Act Two Podcast
Act Two Podcast
Tasha Huo & Josh Hallman
Behind-the-Scenes of the Business and Craft of professional Screenwriting.
The World-Building Series for Screenwriters: How to Write Scene Description That Builds Your World
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman kick off their new World-Building Series by discussing how to build your world within scenes. Whether writing high fantasy or just building tension, how you introduce or describe a scene and how your characters approach that scene can have a trickle down effect from engaging studio readers to steering production. Let's talk about that! TWIW: Josh visits a studio film set; The greatest compliment-insult Tasha has ever received; Resident Evil and video game adaptations.   Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Oct 12
29 min
What Jurassic Park's Act Two Teaches Screenwriters || Tension, Turning Points & Setups and Payoffs
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the Act Two of Steven Spielberg & David Koepp's Jurassic Park. What can a perfect Act Two teach us about tension, transitions, creating setups and building to better payoffs, and how to craft turning points that propel your movie forward in seamless and engaging ways.    Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Oct 6
43 min
How to Break the Cliches in Action Sequences || The Screenwriting Craft
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss their favorite tips on how to build more unique action sequences that feel essential, tell story and character, and make your screenplay standout. Whether you write in the action genre or not, these storytelling do's apply to all Screenwriters who sometimes find themselves stuck in a cliche.   Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Sep 28
29 min
Note Behind the Note Series || Decoding "What's Your Series?" and "You Should Start Your Story Later"
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss two real-life notes given to a TV writer: "After reading your pilot, I don't know what your series is about" and "You should start your story later". What do those notes actually mean and how do you address them?   Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Sep 22
36 min
10 Things Every Screenwriter Should Know
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down and go in-depth on screenwriter Tom Vaughan's viral post about the 10 random things he learned about having a Screenwriting career after 29 years of writing movies.   Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Sep 15
37 min
How Summer 2026 Blockbusters Are Inspiring Us to Write Original Screenplays
Hosts Tasha Huo & Josh Hallman talk about their hot takes on this Summer's blockbusters and how this massive Summer for theatrical releases is actually a lesson in writing originals.   Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Sep 8
46 min
REPOST - The Art of Adaptation: Interview w/ Christopher Yost (THOR: RAGNAROK, COWBOY BEPOP)
In honor of the recent announcement about Christopher Yost showrunning Dungeon Crawler Carl, we're sharing this great interview with him! Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with one of the great adaptation writers in our business, Christopher Yost (THOR: RAGNAROK, COWBOY BEBOP), about how he approaches adaptation, how it differs from original writing, and how the tough choices of writing an adaptation are unique. He also discusses his path to writing some of the biggest movies in our industry, and how his latest original movie SECRET HEADQUARTERS (playing now on Paramount+) came to be.   Questions / Comments: [email protected] Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg
Aug 31
59 min
REPOST - Networking and Making Connections
After last week's episode where Kevin Shabel mentioned networking as key to building your career, we’re reposting an episode about that very topic! The favorite thing a screenwriter can do is to Network! Not really. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dive into all things networking and what that means for a screenwriter. We discuss the dos and don'ts when you're forced out of your comfort zone and find yourself trying to make new connections. Questions/Comments: [email protected] -- Edited by Paul Lundquist
Aug 24
38 min
How to Become a Writer's Assistant | What the Job Really Is & How to Get It
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk with Kevin Shabel, Tasha's Showrunner's Assistant on Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (Netflix) and the Writer's Assistant for The Mighty Nein (Amazon). He talks about how he got the job, how he excelled, the challenges of the job, and how he leveraged it into co-writing an episode in Season Two.   Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Aug 18
50 min
5 Hacks for a Must-Read Screenplay
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the top screenplay hacks according to NoFilmSchool.com, with examples of how and when they use those hacks in their own professional writing, and also when to leave a hack on the cutting room floor.   Questions/Comments: [email protected]  Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
Aug 10
35 min
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