In this episode of Take 10 with Craig, International Screenwriters’ Association founder Craig James addresses the question many writers are asking:
What is the state of the film industry right now and should I still be writing?
After the strikes and industry slowdowns, it’s easy to feel discouraged. But Craig believes this may actually be the best time to focus on your craft.
He breaks down:
- Why industry “peaks and valleys” are normal
- How the 90s independent film surge may be returning
- Why studios are reconsidering the $200M blockbuster model
- How streaming platforms create new opportunities for authentic voices
- How making one independent film can transform your writing career
Most importantly, Craig emphasizes that your perspective is uniquely yours. No one has walked your path. No one can write your story the way you can. And in a shifting marketplace hungry for fresh voices, intimate and personal storytelling may matter more than ever.
Instead of waiting for the industry to change, this is the time to:
- Write the story that means something to you
- Stop chasing trends you can’t control
- Focus on your authentic voice
- Build your body of work
Because even if the market fluctuates, storytelling isn’t going away. Audiences still crave meaningful stories, whether in theaters,, or at home with a bucket of popcorn.
And sometimes, writing the script that fulfills your own heart is the most important step forward.
What does it really take to write, direct, and finish an independent feature film? A real look at the filmmaking process. In this episode of How Movies Get Made, presented by the International Screenwriters’ Association, writer/director Daniel Meyer breaks down the journey of bringing his feature film “Bulls” from script to screen.
Daniel discusses the creative origins of the story, writing with production realities in mind, stepping into the dual role of writer-director, and navigating the challenges of indie filmmaking, from development and production to post, distribution, and release. This is an honest, practical conversation about the decisions filmmakers must make when there is no studio safety net.
Topics include:
- Developing a script that’s emotionally grounded and producible
- Writing characters that actors can fully inhabit
- Directing your own material without losing perspective
- The realities of indie film production and post-production
- Lessons learned from finishing and releasing a feature film
- Advice for screenwriters who want to see their work actually get made
“Bulls” is now available
What happens when a screenwriter stops waiting for permission and makes the film herself?
In this in-depth conversation, writer, filmmaker, and actress Clarissa Jacobson shares her remarkable journey from acting to screenwriting, and how creating her short film Lunch Ladies changed everything. From self-funding her first short to navigating festivals, building confidence, and finding her creative voice, Clarissa offers hard-earned wisdom for writers at every stage.
Clarissa talks candidly about:
This episode is a must-watch for screenwriters, indie filmmakers, and storytellers who feel stuck waiting for a break and are ready to bet on themselves instead.
🎬 Lunch Ladies went on to screen at festivals worldwide, air on American Airlines, and open doors Clarissa never imagined all because she made the leap from page to screen.
Clarissa Jacobson is a screenwriter, filmmaker, and co-founder of the team Rebel Minx. She is the creator of the acclaimed short film Lunch Ladies and the author of "I Made a Short Film, Now WTF Do I Do with it?," a practical guide to film festivals, promotion, and survival for filmmakers.
What does it really take to direct your first feature film? A real look at the filmmaking process for "Bight" In this episode of How Movies Get Made, presented by the International Screenwriters’ Association, filmmaker Maiara Walsh breaks down the six-year journey of writing, directing, producing, and starring in her debut feature film, “Bight.”
Maiara shares the realities of true microbudget filmmaking—from writing a script during lockdown, finding financing, pulling favors, and surviving post-production, to navigating festivals, distributors, and release strategy. This conversation is packed with practical advice for screenwriters and filmmakers who want to understand how movies actually get made outside the studio system.
Topics include:
- Writing with production limitations in mind
- Collaborating with actors as a writer-director
- Financing an indie feature with personal funds
- Why post-production takes longer than you think
- Finding distribution without major festival premieres
- What first-time filmmakers wish they knew sooner
“Bight” released February 10 on major streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime
In this episode of Take 10 with Craig, International Screenwriters’ Association founder Craig James explores how meditation, presence, and letting go of control can unlock deeper, more authentic storytelling.
After spending decades pursuing spirituality alongside his creative work, Craig shares how quieting the mind has transformed the way he writes scenes, dialogue, and characters. Instead of forcing story beats or “perfect lines,” he explains how surrendering to the moment allows characters to speak for themselves, often leading to the most memorable and emotionally honest writing.
Drawing from a meditative screenwriting exercise he experienced at a writing retreat in Costa Rica, Craig breaks down how writers can access creative flow, reduce overthinking, and find their true voice on the page. He also discusses why forced writing often feels false, how mental noise blocks creativity, and why presence is the source of great storytelling across all art forms, from screenwriting to music.
If you’re struggling with writer’s block, overwriting, or feeling disconnected from your characters, this episode offers a calming, practical perspective on how to reconnect with your creativity and let the story come to you.
Award-winning screenwriter Sari Earl joins us to discuss her Grand Prize win at Table Read My Screenplay Hollywood with her deeply personal and heartfelt screenplay The Do Over.
In this conversation, Sari shares the 10+ year journey of developing The Do Over, a comedy-drama inspired by her relationship with her father, who lived with ALS for over two decades. She opens up about adapting real-life experiences into compelling fiction, finding the right tonal balance between humor and heartbreak, and how a professional table read at AFM helped elevate the script to a new level.
We also dive into:
How The Do Over evolved across genres before landing as a comedy
Why table reads are a crucial development tool for writers
Collaborating with director Drew and an exceptional cast, including Rob Morrow
What happened after winning the contest: meetings with investors, producers, agents, and studios
Why writers must become the driving force behind their own projects
Learning to trust your creative voice
This is an inspiring, practical conversation for screenwriters, filmmakers, and storytellers looking to move their work from the page toward production.
Recorded at the American Film Market (AFM) in November 2025
An estranged father and daughter embark on a road trip — each hiding secret motives — but as unexpected detours and the dad’s quirky caretaker draw them closer, they rediscover what it means to be a family.
Sari Earl - Writer
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Sari was a tax attorney who worked for Delta Air Lines before a passion for writing inspired her to shift careers. She is a published author of ten books, seven under the pen name Sari Robins and three under her own name. She also wrote and helped create a documentary short.
Now Sari is focused on her most personal story yet, making a film inspired by her father who lived with ALS for over twenty years. The screenplay, Do Over, is a comedy that reflects her dad’s indomitable spirit, his humor, and his love of family. Do Over is the Grand Prize Winner of the Table Read My Screenplay Competition Hollywood 2025 and won Best Comedy Screenplay at the Atlanta Women’s Film Festival 2025, among others.
Motivated by her father’s ALS, Sari helped create and co-chairs the accessibility and inclusivity committee at her Temple where she also served as Vice President of Community, led the leadership program and served on the board. Sari also served as President of the Atlanta
Jewish Film Festival, the largest Jewish film festival in the world, and is a founding board member. Sari served as Vice President of Film, and Vice President of Leadership at American Jewish Committee, Atlanta, where she continues to serve on the board and is part of the Black-Jewish Coalition and community engagement efforts. Sari served on the board of a mental health non-profit and on the advisory board for an interfaith disability organization.
Check out www.sariearl.com
Drew Ann Rosenberg - Director
Drew began her career in the arts, working in off-Broadway theatre in New York City and as a classically trained singer. She was Assistant Director on 6 Academy Award-winning films and has worked alongside such acclaimed directors as Sidney Lumet, Arthur Penn, Woody Allen, Paul Newman, Jonathan Demme, Rob Reiner, and Abel Ferrara. She’s also First ADed 7 movies for HBO and multiple TV series and limited series.
Drew’s directorial debut, SEX AND A GIRL, aired on Showtime and Lifetime Networks. FOLLOW THE PROPHET was released theatrically. She directed second unit on THE RETURNED, STARKID, and NOW AND THEN.
Drew wrote and directed the short film DAYBREAK, which received an LA Emmy. Her short film, AMY’S GIFT, won 5 awards at festivals. DADDY’S EYES, her latest short, won Best in Fest and Best Narrative Short at The Lake Placid Film Festival and the Rome Film Festival. Drew co-produced the feature NINE BULLETS, for Writer/Director Gigi Gaston, starring Lena Headey, Sam Worthington, and Barbara Hershey.
Recently, Drew stepped up to direct on the limited series, American Sports Story, Gladiator for FX networks. She’s currently in development on two independent features, KINGS ROAD and OUR CLASS, as well as a series derived from her short, DADDY’S EYES.
www.drewrosenberg.com
Cast:
Rob Morrow - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001555/
Tu Morrow - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2358754/
RJ Hatanaka - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4082552/
Siena Goines - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0324788/
Dean Cameron - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0131541/
Maiara Walsh - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2118666/
Oliver Blank - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14028470/
Eric Keitel - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3318078/
JK Anderson - Narrator
In this episode of Take 10 with Craig, International Screenwriters’ Association founder Craig James breaks down how to use screenwriting contests the smart way, not just as entries, but as tools for growth, feedback, and industry awareness.
Craig explains how ISA Connect’s free contest waivers work, why deadlines can actually help you finish stronger drafts, and how contest results reveal whether your script is truly connecting with its first audience: the industry. Quarterfinals, semifinals, notes, rewrites—every outcome tells you something valuable if you know how to read the signals.
Drawing from his own experience submitting under a pen name for years, Craig shares why rewriting is the real work of screenwriting, how to evaluate feedback without losing your voice, and what it takes to push a script toward that elusive goal: becoming undeniable.
If you’re a writer trying to understand where your work stands—and how to move it forward—this episode offers practical guidance, encouragement, and an honest look at the long game of storytelling.
What does it mean to “level up” as a screenwriter? Grounded sci-fi writer Jack Cusick breaks down the realities of building a screenwriting career, from mastering craft, to finding community, to finally stepping into real industry conversations.
Jack shares how he fell in love with storytelling, why the structure of screenwriting sharpened his writing, and how he thinks about grounded sci-fi as character-first storytelling rather than spectacle. He also opens up about “quarterfinalist syndrome,” rewriting without losing your sanity, and why progress in this business often feels like a video game with invisible levels. We also talk about:
Whether you’re early in your screenwriting journey or navigating the gap between craft and career, Jack’s perspective is grounded, practical, and refreshingly honest.
Join the ISA for an honest conversation about what agents & producers want & what you need to do to become the writer they're searching for. They're not just looking for potential.
They're looking for proof.
In this roundtable, we'll cover:
Featuring: Craig James (CEO & Founder), Molly Kasch (COO), Felicity Wren (VP of Dev), Shayna Weber (Creative Exec), Jeffrey Morales (Story Exec), Scott Markus (Dir of Content), Thada Catalon (Digital Marketing Dir) & Ilana Grollman (Submissions Asst)
This isn't about shortcuts. It's about the real work & how ISA helps you do it.
Writer, actor, and poet Alex Sarrigeorgiou talks about her creative journey and her debut feature film, "In Transit," a tender, intimate queer drama about connection, identity, and the courage to change direction in life.
In this inspiring conversation, Alli Kiko Masloske shares her creative journey from working with animals to writing screenplays that connect deeply with audiences. From navigating chronic illness to finding her voice in a competitive industry, Alli opens up about how humor, honesty, and community have shaped her work and outlook on life.
Writer, director, and creative powerhouse Dani Hanks joins Shaya Weber for an in-depth conversation about her journey from actor to award-winning writer, how chronic illness shaped their perspective, and their process for writing powerful, character-driven stories. Learn how Dani approaches outlining, keeps momentum through rejection, and balances a thriving creative life with a demanding day job. Perfect for emerging screenwriters, showrunners-in-training, and anyone seeking inspiration and practical tips for breaking into TV writing.
Biography
Dani Hanks (they/she) is a disabled writer/director who subverts the status quo with a bit of comedic flair.
After receiving their BFA in drama at NYU Tisch, they directed the Banff-nominated political comedy web series “Fake News Writer,” which was optioned after winning the Webby Award for Video Entertainment in 2019.
They are a 2024 Austin Film Festival Winner for the Josephson Entertainment Fellowship, as well as a fellow of the WGA East Support Staff Basic Training program (Script Coordinating Track), Stowe Story Labs, and Disability Belongs (formerly RespectAbility) Entertainment Lab. Dani has worked on projects in development at FilmRise, RKO, and TikTok.
They are a full-time meme connoisseur, sometime AD, former member of Mensa, anxious bisexual, and have 10 years of experience cutting animal tissue (much to the dismay of their pet rats).
Devin Jane Febbroriello is a North American screenwriter/director + producer that specializes in the creation of thought-provoking stories centered on lovable dysfunctional families, surreal multi-genre plots, women, and dark humor. Evocative characters blaze bold paths through thematically rich circumstances to cultivate her emotive works. Devin’s practice is informed by a fierce love of cinematic storytelling mixed with her deep-seated interest in films unique capacity to poetically investigate the human condition and connect us in both the beauty and the challenges of life.
Devin was named one of the Top 25 screenwriters to watch in 2025 by the International Screenwriters Association and invited onto their 2025 Development Slate. She has written/directed + produced award-winning music videos and short films that have screened at SXSW, Dances With Films, Pitchfork, Cinequest, Filmfort, BUFF Malmo, Nashville Film Festival, Venice VR Expanded, Portland Film Festival, Bend Film Festival, Stereogum, Rolling Stone, and more. Her pilot script for the episodic series "Blood is Thicker" was a finalist in the Screencraft TV Pilot Script Competition, and her feature script "Kathleen's Sound Bath" was an Austin Film Festival 2024 Second Rounder, a Script Lab Semi-Finalist, and is ranked in the top 5% of scripts on Coverfly in the drama category.
She received her Bachelor of Art in film from Emerson College, attended specialized cinema studies at FAMU (Czech Republic), and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Screenwriting through the David Lynch School of Cinematic Arts at Maharishi University.
Devin is currently a co-owner and Head of Production at Desert Island Studios where she leads commercial client productions.
Conor spent most of his youth in Ireland gigging in rock bands, working in a video store and reading too many Stephen King novels. Eventually, he knew he had to course correct and follow his dreams.
Conor is a writer, filmmaker and award winning podcaster from Dublin with a masters in film production from Staffordshire University. Conor writes about misfits, monsters and broken hearts, and his writing is infused with folklore, horror and comedy.
After writing episodes of the popular animation series STORIES FROM BACKWOODS, Conor was hired to develop an adult animated series with Irish animation production company Ink and Light and recently optioned an original live action feature screenplay.
Conor's screenplay DARA MCCOOL received screenplay development funding from Screen Ireland in 2022 and received a bursary for Stowe Story Labs in Vermont. This animated script went on to be awarded second round development funding in 2024. Conor was a screenwriting mentee of BAFTA winning writer Will Collins (Wolfwalkers) for a yearlong mentorship in 2022.
Conor’s numerous independent short films and spec scripts have placed in competitions and festivals worldwide (Save The Cat, Big Break, Stage 32 Animation, Straight 8).
Author of two Irish Arts Council funded novel manuscripts MONUMENTAL and THE OUTER CIRCLE, the second of which was shortlisted in the Irish Writer's Centre Novel Fair 2020.
Conor has directed factual entertainment and documentary and kids TV for RTE & RTE Jnr and is a skilled camera operator, stills photographer and editor for film and TV and online video productions. His directorial feature film debut mockumentary THE LIGHT OF DAY screened at the Galway Film Fleadh and the IFI Horrorthon.
Creator and host of horror podcast The Hidden Station, and Fad Camp on the Headstuff Podcast Network which was nominated for Irish Podcast awards in 2022 & won best entertainment in 2023.
In his spare time you can find Conor traveling Europe & America, learning a new musical instrument, taking selfies with other people's dogs and cats, or tinkering with dusty old analogue cameras.
Join us for a captivating evening with D.J. MacHale, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Pendragon series and creator of the cult-favorite TV show "Are You Afraid of the Dark?"
From bestselling books to iconic screen moments, D.J. has spent his career crafting stories that resonate across generations. In this exclusive event, he’ll share how he bridges the worlds of publishing and television — revealing the creative decisions, challenges, and unexpected turns that come with telling stories across different mediums. Whether you’re a writer hoping to sharpen your skills or a fan eager for a behind-the-scenes look at your favorite stories, you’ll leave inspired and informed.
D.J. will be joined in conversation by the ISA’s Director of Education, Max Timm, and Scott Markus, who collaborated with DJ for three years on the hit series "Flight 29 Down."
They’ll dive into:
The most recent Table Read My Screenplay contest brought the grand prize winner to the South of France during the Cannes Film Festival. Hear from screenwriter Allegra Oxborough & director Paul Lindsay.