Script Apart with Al Horner

Today on Script Apart – all aboard a conversation about The Lost Bus, with a writer who’s glued me to my screen time and time again over the last few years. Brad Ingelsby is the creator of Mare Of Eastown starring Kate Winslet from back in the pandemic. He also created this year’s stunning Task – an HBO drama with Mark Ruffalo about an FBI agent investigating a string of violent robberies in rural Delaware County, which is a recurring backdrop to his storytelling – and the Apple TV+ thriller Echo Valley. This year, you might also have caught his collaboration with director Paul Greengrass – a thriller that would have been an exciting throwback to the disaster cinema of decades past, were it not for one particular interesting texture to that film. The Lost Bus told the true life tale of a bus driver, Kevin McKay, played by Matthew Maconahey, who stepped up to save a class full of children amid devastating wildfires encroaching on the small town of Paradise, California. Those fires were in 2018. In January this year, California was devastated by all-new wildfires that cemented a sense of new normal. Climate scientists are warning in unison that we can expect more of the precise scenario depicted in this movie. So, how did that fact affect Brad’s approach to the script? What’s behind his love of stories set in rural communities not often depicted on-screen? Why is it that his storytelling often centres around parents being pushed away by children on the cusp of adulthood? And what lesson is there about writing and life in the fact that, at the end of The Lost Bus, McKay reaches a realisation: the only way out of the fire is through? Brad spills all in this riveting chat.Script Apart is hosted by Al Horner and produced by Kamil Dymek. Follow us on Instagram, or email us on thescriptapartpodcast@gmail.com.To get ad-free episodes and exclusive content, join us on Patreon.Get coverage on your screenplay by visiting ScriptApart.com/coverage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aristocratic chaos agent Hedda Gabler isn’t a character. She’s a Rorschach test, and has been for over a century now. Since first appearing in 1891 as the puzzling eponymous protagonist of a play by Henrick Ibsen, audiences have stared into at this recently married woman, driven by domestic suffocation into acts of destruction, and found different meanings, reflective of who they are, reflective of their politics and personal struggles. Is she a beacon of feminist freedom, lashing out at the restraints forced upon her by a misogynistic upper class? Is she a tragic figure, numbed then maddened by the spiritual emptiness of a bourgeois life? Or is she more simply put, a monster - someone so bored, she seeks entertainment in the destruction of others?In writer-director Nia DaCosta’s new take on the character, starring frequent collaborator Tessa Thompson, she’s perhaps all of the above and more – this is a queer retelling that fizzes with intrigue and nuance and a kinda Brat Summer-era celebration of feminine messiness. Today on Script Apart, a podcast about the first draft secrets of great movies and TV shows, Nia joins me to talk about the thematic through line in her work, connecting Hedda with her 2018 thriller Little Woods and her 2023 foray into superhero cinema, The Marvels. We get into her fascination with unconventional women on-screen, the literature in her childhood that led her to Hedda and every important spoiler plot point from this new adaptation.Script Apart is hosted by Al Horner and produced by Kamil Dymek. Follow us on Instagram, or email us on thescriptapartpodcast@gmail.com.To get ad-free episodes and exclusive content, join us on Patreon.Get coverage on your screenplay by visiting ScriptApart.com/coverage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rian Johnson, celebrated filmmaker behind hits like Knives Out and Looper, dives into the complexities of his new film, Wake Up Dead Man. He discusses how his teenage experiences with faith fuelled the writing of Father Judd, revealing a deeply personal narrative. The conversation explores balancing humor and critique of religion’s intersection with politics, while detailing the challenges of his hardest script yet. Rian also shares insights on crafting compelling characters and the pursuit of truth, ultimately highlighting the transformative journey of storytelling.

Join Edgar Wright, the visionary director behind cult classics like Shaun of the Dead, and Michael Bacall, the savvy screenwriter of 21 Jump Street, as they delve into their fresh adaptation of The Running Man. They explore the eerie parallels between Stephen King's 2025 predictions and today's reality, discuss balancing entertainment with sharp social commentary, and unpack the thrilling design of their dystopian world. With insights into AI's impact on storytelling and the complexities of corporate power, this lively chat is a deep dive into imaginative filmmaking.

Winnie Holzman, playwright who co-created the Wicked musical, and Dana Fox, screenwriter of Cruella and co-adapter of Wicked, reflect on shaping Elphaba and Glinda. They discuss adapting the novel into stage and film, how themes of othering and empathy resonate today, choices about Dorothy and visual nods to the original, and the long collaborative process behind the scripts.

James Vanderbilt, the screenwriter behind Nuremberg and known for Zodiac, explores the monumental trials that followed World War II. He delves into his fascination with 'evil' characters, examining Göring's charisma while ensuring his atrocities are condemned. Vanderbilt shares personal connections through family history, highlights warnings against authoritarianism from the past, and discusses the innovative use of film evidence in court. This conversation reveals the importance of remembering history through the humanity of its characters.

Ryan Coogler, the talented writer-director behind hits like Black Panther, opens up about his new film Sinners. He reflects on feeling unseen despite his success, driven to create a deeply personal piece inspired by his uncle's love for blues music. Coogler discusses the film's exploration of the exploitation of Black music and how cyclical harm affects communities. He emphasizes the themes of joy, grief, and honoring ancestors, revealing how loss shaped the film's emotional depth. A fascinating dive into the intersection of art and personal history!

Rowan Joffe, a screenwriter and director known for 'Tin Star' and '28 Weeks Later,' discusses his adaptation of 'Ballad of a Small Player,' exploring themes of addiction and the duality of human nature. Edward Berger, acclaimed for 'All Quiet on the Western Front,' shares insights on creative curiosity and how Macau’s sensory overload shaped his film. They dive into the moral complexities of addiction, the significance of casinos as modern cathedrals, and the personal emptiness both artists confront, making for a profound conversation on art and human experience.

Shane Black, acclaimed screenwriter and director known for iconic films like Lethal Weapon, shares insights on his new heist film, Play Dirty, which adapts Donald E. Westlake’s Parker novels. He reveals how childhood influences shaped his storytelling and discusses the complexity of flawed characters. Black explains the appeal of heist narratives and his approach to balancing action with character depth. He shares thoughts on navigating CGI in action writing and the moral ambiguity of Parker, ultimately inviting reflection on what makes a compelling anti-hero.

Aziz Ansari is a comedian who seems to always have been intrigued by the idea of status, and the stranglehold it can put people in. You might not immediately think of it when you think of his work, but the 42-year-old seems drawn to dreamers and strivers and people who yearn to transcend their station in life, finding comedy and drama in the gap between what they have and what they covet.In Parks & Recreation, the hit sitcom that made him a household name, Aziz played Tom Haverford, a small-town entrepreneur obsessed with expensive colognes, designer clothes and living a luxury existence; this despite working in the not exactly glamorous world of local government. His acclaimed stand-up work has also touched on materialism. And who can forget Master Of None, the Netflix series he wrote and directed, from 2015 to 2021. That Emmy Award-winning show frequently discussed social mobility. As a child of Indian immigrants, Aziz’s character Dev found himself on more than one occasion reflecting on the life that he gets to live compared to the one his parents sacrificed to give him.Which brings us to Good Fortune – the comedian’s hilarious feature directorial debut. It’s a movie that could only exist in our depressing era of gig work and Amazon so-called fulfilment centres. Aziz plays Arj – a Task Rabbit employee trying and failing to make ends meet. At his wits end after a series of setbacks, he’s visited by an angel named Gabriel, played by Keanu Reeves, who swaps him into the shoes of his ultra-rich boss, Jeff, played by Seth Rogen. He’s meant to learn that actually, money isn’t the solution to all your problems. True happiness comes from within. Just one problem – in our cost-of-living crisis era, money does at the very least make people’s lives much easier. Arj doesn’t want to swap back. Cue a ridiculous and ridiculously funny romp through LA’s glitziest parties and seediest shadow spaces. In the spoiler conversation you’re about to hear, Aziz tells me about actually becoming a Door Dash worker in real life, delivering food to people’s doors, as a window into the impossible economics of jobs like that.  We break down the funniest moments and the most powerful truths in this tale. And you’ll also hear Aziz reflect on his own relationship with luck and so-called good fortune.Script Apart is hosted by Al Horner and produced by Kamil Dymek. Follow us on Instagram, or email us on thescriptapartpodcast@gmail.com.To get ad-free episodes and exclusive content, join us on Patreon.Get coverage on your screenplay by visiting ScriptApart.com/coverage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.