On The Page

Pilar and her friends Brian Pope and Mike Musa get together for their annual discussion/argument about the best screenplay and best adapted screenplay Oscar nominees.

Ready, set, go!  Determined to finally get your script “out of your head and onto the page?” Hear how Pilar helped one of her toughest cases: her husband Pat!

Author / illustrator Vincent X. Kirsch talks about the ways that picture books have helped him write better screenplays and the ways screenwriting has helped him make better picture books. 

Writers aren’t the only ones who have to work their way up.  Producer Mandy June Turpin has paid her dues and now has a roster of projects to talk about - as well as advice about how to develop a movie from script to screen.

Siobhan Bachman is a TV executive who previously developed IP for Archie Studios (Riverdale), worked as a manager at 360, was ABC’s UK Comedy and Drama Development Scout and may or may not have discovered a chap named John Oliver. Here, she shares her wisdom about character development, IP adaptation and the differences between British and American story development.

Manager Kate Brogden of The Cartel discusses what she looks for in a great animated project and a great animation client. A must-listen if you write animation or just love watching it.

Career coach Lee Jessup returns to discuss the writing trends popular in 2019 and shares what’s ahead for the new year.

Pilar and Aadip evaluate log lines sent in by listeners. Who will get a consider, recommend or pass? 

TV literary agent Davina Hefflin (The Gersh Agency) talks about her work with writers and the storytelling and character development that moves her on the page.

Writer Scotty Mullen returns to the podcast to talk about his upcoming holiday movie, the Christmas tropes he loves and what it’s like to work with Donna Mills.

Writer/Directors Emily Dell and Hannah Macpherson talk about their productive year creating horror/thriller content and their interesting advice to "come at storytelling sideways."

Announcement of the deadline and rules for the 2019 Logline Competition.  Plus 10 patterns to help build your logline.

Writer/Directors Etta Devine, Barbara Stepansky and April Wright return to talk about a year writing on Outlander, getting a blacklist script produced, creating an award winning documentary and much more.

Writer and television journalist Michael Grebb returns to discuss “Five Big Trends Writers Should Know About” including a new take on "peak TV," the death of the television season and the fact that almost everything in the industry is motivated by CYA.

Kelsey Calaitges, development executive at Frederator Studios (Adventure Time, The Fairly Odd Parents) and writer on GO! Cartoons Bravest Warriors shares wisdom about pitching and writing for character-driven animation.

Pilar and writer Jake Morgan discuss ways to combine genre, tone and intention to create the perfect “genre mash” television show.

Hear how, after seventeen years of stops and starts, Matt Harris’s script “The Starling” was produced with actors Melissa McCarthy, Kevin Kline, Chris O’Dowd, Timothy Olyphant and director Ted Melfi.

Pilar offers “Five Easy Rewrites” and writers on social media add over 40 more!  Take notes on this one.

Writer Anne Kruse shares five concepts that build writer perseverance.

David Wright, writer/producer on Star Trek: Lower Decks, discusses the storytelling legacy of Star Trek.