219 | Practical Ways To Treat an Inactive Protagonist

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so On today's eerie episode, we welcome three creatives behind Hulu's new campy horror slasher film, "Carved" - director and co-writer Justin Harding, co-writer Cheryl Meyer, and star Peyton Elizabeth Lee - to talk about horror, and particularly, how to write it. Happy Halloween!

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so We talk about ACTIVE protagonists all the time on the show, but we know that creating one is easier said than done. Luckily, Meg and Lorien have a laundry list of practical exercises you can explore today to bring your protagonist to life. But first, we talk with longtime TSL listener and TSL workshops member Laurel Senick about a lovely, lava-filled email she sent us.

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so How does a TV writer go from working on a classic sitcom (The Office), to a deeply-felt immigrant dramedy (Little America), to creating a hidden camera show (Jury Duty), and most recently, creating an Emmy-nominated female-driven workplace drama (Lessons in Chemistry)? Hard work. Despite his mega-career, Lee Eisenberg doesn't believe he is in the upper echelon of Hollywood's most talented writers, but he does believe he outworks almost anyone else in town. Tune in to find out how you can, too.

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so Joey Tuccio may know more writers in Hollywood than just about anyone. In fact, he loves writers so much, that he created an entire program to nature, incubate, and propel writers to representation through his brainchild ROADMAP WRITERS. Today, in a re-broadcast of a hugely attended Facebook live from 2023, we ask the hard questions about what it really takes to get a manager.

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so John Hoffman is the first to admit his surprise at just how comfortable he felt directing Meryl Streep on his set for Only Murders In The Building. She's not the only legend to have appeared on the show...Steve Martin, Martin Short, Tina Fey, Paul Rudd, Nathan Lane: it's a murderers' row. And yet, it's been decades of hard work, ups and downs, passes, "almost-greenlights" and visits from Moetta...John's imaginary muse, that have earned him the confidence to showrun one of TVs most beloved comedies. Learn about how he built that confidence in today's lovely conversation.

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: https://tslworkshops.circle.so/ When Patton Oswalt considers a part, he has a simple litmus test: "When the movie is finished it's either gotta be, 'I can't believe they pulled this off, or this movie should not have been made.'" Risk has always been an important part of Patton's life as an artist in every medium: writing, acting, performing, and stand-up. Enjoy this incredible conversation with one of our best working stand-ups.

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: http://tslworkshops.circle.so Though he's perhaps best known as Miguel on This Is Us, Jon Huertas has been a TV staple for decades, having worked on broadcast, cable, and streaming, both in front of and behind the camera. With such a deep well of experience, Jon has incredible advice for TV writers in today's conversation.

RSVP for the TSL/Roadmap AFF Party Here: https://bit.ly/4cQWUHa Years ago, Alex Convery and Tate Hanyok were merely attending the Austin Film Festival as screenplay competition winners, and this year, they're attending as panelists! Find out how they used the festival to meet writers, rep, and most importantly, motivate their career in the right direction.

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS FOR FREE: https://tslworkshops.circle.so/ Barbara Stepansky’s career is the culmination of years of incredibly hard work. In addition to winning the highly competitive Nicholl Fellowship, Barbara is a WGA-award winner for a TV movie, the head writer on a German-language Netflix show, and a writer/producer on Starz’s Outlander. Today’s conversation is all about how Barbara built her uniquely multi-faceted career.

JOIN TSL WORKSHOPS: www.thescreenwritinglife.co/workshops How does a Chicago-based Indie film team break into Sundance, sell their movie at the fest, debut with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and make a Box Office Splash? They make a really, really great movie. Writer/director Kelly O'Sullivan knows a thing or two about Indie Filmmaking; her debut "Saint Frances" won SXSW in 2019. Today she discusses how she writes, casts, and directs outside of the traditional indie ecosystem, and how you can, too.