The Creative Writing Life

Justin and Paul spoke with Arie Kaplan on writing for kids in games, books, tv, and more!  Arie Kaplan is the author of more than two dozen books, including "LEGO Star Wars: Face Off," "LEGO Star Wars: The Official Stormtrooper Training Manual," "The Jurassic Park Little Golden Book," "Swashbuckling Scoundrels: Pirates in Fact and Fiction," and the award-winning "From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books." He has also written several graphic novels, including "Speed Racer: Chronicles of the Racer," "Shadow Guy and Gamma Gal: Heroes Unite," "The Penguins of Madagascar: Penguins on a Mission," and "The New Kid from Planet Glorf." In addition to his career as an author, Arie is a screenwriter for television, video games, comic books, and transmedia. Links from Arie:  1) I'm currently writing the scripts for a mobile game called "eQuoo: The Next Generation: Lodestar," which is out now from PsycApps. Here's a link to the "eQuoo" page of my website. On that page, you can see an "eQuoo" game trailer, a poster, and some info about the core concepts behind the game: https://www.ariekaplan.com/game-writing/equoo-the-next-generation-lodestar/ 2) Recently, I wrote a freelance episode of the Netflix animated series "Charlie's Colorforms City." The episode, titled "Charlie and Little Bo Peep," is streaming now. For more info - including a clip from the episode - check out this link: http://www.ariekaplan.com/television-writing/charlies-colorforms-city/ 3) Here's the "Game Writing" section of my website, where you can see highlights from my career as a game writer (aka screenwriter for video games): http://www.ariekaplan.com/game-writing/ 4) Here's the link to the "Television Writing" section of my site, where you can see some highlights from my career as a television comedy writer (e.g. my work as a staff writer on the late, lamented TV series "TruTV Presents: World's Dumbest"): http://www.ariekaplan.com/television-writing/ 5) Here's my Amazon Author Page, where you can see some of the books (and graphic novels) I've written over the years: https://www.amazon.com/author/ariekaplan 6) Here's the link to the "Humor, Fiction, & Essay" page of my site: http://www.ariekaplan.com/humor-fiction-and-essays/

Author Jonathan Fesmire, originally from Santa Cruz, California, now lives in Southern California with his son. By day, he’s a copywriter, by evening a steampunk author, and at all times, a dedicated dad. Though Jonathan started out writing fantasy, he has moved completely to steampunk, enchanted with its aesthetics, possibilities, and implications. He’s a fan of the stories, the art, and the gadgets, and enjoys interacting with the community. https://www.jonathanfesmire.com

Spyder Dobrofsky on Screenwriting and Directing Find more on Spyder: IMDb Spyder Dobrofsky is an LA-based screenwriter responsible for Tubi's breakout horror-western film, "Teardrop" directed by cult filmmaker Steven R. Monroe (I Spit On Your Grave). He's an executive producer & screenwriter on NBC Peacock's Original Movie, "The Housewives of the North Pole" (starring Breaking Bad's Betsy Brandt, & Kyle Richards from the Real Housewives Franchise). Spyder sold his first movie at age 23, making him one of the youngest writers to ever have a produced motion picture. He was a guest on Jay Leno's Tonight Show as a teenager alongside Jack Black for launching the worldwide website and phenomenon, Car-Parazzi.

Gregory joined the CWL podcast to discuss acting, plays, and his new movie: The Mystery of Emma Thorn. We also discussed crowdfunding! For the IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27791072/?ref_=nm_flmg_unrel_3_wr Crowdfunding this July on Indiegogo!

Join Justin Sloan and Paul Zeidman on the Creative Writing Life podcast as they discuss the ATX Television Festival, the WGA strike as it goes into week 4, and more fun writing life tidbits. https://atxfestival.com/ ABOUT ATX: ATX TV Festival is a one-of-kind festival experience, bringing TV fans & industry together to celebrate their favorite moments in TV as one community. Join us for deep-dives into how your favorite shows are made, revisit past favorites, and discover something new at "TV Camp for Grown Ups" in downtown Austin, TX.Heading into our 12th Season, the festival showcases past, current, and upcoming series through reunions, screenings, intimate Q&As, panel discussions, events, and more. Screenings include never-aired pilots, canceled-too-soon series, current favorites, and world premieres. Panels conversations range from industry deep-dives to fan-focused conversations, along with discussions on TV's responsibility and impact on culture. #ATXFestival #ATXTVs12

This week on the Creative Writing Life podcast Adam Martin and Eben Matthews discuss their comics and Web3 platform Macroverse! About MacroverseMarvel + Netflix X Blockchain = MacroverseMacroverse is a web3 entertainment studio that rewards its community, collectors, creators and collaborators for supporting upcoming blockbuster franchises spanning comics, TV, gaming, animation, movies and more.   Starting with highly collectible NFT comics and characters, we are building the next generation of entertainment. By integrating user-generated and community driven content with our original IP we incubate and fund new projects, invest in creators, concepts and people, and provide a clear and open door for aspirational storytellers from across the globe. The Founders are doxed, have started, bought and sold companies and have extensive experience creating entertainment, having collaborated with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Seth Rogen, Quentin Tarantino and Pendleton Ward, on brands and projects such as Disney, Pixar, Jurassic Park, Transformers, Spartacus, Adventure Time, Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, WWE and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles just to name a few. https://www.macroverse.com https://twitter.com/MacroverseHQ #Comics #Macroverse #web3

Jack Confora discusses playwrighting with the Creative Writing Life podcast! More about Jack: John Lawrence "Jack" Canfora is an Award-Winning American playwright, actor, musician, and teacher. After receiving his dramatic training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, he began his career as an actor in regional theater, working mostly in Shakespearean roles such as Mercutio and Macbeth. He’s been hailed by the Associated Press as “White-hot Entertainment” for his off-Broadway plays including Poetic License, Place Setting, and Jericho, a New York Times “Critics Pick.” He was nominated along with Edward Albee, Elaine May, and Teresa Rebeck for The Newark Star Ledger’s Best Play, 2007. Jack is the recipient of two Edgerton Playwriting Awards, for Jericho (2010) and The Source (2018). He won the 2016 Webby Award for Best Writing in a Web Series. Jack is also the Artistic Director of New Normal Rep. At Command Your Brand, it’s our mission to help podcasters get awesome trained guests that deliver a powerful story to listeners. If you think that Jack is a good fit for you on your show, please send your recording availability & let’s set something up! Or if you are interested and are in need of more information to help make your decision, I can send some more detailed information like his podcast media kit, previous interviews, links to his website(s), socials & more, just please let me know! https://www.jackcanforawriter.com/?fbclid=IwAR389KCOELMTgSmeyhWf9_ys68eY9Ul10dto9b8sp8GtamjgnufG0Ytv6RE

This week we had Eli Edelson on discussing the WGA strike with Paul and Justin of the Creative Writing Life podcast. We discussed what the strike means, some details such as mini rooms and non-writing duties, and more! Enjoy and show your support! Some links: https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations About Eli: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7640985/ http://eliedelson.com/

Bruce Wawrzyniak joined the Creative Writing Life Podcast to discuss PR and his podcast "Now Hear This." We also discussed the SFWC, Podcasting, Promotion, and hurdles with the creative life. Find his show and more information: https://www.now-hear-this.net/?fbclid=IwAR3oKmZmUIYEpgHwvg8uJDflPxSoEF-a0yuzkvdI6o_enlwf4cxDd4B8wHE https://www.now-hear-this.net/content/podcast?fbclid=IwAR3gpoHRMPdyYL5HnZQeDa3f1fmjF5pyZkIQjQ8EhHd12psU25xXJJoDMQs

This week on the Creative Writing Life Podcast we spoke with Stefanie Hubbard of Pure Magic Pictures. https://www.puremagicpictures.com/videos/whoweare Pure Movie Magic - Satisfy your inner punk rock, blockbuster-loving, anime nerd, geek, heart with all original movies & shows made by a lovely band of misfits making movie magic. Stefanie Hubbard is a writer, director, and executive producer in New York City. She is the owner of Pure Magic Pictures, the studio behind all of her films and TV shows, as well as the video production company Galaxy Visuals, and the audio company Little Dipper Sound. Enjoy!

Amy Suto joined the Creative Writing Life Podcast to discuss her book Six-Figure Freelance Writer and share her experince with freelance writing, attending USC, and how she pivoted during the shutdown. Check out the book - https://amzn.to/3KCbjdX About Amy Suto: Amy Suto began her career as a Hollywood TV writer before hitting the road and becoming a digital nomad and six-figure freelance writer. Now, she travels the world while ghostwriting memoirs and working on her own creative projects. When she's not writing, Amy travels the world and works remotely from cafes in Prague — or is misplacing her AirPods in Lisbon. You can learn more about Amy at: AmySuto.com. #SixFigureAuthor #FreelanceWriting #freelancewriter

Steve Cleary discusses Storbang - a tool and system for film professionals! STORBANG https://www.storbang.com/be-your-own-action-hero We make tools and systems for film professionals who want to BANG out their STORies quickly and effectively. We also produce dry, offbeat and irreverent videos and brand concepts. ABOUT STEVE - FROM STEVE I’m not an actor, but I play one on TV… when I hook my computer up to it. I created my own web series where I get to be my own TV star and I want to help you do that too — without any money, special skills or fancy equipment.

Ross Berger joined the Creative Writing Life podcast to discuss writing video games and to share what it's like to teach at USC. IMDb - https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm1785725/credits His books: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1P5JP6H https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XH3N3D2 FROM ROSS: I'm a consumer-focused creative leader with over fifteen years of content creation experience, who's worked for both SMB and Fortune 500 companies. I embrace the future of content and have a long track record of working on new content platforms before they reach mainstream (YouTube, Virtual Reality, app creation). As a constant learner and trend predictor, I define my professional areas of expertise in two ways: Writing, Narrative Design, and Transmedia Strategy. I have written for television, new media, second-screen experiences, virtual reality, and video games. I've also helped companies develop entertainment franchises and soon-to-be-released brands through the writing of story bibles and content road-maps. Today, the different ways in which stories are told and brands are communicated require nimble thinking, intense collaboration, and a fluency in different media. I rise to the occasion under such demands. Project Management and Producing. I'm not just a creative. I'm also someone who welcomes the managerial demands of a project. Where 40% of my day is devoted to content creation, 60% is set aside for managing relationships with stakeholders, overseeing budgets and schedules, and leading co-workers and vendors to reach the quality bar for any given deliverable. I thrive on collaboration and do my level-best to remove any obstacle that a co-worker might face in their day-to-day. --- Learn more from Paul's and Justin's books, both on Amazon! Go Ahead and Ask Creative Writing Life

Jenny Frankfurt joined us to discuss the Finish Line Script Competition, being a manager, and all sort of fun creative talk. https://finishlinescriptcomp.com ABOUT JENNY Jenny Frankfurt is the founder of the Finish Line Script Competition. Finish Line is based on the idea that rewriting is essential to being a successful writer and we provide development notes when requested in order for writers to rewrite and resubmit new drafts (for free) throughout the competition. This mimics a studio, network or production company process and helps the writer prepare for a serious career in the entertainment industry. Prior to Finish Line and her work as a script consultant, Jenny was a film and television literary manager/producer with her own company, Highstreet Management based in Los Angeles. Highstreet represented writers around the globe, specializing but not limited to breaking UK, European & Australian writers and directors into the US market. She sold television shows (both reality and fiction), features and staffed television shows for almost 20 years. Jenny began her career in representation after graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts by working at the William Morris Agency in New York where she worked for a legendary film, tv and playwright’s agent, who represented such writers as Eric Bogosian, William Mastrosimone, Warren Leight, Eric Overmyer and Jon Robin Baitz. From NYC Jenny moved to Los Angeles where she worked at ICM with clients such as Susan Sarandon, Louis Malle, Johnny Depp, Lasse Hallstrom and Will Smith. After deciding management would give her more freedom to produce and influence her client’s careers she started working with manager Rick Yorn and clients such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Claire Danes and Benicio Del Toro among others. Jenny tried her own hand at producing the independent feature JOHNNY HIT AND RUN PAULINE, to which Emma Thompson was attached as Executive Producer. Jenny then started working with manager Benny Medina at Handprint Entertainment, representing talent, literary and production clients. She soon became Head of Handprint’s Literary Department. --- Learn more from Paul's and Justin's books, both on Amazon! Go Ahead and Ask Creative Writing Life

 Ashley Scott Meyers on NFTs for Movies Check out his film!  https://tubitv.com/movies/654467/the-rideshare-killer ABOUT ASHLEY  After graduating from college Ashley Scott Meyers moved from his childhood home in Annapolis, Maryland, to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career as a screenwriter. During his first three years in Los Angeles, Meyers wrote or co-wrote eight feature length screenplays, earned his first few dollars as a screenwriter, and saw two of his original screenplays get produced. Meyers sold Dish Dogs to 7.23 Productions. Dish Dogs was co-written with long time friend and writing partner, Nathan Ives. It's a semi-fictitious account of their travels across the country working as dish washers ("dish dogs") in various restaurants. Dish Dogs stars Sean Astin, Mattew Lillard, Brian Dennehy, Shannon Elizabeth, Maitland Ward, and Richard Moll. Independent producer / director Douglas DeMarco produced Meyers' screenplay Reunion which eventually found distribution in some art house theaters around the world. During his initial years in Los Angeles, Meyers returned to school and earned a Masters degree in Mass Communications, with a screenwriting emphasis, at Cal State, Northridge (CSUN). Over the next few years Meyers continued to option and sell many screenplays. Some of the highlights include: Rushlight, a film noir script Meyers wrote while at CSUN was produced and stars Josh Henderson, Beau Bridges, Aidan Quinn, and Haley Webb. Meyers was hired to write a martial arts action screenplay by Big Boss Creative entitled, Ninja Apocalypse. It stars Ernie Reyes Jr, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Christian Oliver. Man Overboard, also co-written with Nathan Ives, was sold to and produced by Treasure Entertainment. It's a broad comedy anchored in the world of boat sales. It won the Los Angeles Film & Script Festival. Meyers co-wrote a feature comedy script, Turkey Day, with Mark Brown (Barbershop) that was optioned to Evergreen Pictures, LLC (based at Universal). Ashley Scott Meyers' writing credits are listed on the Internet Movie Database (imdb.com) at this URL: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0583488/ Please leave reviews for the  Creative Writing Life Podcast!  #creativewriting #podcast 

Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Aurbach discuss writing a book on poltergeists, trio of authors, and going from screenwriting to the novel world. Check out A Raney/Daye Investigation - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08K7L2P8Y   More links:   https://www.richhosek.com/ https://www.amazon.com/stores/Loyd-Auerbach/author/B001HCZ2Y4?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arnold-Rudnick/author/B002RDPLAW?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0395923/ imdb.com/name/nm0748860/ imdb.com/name/nm1992963/  Enjoy the #CreativeWriting Life #Podcast Enjoy the #CreativeWriting Life #Podcast !!! 

PT Hylton joins Justin and Paul to discuss:    Roadmap Writers  Screenwriting Management  Writing novels and creating audiobooks P.T. Hylton lives in Eastern Tennessee where he spends his time hiking, reading, and absently plucking on a guitar. He loves strong coffee, brown ale, and a good plot twist. He does his best writing when his beagle is snoring at his feet. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00J8K7KWY/about #creativewriting #screenwriting

Gerald Hanks joins Paul and Justin to discuss the VOTE Screenplay Writing Method, Contests, and Managers. https://www.networkisa.org/profile/geraldhanks Biography Gerald Hanks has written several award-winning short films from such festivals as the Houston International Film Festival, the Texas Shorts festival, and the West Coast International Film Festival. His feature comedy script, "Scaredy Cat", made the finals of the National Lampoon Comedy Gold Screenwriting contest. His feature drama script, "Prodigal", won the Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifiting Screenplays. Gerald has been a screenwriting judge for various contests, as well as providing script consultations for private clients. Gerald has also presented and modereated panels on the screenwriting process at sci-fi conventions, including Houston's Comicpalooza and Lafayette's Louisana Comic-Con. You can find our more about Gerald's approach to screenwriting as his blog, Story Into Screenplay (www.storyintoscreenplay.com).

Nathan Graham Davis joins the group to discuss breaking BACK into Hollywood, getting old scripts made, and going pro as a screenwriter!  Screenwriter | Author | Producer FROM NATE:  I write about things that fascinate, thrill, and scare me. With a background in the business and financial worlds, I enjoy finding ways to get stuff made. Keep an eye out for AFTERMATH, directed by Patrick Lussier and starring Dylan Sprouse, Mason Gooding, Dichen Lachman, and Megan Stott. Coming out later this year! Representation: Jeff Belkin @ Zero Gravity Check out Going Pro, the latest series on my YouTube, following my attempt to turn my momentum into a full-time screenwriting and producing carer. FIND HIS CREDITS: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10181436/ #Screenwriter #Screenwriting

Justin and Paul discuss what they did in 2022 and how they are working to achieve their 2023 writing goals. Listen in for advice on how to set writer goals and achieve them.  #Screenwrting #NovelWriting #Game Writing