The Screenplay Society

Noam Gottlieb-Zeiss, Alex Hollowbread
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  • Film Reviews
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The Screenplay Society is a podcast co-hosted by Noam Gottlieb-Zeiss and Alex Hollowbread, where we read screenplays and chat about them in a light-hearted, funny, and insightful way. We break down what works, what doesn't, and what we can all learn from the page, making the craft of screenwriting feel a little less intimidating and a lot more fun. It's for aspiring and professional screenwriters, filmmakers, film lovers, and anyone who wants to become a better storyteller by reading more screenplays.

Episodes

  1. 2d ago

    Episode 03 - Harold and Maude: Love, Death and Everything in Between

    What happens when a teenager obsessed with death meets an eighty-year-old woman who seems determined to enjoy every second of being alive? In this episode, we read Colin Higgins’ screenplay for Harold and Maude and explore how such a strange, dark and unlikely story became one of cinema’s most beloved cult classics. We talk about Harold’s wonderfully alarming fake suicides, Maude’s complete disregard for rules, and the way their relationship slowly becomes much more than just an eccentric love story. We also look at the world surrounding them — family, religion, the military and psychiatry — and how almost every institution that claims to understand Harold somehow completely fails to. Along the way, we discuss the film’s dark comedy, the beautiful daisies scene, Maude as a surprisingly radical female character, and whether some moments in the screenplay explain a little more than they really need to. Ultimately, we come back to what might be the simplest idea at the heart of the story: Harold spends so much time thinking about death that it takes Maude to teach him how to live.

  2. Aug 15

    Episode 02 - Moonlight: How Personal Stories Become Universal

    For our second episode, we’re diving into Barry Jenkins’ beautiful, intimate and emotionally precise screenplay for Moonlight. This time, we explore how the script portrays masculinity without simplifying it, following Chiron through three stages of his life as he tries to understand his identity, his relationships and the person he is expected to become. We talk about the power of silence, the importance of the moments left unexplained and how Moonlight allows us to experience Chiron’s emotions without constantly telling us what he is feeling. Sometimes a look, a pause or a hand resting in the sand can carry more meaning than an entire page of dialogue. We also discuss the deeply personal origins of the story, Barry Jenkins’ directing style and the differences between reading the screenplay and seeing it brought to life on screen. Along the way, we ask how writers can be economical without losing emotional depth, how societal pressure shapes a character and whether transformation is ever really caused by one single moment. Tender, painful and occasionally interrupted by us trying not to become too emotional, this episode is about the kind of storytelling that trusts its characters, and its audience.

  3. Jul 31

    Episode 01 - Pulp Fiction: Tarantino's Writing Style

    Grab your Royale with Cheese because, for our very first episode, we’re diving into Quentin Tarantino’s endlessly quotable, wonderfully chaotic screenplay for Pulp Fiction. We introduce The Screenplay Society and ask the big question: how different does a film feel when you read it instead of watching it? Along the way, we explore Tarantino’s unforgettable characters, ridiculously long conversations, uncomfortable silences, obsession with food and unique ability to make violence both horrifying and strangely hilarious. We discuss Vincent and Jules, Mia’s infamous adrenaline shot, Butch’s complicated relationships and the moments that feel iconic even without the actors, music or cinematography bringing them to life. We also look at the screenplay’s unconventional structure, Tarantino’s instantly recognisable voice and whether becoming a great screenwriter means learning all the rules… before completely ignoring them. Funny, insightful and occasionally distracted by cheeseburgers, this is our first attempt at understanding what makes Pulp Fiction such a timeless piece of screenwriting.

  • 3 Episodes

About

The Screenplay Society is a podcast co-hosted by Noam Gottlieb-Zeiss and Alex Hollowbread, where we read screenplays and chat about them in a light-hearted, funny, and insightful way. We break down what works, what doesn't, and what we can all learn from the page, making the craft of screenwriting feel a little less intimidating and a lot more fun. It's for aspiring and professional screenwriters, filmmakers, film lovers, and anyone who wants to become a better storyteller by reading more screenplays.

Information

  • Creator
    Noam Gottlieb-Zeiss, Alex Hollowbread
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Noam Gottlieb-Zeiss, Alex Hollowbread
  • Show Website
    The Screenplay Society