Austin Film Festival's On Story

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. 

Direct download: OS_MEYER_FULL_EPISODE.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 12:25pm CDT

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.

Direct download: OS_THE_GREAT_WRITE_WAY_2_adjusted.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 9:49am CDT

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