OnWriting is podcast from the Writers Guild of America East. In each episode, you’ll hear from the union members who create the film, TV series, podcasts and news stories that define our culture. We’ll discuss everything from inspirations and creative process to what it takes to build a successful career in media and entertainment.
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Episode 117: Making the News with MSNBC Union's Amy Hooker & Andrew Joyce
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Host Zhubin Parang talks to MSNBC Union members Amy Hooker and Andrew Joyce about staying flexible in the challenging newsroom environment, how to handle an election season where unprecedented events happen weekly, and winning a strong union contract that helps them do both of those things as effectively as possible. Amy Hooker has worked as an ass…
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Episode 116: Writing Children's TV with Geri Cole and Bob Mittenthal
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Host Susan Kim sits down with children’s television writers Geri Cole and Bob Mittenthal to discuss balancing entertainment and education in children's storytelling, embracing restrictions – from budget limitations to writing for puppets — in creative ways, the ongoing fight for union coverage in animation, and more. Geri Cole is a full-time staff …
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Episode 115: Writing Slate's Acclaimed Podcasts
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Host Katie Rich sits down with Sophie Summergrad, Christina Cauterucci and Madeline Ducharme — three of the journalists and producers behind Slate's "Slow Burn" and other acclaimed podcasts — to discuss their paths into journalism, the process of turning an idea into a critically acclaimed podcast, how a strong union contract gives you the freedom …
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Episode 114: Late Night Writers Roundtable
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Host Liz Hynes, a WGAE Council member and writer for LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER, moderates a conversation with writers from some of your favorite late night comedy series about their experiences and insights from the world of late-night comedy writing. The panelists include late night writers Molly McNearney (JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!), Dan Amira …
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Episode 113: Amy Schumer (Life & Beth) and John Hoffman (Only Murders in the Building)
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John Hoffman and Amy Schumer sit down to talk about the joys and challenges of leaning into the personal in your writing, the importance of finding the right collaborators, confronting the hardest parts of life with both vulnerability and confidence, and much more. John Hoffman is the co-creator and showrunner of the critically acclaimed and award-…
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Episode 112: Meredith Scardino (Girls5Eva) & Paula Pell (Saturday Night Live)
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Acclaimed comedy writers Meredith Scardino and Paula Pell sit down together for a conversation about their journeys to WGAE membership, their journeys to the WGAE office, how producing differs from other positions in the writers room, the importance of both deadlines and procrastination in the creative process and much more. Meredith Scardino is a …
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Episode 111: Nonfiction TV Roundtable with Chinisha Scott, Gautam Singhani and Sarah Katz
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Host and WGAE Nonfiction Women of Color Caucus Chair Chinisha Scott talks with WGAE members Gautam Singhani and Sarah Katz, who both recently worked at the nonfiction television production company Story Syndicate. Story Syndicate is one of the latest nonfiction television shops to join the Writers Guild of America East and they are currently negoti…
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Episode 110: Ron Nyswaner, "Fellow Travelers"
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Host T Cooper is joined by Ron Nyswaner to discuss having the confidence to push Hollywood's boundaries, staying flexible during the unpredictable reality of being on a TV set, telling authentic LGBTQ+ stories without always centering suffering, and more. Ron Nyswaner is the 2024 recipient of the WGA East’s Walter Bernstein Award, and creator of th…
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Episode 109: Kathy McGee and Beth Godvik (CBS News)
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59:29
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Host Greg Iwinski is joined by CBS New York writer-producer Kathy McGee and CBS Chicago writer-producer Beth Godvik for a conversation about their work in the Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News sector. They discuss the winding paths that make a career, trusting your instincts in a fast-paced news environment, and keeping up with a constantly evolving m…
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Episode 108: John Wilson, "How To with John Wilson"
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Host Geri Cole sits down with documentarian John Wilson to discuss How To choose episode titles that will make for good stories, How To make your writers room feel like a therapy session, How To find serendipitous interview subjects, and more. John Wilson is a New York City-based documentary filmmaker known for creating and hosting the acclaimed co…
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Episode 107: Jesse Armstrong, "Succession"
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To kick off a brand new season, host Taffy Brodesser-Akner sits down with Succession creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong to discuss how he staffed and ran his writers’ room, the importance of maintaining distance and perspective in your artistic endeavors, what's next for Jesse now that Succession is over, and much more. Jesse Armstrong is a scr…
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Episode 106: Sarah Polley, "Women Talking"
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Host Alison Herman talks to writer-director Sarah Polley about finding a balance between reality and allegory in a film adapted from a fictional novel based on true events, how her process has changed since becoming a parent and recovering from a head injury, what writing (and rewriting) this film taught her about rigor, and much more. Sarah Polley…
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Episode 105: Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner, "The Fabelmans" (in conversation with Judd Apatow)
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Alison Herman hands it over to guest moderator Judd Apatow for a live conversation with Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner about their latest collaboration, THE FABELMANS. Steven Spielberg a screenwriter, director, producer, and studio executive. In a career spanning over four decades, Spielberg has directed nearly three dozen feature films and writ…
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Host Greg Iwinski talks to Tony Gilroy about ANDOR, how his music career influenced his work as a screenwriter, why empathy is the key to imagination, the similarities between being a showrunner and a dairy farmer, and more. Tony Gilroy is a writer, director, and showrunner known for his numerous screenplays, including THE CUTTING EDGE, the JASON B…
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Episode 103: David Magee, "A Man Called Otto," "Lady Chatterley's Lover," "The School for Good and Evil"
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Host Alison Herman talks to David Magee about writing three films that were released in the same year, adaptation as a form of translation, exploring the deeper cause of pain and bitterness in both Chatterley and Otto, and much more. David Magee is the Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of FINDING NEVERLAND, THE LIFE OF PI, MARY POPPINS RETURNS a…
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Episode 102: Sharon Horgan, "Bad Sisters"
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Host Alison Herman talks to Sharon Horgan about how she kept her stories straight when writing across two timelines, her tips for pitching a project, the universal ideas at the heart of a story about four sisters failing spectacularly at attempting murder, and more. Sharon Horgan is an acclaimed writer, actress, producer, and director, best known f…
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Episode 101: Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"
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Host Greg Iwinski talks to Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole about their collaboration process for BLACK PANTHER and BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, rewriting a screenplay while – and as part of – grieving, space-saving ways to write a half-dozen languages into your script, and more. Ryan Coogler is a writer-director whose credits include the 2013 b…
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Episode 100: Rian Johnson, "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery"
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42:53
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Host Greg Iwinski talks to Rian Johnson about his latest project, the rich tradition of destination vacation murder mysteries, the joys of the theatrical experience, and the value of a good notebook. Rian Johnson is a writer and director who made his feature film debut with the 2005 neo-noir mystery BRICK. He went on to write and direct several cri…
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Host Alison Herman talks to writer and director Noah Baumbach about the adaptation process, how his frequent collaborators influence and inform his work, and much more. Noah Baumbach is the writer/co-writer and director of more than a dozen feature films, starting with KICKING AND SCREAMING in 1995. His 2005 film THE SQUID AND THE WHALE and his 202…
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Episode 97: RJ Fried, "Tooning Out the News"
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Host Katie Rich talks to TOONING OUT THE NEWS co-creator and showrunner RJ Fried about how animation can help us address uncomfortable subjects, the challenges of covering topical issues on a streaming platform, and his transition from professional hockey player to professional writer. RJ Fried is a writer and performer. He co-created OUR CARTOON P…
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Episode 96: Lena Dunham, "Catherine Called Birdy"
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Host Alison Herman is joined by Lena Dunham to talk about the challenges of adaptation, the impact of success at an early age, discovering a love for outlining, and how it all comes back to the writing. Lena Dunham is the writer and director of several feature films, including TINY FURNITURE and SHARP STICK, as well as the creator and star of the a…
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Episode 95: Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, "The Menu"
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Host Alison Herman talks to THE MENU co-writers Will Tracy and Seth Reiss about the transition from satirical newspaper to late-night to feature writing, finding humor in sadness, the shared qualities between restaurant kitchens and writing rooms, and much more. Will Tracy and Seth Reiss are veterans of late-night shows like LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH …
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Episode 94: Rebecca Lenkiewicz, "She Said"
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Host Marina Fang is joined by SHE SAID screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz to discuss the process of collaborating with Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, how screenwriting compares to the world of theater, creating a realistic depiction of journalism on screen, the importance of giving a voice to survivors, and more. Rebecca Lenkiewicz is a screenwriter an…
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Episode 93: James Gray, "Armageddon Time"
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Host Alison Herman talks to writer and director James Gray about his upbringing as a secular Jew in Queens, attempting to empathize with Maryanne Trump, the purpose of art in encouraging empathy across class and racial lines, and more. James Gray is the writer and director of eight feature films, beginning with his 1999 debut LITTLE ODESSA, as well…
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Episode 92: David O. Russell, "Amsterdam"
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Host Alison Herman talks to writer and director David O. Russell about themes like love and loyalty in AMSTERDAM, his long collaboration with actors like Christian Bale, his real life work with organizations like Ghetto Film School to increase representation in Hollywood, and more. David O. Russell is a writer and director known for films like THE …
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Episode 91: Jessica Knoll, "Luckiest Girl Alive"
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Host Marina Fang talks to Jessica Knoll about the extensive process of adapting her own book, how her personal experiences shaped the film, why Gillian Flynn is her guiding light, and so much more. Jessica Knoll is a screenwriter and novelist known for her thrillers Luckiest Girl Alive, and The Favorite Sister. In 2021, she was named a screenwriter…
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Episode 90: Greg Mottola, "Confess, Fletch"
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Host Greg Iwinski talks to Greg Mottola about leaning into the absurdity of the everyday, bringing a 70s-era whodunnit into the 21st century, our rediscovered love of murder mysteries, and much more. Writer and director Greg Mottola began his career with his 1996 indie dramedy film THE DAYTRIPPERS, for which he received a Golden Camera nomination a…
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Episode 89: David Jenkins, "Our Flag Means Death"
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Host Alison Herman talks to OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH showrunner David Jenkins about the creative freedoms that come with a virtual writer's room, why the true story of pirates Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard makes the most sense as a romance, the labor implications of ratings transparency in the streaming age, and much more. David Jenkins is a television w…
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Episode 88: Phoebe Robinson, "Everything's Trash"
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Host Marina Fang talks to Phoebe Robinson—the creator, writer, and star of EVERYTHING’S TRASH—about the experience of writing "TV Phoebe,” balancing studio notes with your creative vision, the importance of portraying realistic New York City living, and much more. Phoebe Robinson is a writer, comedian, and actress known for her work as the co-creat…
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Episode 87: Seth Meyers, "Late Night With Seth Meyers"
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Host Greg Iwinski is joined by Late Night’s Seth Meyers to talk about the spirit of 12:30 and how a diverse writing staff is essential to success – and to take a closer look at A Closer Look. Seth Meyers is a writer, comedian, and author known for his work on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and as the host/writer of NBC’s LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS. He was na…
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Host Greg Iwinski talks to Ziwe, creator, host, and writer of the comedy-variety sketch series ZIWE, about coming up in the Chicago comedy scene, the importance of Stephen Colbert’s White House Correspondents dinner speech, and how she puts together the show, the writers’ room, and its voice. Ziwe'a current project is the comedy-variety sketch seri…
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Episode 85: Joel Kim Booster, “Fire Island"
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Host Marina Fang talks to Joel Kim Booster, writer and co-star of FIRE ISLAND, about the film’s Austenian origins, the boundaries between real-life and fiction throughout the writing process, and navigating issues of racial and sexual representation and the intersections of privilege. This episode is presented by the WGAE's Asian-American and LGBTQ…
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Episode 84: Meredith Scardino, "Girls5eva"
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Host Alison Herman talks to Meredith Scardino, the creator, showrunner, writer, and producer of GIRLS5EVA, about the show’s writing and songwriting process, what you learn from mentors like Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, and Robert Carlock, and why so much of this series is about having agency over your own life. Meredith Scardino is a New York-based s…
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Episode 83: Natasha Lyonne & Alice Ju, “Russian Doll”
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Host Geri Cole talks about the Netflix series RUSSIAN DOLL with co-creator, writer, producer, director, star Natasha Lyonne, and writer-producer Alice Ju They discuss how the series uses religious philosophy to work on both literal and metaphorical levels, taking the show from “Groundhog Day” to “Quantum Leap”, and exploring the nesting doll of dea…
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Host Alison Herman talks to Amy Schumer, creator and star of the comedy-drama series LIFE & BETH, about how motherhood changes your perspective as a writer, why she loves writing in bed and the differences between writing a sketch show like INSIDE AMY SCHUMER versus a scripted show like LIFE & BETH. Amy Schumeris a New York-based comedian, actress,…
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Episode 81: Michael Waldron, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness"
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Host Greg Iwinski talks to Michael Waldron, writer of DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, about the Harmon Story Circle, how the worlds of wrestling and comic books are similar, and the cultural obsession with spoiling things. (Speaking of which, this episode does contain some spoilers. Proceed with caution!) Michael Waldron is a writer an…
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Episode 80: Danny McBride, “The Righteous Gemstones” – In conversation with Derek Lawrence
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Entertainment Weekly’s Derek Lawrence sits down with Danny McBride—the creator, writer, executive producer, and costar of the dark comedy series THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES. Danny McBride is a writer, actor, comedian, and producer. He wrote and starred in the HBO television series EASTBOUND & DOWN and VICE PRINCIPALS, both of which he co-created with J…
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Episode 79: David Simon, “We Own This City”
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Host Geri Cole talks to David Simon, co-creator and showrunner of the new HBO miniseries WE OWN THIS CITY, about how he sees the mini-series as the coda to his legendary show, THE WIRE; the lessons he learned as a journalist that have helped him as a television writer; and why the drug war is one of America's worst policies and needs to end. David …
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Episode 78: Melissa Silverstein in conversation with Liz Meriwether (“The Dropout”)
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Geri hands it over to guest host Melissa Silverstein, the founder and publisher of Women in Hollywood, for a conversation with THE DROPOUT creator and showrunner Liz Meriwether. Liz Meriwether is a writer, showrunner, and producer known for her work as the creator and showrunner of the hit comedy series NEW GIRL and the sitcom BLESS THIS MESS, as w…
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Episode 77: Jonathan Tropper, “The Adam Project”
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Host Geri Cole speaks with Jonathan Tropper about The Adam Project's eight-year journey to the screen, how to write a great action scene, the rules of writing time travel, and why you don't tell Bob when to drink the Coke. Jonathan Tropper is a screenwriter, novelist, and producer. He is the internationally-acclaimed author of six novels, the two m…
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Host Geri Cole is joined by PACHINKO showrunner, writer, and producer Soo Hugh to talk about how the writers adapted the acclaimed novel to keep it focused on family over colonialism; the process of crafting a complex, authentic story that couldn't have been told the same way a decade ago; and the power inherent in telling extraordinary stories of …
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Host Geri Cole talks to writer-director Mariama Diallo about the uncanny—and all-too-real—experience of navigating predominately white spaces as a Black woman, the complexities of identity, the importance and necessity of your community, and more. Mariama Diallo is a writer and director whose short film “Hair Wolf” premiered at the 2018 Sundance Fi…
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Episode 74: Bruce Miller and Yahlin Chang, "The Handmaid's Tale"
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Host Geri Cole welcomes THE HANDMAID’S TALE creator, showrunner, writer, and EP Bruce Miller and writer and EP Yahlin Chang to the show to talk about how real-world refugee stories give the show inspiration and guidance, the ways in which writing can be both cruel and cathartic, and how the show encourages everyone—both above and below the line—to …
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Episode 73: Michael Cyril Creighton in conversation with Hannah Bos & Paul Thureen, "Somebody Somewhere"
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Geri Cole turns it over to Michael Cyril Creighton for a special conversation with showrunners Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen to discuss their series, SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE. Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen are a writing duo whose credits include HIGH MAINTENANCE, MOZART IN THE JUNGLE and DRIVEWAYS. Moderator Michael Cyril Creighton is a writer and actor know…
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Host Geri Cole talks to Zach Baylin—screenwriter of KING RICHARD—about how a serendipitous meeting before heading to the US Open led to the script landing in the hands of Will Smith, his experience collaborating with the Williams family, and the importance of writing every day, because even a few lines can feel like a success. Zach Baylin is a scre…
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Episode 71: Adam McKay & David O. Russell, "Don't Look Up"
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Geri Cole turns it over to David O. Russell for a conversation with Adam McKay about his latest project, DON’T LOOK UP. David O. Russell is the Oscar- and Writers Guild Award-nominated writer and director best known for his work on titles like FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, THREE KINGS, I HEART HUCKABEES, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, AMERICAN HUSTLE, and most…
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Episode 70: Zhubin Parang, Josh Johnson, Kat Radley, and Roy Wood Jr. , "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah"
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Host Geri Cole is joined by four writers from THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH: supervising producer and head writer Zhubin Parang, writers Kat Radley and Josh Johnson, and correspondent Roy Wood Jr. The writers and Geri cover what it takes to put together an episode of THE DAILY SHOW… and to do it daily, how being encouraged to bomb creates a sense…
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Episode 69: Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky, "And Just Like That"
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Host Geri Cole is joined by Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky—writers and executive producers of AND JUST LIKE THAT—to talk about how they first came to work on SEX AND THE CITY, their very intimate writing process for AND JUST LIKE THAT, and how success can sometimes feel like being lost in L.A. Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky are long-time …
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Episode 68: Tony Kushner, "West Side Story"
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Host Geri Cole kicks off a new year, and a new season of OnWriting, in conversation with celebrated screenwriter, playwright, and author Tony Kushner—the screenwriter behind the recent adaptation of WEST SIDE STORY. Geri and Tony discuss the process of adapting one of the most famous musicals of all time, how in-depth research about New York's West…
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Episode 67: Tracey Scott Wilson, "Respect"
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Host Geri Cole is joined by Tracey Scott Wilson, writer of the Aretha Franklin biopic RESPECT, about writing the film’s screenplay on a very expedited timeline, how being a playwright has informed her film & television career, and her creative process – which includes writing in longhand and starting each day reading scripts. Tracey Scott Wilson is…
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