Our new Page to Screen podcast series continues, and in our second interview, the ISA's Director of Community Outreach and podcast host, Max Timm, joins Jeff York to discuss the critically acclaimed new film from Tom McCarthy, Spotlight. As you may already know, in this series of interviews the ISA will jump on the line with some of our Development Program writers to review newly released films and TV shows with Jeff York. Jeff is a long time development program writer, as well as a film critic. With Page to Screen, we strip away all of the pretentiousness of typical film review sources and formats, and dive into the heart of the show by discussing the writing elements of each project.

Jeff and his guests will of course talk about what they enjoyed and didn’t enjoy about each viewing, but we’re taking a writing-centric approach to the review. In this particular conversation, Max joined Jeff not as a way to self-promote, but to help kick-off this fun review series of podcasts and bring a critical eye to this critical film. Spotlight is a difficult film to watch simply due its content. Not that it wasn’t enjoyable as a film in and of itself – the acting is fantastic, the writing and structure works well – but because of the extreme subtleties and its focus purely on the content and message, the story itself is delivered in a very non-character motivated way and doesn’t grip the viewer on a hero’s journey kind of level. I’m confident that the filmmakers were not trying to approach the story in this way, and because of such a conscious decision, the movie works. All in all, Spotlight is an important movie to watch and should get quite a bit of awards season press and notoriety.

Thanks for listening, everyone! Remember that this is an interactive kind of podcast series, so please feel free to share your own thoughts on each reviewed movie or show and leave your comments on the ISA Facebook page or Twitter account! The ISA loves offering you these free resources, and all we ask in return is to share the podcasts and rate us on iTunes. Now that the holiday season is upon us, we hope that you can get out to a theatre or flip through your home theatre set-up and watch some fine entertainment. As always, thanks for being a valued member of the ISA, and enjoy the discussion.

Our new Page to Screen podcast series is kicked off in James Bond style. In this series of interviews, the ISA will jump on the line with some of our Development Program writers to review newly released films and TV shows with Jeff York. Jeff is a long time development program writer, as well as film critic. With Page to Screen, we strip away all of the pretentiousness of typical film review sources and formats, and dive into the heart of the show by discussing the writing elements of each project.

Jeff and his guests will of course talk about what they enjoyed and didn't enjoy about each viewing, but we're taking a writing-centric approach to the review. In this particular conversation, we bring on Derek Asaff - a rising star within the ISA Development Program having recently optioned a feature comedy project with Original Film, and has a thriller TV series in line with Dark Horse Entertainment. 2016 should be an excellent year for Derek, and we're so excited to track his ongoing success. Here, Derek takes a little time away from working on his projects in order to break down the yes' and no's of the recent Bond film, Spectre. It's a fun conversation, and we will be releasing these every week with a new guest and a new release. Since awards season is right around the corner, be ready to here some great discussions about some excellent (or maybe not so excellent) new releases. 

Thanks for listening, everyone! This is an interactive kind of podcast series, so please feel free to share your own thoughts on each movie or show that we review and leave your comments on the ISA Facebook page or Twitter account! The ISA loves offering you these free resources, and all we ask in return is to share the podcasts and rate us on iTunes. The more we can spread the love, the more love we have to receive in return. So listen and enjoy.

When good ideas go bad, it’s usually because either the writer isn’t writing a story that is natural to them, or the writer has veered too far away from the natural blueprint of their concept. In this live podcast with host Max Timm, the ISA welcomes back one of our favorites – script consultant, Danny Manus. In this talk, we get back to the blueprint of your story and hook. A former development exec Danny Manus and his NoBullScript.net consulting brings an Executive’s Perspective to your projects. We discuss keeping your story on track and how to write what you know the right way.

We had a little fun with this interview – Max was broadcasting live on the app, Periscope. If you haven’t checked out Periscope yet, you can follow Max on Twitter @iMaxTimm and find out more. Max will be broadcasting various writing tips as well as live look-ins while he interviews his special guests. If you would like to know and learn more about Danny Manus, please check out his website, NoBullScript.net. He was ranked within Creative Screenwriting magazine’s “Cream of The Crop” where consultants go, and we’re so thankful he joined us on our call today. Thanks for listening guys, and please remember to share these podcasts with whomever you feel will get a lot from them. You can always find Curious About Screenwriting on iTunes if you haven’t already.

Today we welcome writer/producer, Ted Sullivan, to Curious About Screenwriting. Ted has created a successful TV writing and producing career, having worked on Law and Order, Revenge and now the CBS hit show, Supergirl. Are you watching Supergirl? It’s a perfect throwback to the Christopher Reeves Superman, and Ted is excited about how family friendly and hopeful the series is. Ted dives into so much in this interview – from developing three substantial and legendary mentors and discussing what he learned from them, to the specifics about how to pitch your original TV show and what could be included in your series bible.

With every TV producer that we have on our podcast, invariably comes a discussion about working in the TV writing world and how to navigate a writer’s room. TV is where the work is, folks, so if you have any intention to write for TV, these interviews are priceless. This is insider information at its best and coming from the best, so we here at the ISA hope you take advantage of these podcasts as much as possible. We offer these to you for free, and all we ask is that you head over to iTunes and rate us – even better if you give us a review! So thanks for listening, everyone, and if you would like to follow the podcast host on Twitter, you can find him @iMaxTimm, and if you’re not following the ISA there, you should be! We’re @networkISA. Feel free to say hi, and we look forward to hearing about your successes in the future. Thanks again.

In this live recorded podcast, we had consultant Bill Boyle on to talk about his method of using what he calls The Visual Mindscape. His insights into writing within a purely visual medium are empowering and frankly, exciting. It reminds us why we’re doing this screenwriting thing in the first place!

Bill is an award winning screenwriter, a former UCLA Extensions Instructor, and one of the most popular script consultants in the Industry. An interesting and quite impressive tidbit about Bill is that every screenplay he’s written has either been produced or optioned and he believes it’s his Visual and visceral approach to screenwriting that has made that possible. His book “The Visual Mindscape of the Screenplay” has been a best seller and has been used as a text at several Film Schools and Universities and it shows in this incredibly informative interview.

Listen in. Share it with your friends, and as always, please remember to rate us on iTunes. Your ratings help us continue these free podcasts, and offer inspirational and educational interviews with some of the best in the biz. Keep working hard. Keep writing, and as always, thanks for listening.

Episode 96

Producer / Screenwriter Scott Morgan

Producer / Screenwriter Scott Morgan Talks About Writing For The Chinese Film Market

Episode 95

Screenwriter and BlueCat Founder Gordy Hoffman

Gordy Hoffman Talks About Kickstarter And Having A Long Lasting Screenwriting Career

Episode 94

Matt Dy - Austin Film Festival Screenplay & Teleplay Competition Director

Austin Film Festival Screenplay & Teleplay Competition Director, Matt Dy, Talks About The Competition

Episode 93 - Director Michael Polish Of Amnesiac

Director Michael Polish talks about his latest thriller film, Amnesiac, Starring Kate Bosworth and Wes Bentley

Episode 91

Lee Jessup offers practical advice for both professional and emerging screenwriters.

In this live Curious About Screenwriting podcast, we offer a teleconference with Jen Gristanti – one of the top writing coaches and consultants in the business right now. Jen is also an instructor with NBC’s Writers on The Verge, and was previously a programs executive under Aaron Spelling. Jen, alongside the Director of Community Outreach with the ISA, Max Timm, offers her insights on the writing process with a focus on how character drives story and the importance of balancing character and plot. Very basically, character drives plot and plot drives character. She uses many examples of current and past shows, but the focus of this interview really is the Q&A portion and answering the callers’ questions. We answer multiple questions that focus on many different topics – from the business of writing in general, to the specific gem at the end about what should and should not be included in a TV series bible.

As always, get your pen and paper handy and take notes. What Jen offers here is invaluable on so many levels, but one of her core missions is to support a writer’s overall growth as a writer – in other words, it’s more than just giving story advice. She gives the kind of emotional and motivational support that all writers need. We hope you get a lot out of this Q&A, and please share these podcasts with anyone who you believe will learn from them. Don’t forget to find the Curious About Screenwriting podcasts on iTunes and to rate us there. We offer these interviews to you for free, and getting your rating on iTunes helps us push forward in our mission to provide top quality content through the International Screenwriters’ Association. Thanks and enjoy.

One of the most well-connected guests we’ve had on yet, Tony Krantz joined us to talk about a number of things – so many of them we could have discussed even further in depth – but after working as an agent with CAA for 15 years, Tony went on to help create Imagine Television. From Imagine he moved on to direct his own films, and now he’s writing and developing major TV projects. A fascinating career, really. From packaging shows at CAA such as Twin Peaks, The West Wing, ER, and then producing the Fox mega-hit, 24, and so many others, Tony’s career is something most industry people dream of. He has been able to work at all levels of the industry and continues to focus on his artistic side through his new TV projects in development.

Probably one of the more enlightening aspects of this interview is Tony’s breakdown of how the TV industry is working right now, and comparing it to the feature and movie world. It’s an extremely exciting time with so many opportunities, and with Tony’s breakdown, we can see why the opportunities are there, especially in television.

Enjoy this interview, everyone, and a huge thank you to Tony for joining us. We wish him all the best on his future projects. And don’t forget, subscribe to Curious About Screenwriting on iTunes! By subscribing, you can be sure that all future episodes will be automatically downloaded for you, and while you’re there, feel free to rate us. Your opinion matters. Thanks so much for listening and enjoy our interview with Tony Krantz.

Danny Rose joined us on another podcast today, and Danny has been producing some of the best episodic television for 20 years. After graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, he started working on the hit sitcom SPIN CITY. He then went on to produce 182 episodes of the show SCRUBS, which is nothing short of impressive, and then produced another hit over 100 episodes even of the Courtney Cox starring show, Cougar Town.

He’s currently producing the hit CBS drama SCORPION (Mondays at 9pm/8c) and the MTV show TODRICK, which recently premiered at the end of August. Danny is one of the busiest guys in town, as you can see, and the advice he gives to aspiring writers and filmmakers is inspiring to say the very least. From getting bad advice from a psychic, to discussing the future of TV, it was a pleasure to have Danny on and we can’t wait to see what he works on next. In the meantime, we’ll continue to enjoy Scorpion, and heed his advice at every writing corner possible.

Thanks as always for listening, and please subscribe to Curious About Screenwriting on iTunes. By subscribing and rating us, you help in the ongoing production of these fantastic interviews. Keep writing, and happy listening.

A long time friend of the ISA, Jeff York has been our most dedicated member of the ISA Development Program. His work has landed him multiple contest wins and placements, but his understanding that writing is rewriting has allowed him to be the consummate participant in his writing development process. We are continually pushing Jeff’s work to multiple companies and managers around town, and expect Jeff and his material to land in the right hands soon. His comments and advice in this interview on the writing and contest submission processes are invaluable, and we can all learn a lot from Jeff’s continued devotion to the craft.

Hailing from across the pond, Steve Prowse is a UK-based writer with well over 100 contest wins and placements under his belt. After sifting through multiple projects and searching for a way in to this ever-evolving writing world, Steve’s continued Success Stories posted on the ISA’s website helped the ISA discover him and his work. By posting his contest wins on the ISA website, one of his projects was sent out to various production companies, and now has a mid six-figure option! Steve is on his way to great success, and we couldn’t be more excited for him.

The ISA’s recent Fast Track Fellowship picked two winners to join us in Los Angeles and take meeting with nine mentors – executives and experts within the entertainment industry. Chris DeWan's TV pilot, Wunderland, has garnered him interest over the years, but his Fast Track experience, as he explains in this interview, has truly lit a flame under his burgeoning career. Having taken a literary approach to his writing since his early days, his continued dedication to the writing craft has proven that with hard work and determination, good things can and will happen. Chris is an example of a writer that has a calm, never say die attitude, and his this spotlight interview he shares his process, expectations and excitement for what he loves to do.

A recent Fast Track fellow, David Baugnon’s TV pilot, The Messiah Project, was one of the two winning scripts chosen for the second round of the ISA’s Fast Track Fellowship. His insights on how his life experience has become invaluable to his writing process continues to inspire not only himself, but others around him. The ISA is proud of our Fast Track Fellows, and we’re excited to see what kind of success can be mined through the mentor meetings he participated in during our recent Fast Track week. David has been working hard as an aspiring screenwriter since the late 90’s, and now he is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The ISA will devote itself to continuing David’s success and look forward to seeing where that success will lead.

Having worked her way through Hollywood as an actor for many years, with guest starring roles on various sit-coms as well as an initial soap opera offer that technically drew her out to Los Angeles in the first place, Jamie Anderson has since switched gears and focused her time on screenwriting. Her comedic voice is hip and at times politically incorrect, but all the while extremely entertaining and engaging. Her comedic writing chops recently landed her as a finalist in the TrackingB.com screenplay contest, and that placement helped her find representation with Luber Rocklin Entertainment. Jamie is a rising star within the ISA’s Development Program, and we look forward to pushing her career forward even further.

It’s no easy feat being a screenwriter. We all know that. But telling a story and writing a script the reader can “see” is only part of the challenge. We also need to ensure the script grabs the reader and keeps them hooked through 100 plus pages all without the benefit of actors, music or special effects. One of the ways to do this effectively is through a compelling theme. In this podcast with long-time consultant, Ruth Atkinson, we discuss the importance and power of theme, and how every story – from the age of Socrates to present day – has something to say and it’s saying it through theme.

Ruth believes, and I agree with her, that theme is one of the most important elements of storytelling, but it’s also the most challenging to define. In a nutshell: Theme is what your story is “about”; it is the deeper meaning behind the plot events. It’s the controlling idea that keeps us emotionally engaged and invested through to the very last scene. Ruth discusses in detail here, how to draw out your theme and uses multiple examples from existing stories.

It’s a note-taking type of podcast, folks, so take a listen and enjoy. Don’t forget to share our Curious About Screenwriting interviews, and stay tuned to networkisa.org for upcoming news and fun announcements. Thanks for listening.

After working as an actor, David Rambo caught the writing bug and wrote and produced plays, making a rather successful career out of playwriting. When one of his plays was recognized by the staffers at CSI, David’s career was suddenly changed forever. He was hired as a staff writer on CSI and, as David remarks, his seven seasons on the show was like his grad school. Learning the intricate ins and outs of the TV writing world, as well as the hierarchy of a writer’s room, David has been working regularly ever since. He eventually moved on to Co-Executive Produce the show “V”, then the NBC hit (that I’m still disappointed is no longer on the air), Revolution, to the now airing and massive success, Empire. David was the Co-Executive Producer on Empire’s first season, and we talk a lot about the show’s impact on the TV culture, as well as the shifting trends of the industry. 

Currently working on two pilots that were recently picked up by major networks, David took a story break and jumped on the phone with us. His knowledge and expertise knows no bounds, so we really hope you all listen closely. He has some real nuggets of advice and wisdom here. As always, thanks for listening to the ISA’s Curious About Screenwriting podcasts, and when sharing them on social media, don’t forget to tag us @networkISA on Twitter and Instagram, and you can find your host, Max Timm, on Twitter @iMaxTimm and on Instagram @InstaMax9. Thanks for being a fan of the ISA, and happy writing.

Don't send your script out right after you finish it. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Don't blow it.

--Get feedback before submitting

--How to get your script read

--What readers look for when reading

What every writer needs to do after finishing their script; get feedback from friends who write screenplays, too, consider their input, get feedback from a professional writer, consider their input, how to get your script read, with or without an agent, what are the best contests to enter, send your script to studio internship programs, and learn the KEY elements producers will be looking for when they read your script. In this teleconference, veteran script consultant and therapist, David Silverman, joins us again for a 16-point breakdown of what to do once your script is done. We will discuss the intricate do's and don'ts, and give you inspirational tips to keep you moving forward after you've finished your project.

Episode 90: Screenwriter Tyler Hisel talks about his latest horror/thriller film Dark Was The Night.