43 episodes

What makes a screenplay exceptional? How can you punch through the slush pile as an up-and-coming screenwriter? What does it take to become a successful writer in Hollywood?

In the Young Screenwriters Podcast, Alexie Basil, Theo Luoma, and Adam Schaller share hard-won insights from their experience breaking into the film industry and establishing themselves as professional screenwriters and storytellers. Joined by NYU Film Professor John Warren and other special guests, they break down advanced-level storytelling techniques, practical strategies for navigating the film industry, and uplifting anecdotes to get you writing and networking.

Whether you’re a brand-new screenwriter looking for mentorship or are a seasoned professional eager for a laugh (and the occasional screenwriting nugget!).

The Young Screenwriters Podcast Young Screenwriters

    • TV & Film
    • 5.0 • 12 Ratings

What makes a screenplay exceptional? How can you punch through the slush pile as an up-and-coming screenwriter? What does it take to become a successful writer in Hollywood?

In the Young Screenwriters Podcast, Alexie Basil, Theo Luoma, and Adam Schaller share hard-won insights from their experience breaking into the film industry and establishing themselves as professional screenwriters and storytellers. Joined by NYU Film Professor John Warren and other special guests, they break down advanced-level storytelling techniques, practical strategies for navigating the film industry, and uplifting anecdotes to get you writing and networking.

Whether you’re a brand-new screenwriter looking for mentorship or are a seasoned professional eager for a laugh (and the occasional screenwriting nugget!).

    042 - The Best (and Worst) Lessons from THE SEVEN BASIC PLOTS by Christopher Booker

    042 - The Best (and Worst) Lessons from THE SEVEN BASIC PLOTS by Christopher Booker

    People love to talk about how there are only a few basic stories, and all other work is a variation of them. THE SEVEN BASIC PLOTS is one of the most famous books sharing this theory!
    Haven't read THE SEVEN BASIC PLOTS by Christopher Booker? No problem!
    Professional screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller share the best and worst takeaways from the famous storytelling classic.
     Connect with Us
    YS Website YS Discord Script Vault YS Courses
    Writing the Short Writing the Scene Writing the Feature Writing the Pilot

    • 54 min
    041 - ACTION! EXPLOSIONS! SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER! | Live Story Generation

    041 - ACTION! EXPLOSIONS! SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER! | Live Story Generation

    Summer is coming! Which means that epic summer blockbusters are right around the corner. How do you write something awesome that also goes BOOM?! Join professional screenwriters Alexie Basil and Adam Schaller as they create an outline for an action-packed summer blockbuster film on the spot. They'll get into:
    Building around exciting set pieces Creating spectacles The balance of objective and stakes vs. flaw and inner-need in action films Check out their outline
     Connect with Us
    YS Website YS Discord Script Vault YS Courses
    Writing the Short Writing the Scene Writing the Feature Writing the Pilot

    • 1 hr 10 min
    040 - Writing with VFX in Mind | Interview with Esha Sandhu

    040 - Writing with VFX in Mind | Interview with Esha Sandhu

    VFX Production Coordinator Esha Sandhu joins Alexie and Theo LIVE to talk about how screenwriters can write the most visually compelling screenplays. We'll cover:
    VFX breakdown in a script The nuances of writing explosions  Tips for breaking into the VFX industry And more!  Join us for our live Young Screenwriters Podcast recording, and stick around after for an open Q&A and more screenwriting talk :)
    About Esha Sandhu
    With a background spanning over 2 years in the VFX industry, Esha’s journey began with studies in 3D Animation, Visual Effects, and a touch of Game Design. However, her true passion unfolded in the realm of Production, where the spirit of collaboration and shared objectives fuels her enthusiasm as a VFX Production Coordinator. Esha has worked on Hawkeye, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Willow series, The School for Good and Evil, Lift and Dune Part: Two.
    In the autumn of 2023, Esha embarked on her WIA mentorship journey, eagerly embracing the opportunity to nurture and steer the forthcoming wave of Production Enthusiasts. Esha's guiding principle is to “embrace a production mindset while maintaining a friendly approach to artists".
    Esha also thrives in the dynamic environment of a film set, where she channels her skills and experience. She also works as a Script Supervisor on set, contributing to the seamless execution of productions while writing her own short films to fuel her passion for filmmaking.
    Esha's IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13157752/ Esha's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/films_by_esha/?hl=en Reach Esha: films.by.esha@gmail.com  Connect with Us
    YS Website YS Discord Script Vault YS Courses
    Writing the Short Writing the Scene Writing the Feature Writing the Pilot

    • 48 min
    039 - Scene Quiz! | Writers Analyze Scene Structure

    039 - Scene Quiz! | Writers Analyze Scene Structure

    Breaking down a scene in a project you know is easy mode. What happens when you try to break down a scene without context? Professional screenwriters Alexie and Theo both bring two scenes the other has never seen before: Theo's bringing THE LOBSTER and Alexie's bringing the pilot of GENTLEMAN JACK. They'll table-read them and see if their analyses are spot on or off the mark!
    How the scenes reveal character Techniques used by the writer Connections to the overall material And here are the screenplays to follow along:
    THE LOBSTER script GENTLEMAN JACK pilot script Resources & Links
    Website Script Vault OUR COURSES
    Writing the Short Writing the Scene Writing the Feature Writing the Pilot

    • 1 hr 5 min
    038 - Creating Your Own Story IP | Interview with Victoria Male

    038 - Creating Your Own Story IP | Interview with Victoria Male

    Nicholl Finalist Victoria Male joins Alexie and Theo for a conversation about how to navigate risk-averse Hollywood and sell original ideas by creating your own IP. In addition to chatting about Victoria's success releasing short stories alongside her screenplays, we're going to get into:
    The current state of Hollywood (what producers are looking for) Strategies for creating your own IP Tips for making your script irresistible About Victoria Male
    Victoria Male (she/her) is a 2023 Academy Nicholl Fellowship Finalist whose writing also made the 2024 Love List of best unproduced romance scripts. Her prose has been published in over a dozen literary magazines worldwide. Victoria worked in creative development for The Montecito Picture Company and media startup Graphic India, in addition to producing a podcast for three years.
    Instagram: @VictoriaMale1 Twitter: @VictoriaMale Website: https://www.victoriamale.com/ Connect with Us
    Join our Discord Community Browse Our Free Courses Links Mentioned
    https://www.chillsubs.com/

    • 1 hr 5 min
    037 - Scripts That Get Made | Why Producers Love BILLY ELLIOT

    037 - Scripts That Get Made | Why Producers Love BILLY ELLIOT

    Low-to-medium budget scripts with incredible character development are a golden ticket for producers... which makes them an excellent target for newer screenwriters! Alexie meet with Kinolime Producer John Schramm and Kinolime Creative Executive Danny Murray to break the beloved film BILLY ELLIOT and talk about:
    Why producers want strong points of view and voice How characterization is key for lower-budget films  Tips for making your spec script stand out to producers  Plus, learn more about Kinolime's free screenplay contest, which promises to produce the winner's movie (of any genre!) for up to $15,000,000! They're accepting submissions through April 4, 2024. Find out more: https://www.kinolime.com/
    About John Schramm
    John Schramm is an American screenwriter/producer who has sold various scripts to top independent producers such as Basil Iwanyk's Thunder Road Pictures ("John Wick," "The Town," "Sicario"). Schramm has also been hired to write for Oliver Stone ("Platoon," "Wall Street," "JFK") under his Ixtlan Productions banner, as well as for Scott Free Productions and Original Films.
    As a feature producer, Schramm is producing "The Mother" (2024) starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh and "The Falling Man" (2024) alongside Niv Fichman ("Blackberry," "Enemy," "The Red Violin"). 

    • 1 hr 16 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
12 Ratings

12 Ratings

Family Guy 2K13 ,

Right to the Point!

This show gets right to the point and the hosts deliver practical gems throughout each episode. High re-listen value!

Getters3294 ,

10/10

Pulls back the curtain on the business of writing. The ultimate toolbox for any storyteller.

Aschaller ,

Great stuff

Solid screenwriting advice. Would recommend

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