The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

Maggie Gottlieb, a writer who rose from assistant to executive story editor; David F.M. Vaughn, writer and story editor known for long-term collaborations; and Sean Presant, award-winning TV writer and showrunner. They talk about finding real, lasting creative friendships, why trust and backup speed up room work, the sacrifices of tight production schedules, and how to build projects and communities rather than transactional networking.

On this edition of TSL, Meg and Lorien giving a wonderful mix of answers to some phenomenal listener questions, from detailed craft questions, to the business piece and everything in between. What do you do with your script after you've written it? How do you approach producers? Animated vs. Live Action - How to decide? How to get into the business if you don't live in a major market? Mindset of a writer. And so much more! ____________ Looking for more support on your writing journey? Join Meg and Lorien inside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL Workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Episode Links: Check out the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TSL merch shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TSL on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Screenwriting Life is produced and edited by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Alcheh.⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron Tracy, writer-producer and founder of Parallax Audio who teaches creative writing at Yale. He talks about differences between audio and TV, his process for breaking and scripting seasons, directing and recording actors, the role of sound design, pitching to platforms, and when to self-produce. Clear, practical, and full of industry wisdom.

Jesse Andrews, novelist-turned-screenwriter behind Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and co-writer of Luca, talks about moving from novels into Pixar animation. He discusses Pixar’s structured writing process, shaping character-driven comedy, building Hoppers around grief and nature, and the collaborative, ego-free approach that fuels animated storytelling.

Jess Brownell, a Shondaland showrunner and Bridgerton writer, shares her rise to showrunning and creative leadership. She breaks down season 4’s visual palette, the stairwell sequence, choreography and intimacy staging. They discuss Benedict’s emotional journey and sexuality, Sophie’s agency, costume storytelling, and cinematic homages to classic romances.

Eskil Vogt, Norwegian writer-director known for The Worst Person in the World, and Joachim Trier, Oscar-nominated director of the Oslo Trilogy, share their long partnership and how they start with character and theme instead of plot. They talk craft over templates, balancing director control with collaboration, vulnerability in writing, shaping ideas into shared vision, and surprising casting discoveries.

Meg LeFauve, Oscar-nominated screenwriter (Inside Out), and Joe Forte, writer-director and longtime creative collaborator, talk about the joys and difficulties of long-term creative partnership. They explore managing perfectionism and panic, setting boundaries between work and life, repairing after conflicts, practical collaboration rules, and how maturity shaped their process.

Greg Kwedar, writer-director and producer who collaborated on Sing Sing and Train Dreams, and Clint Bentley, writer-director and fiction writer known for Train Dreams and Jockey, discuss their creative partnership. They explore choosing time and rhythm as a film's engine. They talk about adapting a novella, translating literary images to cinema, editing into a new ending, and the logistics of shooting remote woods.

Chandler Baker, a corporate attorney turned New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter, shares her journey from law to writing. She talks about adapting a short story into the feature Oh, What Fun, collaborating with Michael Showalter, and the craft shifts between novels and screenplays. Conversation also covers showrunning surprises, finding high-concept ideas in real life, and balancing creative risk with financial reality.

A craft supercut on how writers introduce characters through actions, voice, and point of view. Short moments, cold opens, and two-minute pilot pitches that capsule attitude and worldbuilding. Strategies include revealing belief systems via behavior, using lyrical or metaphorical entrances, and refining introductions late in the process.