Podcast: “On Story”

A look inside the creative process from today’s leading writers and filmmakers.

In October, I will be attending my fifth Austin Film Festival as a panelist, moderator, and presenter. It is a great event and in particular the conference which is focused on screenwriters and filmmakers. I have been quoted as describing it as “Woodstock for screenwriters.”

For several years, they have produced a PBS TV series called On Story which has featured Austin Film Festival Conference sessions with the likes of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, Shane Black, Christopher McQuarrie, Dan Petrie, Jr, and Ted Tally, Danny Boyle, Ed Burns and Jason Reitman, Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, John Lee Hancock, and David Peoples, Scott Frank and Walter Hill, Anglea Kang and Nicole Perlman, Chris Markus and Steve McFeely, and Shane Black.

They also produce an On Story podcast with dozens of interviews including Noah Hawley, John Singleton, Paul Weitz, Vince Gilligan, Beau Willimon, Jonathan Demme, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ron Howard, Callie Khouri, Caroline Thompson, Lawrence Kasdan, and many more.

One of the things I did when I first broke into the business was read, listen, or watch every interview I could with professional screenwriters. I wanted to learn how they approached the craft and what their writing process was. I still do this. Why? Learn from the pros, writers who have worked on the front lines of the film and TV business.

I encourage you to do the same.

You may access the On Story podcast page here.

If you’re planning on attending the 2019 Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Conference, give me a shout-out. It’s always great to meet blog readers and talk screenwriting craft.