We talk to Michael Fuller who talks us through the pain and heartbreak of his show Quarry being cut, how he used cigarettes and bourbon to get through it and the balance between being a showrunner and being part of other people's shows. He talks about the dilemma of writing your soul and writing to make a living with a family, what he's learned about the industry and what he learned as an adult (and why he encourages other writers to take acting classes). And he tells those considering joining t...
Jun 10, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 28
We talk to lawyer-turned-writer Melissa London Hilfers. She talks about her transition from attorney to entertainment, what her old colleagues think of her new role (and how they are easily impressed by celebrity namedropping) and the sense of achievement she gets from her creative work. In painful detail, she walks us through the time another writer told her he wanted to do a 'page one' rewrite of her script and how she circled around Los Angeles in an uber crying. She describes writing her fir...
Jun 03, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 27
This week's guest is the extraordinary writer, creator and double Emmy winner Javier Grillo-Marxuach. He works out how many of his 23 shows have been cancelled (a few), how many he has quit (some) and which were the ones he cared most about and were most proud of (The Middleman). We talk about how winning Emmys 'doesn't suck' (and giving them to his parents to display), the joy of being able to create a show he loved and the time he tried, and failed, to sell out. Javi talks about some of the fr...
May 27, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 26
We talk to the extraordinary writer and producer Akela Cooper. She talks about combatting the loneliness of writing, particularly during a pandemic, the sage advice of her mother and the discipline of constantly working on her own projects even when in a room. Akela talks honestly and openly about an abusive experience she faced, how she had the strength to walk away and the fear that she would be branded 'difficult' in a tough industry. She explains how she overcame that challenging time, what ...
May 20, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 25
We talk to legendary writer, show creator and exec producer Glen Mazzara. He talks about crisis training in the entertainment industry, how he still suffers from imposter syndrome and the time a knife fight broke out on the Shield when prostitutes mixed with actresses playing prostitutes. Glen told us about facing such a serious rejection that he couldn't get out of bed for three weeks and it took a year, and a commencement speech at NYU, to get over it. We discuss the need to provide better tra...
May 13, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 24
We talk to the extraordinary Ryan Knighton, a blind writer of books and TV. He explains how blindness helps him with the art of describing scenes, using the time he doesn't spend on driving and video games to perfect his craft and the risks of being typecast and only being asked to work on visual impairment projects. Ryan also talks about the advantage of pitching without seeing people's responses, how he uses nudging with his assistant to help him and whether or not he thinks he has lost projec...
May 06, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 23
We talk to Kira Snyder, computer game designer-turned-writer and now showrunner. She talks about the 'new' Hollywood and its concern for mental health and wellbeing, how working in corporate America has helped her prepare to be a showrunner and why working on Eureka was so fulfilling. Kira talks about diversity, how failed computer games prepared her for failure in Hollywood and the importance of working on projects you really care about. We discuss making the next project the most important, th...
Apr 29, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 22
We talk to writer and graphic novelist Bryan Hill. He tells us about an extraordinarily cruel early rejection, how he channeled that, and other setbacks, into success and why he feels without failure he wouldn’t have done what he’s done. Bryan talks passionately about dealing with setbacks, staying true to the writer you want to be and helping your managers help you. And he also gives the most extraordinary piece of advice to aspiring writers - a step-by-step walkthrough of a winning movie formu...
Apr 22, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 21
We talk to showrunner Joe Henderson about his Hollywood journey. He talks about his formative years as an assistant and how he is grateful for the extended period he spent at this position - but then also about his triple promotion. Joe talks about the complications of Lucifer: the odd premise, the early cancellation the stop-go issues around later series - but also its tremendous success. He explains whether or not he expects people to have watched his shows, the importance of maintaining quali...
Apr 15, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 20
We hear the fascinating take of Jeffrey Lieber, the creator of the first version of the Lost pilot. We talk about how he dealt with his relationship with the show as it went in a different direction, the years it took him to process it and his views on the show and how the ending was received. He talks about why he writes, the role therapy has played and how he approaches new roles. He talks about the struggle of writers, what he is hoping to achieve with Charmed and the importance of story, col...
Apr 08, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 19
We talk to veteran writer Jose Molina. He talks through the balance between finding a long-running show, finding a show you like and making bold and reckless decision early in your career. He explains why young writers should actually take advice from their mentors, even if they think none of the rules apply to them, why he quit SVU and he tries to define 'success'. Jose talks about worrying less about his next gig and more about his next gig being the right one, the important of working to pay ...
Apr 01, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 18
We talk to Marc Bernardin about his different careers and the different types of failure he suffered. He talks about journalism, being fired while on vacation and knowing when to break the rules and reach out to interview subjects for opportunities in writing. He explains the pros and cons of diversity hires in Hollywood, getting fired from TV writing and then his return to journalism. Marc tells us how he got back to screenwriting while working for Playboy, making the most of his opportunities ...
Mar 25, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 17
We talk to David Goodman, veteran writer and WGA West President. He talks about the pain of a comedy writer pitching jokes that don’t land, the thin line to tread between comedy and causing offense and knowing you’ll get fired if you can’t make people laugh. He describes some iconic comedy rooms, talks about his animated show that got made but never aired and the responsibility of Guild presidency and standing up for writers everywhere. Extraordinary anecdotes, insight and advice from a veteran ...
Mar 18, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 16
We talk to show creator Mickey Fisher. He tells us about how his 'overnight success' wasn't actually overnight, being fired in hotel rooms and having his gate pass for the studio revoked as the first sign his show was getting cancelled. He explains his version of imposter syndrome, getting fired from a role as a three-wheel motorbike ambassador and his first meeting and instant bonding with a very pregnant Halle Berry. He talks honestly about nearly quitting his dream, knowing his limitations an...
Mar 11, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 15
We talk to the amazing John Rogers. The veteran writer and showrunner gives his views from 30 years in the industry. He tells the amazing story of the awful Catwoman, how he owned his role in the movie, what went wrong and buying rounds with 'Catwoman money'. John tells us about the transition from stand-up comedian and sitcom actor to Cosby, developing the Jackie Chan animated series and being 'on the list' as a showrunner. He described buying fountain pens as his treat, the multiple failures i...
Mar 04, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 14
We talk to the extraordinary Shawn Simmons about his cult hit Wayne. He tells us about the rare occurrence of having his network cancelled under his show, the joy of a show being reborn on Amazon and the 'heat' of having a hit show. But he also explains about the expectation of failure amid the success, the incredible learning of coming up through the development side of the business and working on kids TV. Shawn tells us how close he came to quitting, going two years without a job and the 'dark...
Feb 25, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 13
We talk to horror writer Jeff Howard. He tells us about being rejected - with various levels of misfortune - by Nicolas Cage, John Stamos and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. He talks about the kiss of death 'well told', the desire for a quick 'no' and self-sabotaging a meeting by failing to read the room. And Noah tells the story of pitching to a sleeping exec. Jeff tells us about his movie that was sold, then died, then they were asked to re-pitch the same movie - just another way Hollywood can reje...
Feb 18, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Prodigious writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe joins the podcast. He talks honestly about missing out on his dream Lord of the Rings project, the amount of time spent continuously looking for his next role and his ratio of 8 failures for every success - meaning hundreds of rejections in his long career. He tells us about the relief of working on long-running shows, the excitement of being on Star Trek and the meagre budgets he had to work with Andromeda compared to today's blockbusters. Robert also recou...
Feb 11, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 11
We talk to actor and writer Geoffrey Thorne. The actor turned writer tells his extraordinary story of riches to rags and back to riches again. He talks about why he walked away from a successful acting career in In the Heat of Night, the people that doubted him, the desperate times of pretending to be his own manager and being turned for a job drawing Disney-style porno promos. He talks about the struggles to make it as a writer, hanging on to the positive comments of one editor and building a v...
Feb 01, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 10
We talk to writer-turned-manager John Zaozirny, President of Bellevue Productions. He talks about his move from writing to management, stories of firing and being fired and why he loves the industry. John talks about being fired even when he has created success for his clients, the slow death of projects and the need to be careful with overnight success. He explains why he tries to help new writers brace for failure, how he does pastoral care for his talent ('more nurse than doctor') and the imp...
Jan 28, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 9
We talk to the amazing Ann Cusack. She speaks honestly about the process of dealing with rejection, what she learned from the roles she didn’t get and the obsession with social media and the illusion of success. She talks about the under-rated importance of just being a nice person, working on harmonious sets and remembering to say thank you. Ann tells us about the support system of being part of a successful Hollywood family, the absence of sibling rivalry and also the importance of finding you...
Jan 21, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 8
We talk to writer and showrunner Matthew Federman. He talks about how he runs a writing room and pro-actively solves problems, the mistakes he made pitching and what he's learned from brilliant bosses. He explains the slightly broken Hollywood hiring process, why he cares about his writers who work for him so much and how he didn't make the most of career opportunities after working on the West Wing. Matt also tells us he came on the podcast to explain that making it in Hollywood is harder than ...
Jan 14, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 7
We talk to Maze Runner writer Grant Pierce Myers. He tells us about getting a movie green lit and being fired in a single phone call, the challenge of backing up a hit with a second success and the importance of courtesy among writers when you're brought on for a rewrite. He tells us about reading he has been kicked off a movie in the trades, the importance of savoring wins and having 'Hollywood days' with his wife. An honest analysis of rejection in the entertainment business by a brilliant wri...
Jan 07, 2021•46 min•Season 1Ep. 6
We talk to the extraordinary Sheryl J. Anderson, veteran writer and showrunner. She tells us how 'famous, toxic' writers' rooms taught her how to lead her own show the right way, her regrets about not speaking up to protect women writers in her youth and the tremendous influence of her military father. She explains how the best work can be done by a happy team, how the extraordinary success of Sweet Magnolias only inspires her to work harder and her 'law school' moments of sitting on the kitchen...
Dec 29, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 5
We talk to screenwriter Dan Hernandez. He tells us about how he handled the pressure of writing fan favorite Detective Pikachu, the big opportunities that got away in his career and going to high school with Josh Gad. He explains the benefits of being part of a writing duo, the importance of finding people around you with good 'taste' and how he handles the anxiety and rejection of a career in Hollywood. Dan tells how every big rejection in his career led back to eventual success, losing a movie...
Dec 23, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Actor Erik Palladino talks us through his rollercoaster career after 30 years in Hollywood. He tells us how his pilots never get picked up, the time he was told he had a job by his agent on a Friday and on the Monday they admitted they’d called the wrong person and how, as an older actor, he worries more about his next paycheck than becoming a star. He tells us about how he deals with rejection, his calmer philosophy about missing out on parts as he gets older and the time he didn’t learn his li...
Dec 17, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Screenwriter Zack Stentz gives an honest account of the tough world of Hollywood and what a writer has to go through to make it. He talks about the red carpet highs of Thor and X-Men First Class but then the long periods of struggling to get anything made. In a powerful and candid discussion he talks about dealing with toxic fandom, the emotions of splitting from a long-time writing partner and going it alone as well the transition from film to tv and back again. He talks about his fears of bein...
Dec 10, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 2
We talk to Adele Lim, writer on Crazy Rich Asians and the new Disney movie Raya and the Last Dragon. She talks about her journey from TV to film and her struggles along the way. Adele tells us she wrote some of her best work while coping with the anger of pregnancy-related discrimination, the monsters in TV writing rooms and why, as an Asian female, she felt she had to be better and harder working than colleagues around her. She talks about becoming an accidental role model after her very public...
Dec 02, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Your hosts Noah Evslin and Dan Rutstein explain what their new podcast is all about. Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss, is a podcast about failure, rejection and adversity in the entertainment industry. Seasoned Hollywood writer Noah and former diplomat and podcaster Dan take you on a journey through the lows of Hollywood life and are joined each week by a talented guest who will guide you through their journey and how they dealt with the difficult times along the way. It's honest, candid, insp...
Nov 29, 2020•10 min
