The Screenplay Writers

0044: Rom-Coms

Nathan and Ryan recorded this episode on a plane, flying home from Minneapolis-St Paul, where they were not able to meet up with junior producer Jack. They talk about the essential elements that make rom-coms work: scenarios that are amusing, interesting, engaging and surprising, or the three “i”s. They do script surgery on “Fever Pitch.” In Logline Cage Match, Ryan pitches his idea, “The Translator.”

0043: Sequels

In this second special episode recorded on location in Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, Nathan and Ryan are still trying to track down junior producer Jack, who must be unable to receive their texts. They talk about the Hare's Rule "Don't do too much with it," and break down how to write smart, engaging sequels. In Logline Cage Match, Ryan reads his idea "A Loud Place," which came to him out of nowhere.

Sound effects from https://www.zapsplat.com

 

 

0042: Location

In this rare special episode, Nathan and Ryan are on location at the lovely Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, where they are trying to contact their junior producer Jack, to talk about their screenplays. Lovely, lovely airport. Great food court. They do script surgery on Capote. Ryan reads his idea “The Perfect Hurricanes” in Logline Cage Match.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

0041: Producers

In this follow-up to episode 40, Nathan and Ryan re-connect with junior producer Jack about their screenplay ideas. Jack said him and his dad and uncle really like the ideas. Nathan and Ryan are considering traveling to meet in person with Jack and his senior management team to discuss in detail.

 

 

0040: Pitching

In this super-special episode, Nathan and Ryan talk to Jack, a junior producer of screenplays who reached out to them because he's really interested in everything they have to say. The guys pitched Junior Producer Jack on a few ideas in the horror-gaming genre, and he loved what he heard. Ryan and Nathan might go visit Jack and Jack's dad, a senior producer, at their place in Winnipeg, when Jack's high school semester lets out. 

0039: Drillers

Drillers are dramatic thrillers. Driller is a new word made up by Nathan and Ryan. To write one you have to remember to be both dramatic and thrilling. Sorry about the audio with this one, folks. Halfway through, Nathan is hard to hear due to a file-saving malfunction. The guys do script surgery on LA Confidential. Ryan pitches his screenplay idea “Trivago Man,” a possible marketing co-brand with Trivago, if they’re interested.

0038: Scenes

This episode is brought to you by Steam Engine ExceloPow Mostly Raw Vegan Power Bars, exclusively available at Steam Engine Coffee! We’re thrilled to be back with the Steam Engine Coffee family—can’t remember why we decided to leave. What’s a scene? That’s what aspiring screenplay writers want to know; we get many private DMs asking us that very question. A scene is a little nugget of action that, when combined with many other nuggest, collectively form a unfied, sense-making screenplay. If you can’t sum up what’s happening in eight to ten sentences, you probably don’t have a scene. Nathan shares his Hare’s Rule, “Moving the Ball Down the Field,” which is essential for crafting a screenplay that flows. The guys do script surgery on “Black Panther,” and in Logline Cage Match Ryan pitches his idea “Detective Normal.”

0037: Villains

If villains are one thing, it’s not good. They often swoop in, stealing others' ideas and tasty products, on which they intend to greatly profit even though they didn’t create them. Villains ultimately do not win, most of the time, because they don’t have moral rights to anything. The guys do script surgery on “Rosemary’s Baby”, and Nathan pitches his idea “Posterland” in Logline Cage Match.

This episode is (only legally, and very reluctantly) brought to you by Firehall Coffee’s Raw Vegan Power Bars.

0036: Heroes

Heroes are the good people in screenplays—the ones you’re cheering for. They don’t have to have any big skills or special powers, but they do have to be pretty interesting on the screen-page. The guys do script surgery on “I, Tonya”, and Ryan pitches his idea, “The Footnotist.”

0035: Musicals

Musicals sometimes have singing and songs when there’s normally talking, which makes them fun screenplays to write. One thing you might want to do is make your characters have a reason to be good at singing, otherwise, get ready to suspend your disbelief. The guys do script surgery on The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1, and Ryan presents his idea, “The Shocking Conclusion” in Logline Cage Match.