The Writers Hangout

Latest Episodes:

Oh My God! They Killed Kenney! The Too Short and Fascinating Life of Screenwriter Doug Kenney Dec 31, 2023

Show notes

Happy New Year!
In today's episode, we will rewind the story of Doug Kenney, the screenwriter and co-founder of National Lampoon, who was behind popular movies like Animal House and Caddyshack. Despite being remembered as a 'genius' by his friends and colleagues, Kenney tragically passed away at the age of 33 after falling off a cliff in Hawaii.
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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

Holiday Clip Show Of The Writers’ Hangout Dec 23, 2023

Show notes

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Sandy and Terry! Writers, we've compiled a clip show of our past two years hanging out with you!!

Kick back next to a cozy fire and start the show, or be like me and turn on a fake fireplace because you live in Southern California, and it is 62 degrees outside.

We love you and are excited to see what the future holds for us in 2024!
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.
📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment, please get in touch with us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com
You can follow us on Twitter @pageawards.com and Facebook @pageawards

Billy Wilder's 10 Crucial Tips To Write A Great Screenplay Dec 17, 2023

Show notes

During today's show, Sandy and Terry will discuss Billy Wilder's 10 tips for excellent screenplay writing. Few screenwriters are as pedigreed as Billy Wilder, renowned as one of the most creative filmmakers of American cinema's Golden Age. Billy was nominated 21 times at the Academy Awards, 13 for his screenwriting and 8 for his direction. He won the Best Director award for his 1945 film "The Lost Weekend" and again 15 years later for "The Apartment". Thanks to the success of "The Apartment," Wilder became the first person to win an Academy Award as a producer, director, and screenwriter for the same movie.

Cameron Crowe said, “There’s no better film school than listening to what Billy Wilder says.”

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Norman Lear Lifetime Of A Legend Dec 10, 2023

Show notes

Sandy and Terry reflect on the life of writer and producer Norman Lear, who transformed American comedy with his daring and immensely popular early-'70s sitcoms such as "All in the Family" and "Sanford and Son," who passed away on Tuesday at 101.

Norman Lear created some of the most iconic shows of the 1970s, such as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude. Apart from his successful career in the entertainment industry, he is also recognized as a political activist who established the civil liberties advocacy group People for the American Way in 1981.
Rhonda Garelick https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/style/norman-lear-tv-women-feminism.html
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Screenwriter Diane Hanks And The Woman With The Purple Heart Dec 03, 2023

Show notes

The Writers' Hangout Podcast has a special treat for you today. Our guest is 2016 PAGE Awards winner Diane Hanks, who has joined us to discuss her stunning novel WOMAN WITH A PURPLE HEART.

The story of Lieutenant Annie Fox, the first woman to earn a Purple Heart, is told in "The Woman with the Purple Heart." Annie was the chief nurse at Hickam Hospital, located at Hickam Air Field adjacent to Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941. The hospital was bombed heavily during the attack.

You can purchase WOMAN WITH A PURPLE HEART at your local independent bookstore or on Amazon.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

10 Movies Coming To A Theater Near You Nov 26, 2023

Show notes

Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they discuss the variety of movies released at the end of 2023. We will see a bit of everything: boys to men wrestling, Beyoncé touring, and Timothée Chalamet singing. This season's movie lineup is sure to captivate audiences of all tastes. So come and tune in to Sandy and Terry's conversation as they share their thoughts on the latest and greatest films of the season.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

7 Quick Tips for Creating Memorable Character Names Nov 19, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, Sandy and Terry discuss seven tips on creating memorable character names for your stories.

Have you ever wondered how important character names are in a story? Well, let's ask Google: "The right name can help the reader easily identify each character. However, getting too creative with your name choices can be distracting or even confusing for the reader. The wrong name can take the reader out of the story and make them question why you, as the author, made such an inane choice."

Therefore, writers, grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and enjoy this quick and helpful episode where you will learn some great tips on naming your characters effectively.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest TV Theme Songs of All Time Nov 12, 2023

Show notes

Hang out with Sandy and Terry as they go through Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest TV Theme Songs of All Time! From Seventies sitcoms with expository jams to modern prestige classics with experimental scores, from 'Sanford and Son' to 'Succession,' from 'Match Game' to 'Game of Thrones.'
Will your favorite make the list? Enjoy, and get to humming.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

The Bitter Sweet Symphony of Adrienne Shelly - Rewind One Year Later Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

In honor of the late writer, director, and actor Adrienne Shelly, we are reposting The Writers' Hangout Episode dedicated to her story in the month she passed. This is an opportunity to get to know this talented and amazing woman whose life was cut short by a tragic event.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Dread: 22 Tales Of Terror With Screenwriter Kevin Bachar Nov 05, 2023

Show notes

On today's show, Kevin Bacher, the winner of the 2018 Page Awards Grand Prize, is here. Kevin was a guest on The Writers Hangout last Spring, Episode 69, where we discussed his movie, THE INHABITANT, starring Dermot Mulroney and Leslie Bibb. THE INHABITANT was released last year in theaters and can be found on Amazon Prime and Hulu.

Besides being a screenwriter, Kevin is an EMMY-winning WGA documentary director/writer. If you have watched The Discovery Channel, you must have seen his work. In this episode, we discuss Kevin's new short story collection, DREAD: 22 Tales of Terror, which reveals the darker side of nature.

DREAD is a collection of tales that offer horrifying reasons why thousands of people have gone missing in the wild. Kevin, an Emmy-award-winning National Geographic cinematographer, has swum with sharks, climbed the peaks of mountains, and explored the darkest of forests. In DREAD, he weaves together terrifying true stories from his real-life adventures with twisted fiction from the depths of his frightening imagination. Flip the pages to indulge in the dark side of nature— haunted forests, tree demons, monstrous snakes, and a search-and-rescue team terrorized by the ghosts of those they couldn’t save.
The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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