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In this episode, Steve and Tananarive welcome Vanity Fair contributing editor Maureen Ryan, author of the book everyone in Hollywood is reading -- BURN IT DOWN: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. They talk about why she wrote her book exposing Hollywood's ugly underbelly, the WGA strike, the sad demise of "Sleepy Hollow" and the racial overtones that helped doom the first horror series with a Black woman co-lead, and what can be done to create a better future. She also talks about how she stays centered in the storm her book is creating. LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL at https://www.speakpipe.com/LifewritingPodcast (We might play your message!) Join Tananarive's mailing list at https://tananarivelist.com Join Steve's mailing list at https://stevenbarneslist.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“The only thing that works to take down abusers is Mo Ryan writes something about them."If we weren't already on fire to talk with the author of Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood, this quote from a confessor would have set us aflame. This week we get our chance, as entertainment journalist Maureen “Mo” Ryan steps into the confessional booth.Mo is a Contributing Editor at Vanity Fair, and has written for Entertainment Weekly, the New York Times, EW, Salon, GQ, and Vulture. She has spent much of the last decade writing in-depth pieces on matters of inclusion, misconduct and abuse in Hollywood -- and on efforts to make the industry better.Join us for an eye-opening conversation as Mo unpacks the complex web of power dynamics in Hollywood, the need for a safe and empowering space for marginalized voices to be heard, and what makes her hopeful for the future of the entertainment industry.Connect with us: Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Hollywood Confessional is a Ninth Way Media production, produced by Meagan Daine and J.R. Zamora-Thal. Sound Effects and Music provided by Zapsplat and Pixabay.Keywords: filmmaking podcast, film podcast, screenwriting podcast, entertainment podcast, Hollywood, filmmaking, writerslife, actorslife, setlife
Despite an outsized number of cancellations over the last few years, queer audiences have proven that they are hungry for not only representation in the broad sense, but LGBTQIA+ stories and characters that are as complex, frustrating, joyful, funny, romantic, and dark as any other.Join actors Caitlin Stasey (Class of '07), Joel Kim Booster (Loot, Fire Island), Jerrie Johnson (Harlem) and Brian Michael Smith (9-1-1: Lone Star) for a conversation about specificity and universality in representation, the need for queer creators to have agency in telling their own stories, expectations within the LGBTQIA+ community, the future of queer storytelling, and more.This conversation was recorded live at ATX TV Festival Season 12 (June 1-4, 2023) in Austin, TX.PANELISTS:Caitlin Stasey (Actor, Class of '07)Joel Kim Booster (Actor, Loot)Jerrie Johnson (Actor, Harlem)Brian Michael Smith (Actor, 9-1-1: Lone Star)MODERATOR:Mo Ryan (Vanity Fair; Author, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood)WATCH this panel and subscribe to youtube.com/ATXTV for more panels, conversations & events with your favorite TV creatives and casts.FOLLOW ATX TV:Twitter: twitter.com/ATXFestivalFacebook: facebook.com/ATXFestivalInstagram: instagram.com/atxfestival/TikTok: tiktok.com/@atxtvWebsite: atxtv.com
On this episode, we're joined by Maureen "Mo" Ryan, a veteran reporter and Hollywood critic as we explore her first book, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and the Call for Change in Hollywood. Together, we'll delve into how Mo leveraged years of research, reporting, and righteous anger, not only to challenge the industry's toxic norms but also consider how care, compassion, and a whole lot of outside-the-box thinking can make things better. BURN IT DOWN Website ABOUT MO Instagram X (formerly Twitter) BlueSky
[REBROADCAST FROM JUNE 15, 2023] In her latest book, journalist Maureen Ryan describes racism, harassment, and other forms of abuse prevalent in Hollywood through deep dives into shows like "Lost," "Saturday Night Live," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Ryan joins us to discuss her book, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood.
This episode's guest provides a perspective that is important to share. Maureen Ryan has been a film and television critic, writer and reporter for various publications, including Huffington Post and the Chicago Tribune. From 2015 to 2018, Maureen was the chief TV critic for Variety, and now she is currently a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. Maureen's New York Times Best Seller, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity and a Call for Change in Hollywood, is a book that has forever changed the way we view our industry. Maureen's tenure, coupled with her unwavering quest for truth, spotlights the bad behavior that plagues the industry, exposes a variety of myths that many industry pros view as gospel and offers a glimpse into a path for redemption and change. Do not miss this episode.
Rob & Kay follow up on their previous episode, which, hopefully got your booty into the chair with your new idea ready to write. This episode focuses on what happens when your butt hits the seat: mentally, physically, and in terms of craft -- all in preparation for the bane of the screenwriter's existence...Page 40 (and how to get past it!). This Week's Resource: While this podcast doesn't really endorse any contest, this year's free screenwriting contest from TSL is open for submissions and you should, because...why not? Plus, if you want to spend some cash to get notes, it makes this contest a nifty bargain. Up to you, but the main thrust is FREE ENTRY and if it gets your script in front of movers & shakers, even better. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Coffee Break Screenwriter book (Rob's Lawyer) Pam's Episode Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map How to Make a Movie for $1000 Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Rob & Kay are writing New Things™. You might be writing new things. You want want to write a New Thing™ for the first time. If so, this episode is for you, where Rob & Kay discuss how to put yourself in the Mental Palace from whence you shall write a (the) script. This Week's Resource: Simple. Film Courage's Compilation Video: 10 Ways to Come Up With Movie Ideas. Simple. Nuff said. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Zack's New Staffing Video, "My Name is Zack" Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Disney caught using creepy AI extras in new movie "Prom Pact" Nathan Graham Davis' episode of the podcast "Curfew" short film Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map How to Make a Movie for $1000 Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Your favorite impromptu book club is BACK! We're continuing with Maureen Ryan's book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood, where she lays out the many issues in Hollywood and how they have led to cycles of abuse and irreparable harm.This week, we covered chapters 3 and 4: tackling myths of value in the industry, as well as myths of nonconformity. Hollywood is home to undervalued staff and seems to close its doors to anyone who speaks out against unjust incidents. Tune in as we explore this topic deeper. Follow us @nosleeptillhollywood Co Hosts: Gaelyn Smith (@gsmittyyyy) and Caleb McDonald (@calebsubtitles) Executive Producer: Ayanna Costley @ayannacostley Co-Producer: Gaelyn Smith Edited by: Lewis Myers (@modestbroken) PA/Graphics by: Laura McDonald (@lauramichellemcdonald --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nosleeptillhollywood/message
Rob & Kay have BEEF. This extra-large episode covers a potentially sensitive topic. The treatment of minority & queer characters in your screenplays -- avoiding tropes and what to consider when writing outside your experience. They also name some great, current, examples of shows getting diversity, sensitivity and inclusion right, and shed light on they refer to as "jumping cat" clichés. Our Weekly Resource: Kay found a list of Diversity tests, from WeScreenplay, which you can apply to your script to make sure you are being inclusive. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" A Summary of the WGA's new MBA Video on Plotdot.ai Totally Killer Trailer (Red Band) How to Make a Movie for $1000 Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Rob & Kay have talked Acts 1 & 2 and now wish to complete the trilogy by talking about how to land act 3! They discuss the old adage "If you have act three problems, you have act one problems..." (truth!), while taking you through the screenwriting math you need to have followed to have things add up in your final act. They also talk about the dreaded FOURTH ACT (don't you dare do this!), and talk about even as you are paying off everything, you need end memorably. Our Weekly Resource: Just like with Act 2, we're giving you a little homework with a YouTube Video Playlist on the craft and execution of act three. Kay and Rob are not the only game in town when it comes to the craft of screenwriting so here are some of our peers and betters speaking to the subject for free (just as we like it) for you to mainline into your brain like screenwriting dope. Yes, we're fine with that metaphor. Stop stalling, go watch. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" A Summary of the WGA's new MBA The Onion Article mentioned by Kay on the strike How to Make a Movie for $1000 Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
When we say we want to watch the world burn, we're talking about Hollywood! Yes, the very thing we love- even aspire to be apart of has problems, and we can acknowledge that. In Maureen Ryan's book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood, she lays out the many issues in Hollywood and how they have led to cycles of abuse and irreparable harm. Over the next few weeks we will be discussing stories, structures, and notable figures in Hollywood that Ryan highlights in her book as examples of why things can not remain as they are. This week we tackled Chapter 1 and 2, so it's not too late to catch up! Co Hosts: Gaelyn Smith (@gsmittyyyy) and Caleb McDonald (@calebsubtitles)Executive Producer: Ayanna Costley @ayannacostleyCo-Producer: Gaelyn SmithEdited by: Lewis Myers (@modestbroken)PA/Graphics by: Laura McDonald (@lauramichellemcdonald --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nosleeptillhollywood/message
Rob & Kay sit down with David Williams to discuss how, despite their individual achievements (which, for Dave, includes being included on the 2022 Blacklist), each is looking for ways to improve their hold -- their craft -- on screenwriting. They also get to know Dave a bit, how he came to be in the business, and then in the middle of the podcast, our hosts (and guest) get news about the Writer's Strike. Our Weekly Resource: Again, with two (free) resources this week, the first being Isabel Dréan's FREE Christmas Seminar, which, will only be viable up to 3pm EST/2pm CST/12pm PT ON Tuesday, September 26th, 2023, BUT -- it's a free webinar on how to write/break-in by writing a Christmas movie, over 200 of which are written every year! Our second resource of the week is a YouTube video called UnF*ck Your Screenplay in Like 5 Minutes, and it doesn't disappoint, offering solid advice on how to write more polished screenplays and avoid the pitfalls that a lot of beginning/intermediate screenwriters might not even know they're making. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" “Adventures in the Screen Trade” by William Goldman That Page from "No One Will Save You" How to Make a Movie for $1000 Dave's Twitter Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
This week, Rob & Kay are talking about dat first page. How to keep em reading, how to knock 'em dead, and how to set expectations. They explore why the "Opening Image" (of all the beats in Save the Cat beats) is so important, what tropes/clichés must be avoided or subverted, how to prepare your audience for the script they're about to read, and, of course, what that page should LOOK like. Our Weekly Resource: The Black Magic Camera App! This week, Blackmagic decided to try and casually murder Filmic Pro. But the app is free! (which we love) and basically turns the iPhone into the mobile version of the pocket cinema camera (making it an *actual* pocket cinema camera?), due to the usage of the Blackmagic OS from their cameras. This makes shooting on your iPhone so breezy and makes Filmic Pro's subscription based app look silly. Fuck the patriarchy, use Blackmagic. Also, this the last week for our giveaway! We have been gifted several Vomit Draft Notebooks from Impossible Kingdom and are giving them away to our listeners! This covers three of our favorite things: we love the promotion of writing scripts by hand, we love Vomit Draft Notebooks and we love to give away free shit! And, AND, to satisfy you Team Kay Tuxford outliners out there, we are also giving away PlotFold Screenwriting Maps! So remember, you enter yourself to win if you rate, review, and subscribe, then email us screenshots – the receipts of doing so – for which you will receive a VD Notebook AND a Screenwriting Map. If you RT us on Twitter when we post this episode, you'll be entered into a randomized generator drawing for a Screenwriting Map. And if you Quote Tweet any promotional tweet this episode, you'll be entered into a randomized drawing for a Vomit Draft notebook. We're so excited to do this, and have been holding it under our hats for awhile trying to make this partnership between us and Impossible Kingdom happen. We love their products and we're so happy they decided to sponsor this giveaway and trust us with their products. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" “Adventures in the Screen Trade” by William Goldman Our Episode with the Producer/Co-Writer of "Searching" Shaun of the Dead Script Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map How to Make a Movie for $1000 The Giveaway over on Rob's Channel Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
100 EPISODES! Rob & Kay have defied Vegas odds and have made it to episode 100, in which they wax poetic on the subject of "Is Your Script Ready?" Ready for what? To be sent to producers/managers/agents -- but first it's time to take a long, hard look at your script and see how it holds up against a checklist that Rob & Kay breakdown for you listeners. Thank you so much for sticking with us for 100 episodes, it really means a ton. And nothing would us happier than to make it another 100 (if not longer). Our Weekly Resource: This week we have TWO Resources, the first of which is the Criterion Channel– the only streamer that includes audio commentaries. Nothing like learning from the people who've made your favorite movies. Our second is our continuing giveaway from last week. A reminder that we have been gifted several Vomit Draft Notebooks from Impossible Kingdom and we are giving them away to our listeners! This covers three of our favorite things: we love the promotion of writing scripts by hand, we love Vomit Draft Notebooks and we love to give away free shit! And, AND, to satisfy you Team Kay Tuxford outliners out there, we are also giving away PlotFold Screenwriting Maps! So, how do you get them? Well, if you rate, review, and subscribe, and email us screenshots – the receipts of doing so – you will receive a VD Notebook AND a Screenwriting Map. If you RT us on Twitter when we post this episode, you'll be entered into a randomized generator drawing for a Screenwriting Map. And if you Quote Tweet any promotional tweet this episode, you'll be entered into a randomized drawing for a Vomit Draft notebook. We're so excited to do this, and have been holding it under our hats for awhile trying to make this partnership between us and Impossible Kingdom happen. We love their products and we're so happy they decided to sponsor this giveaway and trust us with their products. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" “Adventures in the Screen Trade” by William Goldman Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map How to Make a Movie for $1000 The Giveaway over on Rob's Channel Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Rob & Kay want to encourage you to FINISH YOUR SCRIPT. In the episode they tell you why a finished script is currency and how ideas, while they may seem important, are essentially worthless. They also talk about how to put your enjoyment into the finishing of a screenplay and how that can keep you moving forward. Basically, if you needed a swift kick in the pants to finish that script, take a listen to this. Our Weekly Resource: This week's resource is a giveaway! We have been gifted several Vomit Draft Notebooks from Impossible Kingdom and we are giving them away to our listeners! This covers three of our favorite things: we love the promotion of writing scripts by hand, we love Vomit Draft Notebooks and we love to give away free shit! And, AND, to satisfy you Team Kay Tuxford outliners out there, we are also giving away PlotFold Screenwriting Maps! So, how do you get them? Well, if you rate, review, and subscribe, and email us screenshots – the receipts of doing so – you will receive a VD Notebook AND a Screenwriting Map. If you RT us on Twitter when we post this episode, you'll be entered into a randomized generator drawing for a Screenwriting Map. And if you Quote Tweet any promotional tweet this episode, you'll be entered into a randomized drawing for a Vomit Draft notebook. We're so excited to do this, and have been holding it under our hats for awhile trying to make this partnership between us and Impossible Kingdom happen. We love their products and we're so happy they decided to sponsor this giveaway and trust us with their products. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Our Second Podcast Robinson and Powell Threshold Trailer Tony Gilroy's Picket Line Speech Buy your own Vomit Draft Notebook Buy your own Plot Fold Screenwriting Map How to Make a Movie for $1000 The Giveaway over on Rob's Channel Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Helen and Gavin chat about Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood by Maureen Ryan, Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, and Gran Turismo and it's Week 88 from the list of Rolling Stone's 500 Best Songs Ever, numbers 65 to 61; September by Earth Wind and Fire, Blitzkrieg Bop by The Ramones, Jolene by Dolly Parton, One by U2, and Stairway to Heaven by Led Zepplin.
Rob & Kay interview Brock Heasley, whose upcoming sci-fi film, The Shift, based on his microbudget short (of the same name), readies itself for theatrical release in December care of Angel Studios. Our Screenwriting duo pick their guest's brain over a multitude of topics, including: what needed to change from the short over to the movie, how Brock struggled with writing to budget constraints, and how to overcome the shadow of so-called "faith based movie" stigma while still adhering to his principles based upon his own faith. Our Weekly Resource: This week's resource is the short version of “The Shift'' which is available on YouTube for free, both under the Angel Studios banner and in its original version. Plus, it's free, which, y'all know we love, so check it out and see if it can inspire you to write your own short version (or scene) of/from a feature film concept. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Brock on the Web Brock's Books -- yes, he's an author! How to Make a Movie for $1000 Brock's Twitter Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Liz and Sarah talk to journalist Maureen Ryan about her incredible new book — Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call For Change In Hollywood. What was the emotional impact of writing about toxicity in Hollywood? What concrete steps can be taken to make the entertainment industry better for everyone? This week's Hollywood Hack is a video that will keep you healthier on the picket line — WGA Picket Line Warm Up! (And Cool Down) on YouTube from WGA member Sheila Callaghan. Finally Sarah has a book rec — How to Survive Middle School: U.S. History. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,' a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, Side Hustle School, and Everything Happens with Kate Bowler . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! LINKS: Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call For Change: Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywoodamazon.com WGA Picket Line Warm Up! (And Cool Down): WGA Picket Line Warm Up! (And Cool Down)youtube.com How to Survive Middle School: U.S. History How to Survive Middle School: U.S. History: A Do-It-Yourself Study Guide (HOW TO SURVIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL books)amazon.com Photo by Claire Rush on Unsplash To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week, Rob & Kay are talking about how to (safely) “adapt” your style, in order to make YOUR script stand out from the crowd of stale, sterile, scripts out there adhering to the stodgy, and frankly typical, screenwriting formatted norms. Our Weekly Resource: We've got a list of scripts that broke screenwriting format, and yet SOLD: Kate, A Quiet Place, The Matrix, Michael Clayton, Nightcrawler (no sluglines), Cobweb (left justified format), Oppenheimer (in 1st person), Little Women (color-coded), The Beaver (opening montage), Wall-e (no dialogue, stacked action), Sound of Metal (paragraphs of desc.) Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" How to Make a Movie for $1000 Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Mo Ryan's book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood is a deep dive into the trends that led to #MeToo and various racial reckonings in the industry, as well as a look at how much has changed in TV and film (and how much hasn't). She joins industry veterans Melinda Hsu Taylor and Javier Grillo-Marxuach (two respected voices also highlighted in the book) for a discussion about the industry's entrenched problems, modeling better forms of leadership, and why so many Hollywood workers are restive, on strike and/or already burning down the old Hollywood in order to build something better.This conversation was recorded live at ATX TV Festival Season 12 (June 1-4, 2023) in Austin, TX.PANELISTS:Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Co-EP / Writer, Cowboy Bebop, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance)Melinda Hsu Taylor (Creator / Showrunner / EP, Tom Swift; Writer / Showrunner / EP, Nancy Drew)Mo Ryan (Author, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood)SUBSCRIBE to youtube.com/ATXTV for more panels, conversations & events with your favorite TV creatives and casts.FOLLOW ATX TV:Twitter: twitter.com/ATXFestivalFacebook: facebook.com/ATXFestivalInstagram: instagram.com/atxfestival/TikTok: tiktok.com/@atxtv
Kay has Covid and Rob is sassy! But they both have Writer's Block, so the two of them sit down, as always to break down the phenomenon that is tHe bLoCk, as well as how to fight it while prioritizing your own mental health/general well-being. Our Weekly Resource: We've got an article from Variety, entitled, Script Secrets From Hollywood's Top Creators: How to Conquer Writer's Block, which is so self explanatory that there's really no need to go any further than that. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Sarah Silverman walks back her comments about SAG-AFTRA Stephen Amell puts his foot in his mouth, attempts to remove it, then chokes on his socks Zaslav claims WB Discovery saved $100M last quarter...by not making things. WGA & AMPTP Can't Agree To Resume Negotiations How to Make a Movie for $1000 Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Today's guests: - Dan Shafer, Journalist, The Recombobulation Area - Jess Piper, Executive Director for Blue Missouri - Maureen Ryan, Journalist & Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair. My book—Burn It Down: Power, Complicity & a Call for Change in Hollywood
This week Rob and Kay interview Mario O. Moreno, screenwriter, novelist, and tagger to discuss how to potentially adapt your screenplay into a novel (or why you should consider doing so). Our Weekly Resource: Check out Mario's book on Amazon to support a fellow writer. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Streaming is benefitting from network shows like SUITS to keep their audiences entertained. Publicists want SAG to make concessions about actors doing promotional work. Sara Silverman has come out and called actors who are working in Indie Interm Agreements “Scabs” Julie Bush has a bad take on female led box office movies, then proceeds through the “I'm not a racist because I wrote a Fergeson TV Pilot.” So wild, even a writer from the Onion wrote a mock first page of her pilot and posted it. How to Make a Movie for $1000 Mario's Insta Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
With a strike going on, it's more important than ever to know how/where to look for a script read, as well as who should be reading. Rob & Kay do a very DEEP DIVE into what it takes to get, what avenues provide what results, and whether or not you're even ready to have your script read. Our Weekly Resource: Darious Britt, a former guest of the show, is one of our favorite filmmakers and YouTubers, but what he does with nearly every short film that he releases, including his latest, Behind the Smile, is to make a video detailing a forensic deep dive, behind-the-scenes of the short film, which is chock-a-block full of information on how to make a short film from start-to-finish, so for those of you thinking of making a thing while we're all on strike, it don't get much better than Darious to be your guide on making a thing. Besides which, his latest, Behind the Smile is its own narrative deep dive on the subject of depression and anxiety and I related to it hard. I think most of us writers out here would as well. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Variety article on how SAG-AFTRA talks broke down Cartoon Network & Warner Animation move to unionize How to Make a Movie for $1000 Interview with J Horton Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
We check in with Maureen Ryan, author of the new book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood, about what led to the current double strike in Hollywood and what needs to change to get the industry back on track.
The union representing almost 160,000 actors, SAG-AFTRA, is striking after negotiations fell through with the group representing most major Hollywood studios. The news comes about two months after 11,000 members of the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) announced their strike. Studios say the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Crave and Disney+ has caused financial strain. Meanwhile, actors say the shift to streaming has led to decreasing residuals, meaning they aren't being paid for repeats of films and television shows. They're also concerned about proposals from studios to use their images and likeness in combination with artificial intelligence to create new content without their involvement. Maureen Ryan, a Vanity Fair contributing editor and author of “Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood,” explains why Hollywood actors are striking and what it could mean for the future of television, film and the labour movement as a whole. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts
It's a strike episode! The Double Strike of SAG-AFTRA joining the WGA on the picket lines caused Kay & Rob to make an episode that serves as a treatise on the situation -- the pertinent drama, info, and most importantly, how does it affect our writing. So strap in, this is a biggun. Our Weekly Resource: Fran Drescher's Press Speech for the SAG Strike is Free here on Youtube, it's a quick watch but you'll get fired up. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Bob Iger saying WGA's demands are "Unrealistic" Deadline Article claiming WGA should starve How to Make a Movie for $1000 Interview with J Horton Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
SAG-AFTRA is officially on strike. Over 160,000 actors have stopped working, joining the WGA on strike for the first time in decades. With us to break it all down and take calls from actors living here in New York is journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the new book, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call For Change in Hollywood.
This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost, Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, Sleepy Hollow, and more. In the interview, Ryan discusses her reporting process and what it's felt like to watch the creators of some of her favorite shows come under fire. After the interview, Thomas and co-host Nate Chinen discuss why there might be some reason for hope in Hollywood after all. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ryan talks about how her pivot to this kind of reporting has affected her career. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Zak Rosen. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost, Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, Sleepy Hollow, and more. In the interview, Ryan discusses her reporting process and what it's felt like to watch the creators of some of her favorite shows come under fire. After the interview, Thomas and co-host Nate Chinen discuss why there might be some reason for hope in Hollywood after all. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ryan talks about how her pivot to this kind of reporting has affected her career. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Zak Rosen. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost, Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, Sleepy Hollow, and more. In the interview, Ryan discusses her reporting process and what it's felt like to watch the creators of some of her favorite shows come under fire. After the interview, Thomas and co-host Nate Chinen discuss why there might be some reason for hope in Hollywood after all. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ryan talks about how her pivot to this kind of reporting has affected her career. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Zak Rosen. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost, Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, Sleepy Hollow, and more. In the interview, Ryan discusses her reporting process and what it's felt like to watch the creators of some of her favorite shows come under fire. After the interview, Thomas and co-host Nate Chinen discuss why there might be some reason for hope in Hollywood after all. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ryan talks about how her pivot to this kind of reporting has affected her career. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Zak Rosen. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join us in this episode as returning guest MJ talks about his journey of 11th Step meditation, thoughts on the toxic environment in Hollywood as it relates to the #MeToo movement, and breaking down the stigma of sex addiction (even within the rooms of SAA). Literature mentioned in this episode: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/05/lost-tv-show-culture Burn It Down: Power, Complicity and a Call for Change in Hollywood by Maureen Ryan YouTube Links to music and videos in this episode (used for educational purposes): Zhan Zhuang Standing Meditation guided be a Daoist Master: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrp65CO5U6E Zhan Zhuang Standing Meditation Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA1UphVWXks 5 minute Qigong Standing Meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TYfLZQz-Pg Qigong 15 Minute Daily Routine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2RAEnWreoE We Love LOST...Now What?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_zzVCg7SB0 Richard Cheese - Killing in the Name: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRuigpAquO4 Rage Against The Machine: Know Your Enemy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JukTvlrh-Wk Jonas Lorentzen - Healing & Desire - The Roarcast Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjm035cxB70 Skillet - Safe With You (Live): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NkZ1Ypuf0U Skillet - Awake and Alive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aJUnltwsqs Crowder - Higher Power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aeh3HQ0H2Pw Contact Info: Be sure to reach us via email: feedback@sexaddictsrecoverypod.com If you are comfortable and interested in being a guest or panelist, please feel free to contact me. jason@sexaddictsrecoverypod.com SARPodcast YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn0dcZg-Ou7giI4YkXGXsBWDHJgtymw9q To find meetings in the San Francisco Bay Area, be sure to visit: https://www.bayareasaa.org/meetings To find meetings in the your local area or online, be sure to visit the main SAA website: https://saa-recovery.org/meetings/ The content of this podcast has not been approved by and may not reflect the opinions or policies of the ISO of SAA, Inc.
This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost, Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, Sleepy Hollow, and more. In the interview, Ryan discusses her reporting process and what it's felt like to watch the creators of some of her favorite shows come under fire. After the interview, Thomas and co-host Nate Chinen discuss why there might be some reason for hope in Hollywood after all. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ryan talks about how her pivot to this kind of reporting has affected her career. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Zak Rosen. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you'll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former employees of the Farmer John Slaughterhouse struggle to find work. A Death Valley hotel manager braces for this weekend's extreme heat. And toxic work practices in Hollywood are explored in the book, “Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood." Support The L.A. Report by donating now at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.com.Support the show: https://laist.com
A conversation with Maureen “Mo” Ryan, author of Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. Mo describes what it has been like to watch streaming change everything about TV show creation, to witness multiple writers strikes over the years, to see Hollywood enable concerning behaviors and attitudes, and to envision what a better culture could look like after real systemic change. Note: this interview was recorded prior to actors joining writers in the current strike. Catch up on past episodes of Enthusiasts here! https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/enthusiasts-podcast-guide-new-and?sd=pf Check out Maureen's book here! https://www.harpercollins.com/products/burn-it-down-maureen-ryan?variant=40795419476002 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hope-jacobson/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hope-jacobson/support
Rob & Kay got Cindy Begel to sit down with them and discuss mentoring -- her experiences coming up as the medium of television was revealing itself, as well as her own latter day efforts to pay forward the mentorship given to her during the early years of her career. Cindy was a lovely guest and even talks about how she found a writer's group for Rob! Our Weekly Resource: Ed Solomon and Blacklist have put together a free zoom session: Word by Word will be live via Zoom on Thursdays at 2 p.m. The next one, July 13 includes Featuring Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Adele Lim. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" The Original Article that was over at GQ before Zaslav had it taken down Article on Screenwriting Contest where AI was supposed to read scripts How to Make a Movie for $1000 Cindy's Twitter Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
Gavan is joined by Maureen “Mo” Ryan to discuss the “secretive” Hollywood Foreign Press Association, rumours that money can buy you awards and the ongoing writers' strike. Mo is an American film and television critic, writer and reporter. She has been a TV critic for the Huffington Post, the Chicago Tribune and Variety. She is currently a contributing editor for Vanity Fair, and her book, ‘Burn It Down: Power, Complicity and a Call For Change in Hollywood' was released on June 6, 2023
Author and television critic Maureen Ryan joins Daniel Ford on the show to discuss her book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. To learn more about Maureen Ryan, visit her official website and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Writer's Bone is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm, The Movie Loft Podcast, and A Mighty Blaze podcast.
This week, Rob & Kay get into the weeds about the tone of a screenplay while dealing with the MASSIVE amounts of drama that surrounded Screenwriting Twitter this week. Our Weekly Resource: Beverly Boy's “How to Describe the Tone of Film”? This includes various suggestive words to help you get some ideas of the tone of your project. Also, Beverly Boy specializes in building sets, so if you have some wild creative notions, maybe give them a call. ;) Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" The Hollywood Reporter article on Taylor Sheridan Ryan Murphy leaves Netflix Marvel talks AI art for "Secret Invasion" Warner Bros. Signs Deal for AI-Driven Film Management System How to Make a Movie for $1000 Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
There are a lot of problematic films and TV series in Hollywood, but what about the industry itself? In this week's episode Dino-Ray Ramos chats Maureen Ryan, journalist, critic and author of the book "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" which unpacks the toxicity of Hollywood. If you thought there were problematic people and systems in place in the film and TV industry, than this book will prove you right and then some. Even though she unpacks a lot of the bad in Hollywood, she also gives hope with roads to making the industry less problematic -- it may take a while, but we gotta start somewhere. Nonetheless, we really get into the bad and the worse of it all and talk about our own experiences when it comes to working in an industry that we love, but clearly has a lot of problems that we hope to fix. === Problematic Fave is presented by DIASPORA and is created, hosted and produced by Dino-Ray Ramos. The series is also produced by Sanjay Sharma of Marginal MediaWorks and edited by Brian Aguilar. Maureen Ryan Buy "Burn It Down Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" moryan.com @moryan66 on Instagram @moryan on Twitter DIASPORA: thediasporatimes.com; @realdiaspora on Twitter, Instagram Dino-Ray Ramos: @dinoray on Twitter and Instagram Marginal MediaWorks: @mrgnlmedia on Instagram Send your "problematic faves" to thisisdiaspora@gmail.com and we'll share them on the pod with our guests! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/problematicfavepod/support
*Disclaimer, we are not lawyers -- even though today's guest, Rob's good friend (and former writer's group member), Pamela Nash, is. She has also acted on his behalf as de facto legal counsel for all of his screenwriting contracts -- and some for this podcast as well -- and breaks down the vague and (what is often) unenforceable language of various legal contracts that Rob & Kay have gotten over the years. Our Weekly Resource: Found a great article over on Pipeline Artists written by Ken Aguado (twitter handle, @kaguado) entitled, “Not-Boring Legal Agreements for Film & TV Writers” which gives a (very) basic overview of the most common legal agreements/contracts that screenwriters find themselves privy to. It's a short, but good read, and there's links to some Writer's Guild resources within the article so you can further rabbit hole down over this very complicated subject. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Vomit Draft Notebook How to Make a Movie for $1000 Pam's Twitter Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
In this episode, Steve and Tananarive welcome Vanity Fair contributing editor Maureen Ryan, author of the book everyone in Hollywood is reading -- BURN IT DOWN: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. They talk about why she wrote her book exposing Hollywood's ugly underbelly, the WGA strike, the sad demise of "Sleepy Hollow" and the racial overtones that helped doom the first horror series with a Black woman co-lead, and what can be done to create a better future. She also talks about how she stays centered in the storm her book is creating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In her latest book, journalist Maureen Ryan describes racism, harassment, and other forms of abuse prevalent in Hollywood through deep dives into shows like "Lost," "Saturday Night Live," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Ryan joins us to discuss her book, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood.
Let's light it up! Vanity Fair Contributing Editor and Author Maureen Ryan joins the podcast to discuss her new (and bestselling already!) book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. We discuss why Orlando Jones is the most stand up guy in Hollywood, why Spartacus has the best series finale in TV history, and how do we fix the industry. This is one of my all time favorites. Come listen!Buy Burn It DownCheck out Mo's Website
Kay was MIA this week, so Rob invited Julia, her writing partner, to sit in her chair this week as they interviewed Brock Swinson, who comes to the table to talk about Ink By the Barrel, a book based on Brock's various interviews with writers from over the years, which extracts his methodology on how to be a prolific writer! Our Weekly Resource: We've got two resources this week, both from our guest. The first is his podcast where Brock has interviewed writers such as Aaron Sorkin, Ethan Hawke, Edgar Wright, Whitney Cummings, Jim Gaffigan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylor Sheridan, Judd Apatow and hundreds more for Creative Screenwriting and the Creative Principles Podcast. The second is Brock's Website where if you sign up you can receive a copy of ink by the barrel for free! Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's Article in Vanity Fair Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Vulture Article by Josef Adalian & Lane Brown Creative Principle Podcast with Peter Gould of Breaking Bad How to Make a Movie for $1000 Brock's Instagram Brock's Twitter Handle Julia's Twitter Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
In this bonus episode of The New Abnormal, Mo Ryan, author of ‘Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood', talks to co-host Andy Levy about 'Lost's vindictive showrunners, and Hollywood's horrific treatment of writers and actors of color behind the scenes, pegged to a recent piece she wrote for Vanity Fair. Plus, Andy and co-host Danielle Moodie respond to a clip of Gov. Kristi Noem complaining that she can't shop at Target and another clip of Nikki Haley proving she's a racist bigot, again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Things get bloody as the Triple Click Trio dive into Diablo 4.One More Thing: Kirk: Mrs. Davis (Peacock)Maddy: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Theatrical)Jason: I Think You Should Leave Season 3 (Netflix)LINKS:The LOST chapter from Maureen Ryan's forthcoming book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/05/lost-tv-show-cultureSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Triple Click Merch: https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/
Act Two is essentially the entire movie. Rob and Kay break down how to keep it moving, how to setup while you're paying off and go in deep on the dreaded MIDPOINT (scary!) Our Weekly Resource: You've got homework this week. As Professor Tuxford and her Partner-in-Podcasting have concocted a YouTube Playlist of videos on the subject of a second act. As we've stated again (and again) in this podcast, the second act of your movie, *is* the movie, so the more information you have informing your choices as a writer – at least in terms of character/structure – can only help you in the battle vs the dreaded second act. Notes From the Episode: Zack's Original Instagram video (for our Twitter Drama Bumper) Maureen Ryan's Article in Vanity Fair Maureen Ryan's book, "Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood" Javi's statement on 'Lost' Writers Stephen King's "On Writing" How to Make a Movie for $1000 Rob's Episode on the mobile filmmaking app, DoubleTake (Twitter Dad) Javi's Twitter Handle Kay's Twitter Rob's Twitter Zack's Twitter Email us(!)
This week on The Maris Review, Maureen Ryan joins Maris Kreizman to discuss Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood, out now from Mariner Books. Maureen Ryan is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and has covered the entertainment industry as a critic and reporter for three decades. She has written for Entertainment Weekly, the New York Times, Salon, GQ, Vulture, the Chicago Tribune, and more. Prior to joining Vanity Fair, Ryan served as the chief television critic for Variety and the Huffington Post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices