OnWriting: A Podcast of the WGA East

Latest Episodes:

Episode 7: Matt Bai, Jay Carson & Jason Reitman, "The Front Runner" Nov 30, 2018

Show notes

It's season two of the podcast, and we're hitting the ground (front-)running. In this episode, our season 2 host Caroline Waxler sat down with THE FRONT RUNNER co-writers Matt Bai, Jay Carson, and Jason Reitman.

The film, based on a book by Matt Bai, explores how, in 1988, Senator Gary Hart's presidential aspirations were derailed after an affair became national news, and chronicles the moment when politics crossed over into entertainment.

Matt Bai is a journalist, author, and screenwriter. He's currently the national political columnist at Yahoo News. Before that, he was chief political correspondent for the New York Times Magazine. You may also recognize him from his recurring role as himself in season two of HOUSE OF CARDS.

Jay Carson is an international and American policy advisor and strategist. Throughout his career, he's been the press secretary for Hillary Clinton, a senior staffer for several other elected officials - including President Bill Clinton, and Chief Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles. He was also the supervising producer and political consultant for HOUSE OF CARDS.

Jason Reitman is an Oscar- and Writers Guild Award-nominated screenwriter, director, and producer. In addition to THE FRONT RUNNER - which, in addition to co-writing, he also directed - his screenwriting credits include UP IN THE AIR and THANK YOU FOR SMOKING.

Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews:www.onwriting.org

Special Episode: The Made in NY Writers Room Nov 21, 2018

Show notes

We're bringing you a special episode of OnWriting all about the Made in NY Writers Room—a fellowship program from the WGA East, the NYC Department of Small Business Services, and the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.

The fellowship elevates emerging writers with diverse backgrounds and view points by providing career development training from established showrunners and television industry leaders.

For this episode, showrunner and Made in NY Writers Room mentor, Michael Rauch will be our guest moderator. He'll be in conversation with New York City Commissioner, Julie Menin, and the Writers Guild of America East Executive Director, Lowell Peterson.

You can learn all about the program and how to apply by visiting wgaeast.org/writersroom

Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews:

www.onwriting.org

Episode 6: David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, "Episodes" Oct 23, 2018

Show notes

For the 6th and final episode of Season 1, Jordan spoke with David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, the brilliant minds behind the award-winning Showtime/BBC series EPISODES, which recently concluded its fifth and final season.

David and Jeffrey both got their start writing on the legendary late-night HBO sitcom DREAM ON. From there, Jeffrey went on to write and co-produce the hit series MAD ABOUT YOU, while David co-created the sitcom FRIENDS.

EPISODES follows a British husband-and-wife comedy writing team who travel to Hollywood to remake their successful British TV series with FRIENDS' alum Matt LeBlanc.

Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews:

www.onwriting.org

Episode 5: Emmy Blotnick, "The Late Show" & "The President Show" Oct 11, 2018

Show notes

For episode 5 of the show, Jordan was joined by Emmy Blotnick to talk about her career writing late-night comedy. Emmy was the head writer for THE PRESIDENT SHOW on Comedy Central and is currently writing for THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT.She kicked off her late-night career writing for the MTV talk show NIKKI AND SARA LIVE. After that, she wrote for Comedy Central's internet-themed game show, AT MIDNIGHT, and for the hit CBS late-night segment CARPOOL KARAOKE.

Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews:www.onwriting.org

Episode 4: Ethan Hawke & Sybil Rosen, "Blaze" Oct 04, 2018

Show notes

For episode 4, Jordan spoke with Sybil Rosen and Ethan Hawke about their film BLAZE.

BLAZE is inspired by the life of Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw music movement that spawned the likes of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. The film explores Blaze's love affair with Sybil Rosen; his last, dark night on earth; and the impact of his songs and his death had on his fans, friends, and foes.

Sybil Rosen is a writer and actress whose memoir about her eight-month period living with Blaze Foley in a wall-less tree house in West Georgia—Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze—provided the source material for the film.

Ethan Hawke is an Academy Award-nominated writer, actor, and director. He has starred in a number of films over the course of his career, including DEAD POETS SOCIETY, TRAINING DAY, the BEFORE trilogy, BOYHOOD, and FIRST REFORMED. Prior to BLAZE, he co-wrote the screenplays for BEFORE SUNSET and BEFORE MIDNIGHT.

Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews:www.onwriting.org

Episode 3: Sofia Alvarez, "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" Sep 18, 2018

Show notes

For episode 3 of the show, Jordan spoke with Sofia Alvarez about her latest project, the romantic comedy TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE, which was released on Netflix on August 17.

The film was adapted from Jenny Han's 2014 novel of the same name. It follows 16-year-old Lara Jean Song Covey, whose life is thrown through a loop when someone exposes the secret love letters she wrote to—you guessed it—all the boys she's loved before.

Sofia Alvarez is a playwright and screenwriter. Before TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE, she was a staff writer on FXX's MAN SEEKING WOMAN and USA Network's SIRENS.

Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews:

www.onwriting.org

Episode 2: Alec Berg & Bill Hader, "Barry" Sep 11, 2018

Show notes

For episode two of OnWriting, Jordan spoke with Alec Berg and Bill Hader about their Emmy-nominated HBO series, BARRY — a dark comedy starring Hader as a low-level hitman with aspirations of becoming an actor.

Bill Hader's eight-year stint on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE turned him into something of a household name. He's also written on SOUTH PARK for the last decade, and he co-created the mockumentary series DOCUMENTARY NOW with his fellow SNL alums, Seth Meyers and Fred Armisen.

Alec Berg wrote for SEINFIELD and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM before working as a showrunner for SILICON VALLEY. He has also written on LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, and co-wrote the screenplays for films like EUROTRIP and THE DICTATOR.

Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews:

www.onwriting.org

Episode 1: Michael Arndt, "Endings" Sep 04, 2018

Show notes

For the first episode of OnWriting, we spoke with Academy Award-winning screenwriter Michael Arndt about his video lecture, ENDINGS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE INSANELY GREAT.

Michael's first feature-length screenplay – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE – earned him the Oscar and the Writers Guild Award for Best Original Screenplay. His other credits include TOY STORY 3, THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE, and STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS.

His video lecture, ENDINGS, explores how great film endings work through a close analysis of the climaxes of STAR WARS, THE GRADUATE, and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.

You can watch ENDINGS, for free, here: www.pandemoniuminc.com/endings-video

Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews:

www.onwriting.org

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