Creative Principles

Latest Episodes:

Ep 252 - Louise Linton & Ed Westwick, Stars ‘Me You Madness’ Feb 14, 2021

Show notes

In the femme fatale genre, an attractive or seductive woman is often the protagonist. Her goal? To cause distress or disaster to a man who becomes involved with her. This is the underlying subject of the new dark comedy Me You Madness from Louise Linton. The film stars Louise, where she’s also the screenwriter and director. The second half of this two-hander, Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl, White Gold) plays Tyler Jones, the unfortunate prey of the protagonist. Officially, the description reads, “ A young thief cases an architectural dream house in Malibu, not realizing it is the home of an eccentric female serial killer.” In this interview, Louise talks about her influences for the film, what she loves Hollywood fast-speak , and why it’s so important to have a top-notch Assistant Director. Ed talks on the surprising innocence of the film, what attracted him to the role, and gives advice for young actors. If it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep251 - Dana Kaye, Author ‘Your Book, Your Brand The Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Book’ Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

Dana Kaye, founder of Kaye Publicity, is a life-long entrepreneur who believes in the power of storytelling and authentic personal branding. Known for her innovative ideas and knowledge of current trends, she coaches her clients on how to identify and establish their unique personal brands. Dana is also the author of two books - Your Book, Your Brand: The Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Book and Boosting Your Sales and The Personal Brand Workbook - and serves on the advisory board of Propel PR. In this interview, we discuss Dana’s winding journey to entrepreneurship, when to hire a publicist, why competition for authors isn’t really that important, how to sell yourself as an author, what it means to be local famous, and how to reach beyond die hard fans. If it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep250 - Audiobook Teaser ‘Ink by the Barrel' & Celebrate 250 Episodes! Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

What separates the hobbyist writer from the prolific professional? That’s the question my new book, Ink by the Barrel, aspires to answer, thanks to a decade of research, and these 250 episodes on the podcast. Here’s a quick teaser for this audiobook sampler: For the first decade of my career, I felt like a hobbyist, posing as a professional. If you enjoy writing - or even despise it but feel drawn to the page - you probably know the feeling. Incomplete scripts and outlines fill your computer... Notepads of half-written, half-baked ideas fill your desk... Your mind constantly races with “what if” ideas when you fall in love with a new genre... Unfortunately, all of these scenarios are nothing more than the dreams of hobbyist. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with being a hobbyist. It gives you something to do. But, it doesn’t really get you anywhere... It’s not remarkable... It’s not particularly rewarding... It’s also not very fulfilling... To move from the amateur to the professional, it’s quite a jarring journey because it feels like something is simply... well, missing. What’s missing can be developed by using the “Creative Principles” from within Ink by the Barrel. If you wish to finish your first fulfilling project... If you wish to become a professional... If you wish to be prolific... Then it’s time to buy your ink by the barrel.   — Buy the book, join the email list, and stay up-to-date on all my work at www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep249 - Mike Cahill, Writer-Director ‘Bliss,’ ‘Another Earth,’ & ‘I Origins’ Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

Writer-Director Mike Cahill credits his early fascination with filmmaking to the Fisher-Price Pixelvision, better known as the PXL-2000, a black-and-white toy camcorder from the late 1980s. “I totally loved it,” he joked. “It was my favorite toy of all time. No one was teaching me how movies or film, or how the medium worked, but I was discovering you hold down the button, it records, and you let go, and it stops recording. Then, there’s a natural edit to the way it works.” Describing this early experience as “exhilarating,” Cahill said that even though he took many different paths in his life, he always returned to filmmaking. Clearly, the passion has paid off. Cahill is best known for his work as a writer/director on the documentary Boxers and Ballerinas, and films like Another Earth, I Origins, and Bliss. His latest feature, Bliss, stars Owen Wilson and Salma Hayek. The description for the Amazon release reads, “ A mind-bending love story following Greg who, after recently being divorced and then fired, meets the mysterious Isabel, a woman living on the streets and convinced that the polluted, broken world around them is a computer simulation.” In this interview, the writer-director discusses film as a visual language, high-concept ideas about second chances, how filmmaking is like catching an exotic animal, and how he chooses to chase inspiration. Look for the print version of this interview on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and, if it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep248 - Thomas Sadoski, Actor ‘The Newsroom,’ ‘Life in Pieces,’ & ‘The Mimic’ Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

Thomas Sadoski describes his path to acting as an “accumulation of growing up reading big epic stories.” His father read epic myths and he grew up in Texas, a natural storytelling culture. This, along with an obsession with actors like Jimmy Stewart and Charlie Chaplin guided his journey. The actor is known for roles in movies like ‘Wild’ and ‘John Wick,’ along with television work such as ‘The Newsroom’ and ‘Life in Pieces,’ but his most recent film is ‘The Mimic.’ In the feature written and directed by Thomas F. Mazziotti, a man suspects his friend may be a sociopath, so he goes to extreme lengths to uncover the truth. In this interview, the actor talks about his love for the immediacy of theater, how he was mentored early on by Mark Ruffalo, the challenge and joy of playing a character from Aaron Sorkin, and why it’s so important to do that which inspires you. If it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep247 - Fisher Stevens, Director ‘Palmer,’ Actor ‘Succession’ & ‘The Blacklist’ Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

Fisher Stevens grew up with an acting class in his living room. The teacher invited him to attend, so by age 15, he was already auditioning and working in the business. These days, Fisher is known for Short Circuit, Lost, Damages, Hail Caesar!, The Night Of, Succession and The Blacklist. But, the actor is also making a name for himself behind the camera, winning an Oscar for the documentary The Cove, and Directing Stand Up Guys and now, Apple’s Palmer. In Palmer, Justin Timberlake plays an ex-convict who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a boy from a trouble home. You can also listen to my interview with Cheryl Guerriero, the screenwriter of Palmer, in episode 246 of the podcast. In this interview, Fisher talks about forming discipline from rejection, how Matthew Broderick helped advance his acting career, how to self-start a documentary, why he’s attracted to second-chance movies, what he learned from Garry Marshall, and how creatives can strive to create social change. If it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep246 - Cheryl Guerriero, Screenwriter Justin Timerlake Film ‘Palmer’ Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

For the bulk of Cheryl Guerriero’s life, she was involved heavily with sports. She was a Nation Lacrosse Champion, then worked for a sports agent, and a sports apparel company. Despite this success, Guerriero felt unfulfilled and wanted to move back to her true passion: writing. Guerriero got the idea for Palmer in 2007. The description reads, “An ex-convict strikes up a friendship with a boy from a troubled home.” Since the initial concept, however, there’s been many ups and downs to get the movie made. In this interview, the screenwriter talks about the importance of perseverance as a writer, why Palmer was a God-inspired script, how to sell a personal story, and how stamina can beat rejection. Look for the print version of this interview on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and, if it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep245 - Sam Levy, Cinematographer ‘Lady Bird,’ ‘While We’re Young,’ & ‘Mayday’ Jan 31, 2021

Show notes

Before he entered filmmaking Cinematographer Sam Levy would not have described himself as a technical person. He didn’t have the J.J. Abrams Super 8 childhood that many other creatives grew up with. Instead, Levy pitched this missing piece as an asset, not a liability. Levy’s ability to leap without worry of what was underneath him has lead to an impressive career, where he’s shot for directors like Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, and worked on projects for Jerry Seinfeld, Judd Apatow, Norman Lear, and Kanye West. This background led to Levy’s latest project, Mayday, which was written and directed by Karen Cinorre. The story, which is the first project of this scale produced by Levy, is about a girl who is transported to a dreamlike and dangerous land where she joins an army of girls engaged in a never-ending war on the coast. In this interview, the Cinematographer talks about the 1992 documentary Visions of Light, how work ethic is often more important than experience, his fascination with the film Citizen Kane, why creatives should compartmentalize ambitious goals, and how to choose team members who have creative stamina. If it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep244 - Cooper Raiff, Writer-Director-Star of ‘Sh*thouse’ Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

As a kid, Cooper Raiff thought he was merely a fan of movies, but when he wrote his first story, he realized he had an ear for dialogue. These days, he’s known for being the star, screenwriter, and director of the film Sh*thouse, loosely based on his time in college. Cooper stars as Alex Maimquist, a homesick college freshman who goes to a party at Sh*thouse, where he spends the evening with a sophomore RA, played by Dylan Gelula. In this interview, Cooper talks about his protege-like relationship with Jay Duplass (Togetherness, Room 104), why personal stories are universal stories, how themes can actually represent arguments, and why he hates audience winks and overly structured movies. Also, if it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

Ep243 - April Mullen, Director Aaron Eckhart Film ‘Wander’ Jan 13, 2021

Show notes

From an early age, April Mullen was obsessed with the idea of storytelling. Originally an actress (88, A History of Violence), Mullen soon realized her state of mind was better in the Director’s Chair. For her latest film, Wander, she’s crafting a story about a man hired to probe about a suspicious death in the small town of Wander. This conspiracy film stars Aaron Eckhart and Tommy Lee Jones. In this interview, Mullen discusses the instincts as a Director, how to collaborate with actors (from the POV of a former actor), how to decipher character moments for a film, and how she comes up with her shot list based on theme and location. Also, if it’s your first time listening, make sure to subscribe and visit my new website for information on the YouTube channel, the blog, this podcast, and my new book ‘Ink by the Barrel’ which takes advice from these 200+ interviews at the link below… Join the email list here: www.writerfieldnotes.com

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