Advertise on podcast: Austin Film Festival's On Story

This week on On Story, a conversation on Silicon Valley with its writer, director, and executive producer, Alec Berg, and one of its lead actors, Martin Starr. Silicon Valley stars Thomas Middleditch as Richard Hendricks, a programmer at a fictional tech mega-corporation who spends his spare time developing his data-compression startup, Pied Piper. Alongside his friends and colleagues, Richard struggles to get Pied Piper off the ground in the competitive landscape of the Silicon Valley tech industry. The cast also includes T.J. Miller, Josh Brener, Kumail Nanjiani, Zach Woods, and our guest, Martin Starr. Silicon Valley ran for six seasons on HBO and received 41 Emmy nominations.   Silicon Valley was created by Mike Judge, creator of Beavis and Butt-head, and  co-creator of King of the Hill, alongside his collaborators John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky. Alec Berg was brought on to give feedback on Silicon Valley's pilot episode, and stayed on as a writer, director, producer, and eventual co-showrunner. Berg's credit list as a writer, director, and producer of episodic comedy is extensive. Before Silicon Valley, Berg worked as a writer for Seinfeld, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Berg co-created the black comedy Barry alongside Bill Hader. Berg also co-wrote the screenplays for the films The Cat in the Hat, EuroTrip, and The Dictator. You may know Martin Starr from his roles as Bill Haverchuck on Freaks and Geeks, Roman DeBeers on Party Down, Bodhi (Bow-dee) on Tulsa King, or from his work in the films Knocked Up, Adventureland, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. In Silicon Valley, Starr plays Bertram Gilfoyle, a sardonic, Canadian Satanist and a founding member of Pied Piper. I sat down with Martin Starr and Alec Berg to talk all about their process diving into the competitive, slightly ridiculous world of tech on Silicon Valley.  Clips of Silicon Valley courtesy of Home Box Office Inc.

This week on On Story, we're joined by Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett for a conversation on Big Mouth following its final season.   Big Mouth is a one-of-a-kind animated, coming-of-age, musical sitcom, which aired for eight seasons on Netflix. The series follows a group of middle schoolers as they navigate puberty and coming-of-age while being tormented by supernatural creatures which represent their swirl of new emotions, such as the Hormone Monsters, The Shame Wizard, The Depression Kitty, and The Anxiety Mosquito.    Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett created Big Mouth along with Andrew Goldberg, and its lead voice-actor Nick Kroll. Levin and Flackett began their careers writing for TV shows like The Wonder Years, LA Law, and Beverly Hills 90210. The duo later transitioned to writing for film, and co-wrote the screenplays for Madeline, Wimbledon, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and more. They co-created and executive produced both Big Mouth and its spinoff Human Resources, as well as their new animated show Mating Season.     We're back with AFF moderator Harrison Glaser, who sat down with Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett for a conversation on balancing raunchy humor with authentic emotion in Big Mouth, and a reflection on the show's eight-year run.   Big Mouth Clips courtesy of Netflix Worldwide Entertainment LLC.

This week on On Story, a conversation on the hit comedy The Studio, with co-creator and showrunner Alex Gregory. The Studio stars Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the newly-appointed head of a faltering production studio who must balance his love of film against the corporate interests of a profit-driven and risk-averse entertainment industry. The Studio's star-studded ensemble cast also includes Kathryn Hahn, Bryan Cranston, and Catherine O'Hara in her final on-screen performance, as well as cameos from Martin Scorsese, Jean Smart, and many more. The first season won 13 Emmys, including the award for Outstanding Comedy Series. It has been renewed for a second season.  Alex Gregory created The Studio along with Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, and Frida Perez. Gregory began his comedy career as a writer for Spy Magazine. His other TV credits include The Late Show with David Letterman, The Larry Sanders Show, Frasier, King of the Hill, and Veep, where he earned his first two Emmy awards. Gregory co-created the miniseries The White House Plumbers for HBO. He has also drawn over 300 cartoons for The New Yorker.  AFF moderator Harrison Glaser sat down with Alex Gregory for a conversation on how The Studio reflects the chaos of modern Hollywood, how the writers created high stakes without writing any villains, and the real executive that inspired Seth Rogen's character. Clips of The Studio courtesy of Lionsgate Television.

This week on On Story, a conversation on Hacks with its co-creator and co-showrunner Jen Statsky. Hacks follows the odd-couple antics of trailblazing standup comedian Deborah Vance, played by Jean Smart, and struggling up-and-coming comedy writer Ava Daniels, played by Hannah Einbinder, who's hired to help Deborah breathe new life into her worn-out routine. The pair form a close bond as Ava pushes Deborah to take risks and pursue her lifelong dream of hosting a late night talk show.  Hacks is packed with scene stealing supporting and guest performances by Meg Stalter, Paul W. Downs, Julianne Nicholson, Laurie Metcalf, and more. The final season received a record-breaking 24 Emmy nominations, including a nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series.  Jen Statsky co-created Hacks alongside Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs. Statsky previously worked as a writer for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, Parks and Recreation, Broad City, and The Good Place.  I sat down with Jen Statsky for a conversation on crafting the pitch document for Hacks, building Ava and Deborah's explosive relationship, and the meta-challenge of writing a show that's all about the writing process.

This week on On Story, a conversation on Abbott Elementary with its co-showrunner Patrick Schumacker. Abbott Elementary is ABC's hit mockumentary sitcom set at a chaotic, underfunded elementary school in West Philadelphia. The show's creator and co-showrunner Quinta Brunson stars as optimistic and energetic second-grade teacher Janine Teagues. She works with the awkward but well meaning Jacob, her fiery no-nonsense mentors Barbara and Melissa, new hire Gregory, and the vain and outlandish Principal Ava. The show has been nominated for 30 Emmy Awards, and has won awards in the acting, writing, and casting categories. Abbott Elementary has run for five seasons on ABC, with a sixth on the way.   Patrick Schumacher is the co-founder of Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions, which, along with Abbott Elementary, has produced HBO Max's hit animated series Harley Quinn, and its spinoff series, Kite Man: Hell Yeah! Schumacher's credits also include the network sitcoms Powerless, and Surviving Jack, as well as iZombie, Cougar Town, and How to be a Gentleman.  I sat down with Patrick Schumacker to discuss his experience working with child actors and building the show's ensemble cast, and the benefits of writing 22-episode seasons.

This week on On Story, we're joined by Justin Simien, the writer-director of the film Dear White People, and the creator of the TV adaptation of the same name, which ran for four seasons on Netflix. The film follows Samantha White, played by Tessa Thompson, a media arts major at a fictional ivy league university who stirs controversy on campus by criticizing her white peers and their racist transgressions on her Dear White People radio show. The TV adaptation expanded in scope to focus on an ensemble of characters at the fictional Winchester University.    Simien began working on the concept for Dear White People in 2006 as a response to his time studying film at a predominantly white institution. In 2012 he created a trailer as proof of concept, which he used as a centerpiece to launch a successful crowdfunding campaign. The film premiered in 2014 to critical and financial success, and the TV adaptation premiered on Netflix three years later. Simien went on to write and direct the horror comedy Bad Hair, and direct the horror comedy Haunted Mansion. Simien is currently executive producing TV projects through his production company Culture Machine.    AFF moderator Casey Baron sat down with Justin Simien for a conversation on Simien's process of using social media to build an audience for Dear White People, his collaborations with Yvette Lee Bowser and Lena Waithe, and the pressures of social responsibility as a Black artist.

This week on On Story, a conversation on the writer-producer relationship with Celine Song and Christine Vachon. Celine Song began her writing career as a playwright. Her first film, Past Lives, follows the relationship between childhood sweethearts living in South Korea, who are separated when one of them emigrates to the United States, only to reunite and rebuild their complicated relationship as adults. Past Lives was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and its script earned Song a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Song's second film, Materialists, follows the love triangle between a New York matchmaker, her wealthy, seemingly perfect match, and her financially challenged, struggling-actor ex-boyfriend. The film was inspired by Song's real-life experience working as a matchmaker.  Christine Vachon is the co-founder of Killer Films, a New York-based  production company which has been producing acclaimed independent features since the mid-90s, including both of Song's projects. Vachon has frequently collaborated with director Todd Haynes, producing every one of his feature films, including Carol, Safe, and May December. Vachon's credits also include Kids, I Shot Andy Warhol, Boys Don't Cry, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and many, many more. In television, Vachon has produced Todd Haynes' HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce, as well as Netflix's Halston. Past Lives earned Vachon her first Best Picture nomination.  AFF moderator Sally Seitz sat down with Celine Song and Christine Vachon for a conversation on balancing romance and realism in Materialists, fostering good communication as a creative pair, and how Vachon supported Song as a first-time director on the set of Past Lives.

This week on On Story, a conversation with Joanna Calo, showrunner of the character-driven dramedy The Bear. Joanna delves into her experience sharing showrunning duties with creator Christopher Storer, and discusses their approach to incorporating real life events into the show's deeply grounded characters and high stakes world.  As a television veteran, Joanna's writing credits include Bojack Horseman, Hacks, Beef, and today's subject, The Bear. The Bear tells the story of Carmy Berzatto, played by Jeremy Allen White, an award-winning chef who returns home to Chicago in the wake of his estranged brother's suicide to find that he has inherited the family sandwich shop. Audiences fell in love with The Bear's fast-paced dialogue, anxiety-inducing stakes, and deeply human characters in the show's first season. In season 2, the show's stakes raised even higher as Carmy attempted to open his own fine dining restaurant in Chicago. In today's On Story conversation, Joanna share her insights surrounding the infamous mid-season episode Fishes featuring guest star Jamie Lee Curtis, as well as the well-crafted characters of Richie, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Marcus, played by Lionel Boyce. Clips of The Bear courtesy of FX.

This week on On Story, a conversation with screenwriter Michael Arndt. Arndt began his screenwriting career on a high when he wrote the script for the family road trip dramedy Little Miss Sunshine. That script earned Arndt the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Next, Arndt wrote the script for Toy Story 3, which was nominated for the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, making Arndt the first ever writer to be nominated in both of the Academy's screenplay categories for his first two scripts. Arndt wrote the script for the second installment in the Hunger Games series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. A decade later, he co-wrote the script for the prequel film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Arndt also co-wrote the script for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.    Arndt's website, pandemonium inc. dot com, hosts educational tools for writers, including the full scripts for Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3, and his video-seminars on "Beginnings: Setting a Story in Motion", and "Endings: the Good, the Bad, and the Insanely Great".    AFF moderator Erin Hallagan Clare sat down with Michael Arndt for a conversation on story structure, beginning with his advice for creating high stakes, and writing great endings.

This week on On Story, we're joined by comedian and screenwriter Tim Herlihy for a look back at the beloved 90s romcom The Wedding Singer. Set in 80s New Jersey, the film follows the romantic misfortunes of Robbie Hart, a rock-star turned wedding singer played by Adam Sandler, whose life is thrown off track when his fiance dumps him on their wedding day. Robbie's love life is further complicated when he starts developing feelings for his friend Julia, a waitress, played by Drew Barrymore, who's feeling discouraged because her businessman fiance has yet to commit to a date for their wedding.  Tim Herlihy started his accidental comedy career writing standup material for his friend Adam Sandler while they were roommates at NYU. When Sandler was hired at Saturday Night Live, he and Herlihy continued their working friendship, with Herlihy writing material for Sandler in an unofficial capacity. While working as a lawyer, Herlihy wrote the script for Billy Madison, with Sandler as his co-writer. Herlihy continued working with Sandler on the scripts for Happy Gilmore, The Waterboy, Little Nicky, Hubie Halloween, and more. In 1994, Herlihy was officially brought onto the writing staff at SNL, where he rose through the ranks to serve as head writer and producer. In 2006, Herlihy co-wrote the book, and two songs, for the Broadway adaptation of The Wedding Singer, earning him a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical.  Barbara Morgan sat down with Tim Herlihy for a conversation on his experience working with Adam Sandler on the duo's first romcom, negotiating with studios, and handing the reins to Carrie Fisher, whose rewrite ended up saving the script.  Wedding Singer clips courtesy of New Line Productions, Inc.

This week on On Story, a conversation with Shane Black on his work co-writing and directing The Nice Guys.   Set in 70s Los Angeles, The Nice Guys stars Ryan Gosling as Holland March, a down-on-his-luck private detective and single father hired to investigate the death of a local adult film star. March's detective work puts him on a collision course with the brass-knuckle-wearing private enforcer Jackson Healy, played by Russell Crowe. Healy and March form an unlikely team as their investigation leads them deeper and deeper into the corrupt and crumbling industries of porn, politics, and auto manufacturing. The Nice Guys also features scene-stealing supporting performances by Margaret Qualley and Angourie Rice.    Shane Black has a long resume as a writer and director in the thriller and action-comedy genres. In the 80s and 90s, Black wrote the scripts for Lethal Weapon, The Last Boyscout, and The Long Kiss Goodbye. In 2005, Black made his directorial debut with the neo-noir crime-comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Black co-wrote and directed Iron Man 3, which combined his signature dark-comedy with a more serious exploration of Tony Stark's struggles with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Following The Nice Guys, Black co-wrote and directed the sci-fi thriller The Predator. Black recently co-wrote and directed the heist thriller Play Dirty starring Mark Wahlberg and LaKeith Stanfield.     I sat down with Shane Black for a conversation on The Nice Guys' beginnings as an experimental writing exercise, its legacy as a cult-favorite "midnight movie", and his love of protagonists who are past their primes and in over their heads.    Clips of the Nice Guys courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

This week on On Story, a conversation with Brian Helgeland on his work writing and directing the 2001 medieval sports-comedy A Knight's Tale.   A Knight's Tale stars Heath Ledger as William Thatcher, an ambitious fourteenth-century squire who is determined to change his fate and escape his life of servitude. William's chance at glory arrives when his master is killed in a jousting tournament, and he decides to don his master's armor and compete in his place. With the help of his fellow squires, and the writer Geoffrey Chaucer (played by Paul Bettany), William adopts a fake identity as a nobleman and fights his way through the ranks of the jousting tournament, all while falling in love with a real noblewoman and concealing his true identity.    Writer-director Brian Helgeland decided to pursue filmmaking after encountering a book entitled "A Guide To Film School" while working on a fishing vessel. Helgeland broke into the industry by way of the horror genre, writing scripts for A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, and Tales From the Crypt. Helgeland won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work writing L.A. Confidential, a neo-noir crime thriller following three detectives trying to uncover a conspiracy within the corrupt LA police department. Helgeland made his directorial debut in 1999 with Payback, starring Mel Gibson. Helgeland has continued writing in the thriller and neo-noir genres throughout his career, including Mystic River, Man on Fire, Green Zone, Finestkind, and more. Helgeland also wrote and directed the sports drama 42, which follows the life of baseball player Jackie Robinson, the first black athlete to play in Major League Baseball, and stars Chadwick Boseman in his breakout role.    Barbara Morgan sat down with Brian Helgeland to talk about his experience writing A Knight's Tale as a spec script, directing Heath Ledger, and crafting the film's anachronistic stadium-rock score.

This week on On Story, we'll travel back to the 90s with a retrospective on the crime thriller Se7en, with its screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker.   Directed by David Fincher, Se7en stars Brad Pitt as David Mills, an idealistic young detective with a short fuse, who's still adjusting to the violence and apathy of life in the big city. Mills is paired with William Somerset, a jaded Detective Lieutenant who's only one week from retirement, played by Morgan Freeman. Mills and Somerset are tasked with investigating a pair of homicides that are exceptionally depraved and theatrical. The detectives realize that the two murders are only the beginning of a sadistic killing spree where each crime will be based on one of the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath, pride, and lust. Mills and Somerset begin a desperate game of cat and mouse as they try to get inside the mind of this depraved killer, and catch him before he can carry out his plan. The film was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Original Screenplay.    Se7en was screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker's first script to be sold. During Se7en's three year development period, Walker wrote the scripts for two horror movies: the sci-fi slasher Brainscan, about a troubled teen who's seduced into committing crimes by a hypnotic interactive horror game, and the psychological horror Hideaway about a man who survives a near death experience and finds himself psychically connected to a serial killer. Walker has continued writing and producing in the crime thriller and sci-fi genres throughout his career. Walker wrote the script for 8mm, which follows a private detective investigating a snuff film which may depict a real murder. Walker collaborated with David Fincher again on the 2023 film The Killer, and on an episode of the animated series Love, Death & Robots. His writing credits also include Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, the animated comedy Nerdland, the crime thriller Windfall, and many more.    AFF moderator Andy Volk sat down with Andrew Kevin Walker for a post-screening conversation on his experience writing Se7en based on a one-sentence logline, getting the script in front of director David Fincher, and working with the film's production crew to craft a version of New York City city lost in time.

Next Up, we're joined by three accomplished writers, Virgil Williams, Nicole Perlman, and Scott Rosenberg, for a conversation on finding and maintaining inspiration.  Virgil Williams began his career in television, writing on 24 and ER. In 2011 Williams joined the writing staff of the grisly FBI procedural Criminal Minds, and stayed on for a six-season run as a writer and producer. Williams earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work writing the script for the 2017 historical drama Mudbound, following the clash between two Southern families as they grapple with the effects of racism and PTSD after World War II. Next, Williams wrote the script for the romantic drama A Journal for Jordan, based on the memoir by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Dana Canedy. Williams collaborated with filmmaker Malcolm Washington to co-write the script for The Piano Lesson, based on the play by August Wilson. The script blends traditional family drama with elements of horror and magical realism.  Nicole Perlman broke into the film industry via Marvel's screenwriting program, where she selected the Guardians of the Galaxy comics as the basis for a film adaptation. Perlman is credited as a co-writer on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, alongside the film's director James Gunn. Perlman also co-wrote the story for Captain Marvel and Detective Pikachu. Recently Perlman has been working as an executive producer on the police procedural CIA, created by Dick Wolf and David Hudgins.  Scott Rosenberg has been writing for film and TV since the 90s. His early film projects include Things to do in Denver When You're Dead, Con Air, Disturbing Behavior, and High Fidelity. He also worked as a writer on the horror anthology Tales from the Crypt, and has worked as a writer-producer on shows like Life on Mars, and Zoo. More recently, Rosenberg served as an executive producer for Everything Sucks! and the TV adaptation of High Fidelity starring Zoë Kravitz. Rosenberg co-wrote the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Jumanji: The Next Level, as well as the superhero film Venom.    AFF moderator Greg Garrett sat down with Scott Rosenberg, along with Nicole Perlman, and Virgil Williams, for a conversation on the drive, discipline, and routines which help them develop an idea from inspiration to completion.

This week on On Story, a conversation with screenwriters Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, on the years-long labor of love that brought Wicked from the stage to the big screen.   Wicked takes us back in time to before the events of the classic film The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The story follows Elphaba Thropp, played by Cynthia Erivo, a misunderstood outcast who was born with green skin, and magical powers that she can't always control. While escorting her younger sister to her first day at university, Elphaba accidentally uses her powers in an emotional outburst. The university's Dean of Sorcery sees this display and decides to take Elphaba under her wing and privately tutor her. Elphaba accepts in the hope that she can fulfil her lifelong dream of working with The Wizard of Oz, who she believes will see past her unusual exterior and value her for her magical talents. Elphaba finds herself reluctantly sharing a room with the popular and wealthy Galinda, played by Ariana Granda. The pair clash and compete for academic attention, before forming an unlikely friendship. But, when Elphaba learns about the mounting oppression of Oz's population of anthropomorphic animals, she is forced to make a choice between being accepted into Oz's ruling class, or standing up for what she believes in. Wicked was the first in a two-film series, followed by Wicked: For Good.    Winnie Holzman has been writing in the world of Oz since the late 90s, when she wrote the book for the stage musical Wicked, alongside composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The stage musical was inspired by the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, written by Gregory Maguire. Holzman has been drafting the film adaptation for the last decade, with the process moving into hyper-speed once her co-writer Dana Fox, and director Jon M. Chu joined the project. She also created the edgy 90s teen drama My So Called Life. Her other TV writing credits include Thirtysomething, and Huge, and she has appeared as an actor in Jerry Maguire, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more.    Co-writer Dana Fox broke into the industry writing romantic comedy films including The Wedding Date, What Happens in Vegas, and Isn't it Romantic. More recently, Fox co-wrote the script for the 2021 film Cruella, starring Emma Stone as Cruella de Vil.    Dana Fox and Winnie Holzman sat down with AFF moderator Erin Hallagan Clare to talk about worldbuilding, the process of adaptation, and writing an emotionally grounded story in the movie-musical Wicked.   Clips of Wicked courtesy of Universal City Studios Productions LLLP