From Contest Quarterfinalist to Industry Meetings: A Screenwriter’s Real Path Forward, Jack Cusick
The ISA Podcast
What does it mean to “level up” as a screenwriter? Grounded sci-fi writer Jack Cusick breaks down the realities of building a screenwriting career, from mastering craft, to finding community, to finally stepping into real industry conversations. Jack shares how he fell in love with storytelling, why the structure of screenwriting sharpened his writing, and how he thinks about grounded sci-fi as character-first storytelling rather than spectacle. He also opens up about “quarterfinalist syndrome,” rewriting without losing your sanity, and why progress in this business often feels like a...
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ISA Presents: How to Hook Agents & Producers, a roundtable with ISA Leadership
The ISA Podcast
Join the ISA for an honest conversation about what agents & producers want & what you need to do to become the writer they're searching for. They're not just looking for potential. They're looking for proof. In this roundtable, we'll cover: What makes agents say yes (& what makes them pass immediately) The truth about what your script needs to be ready & how to get it there How to build the professional foundation that gets you noticed Strategic paths to industry visibility The ISA resources that help you Get Great → Get Noticed → Get Repped Featuring: Craig James...
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Keeping the Fun in Filmmaking: Molly Ratermann’s Creative Mindset | Emerging Screenwriter Interview
The ISA Podcast
Writer–director–actor Molly Ratermann shares the wild, deeply personal, and inspiring story behind her debut feature film, "Making a Bridesmaid."
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Take 10 with Craig - General Meetings: Stop Trying to Sell. Start Building Relationships.
The ISA Podcast
A general meeting isn’t about pitching your project. It’s about building relationships, establishing trust, and showing executives, producers, and collaborators who you are as a person and storyteller.
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"How to be a Screenwriter" with Phil Stark (South Park, That '70s Show, Dude, Where's My Car?)
The ISA Podcast
Screenwriter and therapist Phil Stark joins the ISA for an honest, funny, and deeply insightful conversation about creativity, impostor syndrome, and breaking into the industry.
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From Dream to Debut: Alex Sarrigeorgiou’s First Feature Film Story, making "In Transit"
The ISA Podcast
Writer, actor, and poet Alex Sarrigeorgiou talks about her creative journey and her debut feature film, "In Transit," a tender, intimate queer drama about connection, identity, and the courage to change direction in life.
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Overcoming Impostor Syndrome as a Writer | Trusting the Process of Storytelling
The ISA Podcast
“The idea of impostor syndrome is something I think we all struggle with — and I’m no exception.” In this heartfelt reflection, Craig James opens up about creative self-doubt, trusting your work, and learning to let go once you’ve done your part.
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Just Your Typical Award-winning Screenwriter-slash-Zookeeper | Alli Kiko Masloske's Inspiring Story
The ISA Podcast
In this inspiring conversation, Alli Kiko Masloske shares her creative journey from working with animals to writing screenplays that connect deeply with audiences. From navigating chronic illness to finding her voice in a competitive industry, Alli opens up about how humor, honesty, and community have shaped her work and outlook on life.
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Dani Hanks on Writing with Authentic Voice & Building a TV Career, Emerging Screenwriter Interview
The ISA Podcast
Writer, director, and creative powerhouse Dani Hanks joins Shaya Weber for an in-depth conversation about her journey from actor to award-winning writer, how chronic illness shaped their perspective, and their process for writing powerful, character-driven stories. Learn how Dani approaches outlining, keeps momentum through rejection, and balances a thriving creative life with a demanding day job. Perfect for emerging screenwriters, showrunners-in-training, and anyone seeking inspiration and practical tips for breaking into TV writing. BiographyDani Hanks (they/she) is a disabled...
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Finding Your True Writing Voice | Stop Writing for the Audience, Start Writing for YOURSELF
The ISA Podcast
Every writer needs to find their true voice, that unique perspective that makes their work authentic and unforgettable. We dive into what “voice” really means and how to write from a place of honesty.
info_outlineA native New Yorker, Adam received a BFA from Ithaca College and completed one year of his MFA at UCLA before deciding to quit because those hard wooden classroom chairs were really chafing his ass. Writing began for him when his first play was produced at the West Coast Ensemble Theater in Hollywood. A creative executive who happened to be in the audience one night called Adam the next day and asked him to write a movie for him. Spoiler alert: it never got made. Shocking, I know! Nevertheless, he persisted.
Adam’s day job as an Executive Producer of unscripted television shows such as “The Real Housewives of Orange County”, “The Real Housewives of Dallas”, “Southern Charm” and “The Bradshaw Bunch” pays his bills while he writes. To date, his sojourn in the scripted world includes selling a treatment to Disney Feature Animation, being a staff writer on comedy pilots for AMC and Discovery Kids, acceptance into the Warner Bros Comedy Writers Program, being a finalist for the Disney Fellowship in Screenwriting, developing a romantic comedy with Bryan Cranston for him to direct, and writing several features and pilots that have all received accolades from each contest in which they’ve been entered.
Adam's most recent success includes being one of ISA’s TOP 25 SCREENWRITERS TO WATCH IN 2025. His Horror / Comedy "HELL HOLES was one of five ISA Staff Picks for December 2024 and one of ISA's 25 Top Reads for Winter 2024. "HELL HOLES" is also in the TOP 8% of all scripts on COVERFLY.
Adam’s bread and butter is comedy, and his peanut butter and jelly is infusing other genres like horror, action and sci-fi with that comedy. Except for his one drama feature. That one is strictly a BLT on toasted wheat, light mayo.