147 | Elemental Co-Writer Brenda Hsueh On Balancing Comedy and Drama In Our Writing

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.sol In this special edition of our mailbag series, we’re flipping the script. Instead of questions from newcomers, today we hear from working, professional screenwriters—people already inside the industry, navigating the real-world challenges of a creative career. From handling difficult notes to sustaining momentum between jobs, Meg and Lorien dig into what it means to grow and survive as a writer at the professional level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so BUY ROB'S BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/FILM-DIRECTORS-FIELD-MANUAL-Filmmaking/dp/1662850549 Whether you're on set or on the page, great storytelling relies on clarity, efficiency, and emotional truth. This week, veteran director Rob Spera joins us to discuss his new handbook on the fundamentals of directing—and how those same principles can elevate your screenwriting. From working with actors to mastering visual storytelling, Rob shares actionable insights that will sharpen your craft and help you write with a director’s eye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Brundige was tired of waiting around for gatekeepers to say yes. So, she stopped asking. In this candid conversation with Lorien, Emily shares how her frustration with the traditional hurry-up-and-wait pitch process pushed her to self-produce an animated short. That project — born from passion, resourcefulness, and a refusal to wait — eventually became GOLDIE, a series now on Apple TV+. They dive into what it actually takes to make your own work, how festivals and buzz helped build momentum, and why animation is such a powerful space for self-starters. If you've ever felt stuck in development limbo, this episode might just give you the spark (and strategy) to make your move. CHECK OUT EMILY'S BOOK HERE: https://www.emilybrundige.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carla Banks-Waddles (BEL-AIR) has lived many lives as a writer. From being a valued member of multi-cam half hour rooms, to pivoting towards single cam serialized family dramas, Carla has had a wonderfully diverse career. How? She wrote her way there. Enjoy Carla's insightful, optimistic, and sometimes obsessive approach to how we can craft our dream career as writers. Whip out your swobes, and get ready to slork! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so TAKE BRENT'S CLASS: https://www.brentforrester.com/webinar Brent Forrester wasn't naturally funny, and he's the first person to admit it. And yet, when Brent was in his early 20s, he studied comedy like a science, and it has fostered one of the most successful comedy writing careers of anyone working today. Listen to some of Brent's inside tips when it comes to cracking the code on comedy. And focus on plosives. Always plosives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so You are not alone, and keep writing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WATCH LOS FRIKIS: https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Los-Frikis/0H49M436MMS223JUKJ26Q95EKJ READ ALONG: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a3QojbCeXG11xowk5u6y-RONQhCSguwG/view?usp=drive_link Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz are the first to admit "they're not the cool kids." Their widely celebrated debut THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON was bootstrapped by grit, hard work, and a ferocious commitment to making something authentic, and that same spirit fills every frame of their follow-up film, LOS FRIKIS. Like the filmmakers themselves, the movie follows a group of lovable outsiders finding their own way to make beautiful art in a system that opposes it. In today's conversation with Jeffrey Crane Graham, they discuss how filmmaking is like building a house: pre-production is a blueprint, production is about "collecting lumber," and post-production is an act of construction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are launching a brand new monthly BONUS show this Thursday in feed, hosted by our producer Jeffrey Crane Graham. Don't miss it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so Whether you're on your billionth draft, or stuck in post on a docuseries, finding a connective THEME to tell your story is one of the most valuable ways to create a cohesive and satisfying story. Today's guest, John Henion, understands that better than anyone. His impressive career as an episodic documentary filmmaker includes shows like CHEF'S TABLE and WELCOME TO WREXHAM, but whatever the project may be, John tells us how it always comes down to finding the emotional center of your story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://twslworkshops.circle.so The Molyneux Sisters (BOB’S BURGERS, THE GREAT NORTH) believe that character is at the center of all great comedy. For Wendy and Lizzie, specificity, character quirks, and close observations about the friends (and strangers) around them will always provide the cocktail for a great character. Hear about how these two found their voice, honed their craft, and became important voices in the world of adult animation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices