Best Lorien McKenna Podcasts (2024)

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189 | Create Your Hollywood Game Plan w/ Carole Kirschner 1:10:19

14h ago1:10:19

1:10:19

Carole Kirschner, the director of the CBS Diversity Writers Program & WGA Showrunner Training Program, is passionate about helping creative professionals build thriving Hollywood careers. Whether you're an emerging writer of a pro, Carole will offer you PRACTICAL advice as to how to approach this ever-changing business. FOR CAROLE'S BOOK: https://w…

1
#50 - Lorien McKenna: How the The Pixar Story Department Actually Works, Creating Career Agency, Writing For Visuals, Challenging Shame and The Power of Vulnerability 38:09

10d ago38:09

38:09

Today’s guest began her creative journey in the world of theatre before moving to Pixar where she worked in the story department of hits including Ratatouille, Up, Brave, The Good Dinosaur and Inside Out. Having now transitioned to writing and showrunning her own projects, most recently the double Emmy nominated Tab Time as well as co-hosting mega-…

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188 | Playwriting (and some BTS Behind the Making of Coco) ft. Octavio Solis 1:15:41

7d ago1:15:41

1:15:41

Octavio Solis is among the most celebrated playwrights discussing the Latin American experience, but he wasn't always a writer. Octavio began his artistic journey as an actor-turned-writing-teacher. But when his students started succeeding, he felt an emerging feeling; a need to take his own advice and get to the page. Since then, Solis has written…

1
187 | Writing For Multi-Cam Sitcoms (w/ Lopez vs Lopez Showrunner Debby Wolfe) 48:41

15d ago48:41

48:41

Even though Debby Wolfe began her career writing "edgy, brooding feminist shorts" (her words), but really found her lane as a writer when she wrote a Modern Family spec that launched her career. Since then, she's written on a number of multi-cams, eventually arriving on Lopez vs. Lopez, which she's currently showrunning. Today, Debby discusses how …

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186 | A Crash Course For Showrunners (And Their Staff Writers) ft. Jeff Melvoin 1:20:46

21d ago1:20:46

1:20:46

By Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

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185 | Why Tone and Genre ≠ Plot (ft. Cole Haddon) 1:03:31

28d ago1:03:31

1:03:31

Cole Haddon is many things: a feature writer, a showrunner, a novelist, but he's grown an incredibly loyal community for his STORY brain, which mostly congregates on his very popular substack. Today we discuss tone, genre, and plot through a case study in which we compare two very popular TV shows: The Bear and Ted Lasso. In this discussion, we'll …

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184 | What Does A Hollywood Studio Reader Do? (TSL Listener Spotlight) 1:02:55

1M ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Today is a chance to hear from YOU! We were thrilled to invite longtime listener Jennifer Deaton onto our show to hear about her impressive career in the biz including her life as a reader for Focus Features and screenwriting debut, the award-winning indie feature Jack of the Red Hearts. JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife…

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183 | How The Animated Film Industry Is Changing (And Why That Matters Creatively): WAR IS OVER Chat, Part 2 44:16

2M ago44:16

44:16

This year, one of the most talked about Animated Shorts at this year's Oscars is WAR IS OVER. The project, inspired by the Music of John and Yoko, is an 11-minute animated short featuring the 50-year-old classic song Happy Xmas (War Is Over), set against the backdrop of war. Today, we welcome three of the shorts' brilliant creators: Pixar alum and …

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182 | What Goes Into Creating an Oscar-nominated Animated Short?: WAR IS OVER Chat, Part 1 46:18

1M ago46:18

46:18

This year, one of the most talked about Animated Shorts at this year's Oscars is WAR IS OVER. The project, inspired by the Music of John and Yoko, is an 11-minute animated short featuring the 50-year-old classic song Happy Xmas (War Is Over), set against the backdrop of WWI. Today, we welcome three of the shorts' brilliant creators: Pixar alum and …

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181 | Nimona Co-Writer Lloyd Taylor On The World Of Animated Feature Films 1:07:17

2M ago1:07:17

1:07:17

Nimona isn't just one of 2023's best animated movies, it's one of 2023's best movies, full stop (and yes, it is Oscar-nominated). Today, we welcome one it's co-writers, Lloyd Taylor, to talk about adapting ND Stevenson beloved graphic novel, working through a roller coaster development window, and not being afraid to blow up his own work in service…

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180 | Award Winning "Wingspan" Game Designer Compares Writing To Game Design (ft. Elizabeth Hargrave) 55:56

2M ago55:56

55:56

Elizabeth Hargrave's debut board game Wingspan has become a one this century's most definitional games, but her inspiration to create was pretty simple. She says, "I felt like there were too many games about castles and space, and not enough games about things I’m interested in. So I decided to make a game about something I cared about." This is ju…

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#49 - Simon Blackwell: Writing Veep & The Thick of It, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Scary Phrase, Emergency Plane Writing, The Genius of Armando Iannucci, Sweary Grannies, & Why Parenting Makes You A Better Creative ... 36:05

2M ago36:05

36:05

I am lucky to introduce today’s guest who has been at the forefront of British comedy for the last two decades. The man behind hit shows such as Back starring Mitchell and Webb and Sky’s Breeders, his career is long and celebrated but it is his partnership with Armando Innaucci for which he is probably best known. Together they have brought movies …

1
179 | Feature Film Story Engine Checklist: 8 Elements To Turn A Situation Into A MOVIE 1:09:28

2M ago1:09:28

1:09:28

STORY ENGINE. Two words we so often dread, but let's be honest: the engine of your story is what POWERS your movie. It's make, or break. And today, we break down eight elements to test whether or not you are on your way to a feature film story engine that will take you from fade in, to fade out! JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglif…

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178 | The Holdovers Writer David Hemingson On Finding Humanity In Our Characters 1:15:05

3M ago1:15:05

1:15:05

Despite this being his first produced feature, David Hemingson's script for THE HOLDOVERS is one of the most celebrated of the year, nominated for over 40 industry prizes (including the Oscar), having won many of them. He's a self-proclaimed "journeyman" writer having bounced between children's animated, network comedy, and hourlong procedurals for…

1
177 | Past Lives Writer/Director Celine Song: Standing In Your Authority As a Writer and Artist 1:17:40

3M ago1:17:40

1:17:40

Hearing Celine Song discuss her authority as an artist is powerful stuff. Despite no feature film directorial experience, she knew she had the secret key to lead the production of Past Lives, which is now a 2024 Oscar nom: a fierce commitment to her script, the story, and characters. For Celine, all of the power and authority that we bring to our w…

1
176 | Michael Arndt on Balancing Plot & Emotional Storytelling 1:10:29

3M ago1:10:29

1:10:29

We talk about lava, character wounds, and emotional storytelling ALL THE TIME on the show, but it's important to remember: there's more to good storytelling than an emotionally juicy character. Today, Oscar-winner (and friend-of-the-show) Michael Arndt discusses this, along with trends he is noticing in the evolving world of 21st century cinema. GR…

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175 | American Fiction Writer/Director Cord Jefferson's Advice For Adaptating Material 45:03

3M ago45:03

45:03

Cord Jefferson knows what if feels like to watch a project die. Recently, he had a greenlit show that was so close to shooting that the production office for the show had an physical address. And then, it died. In a creative funk, Cord discovered Percival Everett's novel Erasure which immediately reignited a passion in Cord, and eventually became h…

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BONUS: 174 | Jodie Foster on Building Truthful Characters (REBROADCAST) 1:06:56

3M ago1:06:56

1:06:56

ORIGINALLY BROADCAST ON JUL 26, 2023 Despite being a multiple Academy Award winner, celebrated producer, and feature/TV director, Jodie Foster is still aiming for a singular goal: to tell truthful stories. On today's show, we discuss how Jodie processes her work, how she collaborates with others, and what Robert De Niro taught her on the set of Tax…

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173 | Adam Grant On Practical Ways To Unlock Our Creative Potential 1:05:17

3M ago1:05:17

1:05:17

Do you ever feel stuck in your work? Like there's an invisible wall blocking you from generating your best material? You're not alone, and today, we're thrilled to be joined by 5-time NYT bestselling author Adam Grant to talk about just this. Adam's new book HIDDEN POTENTIAL illuminates how we can elevate ourselves and others to unexpected heights,…

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172 | The Money Episode (Don’t Panic!) ft. Paco de Leon 1:07:34

4M ago1:07:34

1:07:34

Don't worry, we hate talking about it too. And yet, Paco de Leon has a way of discussing money that feels safe, generous, and even hopeful. She specializes in helping creatives and freelancers manage their money by talking about what they believe about their income and even...gulp...themselves. You'll feel better about both your finances, and yours…

1
171 | Permission To Dream 51:46

4M ago51:46

51:46

As we navigate the holidays, it's easy to look back (and forward) on our career and feel a complicated mix of emotions. But at the end of the day, we HAVE to give ourselves permission to dream if we want to maintain stability in this business. Today, we discuss just that! JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife…

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170 | REBROADCAST: How To Write A Christmas or Holiday Movie (w/ Eirene Tran Donohue) 1:04:43

4M ago1:04:43

1:04:43

It's that time of year when hundreds of Holiday Movies air on screens all over the world. Whether its Hallmark, Lifetime, Disney+, Netflix, or Apple, or even Theaters, it's one of the hottest markets around for emerging and professional writers, and for Holiday screenwriting Queen Eirene Tran Donohue, one of the best ways to break in. Listen to her…

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#48 - John Zaozirny, Literary Manager on The ‘Magic’ That Makes a Hollywood Script, Screenwriting Lessons from Tony Gilroy, How He Finds Clients, Network Building, and Why Not to Write for the Market 36:56

4M ago36:56

36:56

Hello and welcome to Red Carpet Rookies, today’s guest earned his early entertainment industry stripes working at Village Roadshow and Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company Appian Way, later transitioning to the world of literary management, where he has since set up his own management and production company Bellevue Productions. There his clients…

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169 | Oscar Winner Tom McCarthy (Spotlight, Alaska Daily) On Writing For & Working With Actors 1:14:43

4M ago1:14:43

1:14:43

Having begun his career as an actor, and then transitioned to an Oscar-winning writer/director, Tom has worn MANY hats in this business. Because of that, he has a particularly unique point of view when it comes to writing. Today, Tom discusses how he embraces his multiple creative identities when approaching the blank page, especially he considers …

1
#47 - Rhys Thomas: Directing SNL, Secret Marvel Security Meetings, The Handiness of a British Accent, & Making Documentary Now with Bill Hader and Fred Armisen 47:45

4M ago47:45

47:45

Born to a sleepy town in South Wales, after university, he swapped the countryside for the Big Apple where he made his name as the film unit director at New York institution, Saturday Night Live. In addition to his time at 30 Rock, he’s also managed to peel off and create the hilarious documentary satire series Documentary Now with friends Bill Had…

1
168 | WGA Inclusion & Equity Committee Members Discuss Representation and Authenticity In our Writing 1:08:59

5M ago1:08:59

1:08:59

Today we're honored to welcome NINE members from the WGA's inclusion and equity committees in a thoughtful conversation about the state of the industry and representation on and off the page. Today's guests are: Asian American Writers Committee: Kristina Woo Career Longevity Committee: Catherine Clinch Committee of Black Writers: Hilliard Guess Com…

1
#46 - Sam Bain: Writing Peep Show, Crafting Four Lions With Chris Morris, Pre Success ‘Disasters’, Screenwriting Myths, And How Kids TV Made Him 29:47

5M ago29:47

29:47

Hello and welcome to Red Carpet Rookies. I’m very excited to introduce today’s guest who cut his teeth working on the British children’s TV that made up my childhood with shows like The Queens Nose, Tracey Beaker and My Parents are Aliens, before transitioning to his own creations like Fresh Meat and most notably the one and only, the great Peep Sh…

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167 | Writing For Production On A Microbudget (ft. Jeffrey Crane Graham, aka Producer Jeff!) 1:11:04

5M ago1:11:04

1:11:04

This week, producer Jeff walks you through how he got his film Always, Lola from idea to distribution with a VERY low five figure microbudget...and you can too! TO WATCH THE FILM: https://www.alwayslolafilm.com/watchathome TO TAKE THE CLASS: www.jeffgrahamdigital.com/class Territory Info: United States/Canada - Amazon, Apple, Google Play, YouTube A…

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#45 - Julian Caldow: Designing Tim Burton’s Batmobile, World Building Game of Thrones, Bond Gadgets, Proof of Work, & The James Cameron KY Jelly Incident 38:30

5M ago38:30

38:30

Today’s guest began his career working as a runner on James Cameron’s legendary action movie Aliens but found his home in the art department where he honed the skill of concept art becoming one of the foremost illustrators in the business. With a resume that includes movies such as Star Wars Rogue Rogue, The Martian, Gravity, Casino Royale, Tim Bur…

1
166 | A Happy Thanksgiving Throwback To Our First Episode 47:46

5M ago47:46

47:46

Happy Thanksgiving TSLers! Enjoy this throwback to our very first episode.By Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

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165 | Michael Arndt's Act 1 Masterclass (REBROADCAST) 1:22:04

5M ago1:22:04

1:22:04

To prepare for his upcoming appearance on our show, TSL is proud to rebroadcast a classic, Michael Ardnt's Act 1 Masterclass. Little Miss Sunshine's script, written by our guest Michael Arndt, won almost every major industry award, and for good reason. Its warmth, humor, and surefooted commitment to its themes makes it one of the finest scripts wri…

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164 | The Morning Show Showrunner On Incorporating Real World Events Into Our Writing (ft. Charlotte Stoudt) 1:01:02

6M ago1:01:02

1:01:02

The Morning Show is one of TV's most discussed shows, and season 3 showrunner Charlotte Stoudt recognizes it's cultural foothold. For her, the idea of incorporating real world events is all about character, and a chance for both the characters and their discussion of the world around them to illuminate each other. Charlotte also discusses how she r…

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163 | Screenwriting: Joy, Pain, Legacy (2023 Guest Supercut Pt. 2) 1:39:28

6M ago1:39:28

1:39:28

In our time time-honored tradition of asking the same three questions at the end of every show, we wanted to put together a supercut of some great guest responses to be enjoyed in one fell swoop. New episodes Featured in today's supercut: - Nora Twomey - Eirene Tran Donohue - Constanza and Domenica Castro - Allison Tolman - Dustin Lance Black - Dan…

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162 | Screenwriting: Joy, Pain, Legacy (2023 Guest Supercut Pt. 1) 1:00:21

6M ago1:00:21

1:00:21

In our time time-honored tradition of asking the same three questions at the end of every show, we wanted to put together a supercut of some great guest responses to be enjoyed in one fell swoop. Part two coming Monday! Featured in today's supercut: - Matt Lieberman - Monique N. Matthews - Sean Presant - Stacy Rukeyser - Sam Bain - Nicole Perlman -…

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161 | LIVE Stephen's College Story Workshop + Writing Exercises for Act 2 1:04:42

6M ago1:04:42

1:04:42

We're back for another story workshop, plus some amazing suggestions for writing exercises to help crack act 2. Join our patreon: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglifeBy Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

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160 | Documentary Filmmaking (And Writing) w/ Monique N. Matthews and Linda Goldstein Knowlton 1:24:02

6M ago1:24:02

1:24:02

Believe it or not, documentary filmmaking has lots in common with traditional narrative feature filmmaking...tune in today to learn why, with two award-winning documentarians! TO SEE MONIQUE'S DOC (screening this week!): https://www.birthingjustice.com/screenings/ FOR MORE ON LINDA: https://ladylikefilms.com/ TO JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/th…

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#44 - Charles Steel: Producing Top Boy, Meetings With Drake, Importance of Hustle, Finding Your Why, & Putting Jude Law on a Russian Submarine 31:50

6M ago31:50

31:50

Today’s guest has one of the most varied resumes of anyone in the film and TV business. Having produced everything from megahit Top Boy to winning a BAFTA for The Last King of Scotland, making documentaries and more, I can’t wait to hear his story and learn from his journey to success in the industry. He also has one of the coolest names of any gue…

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159 | Writing For Video Games & Interactive Screenwriting w/ Shanon M. Ingles and Stephan Bugaj 1:25:25

7M ago1:25:25

1:25:25

Throughout the 21st century, video games have become one of pop cultures most valuable mediums, and their narrative ambition grows with each passing year. Today we feature two of the industries top writers, Shanon M. Ingles (Batman: A Telltale Series) and Stephan Bugaj (Tales From the Borderlands) to discuss how the industry has evolved from a writ…

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158 | Mail Bag 1:16:41

7M ago1:16:41

1:16:41

Today, we do one of our favorite things: answer YOUR questions. As is always the case, a theme emerged across your questions and our conversation, which boils down to one of the hardest and most important questions we face as artists. How are we supposed to feel validated in our work, especially when it's hard? Don't forget to join us for our FINAL…

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157 | (REBROADCAST) The Definitive Lava Episode 58:09

7M ago58:09

58:09

TSL was on set this week! (Exciting - more soon)...but because our bandwidth was stretched a bit thin, we're going to be rebroadcasting a fan favorite: the lava episode! There may be no topic we discuss more on this show than lava, so we decided to put an episode together unpacking the entire volcano.…

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#43 - Adam Epstein: Editing The Bear's Best Episode, The Addictive Life of Saturday Night Live, Compounding Relationships & The Music of Editing 28:54

7M ago28:54

28:54

Hello and welcome to Red Carpet Rookies. Today’s guest is a first for a the show. Someone who began his career in the world of comedy editing. With eight years at the legendary Saturday Night Live to his name, he’s been in the cutting room for skits featuring Margot Robbie as a murderous librarian, Ed Norton in a Wes Anderson themed horror movie pa…

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156 | SPECIAL: The Elevator Pitch + Austin Film Festival Prep Workshop 1:33:28

7M ago1:33:28

1:33:28

The Austin Film Festival is many things, but one if its most infamous opportunities is the annual 90-second pitch competition, where writers join to do just that: pitch their story in JUST 90 seconds. In the industry, we call this "the elevator pitch" and its more important now than ever. To help us unpack the nature of elevator pitching, we're fea…

1
155 | 6 Essential Strategies To Tackle a Rewrite 58:50

7M ago58:50

58:50

There is nothing worse than writer's block when facing a rewrite, but there's hope! Today we discuss 6 Essential Strategies To Tackle a Rewrite. JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglifeBy Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

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#42 - Juliet Taylor: Legendary Casting Director on Taxi Driver & The Exorcist, Discovering Meryl Streep, Spielberg's Pot Smoking 80s Crew, Career Luck, Woody Allen, & Collaborating With A Holocaust Survivor ... 36:34

7M ago36:34

36:34

Today’s guest is one of the most notable casting directors in the history of movie making. Beginning her career under the tutelage of legendary casting director Marion Doughtery, our guest then transitioned to making a name for herself and by god did she. Now retired, during her epic career she was responsible for the casting of films including but…

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154 | How To Prioritize Multiple Projects As A Writer (ft. Ted Hope) 1:26:33

8M ago1:26:33

1:26:33

We're back for part two w/ super producer Ted Hope! This week, we talk about some of Ted's top pieces of advices for living a successful creative life, and spend a long time talking about the importance of balancing multiple projects as a creative.By Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

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153 | Is My Script Ready To Send To Producers? (ft. Ted Hope) 1:25:18

8M ago1:25:18

1:25:18

You finally get the meeting, make the connection, and a bigshot producer is excited to read your script. But you panic. Is it good enough? Is it READY? Today, award-winning independent film producer Ted Hope walks us through those always complicated questions, and answers TONS more along the way. FOR MORE: https://tedhope.substack.com…

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152 | The Movies That Made Us Writers 1:01:35

8M ago1:01:35

1:01:35

Every writer can point to a movie that made them say: "THIS. This is what I want to do." And today, Meg, Lorien, and Jeff share the movies that turned THEM into writers. Yep, we're movie nerds too. JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/TheScreenwritingLIfeBy Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

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151 | Rethinking Screenplay Structure w/ The Nutshell Technique (ft. Jill Chamberlain) 58:53

8M ago58:53

58:53

Though it can sometimes feel like a prison, screenplay structure is actually a very freeing element of the story process. Jill Chamberlain, a veteran script consultant, is obsessive about structure, to the point where she has created a popular technique to re-consider how we approach our work. On her technique, producer Callum Greene (Star Wars Epi…

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150 | How To Say Yes To Yourself as a Writer (ft. Showrunners Kat Likkel and John Hoberg) 1:14:16

9M ago1:14:16

1:14:16

As collaborators and showrunners, Kat Likkel and John Hoberg know that shutting down ideas is never helpful. This was only emphasized when they joined Pixar's Elemental team as writers. Today we discuss how to collaborate well with others (and ourselves), how to bring our personal experience into our work, and duckboat. Yes, you read that right: du…

1
149 | Moving On and the Wisdom of Stephen Sondheim 31:54

9M ago31:54

31:54

**PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EPISODE WAS PRE-RECORDED & PRECEDED THE 2023 WGA STRIKE.** In today's TSL epsiode, Meg gets personal about her lava, and how a recent production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George is helping her to rethink the beauty of moving on from a creative project. JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglif…

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