The Writers Hangout

Latest Episodes:

Breaking Into Hollywood With A Little Help From Harold Ramis Mar 26, 2023

Show notes

You never know when your big break will happen. In this episode co-host Terry Sampson share how he landed his big break compliments of Harold Ramis.
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The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer 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.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Can A.I. Write A Screenplay With Filmmakers Jon and Matt Firman Mar 19, 2023

Show notes

We have a terrific show for you with today’s guests Jon and Matt Firman who are Baltimore, MD-based indie filmmakers. After spending more than eight years immersed in the local film community, brothers Jon and Matt saw a need for writers to have an easier way of turning their ideas into stories. So, the brothers decided to explore the benefits of using AI to help writers manage their process from idea to script, which led them to develop Story Prism a suite of AI-powered writing tools to help creators flesh out their stories.
Writers, AI writing is not your dad’s spellcheck it is way more powerful, and I would be curious to know how you feel as writers felt about AI assistants with your writing after you listen to what Matt and Jon have to say. Send an email to thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com or dm us on Instagram instagram.com/thewritershangoutpodcast/
👍 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 PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

Rewind With How Page Judges Evaluate Your Script Mar 12, 2023

Show notes

One of our most listened to episodes. Two PAGE Awards Judges, Victoria Lucas and Laurie Ashbourne, talk about how they evaluate your screenplays, whether you're just starting or have a script in the competition. You do not want to miss this inside talk.
⭐️ Laurie Ashbourne began her film career in Disney animation, and over the past 20 years, she has worked as a story consultant, writer, and producer for Disney, Amazon, and many independent producers. She has over 30 features and short films to her credit, including her new family feature CHRISTMAS TIME, which is currently in post-production. As a PAGE judge, Laurie reviews scripts in several different genre categories, including Family Films, Comedies, Dramas, and Shorts.
⭐️ Victoria Lucas is an independent producer who has developed scripts for projects starring Antonio Banderas, Scarlett Johansson, Wesley Snipes, and Hilary Swank. Among her favorite projects is the highly acclaimed coming-of-age film, The Island on Bird Street, awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Victoria is also a Judge for the PAGE Awards contest, in a variety of genres including Drama and Historical Films

👍 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 PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Engineer 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.

Living Outside Of LA And Having A Screenwriting Career with Matias Caruso Mar 05, 2023

Show notes

Our guest is screenwriter Matias Caruso who lives in Argentina. Matias taught himself English and how to write screenplays — and after writing and working hard to develop his craft, he wrote an absolutely stunning script called CARNIVAL that won our Grand Prize in 2014. After his win, Carnival was optioned by a PAGE judge and signed by an agent. Matias continues to live in Argentina, and he never moved to the States; he has since had a couple of movies (MAYHEM and WITCH) produced.
WORDPLAY: Pro screenwriting secrets from working screenwriters Terry Rossio & Ted Elliott -- wordplayer.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 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.

Screenwriter Angela Bourassa Explains It All Feb 26, 2023

Show notes

We continue to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our sponsor, The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, with our guest Angela Bourassa. Angela won the Gold Prize in the Science Fiction category for her script EVERYTHING IS RIGHT UNTIL IT'S WRONG, and under its new title, TURN ME ON; the movie was filmed last year, produced by Truant Pictures and Blue Creek Pictures, directed by Michael Tyburski, and starring Bel Powley and Nick Robinson. It's now in post-production.

In addition, Angela's movies IF YOU WERE THE LAST and BLACK BAGS have also recently been produced, and IF YOU WERE THE LAST is premiering at SXSW next month.
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 contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

Did A Potato Cause Thelma Todd's Death Ft. Forensic Death Investigator Kyle Finney and Judy TrueCrime Feb 19, 2023

Show notes

We're going to pause on interviewing the PAGE Award-winning screenwriter series to bring you the latest on the Thelma Todd murder mystery we talked about last December. If you haven't listened to the two-part episode called Thelma Todd's Inexplicable Death In Hollywood's Golden Age, I highly recommend you go back and listen. The episodes aired on December 4th and 11th of 2022.
Of all the screenwriter crime stories we have discussed on The Writers' Hangout, the Thelma Todd story is the one people comment about most. So, we put together a panel, including a Forensic death investigator, Kyle Finney, a True Crime fanatic JudyTrueCrime, and co-host Terry Sampson. We discuss the case through the lens of modern-day forensics and give our opinions on what happened.
👍 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 contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

Television Writer Jason Gavin Talks Flag Football and Friday Night Lights Feb 12, 2023

Show notes

It is Super Bowl LVII weekend, and we have a treat for you. Our guest is television writer Jason Gavin, who got his big break when he got staffed on a show called Friday Night Lights. Kristin Iversen of Nylon wrote, "Friday Night Lights had achieved a rare trifecta in the world of prestige television: critical acclaim, cultishly adoring fans, and a genuinely wide audience (which, sadly, it didn't have when it aired on network television, but what are you going to do).'

Jason's other credits include ROYAL PAINS, HAWAII FIVE-O, and ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO. Jason is a co-executive producer on the much-anticipated return of DARK WINDS, the number-one show on AMC+, and one of the executive producers on MARVEL's ECHO, out this summer.
Jason talks about his first time in a writers' room; a fender-bender he got into as a writers' PA on NASH BRIDES and more.

Hanging Out With Television Writer Davah Avena Feb 05, 2023

Show notes

We continue celebrating the 20th anniversary of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards with Davah Avena. Davah took home the 2006 Silver Prize for Best TV Drama Pilot and has risen in television from staff writer to Co-Executive Producer on shows like FIREFLY LANE and ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST.
Plus Davah Avena plays YOU WROTE THE EPISODE BUT DO YOU REMEMBER THE EPISODE and might just become our Queen Quiz.
👍 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 contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

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

Screenwriter Alexandra Qin Takes On ThirstyGirl Jan 29, 2023

Show notes

We continue to celebrate our sponsor, The PAGE INTERNATIONAL Screenwriting awards 20 Anniversary Celebration, I spoke with our Grand Prize winner Alexandra Qin an independent filmmaker based in New York City with a background in technology, social justice, and visual/ performance art. Her first screenplay, ThirstyGirl, won the 2022 PAGE Grand Prize. A raw, intimate story about addiction, sisterhood, and Asian-American identity, it was heavily inspired by Alexandra's own journey of addiction and recovery.
👍 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 contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

Become A Better Person Become A Better Writer with Screenwriter Larry Postel Jan 22, 2023

Show notes

We continue to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our sponsors, The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, by interviewing past winners. Today we have Larry Postel, who took home the PAGE Awards Grand Prize in 2005. Since then, Larry has written four original spec screenplays that have made. Including The Main Event, a Netflix Original; High Holiday, a Peacock Original; Flip Turn, an indie drama available on Amazon; and Sony's 5000 Blankets.
👍 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 contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

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