Austin Film Festival"s On Story

55:43

The Studio, with Alex Gregory

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/09/23

This week on On Story, a conversation on the hit comedy The Studio, with co-creator and showrunner Alex Gregory. The Studio stars Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the newly-appointed head of a faltering production studio who must balance his love of film against the corporate interests of a profit-driven and risk-averse entertainment industry. The Studio's star-studded ensemble cast also includes Kathryn Hahn, Bryan Cranston, and Catherine O'Hara in her final on-screen performance, as well as cameos from

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59:47

Inside the Writers Room: Hacks

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/09/09

This week on On Story, a conversation on Hacks with its co-creator and co-showrunner Jen Statsky. Hacks follows the odd-couple antics of trailblazing standup comedian Deborah Vance, played by Jean Smart, and struggling up-and-coming comedy writer Ava Daniels, played by Hannah Einbinder, who's hired to help Deborah breathe new life into her worn-out routine. The pair form a close bond as Ava pushes Deborah to take risks and pursue her lifelong dream of hosting a late night talk show. Hacks is packed

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35:46

On Abbott Elementary, with Patrick Schumacker

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/08/26

This week on On Story, a conversation on Abbott Elementary with its co-showrunner Patrick Schumacker. Abbott Elementary is ABC's hit mockumentary sitcom set at a chaotic, underfunded elementary school in West Philadelphia. The show's creator and co-showrunner Quinta Brunson stars as optimistic and energetic second-grade teacher Janine Teagues. She works with the awkward but well meaning Jacob, her fiery no-nonsense mentors Barbara and Melissa, new hire Gregory, and the vain and outlandish Principal

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27:39

Dear White People, with Justin Simien

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/08/12

This week on On Story, we're joined by Justin Simien, the writer-director of the film Dear White People, and the creator of the TV adaptation of the same name, which ran for four seasons on Netflix. The film follows Samantha White, played by Tessa Thompson, a media arts major at a fictional ivy league university who stirs controversy on campus by criticizing her white peers and their racist transgressions on her Dear White People radio show. The TV adaptation expanded in scope to focus on an

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24:49

The Writer/Producer Relationship with Celine Song and...

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/07/29

This week on On Story, a conversation on the writer-producer relationship with Celine Song and Christine Vachon. Celine Song began her writing career as a playwright. Her first film, Past Lives, follows the relationship between childhood sweethearts living in South Korea, who are separated when one of them emigrates to the United States, only to reunite and rebuild their complicated relationship as adults. Past Lives was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and its script earned Song a

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34:31

Refeed: The Bear, with Joanna Calo

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/07/15

This week on On Story, a conversation with Joanna Calo, showrunner of the character-driven dramedy The Bear. Joanna delves into her experience sharing showrunning duties with creator Christopher Storer, and discusses their approach to incorporating real life events into the show's deeply grounded characters and high stakes world. As a television veteran, Joanna's writing credits include Bojack Horseman, Hacks, Beef, and today's subject, The Bear. The Bear tells the story of Carmy Berzatto, played

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51:26

The Michael Arndt Deep Dive

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/07/01

This week on On Story, a conversation with screenwriter Michael Arndt. Arndt began his screenwriting career on a high when he wrote the script for the family road trip dramedy Little Miss Sunshine. That script earned Arndt the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Next, Arndt wrote the script for Toy Story 3, which was nominated for the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, making Arndt the first ever writer to be nominated in both of the Academy's screenplay categories for his first two

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26:31

The Wedding Singer, with Tim Herlihy

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/06/17

This week on On Story, we're joined by comedian and screenwriter Tim Herlihy for a look back at the beloved 90s romcom The Wedding Singer. Set in 80s New Jersey, the film follows the romantic misfortunes of Robbie Hart, a rock-star turned wedding singer played by Adam Sandler, whose life is thrown off track when his fiance dumps him on their wedding day. Robbie's love life is further complicated when he starts developing feelings for his friend Julia, a waitress, played by Drew Barrymore, who's

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25:51

The Nice Guys, with Shane Black

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/06/03

This week on On Story, a conversation with Shane Black on his work co-writing and directing The Nice Guys. Set in 70s Los Angeles, The Nice Guys stars Ryan Gosling as Holland March, a down-on-his-luck private detective and single father hired to investigate the death of a local adult film star. March's detective work puts him on a collision course with the brass-knuckle-wearing private enforcer Jackson Healy, played by Russell Crowe. Healy and March form an unlikely team as their investigation

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25:30

A Knight's Tale, with Brian Helgeland

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/05/20

This week on On Story, a conversation with Brian Helgeland on his work writing and directing the 2001 medieval sports-comedy A Knight's Tale. A Knight's Tale stars Heath Ledger as William Thatcher, an ambitious fourteenth-century squire who is determined to change his fate and escape his life of servitude. William's chance at glory arrives when his master is killed in a jousting tournament, and he decides to don his master's armor and compete in his place. With the help of his fellow squires, and

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26:03

Se7en Q&A, with Andrew Kevin Walker

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/05/06

This week on On Story, we'll travel back to the 90s with a retrospective on the crime thriller Se7en, with its screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker. Directed by David Fincher, Se7en stars Brad Pitt as David Mills, an idealistic young detective with a short fuse, who's still adjusting to the violence and apathy of life in the big city. Mills is paired with William Somerset, a jaded Detective Lieutenant who's only one week from retirement, played by Morgan Freeman. Mills and Somerset are tasked with

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24:48

The Writer's Toolkit: Inspiration

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/04/22

Next Up, we're joined by three accomplished writers, Virgil Williams, Nicole Perlman, and Scott Rosenberg, for a conversation on finding and maintaining inspiration. Virgil Williams began his career in television, writing on 24 and ER. In 2011 Williams joined the writing staff of the grisly FBI procedural Criminal Minds, and stayed on for a six-season run as a writer and producer. Williams earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work writing the script for the 2017

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25:20

On Wicked, with Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/04/08

This week on On Story, a conversation with screenwriters Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, on the years-long labor of love that brought Wicked from the stage to the big screen. Wicked takes us back in time to before the events of the classic film The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The story follows Elphaba Thropp, played by Cynthia Erivo, a misunderstood outcast who was born with green skin, and magical powers that she can't always control. While escorting her younger sister to her first day at university,

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22:32

Refeed: On Dark Winds

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/03/25

This week on On Story, we're taking a trip back in time to an interview with writer, creator, and showrunner Graham Roland, as he discusses developing his AMC series Dark Winds. Roland joined us to share the origins of the project, the creative challenges behind adapting Tony Hillerman's iconic novels, and what excited him most about bringing these characters to the screen. Let's dive into his conversation and hear his thoughts on crafting Dark Winds.

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35:10

On Train Dreams, with Clint Bentley

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/03/11

This week on On Story, Clint Bentley will talk to us about his work writing and directing Train Dreams. Train Dreams recounts the life of Robert Granier, an early 20th century logger and railway construction worker played by Joel Edgerton. Granier works in seasons, and his work keeps him separated from his family for months at a time. Throughout the story, Granier is haunted by the violence he's witnessed in the course of his work, and he spends his life searching for meaning in the face of a world

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16:20

Dead Man's Wire Q&A with Austin Kolodney

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/02/25

This week on On Story, we're joined by screenwriter Austin Kolodney for a conversation on the historical crime thriller Dead Man's Wire. The film is based on the true story of a 1977 kidnapping carried out by Tony Kiritsis. Kiritsis believed that his mortgage broker, Richard O. Hall, was conspiring to unjustly seize Kiritsis' property for himself. On a cold February morning in 1977, Kiritsis went to Hall's office and wired the muzzle of a sawed-off shotgun to Hall's neck. The trigger of the

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26:51

Dissecting Top Gun, with Christopher McQuarrie

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/02/11

This week on On Story, we're joined by a titan of the action genre, Christopher McQuarrie, for a behind the scenes deep dive into Top Gun: Maverick. But before we ride into the sunset, we recommend you follow On Story wherever you get your podcasts. Sometimes finishing your screenplay can feel like trying to land an F-14 Tomcat with a blown out engine and an empty gas tank, but, armed with a wide range of experience writing across film and television, our amazing guests are here to bring you

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25:56

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Q&A, with Rian...

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/01/28

This week on On Story, we're talking to Rian Johnson about his process writing and directing Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. This third installment of the Knives Out series follows an ambitious young Catholic priest, and former boxer, named Jud Duplencity. Jud teams up with detective Benoit Blanc after the divisive Monsignor of his small, rural parish is murdered mid-sermon. Outside of the Knives Out series, Johnson has two decades of experience writing and directing in the mystery and

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28:22

The Prestige Miniseries, with Craig Mazin and Marissa...

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/01/15

This week on On Story, a conversation on the prestige miniseries with Craig Mazin and Marissa Jo Cerar. Craig Mazin is the creator, writer, and executive producer of HBO's Emmy-winning limited series Chernobyl. Chernobyl is a five-episode historical drama following the events leading up to the Chernobyl disaster and the cleanup efforts that followed. Mazin is also known for co-creating and co-writing HBO's The Last of Us, and for his work on comedy films such as Scary Movie 3, and Identity Thief.

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23:13

Succession, with Susan Soon He Stanton

Austin Film Festival"s On Story ·

2026/01/07

This week on On Story, we're joined by Susan Soon He Stanton for a look inside the writers room of the hit HBO drama, Succession. Succession centers on the Roy family, the ultra-rich owners of a global media conglomerate called Waystar RoyCo. The family business is spearheaded by aging patriarch, Logan Roy. As Logan's ability to lead the company becomes more and more uncertain, his adult children fight to out-maneuver their Father, and each other, to seize control. Each of the Roy children enters

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