On The Page

Josh Staman, Executive Producer of Weird Waters (Peacock), talks about the unique structure of short-form animation, pushing through "analysis paralysis," and learning to be more "hare-brained" in his writing.

Pilar sits down with her 16 year old nephew, Eric Pick, to find out about the classic films he's watching as he embarks upon his journey to become a director and screenwriter. A worthy film list for any writer!

Filmmaking duo Adamma & Adanne Ebo talk about the work and thought that went into writing, directing and producing their feature film Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul starring Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown.

From writer to producer to director to actor to parent, Keena Ferguson is always thinking creatively about ways to get her message and stories onto the screen and out to the world.

An informal Q&A with two students from Pilar's class, Laura Weekes and Dale Hildebrand, resulted in an in-depth discussion about the pros and cons of independent filmmaking.

Writer/director Jennifer Sharp decided to buck the system, travel to Mexico and make her movie ... which ended up being a story about a writer trying to make her movie while battling the system.

Writer Paul Bellini, "the guy in the towel," talks about what he's learned from writing with Scott Thompson and the Kids in the Hall for over thirty years.

What do you do when your dad catfishes you? Write a movie about it, of course! James Morosini talks about drawing from the truth and creating empathy for his characters as he wrote, directed and starred in his feature film, I Love My Dad, starring Patton Oswalt.

From his critically acclaimed screenplay Palm Springs to his upcoming series The Resort, writer Andy Siara likes to explore the "disappointment of time."

William Indick, author of "Psychology for Screenwriters," discusses why screenwriters must understand human behavior to make their stories come alive.

Author Jess King talks about their new game-changing screenwriting book, Inclusive Screenwriting for Film and Television, which examines and challenges conventional notions of characterization, world building and three act structure.

Keith Giglio and Juliet Aires Giglio share the knowledge of screenwriting and Christmas movies that inspired their new book, "The Summer of Christmas."

Pilar's oldest child Ezra walks us through the structure and character rules of Dungeons and Dragons, emphasizing the ways in which it can work as a writing and brainstorming tool for non-D&D storytelling.

After years of assisting and learning on the job, Naomi Brodkin is a working writer with an episode of Little America coming out soon. She discusses what she's learned from being on set and in the writers' room and how her hard work led to the good luck of being involved in the Academy Award winning movie Coda.

Writer Jared Pascoe shares the personal experiences and desire for story that led to his co-founding the Pre-Rainbow Pages aimed at bringing visibility to non-writers guild LGBTQIA+ writers.

Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, Somebody Feed Phil and the new podcast Naked Lunch, talks about the ways that specificity contributes to great storytelling.

Writer Gigi Rios New discusses writing for The Garcias on HBO Max and for the need for Latin-driven content in TV and film.

Writer / director Chris Derrick discusses writing for Star Trek: Picard and how it's taught him to write to the emotional arc first and bring the cool stuff in later.

What takes eight years, sixty-seven writers, thirty-six directors and one actual apocalypse? Hear how filmmaker Chris Jones produced the crowd-created feature film, The Impact, connecting 50 short films into one narrative.

Actor, writer Beverly Mickins, creator of Los Angeles's longest running storytelling venue Story Salon, talks about the elements that make up a well told, personal story.

Screenwriter Agnieszka Kruk talks about the ways that her creative community in Poland is helping filmmakers in Ukraine affected by the war, and suggests ways that writers worldwide can support their cause.

After earning a spot in the prestigious CBS Mentoring Program, Writer Yakira Chambers learned how to create a "personal A story" that contributed to her getting a job as a writer on NCIS Hawaii. She discusses her successful first year, writing three episodes and getting the opportunity to work with LeVar Burton.

On "Sibling Day" Pilar sits down with her brother Chris Pittas to discuss his decision to pursue screenwriting, his success in competitions, recent representation with Citizen Skull Management … and what he's learned along the way.

Veteran comic book editor Shelly Bond discusses the similarities and differences between comic book writing and screenwriting.

Television director and feature writer Pete Chatmon dives into his extensive experience and unique perspective on storytelling and directing, while giving a sneak peak of his new book,"Transitions: A Director's Journey and Motivational Handbook."

Manager Matt Dy talks about the way he discovers and develops material for the management/production company Lit Entertainment.

Pilar and her friends Brian Pope, Mike Musa and Alex Troxler get together for their annual discussion about the best screenplay and best adapted screenplay Oscar nominees.

York Walker, staff writer on FBI, talks about his personal path from actor to playwright to television writer.

How can writers truly observe their world and society and write honestly about them? Dr. Teruko Vida Mitsuhara, a linguistic anthropologist and script writer, is here to tell you.

Joshua Berman found himself in the middle of a movement, reached for a camera and never stopped filming. Director Amy Goldstein took it from there, crafting the story that became The Unmaking of a College, a documentary about the 2019 student-led, 75-day sit-in at Hampshire College – the longest in American college history

A passion for the true story and years of "crawling through broken glass" helped writer David Kessler get his movie Minamata produced, starring Johnny Depp and directed by Andrew Levitas.

For 30 years Charlie Vignola has had a hand in developing some of the world's most successful movie franchises for Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Here he shares what he learned about acquiring, developing and "creative problem solving," for the Pirates of the Caribbean saga, the National Treasure films, the Bad Boys series and others.

Barbara Ward Thall's script Geriosity sparks a discussion about how our views on aging create bias in the hiring process and prevent accurate depictions on screen.

Sydney Baloue (CW's Tom Swift) talks about how his experiences in the world of queer culture and ballroom contribute to his super power as a storyteller and television writer.

Allard Cantor, co-founder of the literary management company Epicenter, shares about finding talent, developing material and getting his clients work in the film and TV industry.

Doug Passon and Randy Olson talk about the "And, But, Therefore" template they use to help lawyers, scientists and screenwriters tell effective stories.

From love interests to courtroom scenes, Pilar offers writing tips to kickstart the writing year. Writer Sam Benjamin joins her to discuss!

Career coach Lee Jessup returns to discuss the writing trends popular in 2021 and shares what's ahead for the new year.

Writer Scotty Mullen returns to to talk about his newest movie, A Christmas Village Romance, his love of all things Christmas and why the entertainment industry is a "buffet of bonkerness."

Pilar gives a logline lesson built off of listener submissions, then Pilar and Aadip pick their favorites!

Development executive Zsófia Szemerédy talks about the the importance of sustainable practices in filmmaking and discusses ways to implement them on set and on the page.

Writer-director Nathalie Biancheri discusses the preparation, script-work and directorial vision that went into creating her new psychological drama, Wolf.

'Tis the season for the annual On the Page logline competition! Pilar explains the rules and gives the deadline.

Emerson film student Kat Poole's passion is to rediscover and celebrate female film pioneers. Here, she educates us about three of them: filmmaker Alice-Guy Blache screenwriter Jeanie MacPherson and editor Margaret Booth.

George Stevens Jr. the founder of the American Film Institute, talks about the passion for film that inspired him to preserve and archive great movies, establish the Kennedy Center Honors and serve as a voice for the arts in Washington DC. as Co-chair of the Presidential Committee on the Arts & Humanities.

Director Philip Barantini shot his independent feature film Boiling Point in one take and lived to tell the tale. Hear how he kept the camera moving while also telling a rich story of an intense night in a restaurant.

Writer Celia Finkelstein talks about the projects she has in development, her pitch style on Zoom and how her acting experience has taught her not to judge a character.

Canadian writer Lindsay Gossling reveals the work and effort that went into writing and directing her disaster movieThirteen Minutes. She also talks about the challenges of making her film Un Traductor which went on to become Cuba's submission for the Academy Awards.

Sean S. Cunningham, director and producer of the original Friday the 13th movie, talks about the film's humble beginnings, Jason's evolvement as an "anti-hero" and the need for great story above all.

What makes us afraid and how do we write that on the page? Writer Neal Marshall Stevens provides answers as he gives a preview of his book, A Sense of Dread: Getting Under the Skin of Horror Writing.