The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
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Welcome to The Screenwriting Life. Join us as professional screenwriters, Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna, whose combined credits include writing and production on such films as Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur and Captain Marvel discuss the craft, journey and business of writing for the screen. From dialogue to delivery, Meg and Lorien will guide you through the process, offering inside tips and..
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
2w ago
Even though Debby Wolfe began her career writing "edgy, brooding feminist shorts" (her words), but really found her lane as a writer when she wrote a Modern Family spec that launched her career. Since then, she's written on a number of multi-cams, eventually arriving on Lopez vs. Lopez, which she's currently showrunning. Today, Debby discusses how she manages to produce at the pace Network TV requires, how she staffs, and the importance of character-driven comedy.
Watch Season 2 of Lopez vs Lopez starting on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 with back-to-back episodes at 8/7c and 8:30 ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
2w ago
Jeff Melvoin is - for lack of a better word - a legend in TV. He's an award-winning television writer, producer, showrunner, and educator who has written dozens and produced hundreds of one-hour episodes on over a dozen television series. He's also the founder and chair of the Writers Guild of America's Showrunner Training Program, now entering its 19th year.
Jeff's incredible book RUNNING THE SHOW, the focus of our convo today, is part memoir, part playbook, and part cheat sheet all about TV writing, from staff writer all the way to showrunner. It's a must read.
BUY JEFF'S BOOK: https://www.a ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
2w ago
Cole Haddon is many things: a feature writer, a showrunner, a novelist, but he's grown an incredibly loyal community for his STORY brain, which mostly congregates on his very popular substack.
Today we discuss tone, genre, and plot through a case study in which we compare two very popular TV shows: The Bear and Ted Lasso. In this discussion, we'll trace how, despite them sharing a lot narratively (plot), they exist in totally unique WORLDS when it comes to tone and genre (and why this matters.)
For a deep dive into Cole's brilliant story brain, check out his substack: https://substack.com/@col ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
1M ago
Today is a chance to hear from YOU! We were thrilled to invite longtime listener Jennifer Deaton onto our show to hear about her impressive career in the biz including her life as a reader for Focus Features and screenwriting debut, the award-winning indie feature Jack of the Red Hearts.
JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
1M ago
This year, one of the most talked about Animated Shorts at this year's Oscars is WAR IS OVER. The project, inspired by the Music of John and Yoko, is an 11-minute animated short featuring the 50-year-old classic song Happy Xmas (War Is Over), set against the backdrop of war.
Today, we welcome three of the shorts' brilliant creators: Pixar alum and Oscar®-nominee Dave Mullins, Golden Globe®-Nominee Brad Booker, and co-writer Sean Ono Lennon who executives produces alongside Yoko Ono.
This is part ONE of our two part conversation with the brilliant trio, so make sure you tune into part two tomor ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
1M ago
This year, one of the most talked about Animated Shorts at this year's Oscars is WAR IS OVER. The project, inspired by the Music of John and Yoko, is an 11-minute animated short featuring the 50-year-old classic song Happy Xmas (War Is Over), set against the backdrop of WWI.
Today, we welcome three of the shorts' brilliant creators: Pixar alum and Oscar®-nominee Dave Mullins, Golden Globe®-Nominee Brad Booker, and co-writer Sean Ono Lennon who executives produces alongside his mom, Yoko Ono.
This is part ONE of our two part conversation with the brilliant trio, so make sure you tune into part ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
1M ago
Nimona isn't just one of 2023's best animated movies, it's one of 2023's best movies, full stop (and yes, it is Oscar-nominated). Today, we welcome one it's co-writers, Lloyd Taylor, to talk about adapting ND Stevenson beloved graphic novel, working through a roller coaster development window, and not being afraid to blow up his own work in service of finding the best version of a movie possible.
JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
2M ago
Elizabeth Hargrave's debut board game Wingspan has become a one this century's most definitional games, but her inspiration to create was pretty simple. She says, "I felt like there were too many games about castles and space, and not enough games about things I’m interested in. So I decided to make a game about something I cared about." This is just one of the MANY points that will apply to your life as a writer.
JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
2M ago
STORY ENGINE. Two words we so often dread, but let's be honest: the engine of your story is what POWERS your movie. It's make, or break. And today, we break down eight elements to test whether or not you are on your way to a feature film story engine that will take you from fade in, to fade out!
JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife ..read more
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna
2M ago
Despite this being his first produced feature, David Hemingson's script for THE HOLDOVERS is one of the most celebrated of the year, nominated for over 40 industry prizes (including the Oscar), having won many of them. He's a self-proclaimed "journeyman" writer having bounced between children's animated, network comedy, and hourlong procedurals for over two decades. Even given his decades of experience, his approach to working with Alexander Payne was still one of humility, openness, and discovery. Today, David, Lorien, and Jeff, discuss how Hemingson's "unsellable" pilot about an all boys pre ..read more