You Can't Make This Script Up

Caitlin Gallo & Brittany Harris
  • 5.0 (6)
  • TV & Film

A screenwriting and entertainment podcast by and for people who are making it up as they go. Join hosts Caitlin Gallo and Brittany Harris as they navigate the ins and outs of writing in Hollywood.

  1. 08/10/2021

    Build, Baby. Build!

    This week we’re talking about world building - from the minutiae to the BIG ideas. We discuss the ones who did it best and our strategies for recreating that magic. Pod Racing, George Lucas and the Star Wars prequelsKathleen Kennedy - President of Lucasfilm and patron Saint of our career endeavors The 2021 Cannes Film Festival and Brit’s fave - the red carpet fashion Pink suits are in! Spike Lee in Vuitton, Olivia Rodrigo in vintage Chanel, Kamala Harris in Sergio Hudson! (Even Kate Middleton at Wimbleton!)Which reminds us - Wimbledon just happened and it was high fashion and star studded. We love to see it. The J.Crew sweater jacket that Meghan Markle wore to Wimbleton. (FYI she has it in heather dove aka light gray)HBO announced ANOTHER GOT spinoff. But we finally get to leave Westeros! Tze (pronounced Z) Chun - a cool dude, an AWESOME twitter follow and his timeline which is THE place to find Asian American creators! (Also he’s hella cool and lowkey hilarious.)What is World Building? Great examples in literature (and therefore tv/film): Tolkien and Lord of the Rings, Rowling and Harry Potter, GRRM and GOT, CS Lewis and Narnia, etc.We have ~ thoughts ~ about The Witcher (on Netflix). Season 2 drops this winter.HBO’s new show The Last of US - based on a video game and adapted for screen by Craig Mazin.Story archetypes! The Kevin Fiege interview Caitlin loves and recommends too much. Correction: Post credit scenes are called STINGERS (not spider lol). John Francis Daley - Actor (Freaks and Geeks/Bones) but now a successful screenwriter (Horrible Bosses, Vacation, Dungeons and Dragons) Anna Waterhouse - screenwriter (The Gray Man, Rebecca)The Edge of Tomorrow (2014) aka Live Die Repeat - Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt sci-fi action movie that is awesome. World building techniques - top to bottom or bottom to top?Trying to film something set in NYC while not in NYC.Studios and production companies want you to build a world that they can mind for IP for the next 50 years. (Also favorite words from execs “aspirational” and “elevated”)Brittany wants to live in The Sopranos universe… HBO open a damn theme park!Caitlin makes pretty obvious conclusions about post WWI and WW2 audiences and the rise of film and tv but someone had to say it.Emmy Noms - HBO holds its dominance alongside the rise of Disney+. (Which reminds us - Warner Brothers, where are those Harry Potter spin off series at? What are you waiting for?)Perfect IP situation - writing within a world people know and love but telling a story audiences know little to nothing about so there are limited expectations or comparisons. John Mayer’s new album “Sob Rock” - out now. Also, we love a well executed theme. The merch! The branding! What a triumph! CAN YOU GET US HARRY STYLE TICKETS?! HELP US PLZ.Brit is heading to DisneyWorld and the world is her oyster!

  2. 07/16/2021

    Sequels: Second Time's the Charm!

    Hi! We are very burnt out and discussing sequels. This episode may be best consumed with cold medicine. (Kidding. Exhaustion is a drug in and of itself! Let's party!) Pixar’s newest film - LUCA (2021)The most recent DC/Twitter discourse re: Harley Quinn’s animated series on HBOmax - does Batman give head?Funniest tweets from that day. The Room (2003), The Disaster Artist (2017) and Tommy WiseauAudrey Hepburn’s best quotes - “The mind reels!”2022 sequels coming down the pipeline - Jurassic World: Dominion, Scream, Thor: Love and Thunder, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.Erza Miller - actor (Justice League, Fantastic Beasts)We spiral into a bit of a Harry Potter rabbit hole… there’s uh, a lot of Dumbledore discourse.Top Gun: Maverick (2021)Tom Cruise and the coconut cakeAvatar and it’s many sequels in developmentIMAX and 3D movies - we have ~ thoughts ~2009 Best Director at the OscarsKathryn Bigelow - director (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Forty)Chloe Zhao - director (Nomadland) Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997)The Mummy Returns (2001)Grease 2 (1982)Aladdin - The Return of Jafar (1994) and The King of Thieves (1996)The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride (1998)Addams Family Values (1993) NOTE: Caitlin mixed up movie camp counselors here - mistakenly referencing the Parent Trap cast and erasing Christine Baranski from the conversation. She will be watching The Good Fight as penance for her sins.The Godfather: Part Two (1974)The Pirates of the Caribbean sequelsHBO’s new series from Craig Mazin - The Last of Us. Starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay. Reboots and Revivals - Gossip Girl, Spring Awakening Tap Dancing! Yes, we really talk about everything.

  3. 06/22/2021

    We're back, babyyy!

    Our unplanned hiatus is OVER and we are ready to RAMBLE! Err... rumble? Screenwriting competitions, festivals, fellowshipsSpreadsheets are our savior. (Even if Caitlin is a psycho about it!)Reflecting on our pre-2021 episodes and our predictions and excitement (Inauguration fashion, Disney+ Marvel shows!)Amazon buys MGM for $8 BillionWizard of Oz sequels - Return to OZ (1985)John Chu - Director (Crazy Rich Asians, In The Heights, Wicked)Our college days in NYC circa 2007-2012 and theater school antics at AMDAAnthony Ramos - actor and AMDA alum (Hamilton, In The Heights)Acting school tries to make every student a “blank slate” but ends up making everyone homogenous when what usually gets you the job is the thing that makes you stick out from the crowd!Originating a role versus replacing a role in theaterTick, Tick… BOOM! Movie musical trailer. Directed by Lin Manuel Miranda. Andrew Garfield - actor (The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Under the Silverlake, Spider-Man, The Social Network)*Disney+ SPOILERS* and our collective freak out on Disney’s Shareholder Day announcementsJon Favreau and Dave Filoni doing the most (and the best) at LucasFilms.Daniel Brühl - actor (Falcon and the Winter Soldier, The Alienist)Loki, Disney+ series starring Tom HiddlestonBrit’s vision for an indie superhero movie a la Logan (2017)Brie Larson - actor (Captain Marvel, Room) who is prepping for Captain Marvel 2 with celebrity trainer, Jason Walsh (Rise Movement and Rise Nation - our favorite cardio class in LA!)Jurassic World sequel - Bryce Dallas Howard (actor) & Colin Trevorrow (writer/director)NOTE: Caitlin calls people by their first names simply because she is lazy. These people are ~ not ~ her friends.Dax Shepard’s podcast - Arm Chair Expert, Kerri Russel, and our love of JJ AbramsPacific Palisades - JJ and Caitlin are from the same small town that has recently been dramatically renovated by developer, Rick CarusoPitching! Our two recent pitches - one project to a studio and the other for an OWA at a major production companyOur career coach, Lee JessupQuestions everyone in Hollywood asks about your project: 1. Why are you the person to tell this story? And 2. Why now?Adapting a real life event - what about this makes it a movie and not a documentary?No matter how specific a story, audiences need an emotional journey to connect to that makes the project feel universalOpen Writing Assignment - screenwriting work for hireA brief interlude on music licensing in podcastingGeneral meetings - we’ll cover that soonTent Pole Intellectual Property - example: Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Star WarsISA - International Screenwriting Association“Kill Your Darlings”Brit’s SKIMS obsession is real. We sidebar to discuss our favorite Kardashians.Caitlin’s recent TV binges: Shrill on Hulu and Peaky Blinders on NetflixLindy West’s book - Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern CinemaOur DMs are open! (Not THAT way. Or maybe…)

  4. 03/30/2021

    ~ INSPO ~

    We're pulling inspiration from Pinterest boards, Spotify playlists, Google street view - anything we can get our grubby little hands on 'cause this shit is hard, okay?! (Recorded November 2020) Things we talked about in the episode include:Our creative process - research and development Pinterest boardsSpotify playlistsGoogle Street ViewTudor England and British Invasion classic rock Bad habits we had as young writersJane the Queen, our Lady Jane Grey adaptationPrincess L...

  5. 03/23/2021

    Don't Judge a Book by It's On Screen Adaptation

    Note: This episode was recorded November 2020, AKA before the Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Oprah interview. Let it be known - we stan Josh O'Connor, we pan Prince Charles. MARKLE HIVE, RISE UP!Things we talked about in the episode include:“Modern Austen” Deadline press release (Y'all are not ready for Caitlin's RANT here, whew apologies!) Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen and her body of work Clueless (1995)“Modern Austen” writer, Eleanor Burgess (Perry Mason)Optioning bo...

  6. 02/18/2021

    The Movies that Made Us

    *insert Keanu's "gosh I love movies!" meme here* (Recorded November 2020)Ryan Murphy’s AHS spinoff seriesAmerican Horror Story, Ratched & Six Feet UnderWandaVision release date set for Jan. 15th, 2021“I Love Dick” tv show, Marfa, TX & the glory of Kathryn Hahn“The Shrink Next Door” - new project with Paul Rudd/Will FerrellThe Wizard of Oz (1925), Aladdin (1992), Toy Story (1995), Jumanji (1995), The Land Before Time (1988)Jurassic Park (1993) - plus the tours you can go on in Hawaii &...

  7. 02/09/2021

    SCORE! Music in Movies

    We only scratched the surface but don't worry - Brittany still found a way to bring up Almost Famous! (Recorded November 2020) Things we talked about in the episode include: The Queen’s Gambit TV show (2020) and novel (1983)Cuban Chess prodigy from 1922 - Maria Teresa Mora Pride & Prejudice (2005) Dir. Joe Wright. Score by Dario MarianelliLove Actually (2003) Dir. Richard Curtis. Score by Craig Armstrong.Cameron Crowe and Almost Famous (2000)Steven Spielberg and the John Williams PBS tribute concertTangled (2010), “When Will My Life Begin (Reprise)” and Alan Menken13 Reasons Why and “Take Me Back to the Night We Met” by Lord HuronRomy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997), Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” and screenwriter, Robin SchiffPutting songs into your script - Pros and Cons. (The Beatles catalogue! AH!) Led Zeppelin’s music in car commercials and movies“I Will Be There When You Die” by My Morning Jacket and Elizabethtown (2005)Music Supervisors We Dig: Kier Lehman (Spider-man) and Danny Bramson (Cameron Crowe’s projects).Spotify inspirational playlistsTwyla Tharp, her book on creativity (The Creative Habit) and the Billy Joel show - Movin’ Out! Soundtracks versus ScoresBaz Luhrmann and the Moulin Rouge (2001) soundtrack John Williams’ body of work, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore. (Caitlin said Howard Ashman but she meant Howard Shore for LOTR.)Love Actually’s mastery of both score and soundtrack. Development people and using discretion with music in scriptsBaby Driver (2017), Edgar Wright and The Hollywood Reporter video Janet Evanovich Author Bio Caitlin’s Favorite Pandemic Albums: “Folklore” by Taylor Swift, “Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse” soundtrack, “Knives Out” by Nathan Johnson, “Little Women” score by Alexandre Desplat, “Fetch The Bolt Cutters” by Fiona Apple, and “Fine Line” by Harry Styles.

  8. 02/02/2021

    Writing from Personal Experience 101

    We’re diving deeeeeep. Gird your loins! (Recorded November 2020) Hillbilly Elegy (2020 film and 2016 book by J.D. Vance)Caitlin brings up ~ screenwriting twitter ~ YET AGAIN.A Million Little Pieces (2003 book by James Frey)Why does having a personal connection to the story make a script more desirable?Sketchy Hollywood Nonsense!The “White Trash Narrative” and male, southern writersAn ode to Ron Howard, director of our hearts.White Trash: The 400 Year Old Untold History of Class in America (2017 book by Nancy Isenberg) What You’re Getting Wrong About Appalachia (book By Elizabeth Catte)Personal backgrounds and the correlation with a writer’s brand.Class, wealth, and all the trappings of that b******t.Realizing you are living through a life moment that will eventually need to be expressed creativity. Drawing on life experience to enrich stories indirectly.Don’t be so literal! Nuance is the name of the game, baby!Lady Bird (2017) and Greta GerwigBecoming too attached to the truth when adapting real life.The Farewell (2019) and Lulu WangRejecting who we are as young people vs. embracing who we are as adults.“One to Watch” a 2020 novel by Kate Stayman-LondonFramebridge - this is not an ad... but it could be! Framebridge, I love you! Call me!Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History (2017 children's book by Vashti Harrison)

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About

A screenwriting and entertainment podcast by and for people who are making it up as they go. Join hosts Caitlin Gallo and Brittany Harris as they navigate the ins and outs of writing in Hollywood.

Information

  • Creator
    Caitlin Gallo & Brittany Harris
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2021
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You Can't Make This Script Up
  • Show Website
    You Can't Make This Script Up