Podcast: The World Builder with Frank Spotnitz

On March 24, we had the pleasure of welcoming Frank Spotnitz, the show developer and executive producer of Amazon's THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, for a talk with moderator Neil Landau about building worlds. Frank not only spoke about the complexities of adapting Phillip K. Dick's novel about a world in which the Axis Powers had won World War II, but also his world-building experience as a longtime writer on X-FILES. Now living in Europe, he also dished advice on how to navigate a career writing for overseas productions.

[powerpress url="http://www.wgfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/FrankSpotnitz.wgfoundation.podcast.mp3"]

Click here to subscribe to our podcast via RSS. Click here to subscribe to our podcast via iTunes.

Music on this podcast is Smooth Guitar by cyclops845.

Podcast: Master Class with Evan Daugherty

On February 23, we had the pleasure of having screenwriter Evan Daugherty join us for a Master Class, which was moderated by fellow writer and NYU alum Elliott DiGuiseppi. Evan, who shot to fame for writing the blockbuster SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and has since penned screenplays for big box office draws such as DIVERGENT, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and the upcoming TOMB RAIDER reboot, detailed his journey from broke aspiring screenwriter to selling his reimagining of a fairy tale and working on famous franchises. For the many students in the audience, Evan also offered some good do's and don'ts of pitching (Do keep to the strong central through-line of the protagonist's journey; Don't memorize your pitch) as well as more practical advice for writers. Enjoy the podcast!

[powerpress url="http://www.wgfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/evandaugherty.wgf.podcast.mp3"]

Click here to subscribe to our podcast via RSS. Click here to subscribe to our podcast via iTunes.

Music on this podcast is Mahogany by Drew6464.

Podcast: Writers on Writing with Meg LeFauve

We had the joy of welcoming recent Academy Award nominee Meg LeFauve for a Writers on Writing event on February 18. With the help of moderator Dana Stevens, the writer of Pixar's INSIDE OUT, THE GOOD DINOSAUR and the upcoming CAPTAIN MARVEL went into the complex process of building the world behind INSIDE OUT. As warm and animated as the characters she has helped create, Meg is a fantastic, thoughtful storyteller with some great advice for all writers. Enjoy the podcast! [powerpress url="http://www.wgfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/meglefauve.wgf.podcast.mp3"]

Click here to subscribe to our podcast via RSS. Click here to subscribe to our podcast via iTunes.

Music on this podcast is Bossa Nova Baby by David Grossman Music

Podcast: The Multi-Hyphenates with Jay & Mark Duplass

  With their list of credits as writers, actors, producers, and directors, Jay and Mark Duplass may be two of the hardest working people in Hollywood. In this November 10 event, which was moderated by Kirsten "Kiwi" Smith, Jay summed up the secret to their success as filmmakers: "We were just two dudes making stuff...and making stuff relentlessly."

Along with amusing stories from the trenches of making indie films such as THE PUFFY CHAIR and BAGHEAD and their HBO series TOGETHERNESS, the brothers gave sage advice to aspiring filmmakers (basically, learn to do everything yourselves) and proved their point by bringing out writer and director Sean Baker, who made the film TANGERINE (which the Duplass brothers executive produced) for $100K and with an iPhone 5s.

We apologize for the volume and distortion issues on this recording. We've gotten our act together for recordings after this one. But we hope you enjoy this hilarious conversation anyway!

[powerpress url="http://www.wgfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/DuplassBros.wgf.podcast.mp3"]

Click here to subscribe to our podcast via RSS. Click here to subscribe to our podcast via iTunes.

Music on this podcast is Peanut Bummer Jam by Benjamin Tibbetts

Podcast: The Humorist with Adam McKay

This January 12 event with Adam McKay was all sorts of awesome. Not only did it kick off with Garry Shandling meandering into the room during McKay's introduction, but his co-writer on THE BIG SHORT, Charles Randolph, also joined the conversation midway to talk about the process of developing Michael Lewis's book about the 2008 financial collapse into a film that has garnered Golden Globe, Writers Guild Award, and Academy Award nominations (plus a Producers Guild Award win for Best Picture). Moderator Craig Mazin did a fine job of exploring McKay's comedic past as the writer, director and producer of films such as ANCHORMAN, TALLADEGA NIGHTS, STEP BROTHERS, and THE OTHER GUYS, as well as his longtime partnership with Will Ferrell, whom he met on Saturday Night Live and co-founded the website Funny or Die.  Before you tune into the remaining awards shows to see how THE BIG SHORT fares, listen to this great discussion first.

[powerpress url="http://www.wgfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/AdamMcKay.wgfoundation.podcast.mp3"]

Click here to subscribe to our podcast via RSS. Click here to subscribe to our podcast via iTunes.

Music on this podcast is Cafe-Solitude by iCafe.