The Writers Panel

Latest Episodes:

Michael Seitzman (The Rainmaker) Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Michael Seitzman (creator, The Rainmaker, Intelligence) discusses selling his John Grisham adaptation three times, shooting Dublin for Charleston (for Memphis), his approach to adaptation, storybreaking a conspiracy, hiring a writers room of Finders, Minders, and Grinders, and more.

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicholas Stoller & Francesca Delbanco (Platonic) Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

Nicholas Stoller (writer and/or director, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Muppets, Neighbors) and novelist Francesca Delbanco created and run Apple TV+'s Platonic. Ahead of the new season on August 6, they discuss writing a show called "Platonic" as a married couple, the importance of set experience for writers, not taking their work home, balancing character and plot, Nick's resistance to writers' rooms, and lots more.

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Naked Gun Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

The Naked Gun writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand (Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers) discuss the real stakes of a very silly movie, comedy fight scenes, not being referential, why Liam Neeson is integral to remaking The Naked Gun, having on hand an ungodly number of alt jokes, and more.

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I Know What You Did Last Summer Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

I Know What You Did Last Summer writer/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge; Someone Great) returns along with co-writer Sam Lansky to discuss their continuation of the 1997 horror film, modernizing a morality tale, playing plot Jenga, "trauma but make it popcorn," and justifying THAT TWIST.

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

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Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bablacker/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James DeMonaco (The Home; The Purge) Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

James DeMonaco (writer/director, The Home, The Purge) discusses co-writing during lockdown, collaborating with Pete Davidson, the movie he passed on that got The Home made, advice from Francis Ford Coppola, and news of maybe a new Purge movie!

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

SOCIALS:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bablacker/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TV writer/novelist Stefanie Leder Jul 08, 2025

Show notes

Stefanie Leder (Faking It; Boo Bitch) discusses her debut novel, Love, Coffee, and Revolution, a coming-of-age/political adventure/rom com. the long road of writing the book, setting reasonable daily goals, the most important thing to getting published, why "TV is Jewish," and lots more.

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

SOCIALS:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bablacker/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris & Paul Weitz (Murderbot) Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz (creators, Murderbot; American Pie; About a Boy) discuss working with actors and what Alexander Skarsgård brought to the titular role of Murderbot, who your audience is, writing and directing together after a two-decade break, and lots more.

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

SOCIALS:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bablacker/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I Don't Understand You Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

David Joseph Craig & Brian Crano (writers/directors of I Don't Understand You) discuss the personal story behind the movie, writing the truth vs writing honestly, scenes you need, who your competition is, why knowing actors is a good thing, poking the turkey, and more.

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

SOCIALS:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bablacker/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leon Chills (Shadow Force) May 20, 2025

Show notes

Leon Chills (Shadow Force) discusses writing his way out of a low point, working things out in the first draft, his approach to action scenes, when to ask someone to read your script, and more.

THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

SOCIALS:

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bablacker/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Drucker (The Tonight Show) May 13, 2025

Show notes

Mike Drucker (The Tonight Show; Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) discusses his new memoir, Good Game, No Rematch, writing his life through the lens of video games, how prose is different from stand up comedy, how his family responded to stories about them, discovering his emotional vulnerabilities, and more.

Check out a live DEAD PILOTS SOCIETY this Sunday in LA, or stream on demand from anywhere!

TICKETS HERE

The cast includes but is not limited to Peri Gilpin (Frasier), Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time), Brandon Scott Jones (Ghosts), Jordan Rodrigues (Ladybird), Mary Beth Barone (Black Mirror; Overcompensating), Clancy Brown (Highlander; The Shawshank Redemption), Brendan Scannell (Loot), Caitlin Reilly (Dead Boy Detectives), Courtney Parchman (Sex Lives of College Girls; "Average Fashion Blogger"), and lots more.