Austin Film Festival's On Story

This week on On Story we’ll hear from screenwriter Andrew Lanham and celebrated character actor Tim Blake Nelson on their new film JUST MERCY and later we’ll hear from screenwriters Guinevere Turner and Michael Werwie for a discussion on adapting true crime events into feature films.

First up we’ll hear from screenwriter Andrew Lanham and actor Tim Blake Nelson discussing their new film JUST MERCY. JUST MERCY  tells the true story of Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer and social justice activist, who has devoted his life to defending wrongly convicted inmates. Tim Blake Nelson, an actor with over 80 credits to his name, is best known for his role as Delmar O’Donnell in O BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH, and is a current lead in HBO’s WATCHMEN series. Andrew Lanham co-wrote JUST MERCY with director Destin Daniel Cretton. In 2010 Lanham broke into the industry when his script THE JUMPER OF MAIN won Austin Film Festival’s Drama Screenplay Award. I spoke with Nelson and Lanham after the Closing Night screening of JUST MERCY at the 2019 Austin Film Festival.

Clips of Just Mercy courtesy of Warner Bros.

The True Crime genre has recently dominated entertainment but crafting narratives based on actual crime can be a tricky path to navigate. I spoke with screenwriters Michael Werwie, who wrote the Ted Bundy Netflix film EXTEMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE and Guinevere Turner who wrote the Manson Family movie CHARLIE SAYS, about crafting compelling entertainment while respecting the human stories at the heart of the horror.

Clips of Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile courtesy of Netflix.

Clips of Charlie Says courtesy of IFC Films and Shout! Factory.

 

Direct download: Just_Mercy_Telling_True_Crime_Stories_PODCAST.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 8:31pm CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear conversations from two writer/directors from the 26th annual Austin Film Festival. First up, Texas born, Trey Edward Shults, will discuss his emotional new film WAVES, which stars Sterling K. Brown, Taylor Russell and Kevin Harrison, Jr. And later, we’ll hear from Australian filmmaker Zak Hilditch, whose new horror film RATTLESNAKE is streaming now on Netflix.

Writer/director Trey Edward Shults’ new film WAVES traces the emotional journey of a suburban African-American family as they navigate love, forgiveness, and coming together in the aftermath of a loss. The film stars Sterling K. Brown, Taylor Russell, and Kelvin Harrison, Jr.. This is Shults’ third feature film; previously he wrote and directed 2015’s KRISHA and 2017’s IT COMES AT NIGHT, which were also released by A24. I spoke with Shults at the 2019 Austin Film Festival after a screening of WAVES.

Clips of Waves courtesy of A24.

Next up, a conversation with writer/director, Zak Hilditch. Hilditch’s new film RATTLESNAKE, is a psychological horror film about a mother wrestling with the morality of paying a debt to a mysterious woman who saved her daughter’s life. The film is now streaming on Netflix after having it’s world premiere at the Austin Film Festival. Hilditch spoke about writing and directing the project with author and filmmaker Owen Egerton.

Clips of Rattlesnake courtesy of Netflix and Campfire.

Clips of 1922 courtesy of Netflix and Campfire.

Direct download: WAVES_RATTLESNAKE_PODCAST.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 12:00pm CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear from showrunners Shawn Ryan and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas on their CBS original series, S.W.A.T. And later, we explore the horror genre with writers Andrew Kevin Walker, C. Robert Cargill and Alvaro Rodriguez.

Shawn Ryan and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas are the showrunners behind the new procedural television series reboot, S.W.A.T. Set in Los Angeles, the crime drama is based on the 1975 television series of the same name and follows a locally born and bred S.W.A.T. lieutenant. The series premiered on CBS in 2017 and is currently slated for a 3rd season premiere in October. I spoke to Shawn Ryan and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas during a joint programming year-round event in partnership with Humanitas in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Clips of S.W.A.T courtesy of CBS Television Studios and Sony Pictures Television

Next up, we explore the horror genre with writers Andrew Kevin Walker, C. Robert Cargill and Alvaro Rodriguez.

Andrew Kevin Walker is the writer behind Se7en, Brainscan, and Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow. He’s also written for HBO's Tales from the Crypt and Perversions of Science. Robert Cargill is a novelist, former film critic, and co-writer on Marvel’s Doctor Strange and both Sinister films. Alvaro Rodriguez is the writer behind Robert Rodriguez’s breakthrough film El Mariachi and Machete. Rodriguez is executive producer/co-creator of Seis Manos, a Netflix original adult-animated series, premiering in October. The three spoke with Fantastic Fest co-founder Paul Alvarado-Dykstra during a panel held during the 25th Anniversary of Austin Film Festival. 

Clips of Seven courtesy of New Line Productions, Inc.

Clips of Poltergeist courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film Company & SLM Entertainment, Ltd.

Clips of Sinister courtesy of Alliance Films

Clips of The Thing courtesy of Universal City Studios, Inc.

Direct download: Scare_Tactics-Libsyn.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 12:00pm CDT

This Special Presentation of On Story is a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival.

This week on On Story, writer and director, Danish Renzu, discusses his film, The Illegal. The film stars Life of Pi actor Suraj Sharma and explores his journey living as an immigrant in Los Angeles and chasing the American Dream. A native of Kashmir and an alum of UCLA, Danish Renzu has directed several award-winning short films.

I spoke to Danish ahead of the film’s premiere at the Rollins Theatre on Saturday, October 26th. 

Direct download: Filmmaker_Interview_The_Illegal_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 5:00pm CDT

This Special Presentation of On Story is a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival.

This week on On Story, director, Zach Lamplugh, discusses his comedy, The Vice Guide to Bigfoot. The film tells the story of a Vice clickbait reporter sent to the Appalachian foothills to follow a crypto zoologist on the trail of the infamous Bigfoot.  

I spoke to Zac ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Alamo Drafthouse Village on Friday, October 25th. 

Direct download: Filmmaker_Interview_The_Vice_Guide_to_Bigfoot_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 5:00pm CDT

This Special Presentation of On Story is a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival.

This week on On Story, director, Elizabeth Coffman, discusses her documentary feature which chronicles the life and work of acclaimed author and novelist Flannery O’Connor. O’Connor was a Southern writer who often wrote in a Southern Gothic style that relied heavily on regional settings and characters. Coffman spoke about developing the documentary and the connections between the O’Connor’s writing and personal experiences.

Flannery premieres at the Hideout Theatre on Sunday, October 27th. 

Direct download: Filmmaker_Interview_Flannery_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 5:00pm CDT

On this Special Presentation of On Story we're taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival.

This week on On Story, co-writers and directors Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder discuss the process of making their feature film, The Planters. The film is a whimsically stylized comedy about a woman who buries treasure in the desert and  befriends another young woman with a multitude of personalities. Kotcheff and Leder both star in the film.

 

Direct download: Filmmaker_Interview_The_Planters_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 3:17pm CDT

This Special Presentation of On Story is a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival. We talked with the filmmakers whose work represent some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world about the challenges they faced in their creative process, and the breakthroughs that led them to The Austin Film Festival.

This week on On Story, Man Camp writer and actor, Daniel Cummings. Daniel’s best-known performances come from his recurring and guest star roles on TV shows such as NCIS and General Hospital. Cummings currently stars in Man Camp and plays one of three adult brothers who discovers their mother is engaged to a man very different from their late father.

 

Direct download: Filmmaker_Interview_Man_Camp_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 5:30pm CDT

Semi-Finalist Stories is a new series from that highlights past Script Competition Second Rounders and their experiences attending the Festival & Conference.

This week, we hear from Chance Muehleck is a writer, filmmaker, and theatre artist based in Los Angeles. His work is primarily in the genre space (sci-fi, thriller, satire). He’s a two-time semifinalist at AFF and a finalist for the Warner Brothers Television Writers Workshop. He wrote and directed the award-winning short films Sponge and Advent. He’s currently creating story content for a gaming app based on his original pitch, and has a feature in development with a director and producer attached. Chance's audio drama Dreamland reached 10,000 unique downloads in its first month of release, placing it in the top 5% of all podcast debuts. He’s co-founder of The Nerve Tank, an acclaimed independent theatre company that develops new work. His plays have been commissioned and produced by Primary Stages, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Dixon Place, and La MaMa, etc.

Direct download: Chance_Mulick_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 4:00pm CDT

On this special presentation of On Story, we’re taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival and the filmmakers behind these films. We spoke with filmmakers whose work represents some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world and the challenges they faced in their creative process as well as the breakthroughs that led them to Austin Film Festival.

On this week’s On Story, writer/director Van Ditthavong discusses his feature film Sleeping in Plastic. The film tells the story of a high school wrestler who becomes ensnared by an alluring drifter. Desperate to escape her sadistic lover, he is drawn deeper into the dangerous underside of his small Texas town.  

Van Ditthavong was born in Vientiane, Laos and immigrated to the US when he was 4-years-old. He began his career as an award-winning still photographer before transitioning to filmmaking. His short films have been screened at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, The Independent Filmmakers Showcase, The Atlanta Shortsfest, and The Pasadena International Film Festival. 

Sleeping in Plastic stars Alex MacNicoll, Addison Timlin, Nick Chinlund, and Dash Mihok and is produced by Red Entertainment and goPOP FILMS. This is Van Ditthavong's first feature directing debut.

 

 

Direct download: Filmmaker_Interview_Sleeping_in_Plastic_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 1:00pm CDT

Second Rounder Stories is a new series from that highlights past Script Competition Second Rounders and their experiences attending the Festival & Conference.

This week, we hear from Wendy Wilkins an award-winning screenwriter, filmmaker and comedian just named one of ISA’s Top-25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2019. Hailing from the rural area of upstate New York, 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 40 other competition placements and awards.

In 2018, her original dramatic/sci-fi TV pilot script Hometown won the ISA Fast Track VI Fellowship while her road picture comedy feature screenplay Where The Men Are won Best Comedy Script at the Creative World Awards.

Wendy is currently a senior staff writer/director for the dystopian satirical news website Omnarchy.com, and her popular post-apocalyptic radio drama One More Day on YouTube has 22,000+ listens.

Direct download: Wendy_Wilkins_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 5:00pm CDT

On this special presentation of On Story, we’re taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival and the filmmakers behind these films. We spoke with filmmakers whose work represents some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world and the challenges they faced in their creative process as well as the breakthroughs that led them to Austin Film Festival.

On this week’s On Story, director Matt Patterson discusses his feature film Apartment 413. The film tells the story of Marco, played by actor Nicholas Saenz who is running out of time to find a job before his girlfriend, Dana, has their first baby. However the walls begin to close in around him and his grip on reality begins to slip into a psychological nightmare.

Matt Patterson is an award-winning writer, producer and director. Patterson has written 8 feature screenplays, 1 sitcom pilot, produced 3 features and over 100 media projects. Patterson also co-founded Matter Media Studios.

 

Direct download: Apt_413_v2.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 4:00pm CDT

On this special presentation of On Story, we’re taking a closer look at some of the incredible films chosen to screen at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival and the filmmakers behind these films. We spoke with filmmakers whose work represents some of the most original voices in filmmaking from around the world and the challenges they faced in their creative process as well as the breakthroughs that led them to Austin Film Festival.

On this week’s On Story, co-writers and directors John Langmore and Bud Force discuss their feature documentary Cowboys: A Documentary Portrait. Told in the cinematic tradition of classic westerns, the film gives viewers a first-hand account from modern working cowboys on some of America’s largest and most remote cattle ranches. 

John Langmore is a former working cowboy who spent five years photographing cowboys on twelve of the country’s largest ranches, His recently published book, Open Range: America's Big-Outfit Cowboy, is the result of over six years of work photographing on fourteen of the country's largest ranches, all running full crews of horseback cowboys.
Bud Force is an award-winning director and cinematographer based in Austin, Texas. He has been involved in the agriculture industry most of his life. Bud is a former rodeo cowboy who has spent the past decade producing brand films and documentaries around the world.

I spoke to John Langmore and Bud Force about Cowboys: A Documentary Portrait presented by Hill Country Conservancy ahead of the film’s world premiere at the historical Paramount Theatre on Friday, October 25th. 

 

Direct download: Cowboys_Podcast_FINAL_MIXED.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00pm CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear from filmmaker Ric Roman Waugh on his latest film, Angel Has Fallen. And later, we’ll hear from Bloodline co-creator Todd A. Kessler on his Netflix- original family drama.

Ric Roman Waugh has written and directed several action-packed films including the prison-based dramas, Felon, Shot Caller and Snitch, which starred Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Susan Sarandon. His latest film, Angel Has Fallen is the third installment in the Fallen film series, following Olympus Has Fallen and London Has Fallen. The film stars Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, Nick Nolte and Danny Huston. I spoke with Waugh during a special screening of the film earlier this year.

Clips of Angel Has Fallen courtesy of Lionsgate & Summit Entertainment

Todd A. Kessler is the co-creator and Executive Producer of Netflix’s Emmy award-winning show Bloodline. The show’s all-star cast includes Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, Norbert Leo Butz, Sissy Spacek and the late Sam Shepard. Kessler also co-created the FX-series Damages starring Glenn Close and Rose Byrne. Early in his career, Kessler wrote on HBO’s The Sopranos, and NBC’s Providence.

Clips of Bloodline courtesy of Netflix, Inc.

Direct download: Angels_Fallen_Bloodline_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 2:00pm CDT

Second Rounder Stories is a new series from that highlights past Script Competition Second Rounders and their experiences attending the Festival & Conference.

This week, we'll hear from Ann Sloan who was an Austin Film Festival Second Rounder in 2018 with her fiction podcast script, The Carlotta Beautox Chronicles. She is also a screenwriter and alumna of the 2017 Black List Feature Screenwriting Lab. Ann lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two cats. 

Direct download: Anne_Sloan_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 2:00pm CDT

Second Rounder Stories is a new series from that highlights past Script Competition Second Rounders and their experiences attending the Festival & Conference.

On this week’s Second Rounder Stories, our Screenplay Competition Director Steven DeBose spoke with creator of Lone Filmmaker, Alexander Abrahamian about entering the competition, making friends at the festival, and what he learned after attending.

Direct download: Alex_Abrahamian_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 2:00pm CDT

Second Rounder Stories is a new series from that highlights past Script Competition Second Rounders and their experiences attending the Festival & Conference.

Marissa Tandon is a writer, actor, and director based in Los Angeles. She is the writer and creator of the narrative fiction podcasts Super Ordinary and The Sword & The Stoner. She is the co-founder of Tandon Productions, which focuses on bringing new voices to the multi-media landscape. Currently, they produce the podcasts All In My Head and Insufficient Facts, with multiple projects in development. In addition to her work in audio fiction, Marissa has previously worked in scripted television development, and has had her writing recognized by Sundance, The Austin Film Festival, The NewFest Reading Series, and The Hollywood Fringe Festival. Her debut novel, Project Z, was published by Wilde Press in Boston, MA in 2013. She has previously trained at iO West, and has a degree in Writing for TV and Film from Emerson College.

 

Direct download: Marissa__Tanden_FINAL.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 4:00pm CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear from legendary independent filmmaker Roger Corman whose extensive body of work includes over 500 film credits. And later, we’ll hear from writer and director Nicole Holofcener on her films Please Give, The Land of Steady Habits and Enough Said.

Roger Corman is a trailblazer in the world of independent filmmaking. Often called “The Pope of Pop Cinema,” Corman opted out of the major studio system early on by founding his own production and distribution company, New World Pictures, in 1970. His extensive film credits include cult classics The Wild Angles, Little Shop of Horrors, The Trip, and The Intruder. Corman is also widely known for mentoring a number of filmmakers including James Cameron, Gale Anne, Hurd,  Francis Ford Coppola, Jonathan Demme, and Ron Howard. Roger Corman spoke about his 50 year career with Josephson Entertainment president, Barry Josephson, at the 25th Anniversary Austin Film Festival where he was receiving the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking award.

Clip of Dementia 13 courtesy of Roger Corman Productions and American International Pictures (AIP)

Clip of The Wild Angels courtesy of American International Pictures (AIP)

Clip of The Intruder (1962) courtesy of Filmgroup, Inc. and Astor Pictures Corporation

Nicole Holofcener has written and directed six feature films, including Friends with Money, Enough Said, and most recently The Land of Steady Habits. In 2019, Holofcener was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for her script Can You Ever Forgive Me. In addition to her feature work, Holofcener has directed numerous television shows including Orange is the New Black, Togetherness, One Mississippi and the upcoming HBO series Mrs. Fletcher. Holofcener spoke with Pixar’s Head of Creative Development, Mary Coleman at the 25th Annual Austin Film Festival.

Clips of Please Give courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics, Inc.

Clips of Enough Said courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

 

Direct download: Roger_Corman_Nicole_Holofcener_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 11:00am CDT

This week on On Story we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Robert Altman film Cookie’s Fortune with a conversation with the film’s screenwriter Anne Rapp & the 30th anniversary of Dead Poets Society with Academy Award® winning writer Tom Schulman.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Mississippi set ‘non-murder’ mystery Cookie’s Fortune. The film marked director Robert Altman’s second collaboration with writer Anne Raap – Raap’s short story All The President’s Women was previously adapted into an episode of the television series Gun and the two would later go on to collaborate on a second feature Dr. T & The Women.  I spoke with Anne Raap after a special 20th anniversary screening of the film earlier this year.

Clips of Cookie’s Fortune courtesy of Moonstone Entertainment & Sandcastle 5 Productions

Next up, a conversation with screenwriter Tom Schulman who won an Academy Award® for best original screenplay for his film Dead Poets Society which was released 30 years ago this year. The film, directed by Peter Weir, follows a group of students studying in a conservative Vermont boarding school in 1959 and the English teacher who inspires them through poetry. Schulman discussed the film at the 21st Annual Austin Film Festival with filmmaker Christopher Boone.

Clips of Dead Poets Society courtesy of Touchstone Pictures a.a.d.o. the Walt Disney Company

Direct download: Cookies_Fortune_Dead_Poets_Society_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 4:30pm CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear from filmmaker Lulu Wang on her new project, The Farewell. And later, we’ll hear from writer and producer Felicia D. Henderson on her 25-year television career which includes work on some of the 90’s most memorable series including Moesha, Family Matters, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as well as current hits The Punisher and Empire.

Lulu Wang is a classical pianist turned filmmaker. Born in Beijing, raised in Miami and educated in Boston, Lulu is a recipient of the Chaz and Roger Ebert Directing Fellowship, which was awarded at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Her first feature film, Posthumous, starting Jack Huston and Brit Marling was released that same year. Her latest project, The Farewell is based on Wang’s life and a lie her family told to keep her grandmother from knowing that she was dying.

Clips of The Farewell courtesy of A24

Next up, award-winning creator of the Emmy-nominated hit show Soul Food Felicia D. Henderson. Most recently, Henderson was a co-executive producer on the Netflix adaptation of Marvel’s The Punisher and a consulting producer on Fox’s Empire. Henderson also co-created The Quad, which was named one of the “Top 15 Shows to Watch” by The New York Times in 2017. Additionally, Henderson also wrote and produced on the television shows Gossip GirlFringe, and Everybody Hates Chris. Felicia received three NAACP Best Drama Awards for Soul Food. She also garnered a Writers Guild of America nomination for Fringe and a Gracie Award for The Quad. Writer Maya Perez spoke with Felicia during a year round event this year held at the Harry Ransom Center.

Clips of Soul Food courtesy of Paramount Pictures Corporation

Clips of The Punisher courtesy of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc.

Clips of The Quad courtesy of Black Entertainment Television (BET)

Direct download: Lulu_Wang_Felicia_Henderson_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 2:00pm CDT

This week on On Story, we’ll hear from actor, writer and director Chris Lowell on his latest project, the Netflix television series, Glow. And later, we’ll hear from The Disaster Artist co-writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber.

Actor, writer and director Chris Lowell is best known for his recurring role in the popular television series, Veronica Mars. In 2013, Lowell made his directorial debut with the AFF Audience & Jury Award winning film, Beside Still Waters. Most recently, Lowell stars in the Netflix series, Glow. Co-created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, the series revolves around a fictionalized set of women professional wrestlers best known as the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (or GLOW). Set in the 1980s, the series co-stars Alison Brie and Marc Maron. Earlier this year, I sat down with Lowell to discuss the series ahead of its new season premiere.

Clips of Glow courtesy of Netflix, Inc.

Next up, co-writers and independence producers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. Together their credits include (500) Days of Summer, The Fault In Our Stars, The Spectacular Now and The Disaster Artist, which was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards®. The film is an adaptation of the 2013 non-fiction book of the same name and chronicles Tommy Wiseau and the production of his 2003 film The Room. The film stars brothers James and Dave Franco alongside a supporting cast that features: Seth Rogan, Alison Brie and Josh Hutcherson. During a panel held at the 25th anniversary Austin Film Festival, Neustadter and Weber discussed The Disaster Artist and its adaptation from true events to film adaptation with writer and filmmaker, Christopher Boone. Clips of The Disaster Artist courtesy of Good Universe Development, LLC.

More about Chris Lowell:

Chris Lowell is a filmmaker, actor and photographer. He made his directorial debut with Beside Still Waters, which won both the Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival, before getting its theatrical and digital release via Tribeca Film in 2014. As an actor, Chris has performed in a number of award-winning films, including Up In The Air and The Help (for which he received a SAG Award and a National Board of Review Award for his work). Upcoming film work includes Promising Young Woman, opposite Carey Mulligan, and Breaking News in Yuba County, alongside Allison Janney and Mila Kunis. Currently, Chris stars as Bash Howard on the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series, Glow. Chris has also built a successful career as a fine art photographer. His work is included in the Elton John Collection and the Sovereign Collection. His most recent exhibit, “Thirty-One Days” opened alongside Vivian Maier at the Jackson Fine Art gallery.Chris is currently in development on his next feature, Lovers, co-written with Narang, and produced by Automatik Entertainment and Anonymous Content. He was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, studied film production at the University of Southern California before continuing his studies at the New School. He lives in New York.

Direct download: Chris_Lowell_Disaster_Artist_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 4:00pm CDT

On this week’s episode of On Story we’ll hear from two stand-up comedians with strong backgrounds in television writing. Sketch Comedy master and Kids In The Hall co-founder Kevin McDonald & The Simpsons staff writer and Stan Against Evil creator Dana Gould will discuss the ins-and-outs of writing different forms of comedy across different mediums.

Kevin McDonald is a comedian, actor, writer and director who founded legendary Canadian sketch troupe The Kids In The Hall with his friend Dave Foley. The Kids In The Hall eponymous television series ran for 5 seasons from 1989 to 1995 and was produced by Saturday Night Live founder Lorne Michaels. I spoke with McDonald about the history of the group and the process of writing sketch comedy live at the 2019 Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin, TX.

Clips of Kids in the Hall & Kids in the Hall: Brian Candy courtesy Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

Next up another conversation recorded live at the Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. Dana Gould is a standup comedian who began his professional comedy career at 17. Gould has appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and Real Time With Bill Maher. In addition to writing and performing stand-up, Gould was a staff writer on The Simpsons and created the IFC horror-comedy Stan Against Evil. I spoke with Gould about the differences between comedy writing for stand-up and television.

Clips of The Simpsons courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Corporation

All segments were recorded live at the Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. Special thanks to Chief Executive Officer Jim Ritts, Festival Director Lietza Brass, Talent Producer Colleen McGarr, Festival Manager Maggie Hoffman and Programming Associate Kaetie Turner. 

 

Direct download: Kevin_McDonald_Dana_Gould_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 3:24pm CDT

On this week’s episode of On Story we’re exploring all aspects of comedic writing and performing. We’ll discuss writing animated features with Disney scribe Pamela Ribon and writing and performing stand-up and sketch comedy with SNL veteran Sasheer Zamata.

Pamela Ribon is a comedic writer who has worked in a variety of mediums. In addition to her work writing television and graphic novels, Ribon wrote two Disney animated films, Moana and Ralph Breaks The Internet. Both films were nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. I spoke with Ribon about subverting the princess trope and writing comedy that sometimes makes you sad.

Clips of Moana & Ralph Breaks the Internet courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Clip of Samantha Who? courtesy of American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Sasheer Zamata is a comedian, actress, writer and 4 season Saturday Night Live cast member. Zamata was listed in Cosmopolitan’s 13 Funny Women to Watch and Variety Magazine named her web series Pursuit Of Sexiness one of the Top 10 Web Series of 2013. I spoke with Zamata about writing and performing comedy live at the Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin, Tx.

Clips of Saturday Night Live courtesy of National Broadcasting Company, Inc.

Segments of this episode were filmed at KLRU Studio 6a, the original home of Austin City Limits. Special thanks to Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Bill Stotesbery, Production and Operations Director JJ Weber, and Production Coordinator Emily Steele. Audio captured by Randy Reynolds and Kevin J. Cochran.

The last segment of our show was filmed live at the Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. Special thanks to Chief Executive Officer Jim Ritts, Festival Director Lietza Brass, Talent Producer Colleen McGarr, Festival Manager Maggie Hoffman and Programming Associate Kaetie Turner. 

 

 

Direct download: Pamela_Ribon_Sasheer_Zamata_Podcast_Mix.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 11:12am CDT

Jeffrey Cranor is a partner in and co-founder of Night Vale Presents. He co-writes the podcasts welcome to night vale and within the wires. He co-wrote with Joseph Fink the novels Welcome to Night Vale and It Devours! An alumnus of the performance art collective the New York neo-futurists, Jeffrey also creates theater and dance with choreographer (and wife) Jillian Sweeney.

Clips of Welcome to Night Vale courtesy of You Tube, Inc.

For every established Hollywood producer there are countless up-and-coming writers desperately trying to get their work read. Despite the odds of ‘making it’ these people continue to write. In our podcast series, “Toiling in Obscurity” we hear from working writers on their day to day obstacles and what keeps them inspired to keep writing.

Michael Soll is an Austin Film Festival Finalist whose screenplay, Catalyst won the Drama Feature Category in 2016 and is currently in pre-production. At 17, Michael wrote his first screenplay, a teenage coming-of-age story. In addition to features, he also enjoys writing books. His novel, Scorched, was an Amazon Bestseller. We spoke with Michael during the Austin Film Festival to discuss what keeps him motivated to write and how AFF helped advance his script further in the industry.

Direct download: Jeffrey_Cranor_Podcast_FINAL.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear from comedy veteran Ali LeRoi who’s longtime collaboration with comedian Chris Rock resulted in Everybody Hates Chris and Down to Earth. And later we’ll discuss Young Adult fiction with the screenwriters behind The Fault in our Stars and CW’s The 100.

Ali LeRoi is an Emmy® Award-winning writer/director & producer best known for his collaboration with comedian Chris Rock that resulted in Everybody Hates Chris and the films Head Of State and Down To Earth. Comedian Dave Buckman sat down with LeRoi to discuss his transition from stand-up comedy to screenwriting and the perseverance required to make it as a writer.

Clips of Head of State courtesy of Dream Works LLC.

Clips of Everybody Hates Chris courtesy of CBS Studios, Inc.

Clips of The Chris Rock Show courtesy of Home Box Office, a division of Time Warner Entertainment Company, LP

Clips of Survivor’s Remorse courtesy of Starz Entertainment, LLC.

Clip of Pootie Tang courtesy of Paramount Pictures Corporation

Young Adult fiction has exploded in popularity over recent years, and while the stories are centered around teenagers and are marketed to that demographic, a recent study found that more than half of YA readers are actually adults. Professor Karol Hoeffner spoke with The Spectacular Now co-writer Michael H. Weber and CW’s The 100 writer/producer Charmaine DeGrate to discuss the draw of YA stories and the process behind adapting novels to the screen.  

Clips of The 100 courtesy of Warner Brothers Television, The CW Network, & CBS Television Studios

Clips of The Fault in Our Stars & Paper Towns courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Clips of The Spectacular Now courtesy of TSN Ventures, LLC.

Direct download: Ali_Le_Roi_Writing_the_Young_Adult_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 2:00pm CDT

On this week’s special On Story, two critically and culturally acclaimed African-American directors: John Singleton and Charles Burnett. First, we look back at the work of the late John Singleton as he discusses his career and the creation of his first film, Boyz n the Hood (1991), which earned him the Best Director nomination at the Academy Awards®, making him the first African American nominee in that category that same year. Later, Charles Burnett highlights details of his career development in narrative and documentary filmmaking, with his seminal film Killer of Sheep (1978), a definitive representation of the African American cultural experience. 

John Singleton made his filmmaking debut in 1991 as the writer-director of the groundbreaking urban drama Boyz n the Hood, which he wrote and directed. The film earned him Academy Award® Nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director, the latter of which made him the youngest person as well as the first African-American to enjoy that distinction. Singleton’s other films include Poetic Justice, Four Brothers and the 2000’s version of Shaft.  John Singelton also co-created the FX Network crime drama, Snowfall.  Screenwriter Fred Strype spoke with John Singleton at the 22nd Austin Film Festival in 2015 where he was awarded for his contributions to filmmaking.

Charles Burnett’s most notable works include the films Killer of Sheep, My Brother’s Wedding and To Sleep With Anger. Killer of Sheep was Charles Burnett’s master’s thesis at UCLA and was included among the first 50 films entered in the National Film Registry for its historical importance by the Library of Congress in 1990. Charles Burnett has received numerous awards for his contribution to American cinema including a Guggenheim Fellowship and Howard University’s Paul Robeson Award. Michael MacCambridge spoke with Charles Burnett at the 22nd Austin Film Festival in 2015.

Direct download: JOHN_SINGLETON_POD.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 12:42pm CDT

On this week’s On Story we’ll hear from Avengers: Infinity War and End Game writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.  The two will discuss the daunting process and high expectations behind writing the final two Avengers installments and the misconception that all superhero films are written for 13-year-old boys.

The two started their careers by writing 2004’s The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers. Their introduction to the Marvel universe was 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.  They went on to write the two following films in the Captain America series; Winter Soldier and CIVIL WAR before being tasked with writing Avengers: Infinity War and the upcoming Avengers: End Game. 

I spoke with Markus and McFeely about the collaborative nature of the Marvel Universe and the pressures behind writing the most anticipated movie of the decade.

Clips of Captain America: The Winter Soldier courtesy of MVL Film Finance, LLC

Clips of Avengers: Infinity War courtesy of MVL Film Finance, LLC 

Clips of Iron Man courtesy of MVL Film Finance, LLC.

 

 

Direct download: OSP_Avengers_Podcast_Mix.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 4:30pm CDT

On this week’s On Story we’ll speak with the writers behind Mad Men, Westworld, and 11.22.63 to explore audiences fascination with film and television set in the past and the challenges writers face when tasked with telling stories set in a different time. We’ll also hear from some of today’s top romantic comedy writers on the lasting influence of filmmaker Nora Ephron.

From Lawrence of Arabia to The Crown, audiences have always been intrigued by stories set in the past. But what considerations do writers have to make when telling a story in a different time and what liberties can they take when they are writing about real events or real people? Screenwriter Alvarao Rodriguez spoke with 11.22.63 creator Bridget Carpenter and Mad Men writer Carly Wray to discuss research, authenticity, and the dangers of nostalgia.

Sleepless in Seattle. When Harry Met Sally. You've Got Mail. Julie & Julia. It’s undeniable that Nora Ephron was one of the greatest romantic comedy writer/directors Hollywood has ever seen. Professor Greg Garrett spoke with Man Up writer Tess Morris and (500) Days of Summer writer Scott Neustadter to discuss how Ephron’s films continue to entertain audiences and how her writing has influenced their own work.

Clips of Westworld courtesy of Home Box Office (HBO), Warner Brothers Television, and Bad Robot

Clips of 11.22.63 courtesy of Warner Brothers Entertainment

Clips of Mad Men courtesy of Lionsgate Television & American Movie Classics (AMC)

Clips of Silkwood courtesy of American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

Clips of Sleepless in Seattle courtesy of TriStar Pictures, Inc

Clips of Julie & Julia courtesy of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc 

Clips of When Harry Met Sally courtesy of Castle Rock Entertainment

Clips of You've Got Mail courtesy of Warner Brothers, a division of Time Warner Entertainment Company, LP

Direct download: OSR_WRITINGPAST_NORAEPHRON_PODCAST.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 3:00pm CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear from documentary storytellers Chapman and Maclain Way on their Emmy award winning Netflix documentary Wild Wild Country. The six part series tells the true story of a controversial Indian guru and his attempt to build a utopian city deep in rural Oregon in the 1980’s.

Wild Wild Country explores the true story of an Indian guru who attempted to build a Utopian community on a ranch in rural Oregon in the 1980’s and the impeding conflict that resulted with the locals. The series was created by documentary filmmakers Chapman and Maclain Way and went on to be nominated for 5 Emmys including a win for Outstanding Documentary Series. Journalist Michael MacCambridge interviewed the Way brothers at the 25th annual Austin Film Festival.

Clips of Wild Wild Country courtesy of Duplass Brothers Productions & Netflix, Inc.

 

 

Direct download: Wild_Wild_Country_Podcast.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 1:30pm CDT

On this week’s On Story we’ll hear from playwright and screenwriter Graham Gordy on his new film Antiquities and the third season of HBO’s True Detective. Later we’ll hear from veteran screenwriter Tony Gilroy whose work on the Matt Damon starring Bourne series revitalized the spy genre and whose movie, Michael Clayton, was nominated for seven Academy Awards®.

Graham Gordy is an award-winning playwright whose work has been produced and performed by Naked Angels, The New Group and The Royal Court. As a television writer, Gordy wrote for the Sundance series Rectify and co-created the Cinemax drama Quarry. Most recently, Gordy was a writer and consulting producer for the third season of HBO’s True Detective and the co-writer of the independent comedy Antiquities. Trailer for Season 3 of True Detective courtesy of Home Box Office, Inc.  

Tony Gilroy is a screenwriter and director who has been working for over 25 years. His writing credits include the first three films in the Matt Damon starring Bourne series, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Beirut. As a writer/director Gilroy was behind the fourth installment in the Bourne franchise – The Bourne Legacy and 2007’s Michael Clayton which was nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. I spoke with Tony Gilroy at the 25th Austin Film Festival where he was accepting 2018’s Distinguished Screenwriter Award. 

Clip of Michael Clayton courtesy of Clayton Productions, LLC. 
Clips of The Bourne Identity courtesy of Kalima Productions, GmbH & Co. KG 
Clips of The Bourne Supremacy courtesy of Motion Picture Theta Productions, GmbH & Co. KG and Universal City Studios, LLLP
Clips of The Bourne Ultimatum & The Bourne Legacy courtesy of Universal City Studios Productions, LLLP
Clip of Proof of Life courtesy of Warner Brothers, a division of Time Warner Entertainment Company LP & Bel Air Pictures, LLC

Gilroy also wrote the screenplay for Dolores ClaiborneThe Cutting Edge, and Proof of Life. Most recently, Gilroy co-wrote Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and served as a consulting producer on Netflix’s hit series House of Cards during the show’s third and fourth seasons. 

Direct download: 1908_Graham_Gordy_Tony_Gilroy_PODCAST.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 3:00pm CDT

Marriage is hard. Writing is hard. Writing with your spouse? Easy as pie. On this special Valentine's day episode we'll hear from a panel of writers who tied the knot. Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver are best known for writing and co-producing the reboot of the Planet of the Apes franchise including Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and it's third installment, War for the Planet of the Apes which was released in 2017. Jaffa and Silver are currently in production co-writing Avatar 2 & 3 with director James Cameron.  Cormac and Marianne Wibblerly have been writing together since the early 1990's and are credited writers on films including National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets and Bad Boys 2. Both couples recently sat down at the 25th Austin Film Festival to discuss the ups and downs, creative differences, and the different dynamic between married writing partners with Professor Fred Strype.

For every established Hollywood producer there are countless up-and-coming writers desperately trying to get their work read. Despite the odds of ‘making it’ these people continue to write. In our new podcast series, “Toiling in Obscurity” we hear from working writers on their day to day obstacles and what keeps them inspired to keep writing.

Revati Dhomse and Hector Lowe won the 2018 Austin Film Festival & Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship for their feature screenplay, The Death of Colm Canter. Both dated before becoming writing partners. We spoke with the pair at the Austin Film Festival to discuss how they use their individual strengths to keep each other accountable as they continue pursuing their writing dreams.

Direct download: Sleeping_with_Your_Writing_Partner_-_TK_Mix.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 6:30pm CDT

On this week’s On Story, Emmy Award® winning television producer, actor, comedian and writer Larry Wilmore discusses the creation of the influential Bernie Mac Show and his recent collaboration with Issa Rae creating HBO’s Insecure.

Larry Wilmore has been an actor, comedian, producer, and writer for more than 25 years. Wilmore’s credits include writing for In Living Color, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and The Office. In 2001 Wilmore created The Bernie Mac Show for comedian Bernie Mac. The series ran for five seasons and earned Wilmore an Emmy Award and Peabody. Wilmore was a writer for Fox’s groundbreaking In Living Color and created The Bernie Mac Show. In 2016, Wilmore co-created HBO’s Insecure with writer and actress Issa Rae. The comedy series was recently renewed for a fourth season. Wilmore spoke about his career with actor John Merriman in front of a live audience at the Austin Film Festival’s Writers Conference.

Clip of Bernie Mac courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Clip of The Original Kings of Comedy courtesy of Paramount Pictures Corporation

Clip of The PJ’s courtesy of Touchstone Pictures & Television, a.a.d.o Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Clip of An Evening at the Improv courtesy of A&E Network & TeleAmerica Entertainment, Inc.

Clip of Insecure courtesy of Home Box Office, Inc. & Issa Rae Productions, Inc.

Direct download: PODCAST.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 2:30pm CDT

On this week’s On Story podcast, a panel of veteran producers discuss what they look for in a screenplay and how they decide which writers to work with. And later, we hear from up and coming writer Wes Brown as part of our new podcast series, “Toiling in Obscurity” where we explore working writers on their day to day obstacles and what keeps them inspired to keep writing.

Nothing in Hollywood can get made without the guiding hand of a producer. They are the driving force behind getting any project off the ground and to be a successful writer you have to have one in your corner. A panel of veteran producer’s recently sat down at the 25th Austin Film Festival to discuss what they look for in a screenplay and how they decide which writers to work with. The panel included Michael Grillo who is the Executive Producer behind some of Marvel’s biggest hits including Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and the upcoming Avengers: End Game. Barry Josephson, President of Josephson Entertainment and the producer behind Enchanted, Dirty Grandpa, The Last Boy Scout and the Executive Producer behind a string of television hits including Amazon’s The Tick and Bones. And Jayme Lemons who is the Co-founder of Jaywalker pictures with actress Laura Dern and the producer behind Enlightened, Antiquities, and the Emmy nominated HBO film The Tale.

 

Wes Brown has written for AMC’s The Son and Fear the Walking Dead. In 2014 Brown won the Austin Film Festival AMC 1-Hour Drama Pilot award. We spoke with Wes Brown at the Austin Film Festival to discuss the years he spent pursuing his dream.

Direct download: Producers_Perspective_FINAL_Mix.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 6:30am CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear from writer, producer, and showrunner Graham Yost. Yost has been behind 90's action hits Speed and Broken Arrow, World War II epics Band of Brothers and The Pacific, and the suspenseful TV dramas Justified and the recent Golden Globe winning FX series The Americans. And later we’ll hear from husband and wife creators Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller on the second season of their Netflix comedy series Friends from College which stars Fred Savage, Keegan-Michael Key, and Cobie Smulders.

In the 1990’s he wrote the Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock action hit Speed. He followed the success of that film by writing a string of action hits that included Broken Arrow, and The Last Castle. In the 2000’s Yost returned to television writing two installments of the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning World War II series Band of Brothers and the Emmy Award winning follow up The Pacific. Most recently Yost was the showrunner of the Emmy winning FX series Justified, the Executive Producer on the Golden Globe winning series The Americans, and showrunner of the Amazon series Sneaky Pete which was co-created by actor Bryan Cranston. Clips of Justified courtesy of Sony Pictures Television Inc. & Bluebush Productions, LLC. Clips of Justifiedcourtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Corporation. 

Netflix’s original series Friends from College follows six Harvard alums living New York City in their 40s and the complicated relationships they have with each other. The series was created by husband and wife team Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller. Stoller is known for writing and directing comedy films Forgetting Sarah MarshallNeighbors, and Get Him to the Greek. The pair spoke about creating the comedy series after the Season 2 premiere at the 25 Annual Austin Film Festival. Clips and trailers of Friends from College courtesy of Netflix, Inc.

 

Direct download: OSR_YOST_FRIENDS_FROM_COLLEGE_PODCAST.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 3:00pm CDT

This week on On Story we’ll hear from screenwriting duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods on how the classic silent films of Charlie Chaplin and Jacques Tati and the board game Monopoly inspired 2018’s biggest horror hit A Quiet Place. Later we’ll hear from Veteran screenwriter Linda Woolverton who is responsible for writing some of Disney’s most beloved films; Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Maleficent.

Filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods first met as sixth-graders in their hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa. The two quickly began a creative collaboration that continues today.  Most recently the pair wrote the screenplay for A Quiet Place. The film stars Emily Blunt and John Krasinski as a husband and wife who are forced to raise a family in a post apocalyptic world surrounded by monsters who hunt anything that makes a noise.  The horror film was one of 2018’s biggest hits – it received critical acclaim and grossed over $300 million. Filmmaker Christopher Boone spoke with Beck and Woods about writing the genre script at the 25th Annual Austin Film Festival in 2018. Clips of A Quiet Place courtesy of Paramount Pictures Corporation.

Writer Linda Woolverton has built a career on telling family friendly stories. In 1991 she wrote her first animated feature, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The film won a Golden Globe and became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards®. She continued her success with Disney by contributing to the scripts for The Lion King, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and Mulan. More recently, Woolverton wrote the screenplays for Tim Burton’s live-action Alice in Wonderland and 2014’s Maleficent which starred Angelina Jolie. Story Bar Founder Erin Hallagan spoke with Linda Woolverton at the 25th Annual Austin Film Festival in 2018. Clips of Beauty and the Beast (1991) courtesy of the Walt Disney Company. Clips of Alice in Wonderland (2010) & Maleficent courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Direct download: OSR_AQUIETPLACE_PODCAST.mp3
Category:Film and Television -- posted at: 1:30pm CDT

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