The Writers Hangout

Latest Episodes:

Rewind - Page Judges Reveal How They Evaluate Your Script: Part Two Jun 11, 2023

Show notes

REWIND of two more PAGE Awards Judges, Dwayne Smith and Mike Kuciak continue the conversation on how they evaluate your screenplay.

Mike Kuciak has two movies coming out in 2022; he's the writer-director and writer-producer of the other. He's a producer on a third film scheduled to begin production in late 2022. He has served as a producer and executive producer on several independent films. He was the senior vice president of development for a literary management-production company and, after that, the founder/CEO of his own company before hanging that up to focus on writing/directing/producing.

Dwayne Smith has been a professional screenwriter since 1999 and has written scripts for Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Intermedia, and Gold Circle. His urban thriller PAY THE LADY is in post-production, and his sci-fi feature IMPLANT is in pre-production. Representing the management firm Circle of Confusion at numerous screenwriting conferences and festivals, Dwayne has listened to hundreds of pitches and read countless screenplays in search of new writing talent. As a judge for the PAGE Awards, he reads Comedies, Thriller/Horror, Science Fiction, and Action/Adventure scripts.

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PAGE International Screenwriting Awards

Hollywood's favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

The Fascinating Death Of Screenwriter Gary DeVore Jun 04, 2023

Show notes

Rewind of Episode 3 -- Sandy and Terry Sampson discuss the little-known mystery of the 1997 disappearance of screenwriter Gary Devore. Gary was returning home after working out the ending of his latest script, which he claimed would blow the lid off government secrets when he disappeared without a trace. Did Gary step out to "buy a pack of cigarettes," or was he met with foul play? We'll delve into what happened that fateful night and revisit the rumors and conspiracy theories that continue to baffle and disturb people.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.

Executive Producer Kristin Overn

Producer Sandy Adomaitis

Producer Terry Sampson

Music by Ethan Stoller

Rewind The Unbelievable Story of TV Writer Elisabeth Finch and Grey's Anatomy May 21, 2023

Show notes

We are rewinding episodes 17, 18, and 48 -- The Unbelievable True Story of Elisabeth Finch and Grey's Anatomy.

Rising star and television writer Elizabeth Finch wrote many emotional scripts for GREY'S ANATOMY, exploring cancer, abortion, and sexual abuse using her life experience. In March of 2022, Grey's Anatomy writer Elisabeth Finch was investigated by Disney and placed on administrative leave by the production company Shondaland over concerns about her medical history. Elisabeth told friends and co-works at Grey's Anatomy she'd been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called Chondrosarcoma in 2012. She wore a bandage that covered her port, was pale, nibbled on saltines, and took breaks to vomit during work. Elisabeth's cancer inspired a storyline on Grey's Anatomy, where the character Catherine Avery, played by Debbie Allen, was diagnosed with cancer like Elisabeth in Season 15 of Grey's in 2018. Elisabeth also lost a kidney; then, part of her tibia was removed due to chemotherapy. If that wasn't bad enough, she was forced to abort a fetus because chemotherapy made the pregnancy impossible.
You won't believe the shocking story that comes next!

Swimming With Screenwriter Kevin Bachar May 14, 2023

Show notes

We have a fantastic show for you as we continue celebrating our sponsor, The PAGE AWARDS' 20TH Anniversary, with 2018 Page Awards Grand Prize winner Kevin Bachar. Kevin's screenplay - THE INHABITANT- starring Dermot Mulroney & Leslie Bibb came out last year in theaters and can be found on high-end streamers like Amazon Prime and Hulu.

Kevin was a Senior Producer at National Geographic Television for ten years before forming his production company, Pangolin Pictures. Since then, he's developed and produced films and series in all genres but specializes in Natural History films. Kevin's films have won three EMMY awards and garnered another six nominations, including two 2011 Prime-Time Emmy nominations for Jaws: The Inside Story and John Belushi: Dancing on the Edge.

Kevin's screenplays won numerous competitions, including the 2018 Page Awards Grand Prize!
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PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Hang Out And Play: Name The Movie May 07, 2023

Show notes

Time for some housekeeping plus an announcement from our sponsors, The PAGE Awards, on their upcoming deadline.
We play a fun round of NAME THE MOVIE -- A fun game that will challenge your film knowledge and keep you on the edge of your seat. Sandy reads the synopsis of a movie one sentence at a time. How many sentences will it take before you can NAME THE MOVIE!! If you're up for the challenge, you'll have a blast playing NAME THE MOVIE.
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💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to make a comment please contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

Hanging Out With The Comic's Daughter Carrie Freeman Pt. 2 Apr 30, 2023

Show notes

Part two and the conclusion of last week's episode with author Carrie Freeman.
If you have listened to part one, I recommend you go back and listen to Episode 66, HANGING OUT WITH THE COMIC'S DAUGHTER CARRIE FREEMAN. In this first episode, we covered Carries fascinating younger life, and in this episode, we chat with Carrie about her writing journey and the mentors who helped her get where she is today.
To purchase THE COMIC'S DAUGHTER by Carrie Freeman https://www.thecomicsdaughter.com
👍 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 make a comment please contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

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

Hanging Out With The Comic's Daughter Carrie Freeman Apr 23, 2023

Show notes

We have a terrific show with guest Carrie Freeman.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Carrie Freeman is the third in a generation of writers, columnists, and performers, dating back to 1905, when her great uncle, Sime Silverman, launched the entertainment bible, Variety. Carrie is an accomplished actress with an extensive background in performing, theatre directing and teaching.
A truly talented and gifted writer Carrie wrote a book entitled THE COMIC’S DAUGHTER based on her life, and it caught the attention of a Producer/Director, and now they are off to the races to make the movie.
This will be a two-part episode. In this first episode, we will cover Carries fascinating younger life, and in the second half, we will center on Carrie’s writing journey and the mentors who helped her get where she is today. Does the name David Mamet ring a bell?
To purchase THE COMIC'S DAUGHTER by Carrie Freeman
https://www.thecomicsdaughter.com
👍 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 make a comment please contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

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

Brooke Shields And One Regret Apr 16, 2023

Show notes

Hulu's documentary PRETTY BABY: Brooke Shields reminds Sandy she spent time on the set of SUDDENLY SUSAN, the NBC half-hour sitcom, and walked away disappointed in something Brooke did to Kathy Griffin.
Terry asks a simple question that reminds Sandy of one of her biggest regrets.

You don't have to have watched PRETTY BABY: Brooke Shields to listen to this episode.
👍 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 make a comment please contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

The Wild Story Behind 1993's The Super Mario Bros. Movie Apr 09, 2023

Show notes

Did you know there was another SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE besides the animated blockbuster with Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and Fred Armisen? The first SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE hit theaters in 1993 and was the first feature-length live-action film based on a video game. It follows brothers Mario Mario (Bob Hoskins) and Luigi Mario (John Leguizamo) in their quest to rescue Princess Daisy (Samantha Mathis) from a dystopic parallel universe ruled by the ruthless King Koopa (Dennis Hopper), directed by the husband-and-wife team Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel. Unfortunately, it was a box office failure, and critics hated it. The credits list three writers Parker Bennett, Terry Runté, and Ed Solomon.
Why did one MARIO movie succeed when the other MARIO movie didn’t? That’s the big question Sandy and Terry tackle in this episode.
👍 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 make a comment please contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

How Aaron Sorkin The WGA And You Feel About AI Writing Apr 02, 2023

Show notes

For today’s episode, we have a follow-up on Season One, Episode 61 entitled Can A.I. Write A Screenplay With Filmmakers Jon and Matt Firman, it came out last month. You don’t have to go back and listen to episode 61, but things will make more sense if you do. In the A.I. episode, we explored the benefits of using AI to help writers manage their process from idea to script and spoke to the creators of Story Prism a suite of AI-powered writing tools to help creators flesh out their stories.
In this episode, we dive into how the WGA, Aaron Sorkin and you feel about A.I.-assisted writing and more!
👍 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 make a comment please contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

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