, an eccentric bisexual artist who might just be the one. Writer/ Director Sarah Zandieh presents us with an amazing culture clash and familial comedy Zandieh’s script is sharp and witty and eloquent in both the language of traditional Persia and secular America.

Screening Times: 10/25, 7:10PM: Alamo Drafthouse Village & 10/30, 8:30PM at the Galaxy Highland 10

Jonathan is a lonely twenty-something, working night shifts at the local convenience store. When an unexpected encounter with a mysterious woman turns his life upside down. Writing partners and filmmakers Brian Hanson and Richard Handley talked with us about this dark and twisted thriller that launches Frankie Muniz onto a new and sinister stage.

Screening Times: 10/25, 10:00PM: State Theatre & 10/31, 9:15PM at the Alamo Drafthouse Village

We’re very excited to present to you The Lake Vampire, the story of an ambitious writer desperate to find a subject for his next novel, who follows the tracks of a mysterious killer who beheads his victims without leaving a trace. Venezuelan Writer and filmmaker Carl Zitleman spoke with us about his unique vision. This is a Spanish speaking film that contains subtitles.

Screening Times: 10/28, 7:00PM at the Alamo Drafthouse Village & 10/31, 6:15PM at the Galaxy Highland 10

The film Undercliffe, written by Lisa Mulcahy, presents us with the original story of a young man still bleeding from a brutal attack that has left him with severe memory loss. He slowly begins to piece together his identity: his name, his home, his family.

Screening Times: 10/26, 7:30PM: Hideout Theatre & 10/29, 3:15PM at the Galaxy Highland 10

Set in a magical timeless world, and filmed at Willie Nelson’s famous ranch in Texas, Waiting for the Miracle to Come tells the story of a young girl who is sent on a journey of discovery. Writer/Director Lian Lunson tells us what inspired her to create this beautiful tale and the joys of working with the multi-talented Willie Nelson.

Screening Times: 10/27, 3:00PM: State Theatre & 10/29, 7:00PM at the Galaxy Highland 10

We were saddened to learn of the loss of screenwriter Audrey Wells. A former Austin Film Festival panelist, Audrey was incredibly generous with her time and expertise and was an artist our registrants were always eager to learn from. Through her work, Audrey's voice shone through as one of inspiration, passion, and empowerment. The characters she created time and again were full of strength and depth, and he spirit will live on through the films she shared with the world. Our thoughts go out to Audrey's friends and family during this difficult time. Here's a short clip of Wells discussing the challenges of adapting Under the Tuscan Sun with writers Bill Witliff and Aline Brosh McKenna and moderated by Robert Draper, from the 14th Annual Austin Film Festival in 2007.

On this week’s On Story we’re exploring sequels and reboots. First, we’ll hear from writer/director Shane Black on his latest film, The Predator. And later in the show, we’ll hear from the writers behind the sequels and reboots of hits Dumb & Dumber, X-Men: First Class, Valley Girl, and Predator.  

Shane Black has been responsible for creating a number of box office blockbusters. His films include the first two installments of the Lethal Weapon series, 1991’s The Last Boy Scout, and The Last Boy Scout, whose script sold for a record sum of money in 1990. Black’s directorial debut, the romantic thriller Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang was released in 2005. His latest film, The Predator reboots the Predator series 30 years later with an ensemble cast that includes Jacob Tremblay, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown and more. I spoke with Black following a special screening of the original Predator at the Historic Paramount Theatre during the 24th annual Austin Film Festival and ahead of the release of his latest film.  

Clips of Predator (1987) courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Clips of The Predator (2018) courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

sequels, or ‘threequels.’ Screenwriters Bobby Farrelly, Ashley Miller, Amy Talkington and Shane Black discuss the challenges of life-after-the-originals, as well as the difference between trying your hand at multiple installments within a series or picking up where someone else left off. Dumb and Dumber writer Bobby Farrelly, X-Men: First Class writer Ashley Miller, The Predator (2018) writer/director Shane Black and the upcoming Valley Girl reboot writer, Amy Talkington discuss these challenges at the 2016 Austin Film Festival in a panel moderated by professor Fred Strype. 

Clips of Dumb & Dumber courtesy of: New Line Productions, Inc.

Clips of The Nice Guys courtesy of: Warner Brothers, Inc. & Misty Mountains Productions, LLC.

Clips of X-Men: First Class courtesy of: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation & Dune Entertainment III, LLC.

Clips of Lethal Weapon 2: Warner Brothers, Inc.

This week, we’ll hear from television creator Alec Berg. Berg’s television credits include writing and executive producing Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Silicon Valley, which is currently in its fifth season. Later, screenwriters that have successfully adapted books and other works for the big and small screen will discuss the challenges of capturing the spirit of the source material.

Alec Berg has written for some of television’s most acclaimed comedies including Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Silicon Valley. He co-created the new HBO show Barry with former SNL star Bill Hader. The series follows Barry, played by Hadder, who is a depressed, low-level hit man looking for a way out. I recently spoke with Berg over the phone to discuss using research to help develop a story, avoiding clichés, and the evolution television comedies.   

Clips of Barry courtesy of HBO.

Sarah Gubbins co-created the Amazon series I Love Dick which was based on the 1997 novel of the same name, Marc Haimes wrote the 2016 animated film Kubo and the Two Strings and is currently working on adapting the graphic novel Nimona and the best selling novel The Girl Who Drank the Moon, and Eric Heisserer who adapted the novella The Story of Your Life into the 2016 Oscar Nominated film Arrival. Gubbins, Haimes, and Heisserer spoke with me at the 24th Austin Film Festival to discuss translating themes and literary devices, collaborating with authors, and when to take creative liberties.

Clips of Arrival courtesy of Xenolinguistics, LLC. and Clips of I Love Dick courtesy of Amazon Studios and Topple Productions