PODCAST

Act Two Podcast

Tasha Huo & Josh Hallman

Behind-the-Scenes of the Business and Craft of professional Screenwriting.

tv & film film interviews

All Episodes

39:19

New Year's Resolutions: How to Make (Writing) Goals

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/12/28

Sure, New Year's Resolutions suck and never work. But, what if your writing resolutions DID work? What if by Dec. 31st of next year, your career looked vastly different? It can happen. You (and only you) have the power to progress your career over the next year. In this special End of Year episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk in detail about how they make writing goals, their tricks on how to keep them, and how to wield those goals into real actionable, career-changing steps. Next year,

01:29:02

The Breakdown: LETHAL WEAPON (Demystifying a Legend)

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/12/21

There is a legend among Screenwriters that Shane Black wrote LETHAL WEAPON right out of college, sold it immediately, and that his first draft was what went into production. Tearing down that myth are hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman, with Special Guest David Levinson, who go behind the scenes of how this holiday action movie really came to be. The truth is nowhere close to mythic, and much closer to the hard reality of what it takes to get a movie made. Hint: Shane Black wasn't the only writer! It

48:39

The Breakdown: Back to the Future (Act 3 - Obstacles...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/12/14

BACK TO THE FUTURE, crafted by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, has one of the most satisfying endings in film. It accomplishes this through building continuous Obstacles and Paying Off all the Setups from Act One. In this last installment of The Breakdown: BTTF Edition, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down just how a perfect, satisfying ending is pulled off at the writing level. The Breakdown Series is a special, ongoing series where hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman tear into the Screenwriting

01:11:25

The Breakdown: BACK TO THE FUTURE (Act Two - The Art...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/12/06

BACK TO THE FUTURE, written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, is a masterclass in how to craft the perfect Act Two. It has a powerful story engine, unexpected twists and turns, emotional ups and downs, and it forces the audience to be an active participant in the adventure. In this second installment of The Breakdown: BTTF Edition, Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down just how Zemeckis and Gale pulled all this off to create one of the most perfect films in history -- Hint: Cause & Effect. The

50:49

First Script is Done. Now what?

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/11/30

You've written your first script and you're ready to show it to the world. Where do you share it? Who do you trust with feedback, and what do you do with it? When is your ego getting in the way, and how can you tell? Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk about their first scripts and the hard lessons they learned when they were confident film school grads just starting out. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg

01:12:07

The Breakdown: BACK TO THE FUTURE (Act One)

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/11/23

BACK TO THE FUTURE, written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, wasn't always the perfect movie you think it was. The original draft was far from the genius that made it to screen. In this special holiday episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman take a close look at how Zemeckis and Gale handle Act One problems like setups, character intros, theme, dialogue, and suspense in the masterpiece that is BACK TO THE FUTURE, and they compare the rocky, more adult first draft to the finished tour de force that

39:25

Get Competitive: Guest Interview w/ Nicole Ramberg,...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/11/16

Competitions are a very effective way to jumpstart your Screenwriting career. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with Nicole Ramberg, 2020 Winner of the Screencraft Action-Adventure Feature Competition, to discuss how she found Screencraft, the application process, and how winning has affected her writing career. Hint: she now has a manager. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg

01:08:44

A Million Ways: Guest Interview w/ Screenwriter Corey...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/11/08

There are a million ways to a Screenwriting career. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with screenwriter Corey Deshon to discuss his epic Twitter thread on the many starts and stops of his writing career, and how "the slog" is part of the job description. Corey started as a Production Assistant and found immediate success in Hollywood as an indie film writer, but never quite saw his career take off despite sales and produced credits. Now a working staff writer in TV and in

01:08:29

How to Have a Good Relationship with Your Reps

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/11/02

One of the most important and fraught relationships a Screenwriter will ever have is the one they have with their reps. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman field questions from Screenwriters struggling with their Manager / Agent relationships and talk about how to maximize those relationships and how to transform a difficult or stagnant representation team into one that is working for you. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg

35:13

Pitching is Terrible: The Series (Part 2 --...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/10/28

Pitching is terrible. But when you have a pitch format you can rely on, it's that much easier to be confident and successful in the room. In this episode of the "Pitching is Terrible" Series, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the standard formats they use in structuring their feature and TV pitches that make it much less terrible. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg

44:09

Pitching is Terrible: The Series (Part 1 -- What, How...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/10/19

Turns out a Screenwriting career is not just about what you can do on a page. It's also about what you can do in a room. In this first part of a multi-episode series focused entirely on Pitching, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk generally about how you get pitches, what they are, and what you do once you have one. Pitching is terrible, but necessary if you are to have a Screenwriting career. So, let's start by breaking down the beast so we can figure out how to conquer it together. Edited by

35:35

The Confident Writer, an Oxymoron

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/10/13

Confidence can literally make or break your writing career. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman get philosophical as they talk about their struggles with confidence as writers and how they powered through it. It ain't easy, but it is possible. Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com

42:33

Working Hard or Hardly Working? -- A Day in the Life...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/10/05

The first question every Panel Host asks a Screenwriter is, "What does your typical writing day look like?" It's a burning question we've all had because knowing how other writers work effectively can be extremely helpful, especially if you struggle with stress, procrastination, excuses, or timing issues. In this episode, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk through their typical writing day, and chat openly about their writing schedule trials, tribulations, tips and tricks. Edited by Paul

40:24

A Screenwriter Walks into a Festival...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/09/28

... and then what? Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk about their experiences as Screenwriters at Sundance and the Austin Film Festival (respectively) and how it affected their careers. Why should you apply to a screenwriting festival, what do you do once you're at one, and what's the point of them? Tasha and Josh go in-depth on the festival experience as a Screenwriter and why it may be right (or wrong) for you. Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments:

51:13

General Meetings: The Couch & Water Tour

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/09/21

"The Couch & Water Tour" is the colloquial term for the slew of General Meetings that Screenwriters take on the road to finding work and building their network. It's called that because an assistant inevitably tells you to sit on the waiting room couch and asks if you want water. It can feel like a grind, but it's an inescapable and vital part of any screenwriting career. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down what these General Meetings are for, how you get them, and what you do once you're

01:00:11

The Job: TV Staff Writing with Nneka Gerstle

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/09/14

How the heck do you get a Staff Writing job on a TV show? And once you have it, what does the job even look like? Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman grill seasoned staff writer, Nneka Gerstle, on what it's really like to be in a TV Writer's Room. Nneka dispels the mystery surrounding a staff writer's experience, tells the story of how she got her first staff writing job, and breaks down what her day-in-the-life is like in "The Room". Nneka Gerstle has staffed on Tim Kring's "Jason Bourne" spin-off

59:17

HARD KILL: Script to Screen with Joe Russo

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/09/07

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman chat with Act Two member, Joe Russo, about his writing process on HARD KILL, his '90s throwback action movie starring Bruce Willis and former WWE wrestler Eva Marie. Joe walks us through the unique development process of writing a low-budget actioner, illuminates the realities of life as a working Screenwriter, and shares his entertaining tales from the trenches (like meeting Bruce Willis!). Watch HARD KILL now on Amazon Prime HERE. Edited by Paul Lundquist Music

54:46

The Art of the Spec Script

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/08/31

Spec scripts -- original feature-length screenplays you write for free and then try to sell on the market -- are an imperative part of a Screenwriter's profession, particularly for new and mid-level writers. They can offer you a unique control over your career, and have the potential to catapult you into the spotlight overnight. In this episode, Tasha Huo chats with co-host Josh Hallman about his spec writing process. He dives deep into how he develops his spec scripts, what land mines he's faced

01:04:39

Welcome Home: Blank Page to Red Carpet with David...

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/08/24

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down (with some electrolyte margaritas) and chat with screenwriter David Levinson on getting his first movie produced. They break down what it's like for a writer during the entire process, from development, to casting, to eating too much craft services on set in Italy. WELCOME HOME by David Levinson -- A couple rents a villa in Italy hoping to mend their bruised relationship, but the devilishly charming homeowner can't seem to leave them alone. Emmy

35:26

We're Back! Post-Quarantine for Screenwriters

Act Two Podcast ·

2020/08/24

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk surviving the apocalypse as a working screenwriter, what their writing days now look like, what brings them hope and inspiration in these trying times, and what the landscape looks like now as a screenwriter. Spoiler alert! It's not as bleak as you think! Questions/Comments: Tasha.Huo@acttwowriters.com Music by 414beg.

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