It's the final episode of 2021! Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman wonder if writers should take a break from writing over the holidays. Should we recharge or power through? Sit back, relax, and enjoy the end of season 2... Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the great Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Home Alone has a perfect setup, and Home Sweet Home Alone is probably a lot better than you think. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dive into the beginnings of both movies to discuss character, plot, and how small moments turn to big things. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the great Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Which DIE HARD movie is your favorite? Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman will go to their graves believing DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE is the best in the series, but here they go up against Special Guest David Levinson who goes to the mat for The OG DIE HARD. Who’s right, who’s wrong? Watch the movie then follow along as they break down the three acts of DIE HARD 3 to find out what its secrets are, how its crafted, and if it really does transcend the original. The Act Two Breakdown Series takes an ...
One of the most difficult things for a Screenwriter is figuring out how to work with your Execs. They pay you, so are they your boss? They can veto your choices (because they're paying you), so should you just do what they say? What should the dynamic between a Writer and a Producer look like? Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman speak with a Producer about real-life Writer/Producer scenarios that haven't worked, and discuss why and what lessons Screenwriters can learn from those experiences. Questi...
This Week in Writing wherein host Josh Hallman has a breakthrough in how to break story, reveals part of his process that makes him look like a crazy man, and takes notes from a lawyer about the “art of persuasion”; and wherein host Tasha Huo has to pitch someone who doesn’t react and handles it by over-compensating, and learns about a very hidden “note behind the note” in her latest studio notes document. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg...
Holidays are here, and it’s time to panic about what to get your reps. Freak out no more! Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman give some great gift ideas, and share some insider info from reps themselves on what gifts they are actually looking for this year. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Action is its own unique writing skill and different masters craft their action differently. That's why, in this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dive into the specific writing techniques used by some of the best action writers in the business, including Derek Kolstad, James Cameron and Shane Black. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
If you are a working Screenwriter, you will receive Submissions from Producers as a regular part of your job. Screenwriters Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss how to handle those submissions, what producers are expecting of you when they submit to you, and how to succeed in the submission game. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman chime in on some of the most hotly-debated topics on Screenwriting Twitter going on right now. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman surprise each other with popular Film prompts that they have to, on the spot, pitch as a TV show. It's an exercise in how to think about adaptation, about the difference between TV and Film, and how to jumpstart the idea process when thinking about your own original TV ideas. How would YOU adapt your favorite movie as a TV show? Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg...
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss where they get their ideas and inspiration from, what tricks they use in Act Two, and how to start asking more questions about your world to get the brain juices flowing. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
To write for free or not to write for free, that is the oft-asked Screenwriter’s question . So, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss situations in their own careers when they’ve been asked to do free work, what that looked like and why they did it. They also discuss the various ways free work can come up for Screenwriters, and debate whether writers should or should not engage. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg...
Austin Film Festival 2021 runs from October 21 - 28, so host Tasha Huo chats with co-host Josh Hallman who has been to AFF twice. First in 2014, when he won the Fade to Black Award for his action-comedy I F****d James Bond and also met his Agent, and again in 2019 with his festival favorite short, Robu (now available on YouTube starring Emmy winner, Jharrel Jerome). Act Two’s resident expert on AFF, Josh spills the beans on what it’s like to go to the festival and shares practical tips and trick...
Host Josh Hallman makes co-host Tasha Huo tell the story of how she became a Showrunner on TOMB RAIDER: THE ANIMATED SERIES, what the job entails, what surprises there were, and steps writers can take to prepare for the job. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Sit down with hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman as they chat about a new slew of real-life problems and complications that have come up for Screenwriters working in the industry right now, and how the Screenwriter overcame them. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Knowing how to break your ideas and scripts into Notecards can be an extremely valuable tool in your writer’s tool chest, and is key to understanding a career in TV development. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman get into the nitty gritty of what developing with Notecards looks like, lessons they’ve learned about the process, and how to make them useful in your own Screenwriting career. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg...
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss a topic every screenwriter loves... your reps! Specifically, how to maintain a good relationship with your reps and what a working relationship looks like. This episode is a companion piece to a previous episode, which you can find here: How to have a good relationship with your reps. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg...
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dish on their week in Screenwriting, including writing advice from an Emmy-award winning casting director, how writing a fan letter to an author could lead to a job, what happens when you get a note you don't want to address, and more! Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman hang out with September Act Two Mentor, Mr. Monty Bennett, to discuss the daily life of a staff writer in a TV room. They share stories on everything from when you're expected to file in for the day, what's the snack situation, room politics, and how to pitch a good idea. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg...
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down and talk about their favorite thing -- action setpieces in movies. Breaking down iconic action sequences from four different films, they discuss how story structure, reversals, and character development are all key ingredients to crafting an action scene. Turns out, action is so much more than just punching someone in a really cool way. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg...
Part II of the Notes Commandments series, wherein hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down the best, most effective (and simultaneously, the kindest) way to GIVE notes to Screenwriters, and what Screenwriters should expect in their own notes meetings with producers and executives. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with Screenwriter James Stoteraux, Executive-Producer of "Batwoman", after his thread about his volatile experience at Columbia's graduate film program went viral on Twitter. We get honest with James as we all share our Film School experiences, how we feel Film School failed us, where film academia excels, and how to make the most of your program if you are taking the college plunge or are actively in Film School already. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriter...
There are many ways to stay proactive in your writing life. If you're sitting on a script you're passionate about, there are (creative) ways to get it into the world. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk about the different outlets screenwriters have and ways to be an advocate for yourself. Edited by the great Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Some Screenwriters think Open Writing Assignments (OWAs) are a waste of time and a product of the Devil, other Screenwriters build sustainable careers off of them, and still others believe they are a unique gateway for up & coming Screenwriters to get their foot in the door. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman walk through what OWAs are, the different types, and the Pros & Cons to engaging on them. Edited by the great Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg . Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail....
A busy week of A-list writer meltdowns, reps pushing us to be selfish jerkoids, organization coming back to haunt us, and one TV writer’s tirade against film school — Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dish on their This Week in Writing, in the life of a professional Screenwriter. Edited by the great Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
In this Screenwriter-nerd episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman get specific about how they and other professional Screenwriters organize their files. Easy and clear organization becomes extremely important as you receive notes that could take you through years of development on the same project. A clean organization of your documents will allow you to refer back to single scenes from months ago, easily call back old drafts that suddenly become relevant with new producers, or for any number ...
A busy week of new discoveries, bizarre meetings and franchise opportunities -- Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dish on their This Week in Writing, in the life of a professional Screenwriter. Edited by the great Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with screenwriter and master of the adaptation Evan Spiliotopoulos ( Snake Eyes, The Huntsman: Winter's War, Beauty and the Beast ) to discuss how he approaches adaptation vs. an original idea, and how his latest film, the horror movie THE UNHOLY, based on the novel "Shrine" by James Herbert, was a unique adaptation experience. Evan also opens up about what it's like to be a Screenwriter making his directorial debut (and during a global pandemic!). Edite...
This was the description I wrote — Writing for the small screen is not the same as writing for the big screen. They are completely different skills. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with feature writer David Levinson -- who is currently writing his first TV pilot -- to discuss the growing pains between writing for Film vs. TV, how each requires a different way of thinking about story, and how they've approached adapting their screenwriting skills to the small screen. Ed...
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the personal stories they consider turning points in their Screenwriting careers. Edited by the great Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
