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 post on his directorial debut Daughter due out in 2021, Corey reflects on the stutter-stops along the way, and goes in detail on all those arduous steps of his path to finding a career as a Screenwriter. Hint: it involved lots of credit cards. (This episode is part of the "Million Ways to a Screenwriting Career" series, where Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman go in-depth with Screenwriters of all walks of life to discuss the unique way they became a working Screenwriter.)   Find Corey Deshon: @CoreyDeshon  Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg

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: [email protected]  Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg

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: [email protected]  Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg

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 Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: [email protected] 

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: [email protected] 

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 Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: [email protected]

... 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: [email protected]

"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 in them. And since General Meetings are often a first step in getting work as a Screenwriter, they give tips and tricks on how to maximize your face-time with the producer or studio executive you're meeting generally, and share both their successes and embarrassing horror stories.

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 TREADSTONE on the USA Network, and HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and JUST BEYOND for Disney +. If you've ever wondered what a job in TV looks like, or wondered if it was the job for you -- check out Nneka's story.

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 by 414beg. Questions/Comments: [email protected]

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 when it comes time to sell, the politics that are involved, and the absolute importance of passion.   Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: [email protected]

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 Award-winning actor Aaron Paul ("Breaking Bad") stars in this thriller of a weekend getaway gone wrong.   Watch WELCOME HOME here!   Edited by Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: [email protected]  

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: [email protected]   Music by 414beg.