OnWriting: A Podcast of the WGA East
OnWriting is podcast from the Writers Guild of America East. In each episode, you’ll hear from the union members who create the film, TV series, podcasts and news stories that define our culture. We’ll discuss everything from inspirations and creative process to what it takes to build a successful career in media and entertainment.
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Episode 131: WGAE AI Task Force Roundtable with Larry J. Cohen, Sarah Montana and A.M. Homes
11/20/2025
Episode 131: WGAE AI Task Force Roundtable with Larry J. Cohen, Sarah Montana and A.M. Homes
This week, WGAE AI Taskforce co-chairs Larry J. Cohen and Sarah Montana, and taskforce member A.M. Homes sit down for an OnWriting roundtable conversation about all things artificial intelligence: how we got to where we are today, the risks AI poses to workers, what the WGAE is doing to protect members from this technology, and more. A.M. Homes is a writer whose credits include television series like Mr. Mercedes and The L Word. She is a former member of the WGAE Council and currently a member of the WGAE AI Taskforce. Larry J. Cohen is a writer on the television series Berlin Station and Borgia. He currently serves on the WGAE Council and is the co-chair of the WGAE AI Taskforce. Sarah Montana is the writer of Hallmark holiday movies like Rescuing Christmas. She's a WGAE Council member for the Film/TV/Streaming sector and is the second co-chair of the WGAE AI Taskforce. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: @WGAEast OnWriting is a production of the Writers Guild of America East. The show is produced by WGA East staff members Jason Gordon, Tiana Timmerberg, and Molly Beer. Production, editing, and mix by Giulia Hjort. Original music is by Taylor Bradshaw. Artwork is designed by Molly Beer.
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Episode 130: Screenwriter Roundtable with Nia DaCosta, Benny Safdie and Will Tracy
11/13/2025
Episode 130: Screenwriter Roundtable with Nia DaCosta, Benny Safdie and Will Tracy
We're kicking off the Fall/Winter 2025 season of OnWriting with a roundtable conversation between screenwriters Nia DaCosta, Benny Safdie and Will Tracy, who sat down to discuss their latest projects, the writing process, and more. Nia DaCosta is the writer and director of Hedda, a provocative, modern reimagining of Henrik Ibsen's classic play in which the titular Hedda Gabler finds herself torn between the lingering ache of a past love and the quiet suffocation of her present life. Benny Safdie is the writer and director of The Smashing Machine, the true story of mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr, whose obsession with greatness made him a legend — and nearly cost him everything. Will Tracy is the writer of Bugonia, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, in which two conspiracy-obsessed men kidnap the CEO of a major company when they become convinced that she's an alien who wants to destroy Earth. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: @WGAEast OnWriting is a production of the Writers Guild of America East. The show is produced by WGA East staff members Jason Gordon, Tiana Timmerberg, and Molly Beer. Production, editing, and mix by Giulia Hjort. Original music is by Taylor Bradshaw. Artwork is designed by Molly Beer.
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Episode 129: How to Organize a Union with Rez Nemorin, Jessica Schulberg and Leah Gotcsik
08/13/2025
Episode 129: How to Organize a Union with Rez Nemorin, Jessica Schulberg and Leah Gotcsik
WGAE member organizers Rez Nemorin, Jessica Schulberg and Leah Gotcsik sit down to discuss what the organizing, bargaining and enforcement process looks like at each of their workplaces, how being in a union builds a stronger and more supportive community, the importance and responsibility of being an active union member – especially right now – and much more. Rez Nemorin is a producer in the world of nonfiction television, where she is currently involved in bargaining the first contract at Lucky8. Jessica Schulberg is a senior reporter at HuffPost who helped bargain their second and third contracts, and is gearing up to start bargaining their fourth. She has been on HuffPost's Enforcement Committee since 2017, and is a WGAE Council member representing the Guild's Online Media sector. Leah Gotcsik is a children's television writer primarily working in animation. She was just involved in the WGA's successful contract negotiation with PBS, WGBH, WNET and PBS SoCal, which won first-ever union protections for animation writers in public television. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: @WGAEast OnWriting is a production of the Writers Guild of America East. The show is produced by WGA East staff members Jason Gordon, Tiana Timmerberg, and Molly Beer. Production, editing, and mix by Giulia Hjort. Original music is by Taylor Bradshaw. Artwork is designed by Molly Beer.
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Episode 128: Lang Fisher & Tracey Wigfield, "The Four Seasons"
07/23/2025
Episode 128: Lang Fisher & Tracey Wigfield, "The Four Seasons"
Co-showrunners Tracey Wigfield and Lang Fisher discuss running their latest writers' room, how the pitching process has changed for them throughout their careers, why figuring out the story is like being good at math, and much more. Tracey Wigfield is a TV writer and showrunner. She created the NBC series Great News and the Saved by the Bell revival on Peacock. Before that, she was a writer on 30 Rock as well as The Mindy Project. Lang Fisher is a TV writer, showrunner and director. She co-created the Netflix series Never Have I Ever and was a writer on 30 Rock, The Mindy Project and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Together, Tracey and Lang are the co-showrunners of The Four Seasons, which they co-created alongside Tina Fey. The miniseries is an adaptation of the 1981 film of the same name, written and directed by Alan Alda. It follows three married couples whose decades-long friendship is tested when one of the couples divorces, complicating their tradition of quarterly weekend getaways. The Four Seasons premiered on Netflix in May 2025 and was renewed for a second season the same month. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: @WGAEast OnWriting is a production of the Writers Guild of America East. The show is produced by WGA East staff members Jason Gordon, Tiana Timmerberg, and Molly Beer. Production, editing, and mix by Giulia Hjort. Original music is by Taylor Bradshaw. Artwork is designed by Molly Beer.
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Episode 127: On Saturday Night Live with head writers Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell and Kent Sublette
07/09/2025
Episode 127: On Saturday Night Live with head writers Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell and Kent Sublette
Saturday Night Live head writers Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell and Kent Sublette join Greg Iwinski to talk about the process of writing for a different host every week, how giving notes to writers differs from giving notes to the cast, what writing for SNL teaches you about rejection, and much more. Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell and Kent Sublette are the current head writers of Saturday Night Live. Kent has been a head writer for the show since 2016, and Alison and Streeter have been head writers since 2022. Greg Iwinski is an Emmy-winning comedy writer whose credits include Last Week Tonight, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Game Theory with Bomani Jones. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: @WGAEast OnWriting is a production of the Writers Guild of America East. The show is produced by WGA East staff members Jason Gordon, Tiana Timmerberg, and Molly Beer. Production, editing, and mix by Giulia Hjort. Original music is by Taylor Bradshaw. Artwork is designed by Molly Beer.
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Episode 126: All About the WGAE Film & TV Captains Network with Suzanne Weber, Sarah Montana and Devin Delliquanti
06/25/2025
Episode 126: All About the WGAE Film & TV Captains Network with Suzanne Weber, Sarah Montana and Devin Delliquanti
Three intrepid WGAE member Captains – Sarah Montana, Devin Delliquanti and Suzanne Weber – kick off the summer season OnWriting with a roundtable discussion of our Film and Television Captains Network: what a Captain is, how Captains further the Guild’s ability to provide effective union representation for each and every member, the all-important WGA Captain hat and more. The WGAE Captains Network is a group of dedicated and engaged WGAE members in the Guild’s Film/TV/Streaming sector who connect other members in their workplace and networks to the union. They work to build community for members and to facilitate communication between their teams and union leadership and staff. Sarah Montana is a screenwriter who primarily writes romcoms, often involving a Santa or Christmas theme, for networks like Hallmark Channel, and is also a member of the WGAE Council. Devin Delliquanti is a writer who currently works at The Daily Show, and has written recently on the Grammy Awards and multiple Jordan Klepper specials. Suzanne Weber is a television writer and developer who was previously on the writing staff for Disney's Andi Mack and for the ill-fated Lizzie McGuire reboot, and is also a member of the WGAE Council. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 125: Daytime Drama Roundtable with the 2025 Writers Guild Award Nominees
04/16/2025
Episode 125: Daytime Drama Roundtable with the 2025 Writers Guild Award Nominees
Three Daytime Drama writers whose shows were contenders the 2025 Writers Guild Awards join us to discuss their work, how they became daytime drama writers, how the daytime format helps you avoid procrastinating, some favorite plotlines, and much more. Kate Hall is a daytime drama writer whose credits include Days of Our Lives, All My Children, General Hospital, and Young and the Restless. She was nominated for the 2025 Daytime Drama Writers Guild Award for General Hospital. Ron Carlivati is a daytime drama writer who has served as head writer for One Life to Live, General Hospital and Days of Our Lives, and as a staff writer on the new show Beyond the Gates. He was nominated for the 2025 Daytime Drama Writers Guild Award for Days of Our Lives. Charlotte Gibson-Bauer is a daytime drama writer who has worked as a scriptwriter on All My Children and General Hospital, and as a breakdown writer on As the World Turns, Guiding Light and Days of Our Lives. She was nominated for the 2025 Daytime Drama Writers Guild Award for General Hospital. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 124: Soo Hugh ("Pachinko") in conversation with Lynn Nottage
04/02/2025
Episode 124: Soo Hugh ("Pachinko") in conversation with Lynn Nottage
Lynn Nottage is joined by Soo Hugh for a conversation about approaches to adaptation for the screen, improving work-life balance by recentering collaboration, building the writers room for a show that spans several languages, countries, and times, and much more. Soo Hugh is a writer, showrunner and producer who cut her screenwriting teeth as a staff writer on shows like the AMC crime drama The Killing, the CBS sci-fi series Under the Dome. She then went on to serve as creator and showrunner for ABC’s 2015 sci-fi series The Whispers and as the co-showrunner for the first season of the AMC supernatural anthology The Terror. She is currently the showrunner, writer, executive producer, and visionary behind the drama series Pachinko, based on the international bestselling novel of the same name by Min Jin Lee. Told in three languages – Korean, Japanese, and English – Pachinko follows the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family as they leave their homeland in an indomitable quest to survive and thrive. Season 1 received the Peabody Entertainment Award, a Critics Choice Television Award for best foreign language series, an Independent Spirit Award for best ensemble cast in a scripted series, a Gotham Award for Breakthrough Series, and was notably elected as one of AFI's TV programs of the year. The series debuted on Apple TV+ in March 2022, and the highly anticipated season two premiered globally last summer. This episode is moderated by Lynn Nottage. Lynn is a screenwriter, playwright and installation artist. She is the first, and remains the only, woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice – for her plays Sweat and Ruined. As a screenwriter she was a writer and producer on the Netflix series She's Gotta Have It and a consulting producer on the third season of the Apple TV+ series Dickinson. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 123: Digital News Roundtable with the 2025 Writers Guild Award Nominees
03/19/2025
Episode 123: Digital News Roundtable with the 2025 Writers Guild Award Nominees
The five contenders for Digital News at the 2025 Writers Guild Awards sit down for a roundtable discussion of their nominated pieces, their writing processes, facing challenges and finding silver linings in the media industry, pre-publication nerves, and much more. The Digital News nominees at the 2025 Writers Guild Awards were Henry Grabar for "Mise-en-Seine: A Paris Olympics Diary" (Slate), Akbar Shahid Ahmed for "What Is Hamas Thinking Now?" for (HuffPost), Molly Olmstead for "Sent by God" for (Slate), Jim Newell for "The Unraveling of Nancy Mace" (Slate), and Jaya Saxena for "The Food That Makes You Gay" (Eater). --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 122: Challengers, Nickel Boys and Wicked at the 2025 And the Nominees Are... Panel
03/06/2025
Episode 122: Challengers, Nickel Boys and Wicked at the 2025 And the Nominees Are... Panel
A special episode featuring a panel of 2025 Writers Guild Award nominees from the original and adapted screenplay categories. Moderator Kathryn VanArendonk, TV critic at Vulture and New York Magazine, moderates a conversation between Justin Kuritzkes, Joslyn Barnes, Ramell Ross, and Dana Fox to talk about their critically and culturally acclaimed screenplays. Justin Kuritzkes is the writer of Challengers. Joslyn Barnes and Ramell Ross are the co-writers of Nickel Boys. Dana Fox is a co-writer and executive producer of Wicked. This episode is a live taping of our annual Writers Guild Awards contenders panel, And the Nominees Are..., which took place at the SVA Theatre on January 30, 2025. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 121: Peter Straughan ("Conclave") & Zach Baylin ("The Order")
12/18/2024
Episode 121: Peter Straughan ("Conclave") & Zach Baylin ("The Order")
Screenwriters Peter Straughan (Conclave) and Zack Baylin (The Order) discuss their latest projects and previous work, their process, and much more. Peter Straughan is a writer and playwright. His most recent screenplay is the 2024 film Conclave. Before Conclave, Peter's screenwriting credits have include The Goldfinch, Our Brand is Crisis, Frank and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the latter of which received several accolades including a 2011 Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In addition, he wrote the 2015 television adaptation of Wolf Hall, which earned him a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special. Zach Baylin is a writer whose 2024 credits include The Order and Bob Marley: One Love. His other credits include Gran Turismo, Creed III and King Richard, the last of which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 120: Julio Torres & Jeff Schaffer in conversation
12/04/2024
Episode 120: Julio Torres & Jeff Schaffer in conversation
Writers and showrunners Julio Torres and Jeff Schaffer discuss their work on some of TV's most acclaimed comedy series. Julio Torres is a writer and comedian who wrote for Saturday Night Live and the HBO comedy series Los Espookys, the latter which he co-created alongside Ana Fabrega and Fred Armisen. He then went on to write and direct the 2023 surrealist dramedy film Problemista. After Problemista, he created, wrote, and starred in the critically acclaimed surrealist comedy series Fantasmas, which premiered in June 2024 on HBO. Jeff Schaffer is a film and television writer and director known for cowriting cult-classic features like Eurotrip and Bruno and for his work on acclaimed television series like Seinfeld, The League and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He served as showrunner for Curb Your Enthusiasm from 2009 until the end of its twelfth and final season, which concluded in April 2024. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 119: Laura Eason on "Three Women"
11/20/2024
Episode 119: Laura Eason on "Three Women"
Host Anya Epstein is joined by Laura Eason to discuss gaining confidence as a first-time showrunner, the art of adaptation and collaboration, hiring diverse writers to give life to diverse characters, navigating delicate topics with the nuance that they require and much more. Laura Eason is a screenwriter, showrunner, executive producer and playwright. She began her television writing career as a staff writer for four seasons of House of Cards, for which she received both an Emmy nomination for Drama Series and a Writers Guild Award nomination for Writing in a Drama Series. After House of Cards, she went on to serve as co-Executive Producer and writer for the 2019 miniseries The Loudest Voice in the Room. Laura is currently the showrunner, executive producer and writer of Three Women. The Starz limited series, which is based on Lisa Taddeo's 2019 book of the same name, is intimate and haunting portrayal of female desire that finds three – or really, four – women on a crash course to radically overturn their lives. Three Women premiered in the US in September 2024, and is available to watch on Starz. This episode is hosted by Anya Epstein. Anya is a TV writer and producer, and the co-showrunner of series like The Affair and In Treatment. --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 118: Gabe Sherman on writing "The Apprentice"
10/16/2024
Episode 118: Gabe Sherman on writing "The Apprentice"
Host Greg Iwinski sits down with Gabe Sherman to talk about Gabe’s path from New York real estate journalist, to writing a book about Roger Ailes, to writing a movie about one of the most famous people on earth: Donald Trump. Gabe Sherman is a journalist, author and screenwriter known for writing The Loudest Voice in the Room, the 2014 bestselling biography of Fox News president Roger Ailes. As a journalist his work has appeared in publications like The New York Times, The New Republic, The New York Observer and GQ. He previously served as national affairs editor at New York magazine and is currently a special correspondent for Vanity Fair and a regular contributor to NBC News and MSNBC. Most recently, Gabe wrote the screenplay for The Apprentice, the 2024 feature that follows Donald Trump's career as a real estate businessman in New York in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as his relationship with lawyer Roy Cohn. The Apprentice was released in the US on October 11, 2024 and is now playing in theaters. This episode of OnWriting is hosted by Greg Iwinski. Greg is an Emmy-winning comedy writer and no-award-winning performer whose writing includes LAST WEEK TONIGHT and THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT. He recently finished writing the first season of GAME THEORY WITH BOMANI JONES on HBO, and can be found on Twitter . --- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 117: Making the News with MSNBC Union's Amy Hooker & Andrew Joyce
10/02/2024
Episode 117: Making the News with MSNBC Union's Amy Hooker & Andrew Joyce
Host Zhubin Parang talks to MSNBC Union members Amy Hooker and Andrew Joyce about staying flexible in the challenging newsroom environment, how to handle an election season where unprecedented events happen weekly, and winning a strong union contract that helps them do both of those things as effectively as possible. Amy Hooker has worked as an associate producer on MSNBC's All In with Chris Hayes since 2018. Andrew Joyce is a segment producer with at MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show and Alex Wagner Tonight, with over a decade of experience in journalism. Amy and Andrew both served on the bargaining committee that negotiated MSNBC Union’s recent groundbreaking contract wins. Zhubin Parang is a co-executive producer and writer on The Daily Show, as well as a former member of the WGAE Council. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 116: Writing Children's TV with Geri Cole and Bob Mittenthal
08/07/2024
Episode 116: Writing Children's TV with Geri Cole and Bob Mittenthal
Host Susan Kim sits down with children’s television writers Geri Cole and Bob Mittenthal to discuss balancing entertainment and education in children's storytelling, embracing restrictions – from budget limitations to writing for puppets — in creative ways, the ongoing fight for union coverage in animation, and more. Geri Cole is a full-time staff writer and lead interactive narrative designer for Sesame Street, co-chair of the WGAE Black Writers Salon, she's won five Daytime Emmys, a Writers Guild Award, a Producers Guild Award, and an NAACP Image Award. Geri also hosted seasons 7-11 of OnWriting. Bob Mittenthal has had a long career as writer and producer. Credits include Double Dare, KaBlam, and Bossy Bear. He created such shows as Welcome Freshmen, Think Fast, and Make the Grade. Other shows include It's Pony, Welcome to the Wayne, the Loud House, the Adventures of Pete and Pete, and the Naked Brothers Band. Susan Kim is an Emmy-nominated and award-winning documentary and children’s television writer known for her work on shows like Dragon Tales, Thomas & Friends, Bea’s Block, Bubble Guppies, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and more. She is co-chair of the WGAE Animation Caucus, and a former member of the WGAE Council. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 115: Writing Slate's Acclaimed Podcasts
07/24/2024
Episode 115: Writing Slate's Acclaimed Podcasts
Host Katie Rich sits down with Sophie Summergrad, Christina Cauterucci and Madeline Ducharme — three of the journalists and producers behind Slate's "Slow Burn" and other acclaimed podcasts — to discuss their paths into journalism, the process of turning an idea into a critically acclaimed podcast, how a strong union contract gives you the freedom – and time – to do the things you care about, and much more. Sophie Summergrad is a producer at Slate currently working on season 10 of "Slow Burn". Before that, she worked on "Slow Burn" seasons 3 through 9, as well as the narrative podcast "One Year". Christina Cauterucci is a senior writer at Slate who covers politics and culture. She's also the host of season 9 of "Slow Burn": Gays Against Briggs, the host and co-founder of "Outward", Slate's weekly podcast about LGBTQ life, and previously wrote for and hosted episodes of "One Year". Madeline Ducharme is a producer for Slate's daily news podcast, "What Next". Before that, she produced season 4 of "Slow Burn", and has worked on other narrative shows at Slate including "One Year". Host Katie Rich is a comedy writer known for her six-year tenure writing for "Weekend Update" on Saturday Night Live. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 114: Late Night Writers Roundtable
07/10/2024
Episode 114: Late Night Writers Roundtable
Host Liz Hynes, a WGAE Council member and writer for LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER, moderates a conversation with writers from some of your favorite late night comedy series about their experiences and insights from the world of late-night comedy writing. The panelists include late night writers Molly McNearney (JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!), Dan Amira (THE DAILY SHOW), Felipe Torres Medina (LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT) and Jenny Hagel (LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS). --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 113: Amy Schumer (Life & Beth) and John Hoffman (Only Murders in the Building)
06/20/2024
Episode 113: Amy Schumer (Life & Beth) and John Hoffman (Only Murders in the Building)
John Hoffman and Amy Schumer sit down to talk about the joys and challenges of leaning into the personal in your writing, the importance of finding the right collaborators, confronting the hardest parts of life with both vulnerability and confidence, and much more. John Hoffman is the co-creator and showrunner of the critically acclaimed and award-winning comedy-drama mystery series Only Murders in the Building. Amy Schumer is a writer, actor, director and producer known for creating and starring in the sketch comedy series Inside Amy Schumer, writing and starring in the 2015 comedy film Trainwreck and creating and starring in the comedy-drama series Life & Beth. Only Murders in the Building and Life & Beth are both currently available to stream on Hulu. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 112: Meredith Scardino (Girls5Eva) & Paula Pell (Saturday Night Live)
06/12/2024
Episode 112: Meredith Scardino (Girls5Eva) & Paula Pell (Saturday Night Live)
Acclaimed comedy writers Meredith Scardino and Paula Pell sit down together for a conversation about their journeys to WGAE membership, their journeys to the WGAE office, how producing differs from other positions in the writers room, the importance of both deadlines and procrastination in the creative process and much more. Meredith Scardino is a screenwriter, showrunner and producer who has written for multiple TV comedies, including The Colbert Report, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Mr. Mayor. Most recently, she created and is the showrunner of the Peacock/Netflix musical comedy series Girls5eva. Paula Pell is a writer, actor and producer known for her work as a writer and supervising producer on the late-night sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, a writer and producer on the comedy series 30 Rock, and as the writer of the 2015 comedy film Sisters. Paula received the WGAE's Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence at the 2020 Writers Guild Awards. She also currently stars as Gloria in Girls5eva. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 111: Nonfiction TV Roundtable with Chinisha Scott, Gautam Singhani and Sarah Katz
05/29/2024
Episode 111: Nonfiction TV Roundtable with Chinisha Scott, Gautam Singhani and Sarah Katz
Host and WGAE Nonfiction Women of Color Caucus Chair Chinisha Scott talks with WGAE members Gautam Singhani and Sarah Katz, who both recently worked at the nonfiction television production company Story Syndicate. Story Syndicate is one of the latest nonfiction television shops to join the Writers Guild of America East and they are currently negotiating their first collective bargaining agreement. This week, we focus on nonfiction television, lovingly described as the Wild West. Chinisha, Gautam and Sarah discuss advocating for the truth, both in nonfiction production and the labor movement, why the time to unionize is now and what it means to be fairly compensated in nonfiction television. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 110: Ron Nyswaner, "Fellow Travelers"
04/24/2024
Episode 110: Ron Nyswaner, "Fellow Travelers"
Host T Cooper is joined by Ron Nyswaner to discuss having the confidence to push Hollywood's boundaries, staying flexible during the unpredictable reality of being on a TV set, telling authentic LGBTQ+ stories without always centering suffering, and more. Ron Nyswaner is the 2024 recipient of the WGA East’s Walter Bernstein Award, and creator of the Showtime series Fellow Travelers. He is known for his feature screenplays, including Smithereens, Philadelphia, and My Policeman. He is also known as a writer and producer of the Showtime series Ray Donovan and Homeland. Over the course of his career, Ron has been nominated for numerous awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. His most recent project is the Showtime series Fellow Travelers. Based on the 2007 fictional novel of the same name by Thomas Mallon, the historical drama follows the paths of political staffers Hawkins Fuller and Tim Laughlin, whose paths converge at the height of the Lavender Scare of the 1950s. Despite the constant threat of getting caught, their searing love for each other only intensifies in the tumultuous decades that follow. Their volatile romance spans the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, the drug-fueled disco hedonism of the 1970s and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, as they face obstacles in the world and in themselves. This episode is hosted by T Cooper, a Writers Guild of America East member with credits including The Get Down and The Blacklist. T. also serves as co-chair of the Guild's LGBTQ+ Writers Salon. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 109: Kathy McGee and Beth Godvik (CBS News)
04/11/2024
Episode 109: Kathy McGee and Beth Godvik (CBS News)
Host Greg Iwinski is joined by CBS New York writer-producer Kathy McGee and CBS Chicago writer-producer Beth Godvik for a conversation about their work in the Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News sector. They discuss the winding paths that make a career, trusting your instincts in a fast-paced news environment, and keeping up with a constantly evolving media landscape. Kathy McGee is a news writer-producer at WCBS-TV with more than 30 years of experience in broadcast journalism — and over 20 years of experience as an active leader in the WGAE. She writes stories about theater and cultural arts, has served as shop leader at CBS News New York since 2007, and was on the negotiating committee for four CBS contracts. Beth Godvik is a news writer-producer at CBS Chicago, WBBM-TV, where she has worked since 2004. Beth currently works on the 4:30 to 7 A.M. show cut-ins and 9 A.M. and 11 A.M. newscasts, and she designed the format for WBBM-TV’s weekend morning shows. She’s a union co-steward in her newsroom and has served on three negotiating committees for CBS News contracts. Kathy and Beth also both serve on the WGAE Council – Beth as a Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News sector councilmember, and Kathy as the Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Vice President. This episode of OnWriting is hosted by Greg Iwinski. Greg is an Emmy-winning comedy writer and no-award-winning performer whose writing includes LAST WEEK TONIGHT and THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT. He recently finished writing the first season of GAME THEORY WITH BOMANI JONES on HBO, and can be found on Twitter --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 108: John Wilson, "How To with John Wilson"
03/27/2024
Episode 108: John Wilson, "How To with John Wilson"
Host Geri Cole sits down with documentarian John Wilson to discuss How To choose episode titles that will make for good stories, How To make your writers room feel like a therapy session, How To find serendipitous interview subjects, and more. John Wilson is a New York City-based documentary filmmaker known for creating and hosting the acclaimed comedy-docuseries, How To with John Wilson. How To with John Wilson chronicles self-proclaimed "anxious New Yorker" John as he films his fellow New Yorkers while attempting to give advice on topics ranging from “how to watch birds” to “how to put up scaffolding.” The HBO series premiered in October 2020 and has received widespread critical acclaim and several accolades, including Primetime Emmy and Writers Guild Award nominations. The third and final season concluded in September 2023, and all three seasons are available to stream on HBO Max. This episode of OnWriting is hosted by Geri Cole, a writer and performer based in New York City. She is currently a full-time staff and interactive writer for SESAME STREET, for which she has received Writers Guild Award and two Daytime Emmys. She also performs sketch and improv at theaters and festivals around the country. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 107: Jesse Armstrong, "Succession"
03/14/2024
Episode 107: Jesse Armstrong, "Succession"
To kick off a brand new season, host Taffy Brodesser-Akner sits down with Succession creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong to discuss how he staffed and ran his writers’ room, the importance of maintaining distance and perspective in your artistic endeavors, what's next for Jesse now that Succession is over, and much more. Jesse Armstrong is a screenwriter, showrunner, and producer known for his work on several critically acclaimed television series. He rose to prominence as co-creator and writer of British sitcoms Peep Show and Fresh Meat, as a writer on the first three seasons of The Thick of It and cowriter of its 2009 feature adaption, In the Loop, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Most recently, Jesse served as creator and showrunner of the HBO black comedy Succession, for which he received – among others – four consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, three Golden Globes, and two Writers Guild Awards for Drama Series. Succession centers on the ultra-wealthy and ultra-dysfunctional Roy family, owners of global media and entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo, and their fight for control of the company amidst uncertainty about the health of the family's patriarch. The series—which is nominated for the 2024 Writers Guild Award for Drama Series—concluded its fourth and final season concluded last year, and the entire series is available to stream on Max. This episode of OnWriting is hosted by screenwriter, journalist, and author Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Taffy is the creator and showrunner of the FX on Hulu miniseries Fleishman Is in Trouble which is based on her 2019 novel of the same name. She has previously worked as a freelance writer and as a contributor for GQ and The New York Times, where she is currently a staff writer. You can follow Taffy on Twitter at . --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 106: Sarah Polley, "Women Talking"
02/17/2023
Episode 106: Sarah Polley, "Women Talking"
Host Alison Herman talks to writer-director Sarah Polley about finding a balance between reality and allegory in a film adapted from a fictional novel based on true events, how her process has changed since becoming a parent and recovering from a head injury, what writing (and rewriting) this film taught her about rigor, and much more. Sarah Polley a writer, director, and actor. She wrote and directed the 2006 film AWAY FROM HER, which earned her first Academy Award nomination for adapted screenplay, as well as the 2011 film TAKE THIS WALZ, the 2012 documentary STORIES WE TELL, and is the writer of ALIAS GRACE, the 2017 miniseries adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel. Most recently, Sarah is the writer and director of WOMEN TALKING. The film is adapted from the Miriam Toews novel that was inspired by true events, and stars Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, and Frances McDormand as a group of women who have only two days to decide how to take action against a group of men who have been arrested for years of abuse toward the women in the remote and isolated Mennonite community. WOMEN TALKING premiered in December 2022 and is currently nominated for the Academy and Writers Guild Awards for Adapted Screenplay, as well as the Academy Award for Best Picture. Alison Herman is a staff writer for The Ringer, where she writes about culture in general and television in specific. When not fighting a losing battle against Peak TV, she tweets at . --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 105: Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner, "The Fabelmans" (in conversation with Judd Apatow)
02/10/2023
Episode 105: Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner, "The Fabelmans" (in conversation with Judd Apatow)
Alison Herman hands it over to guest moderator Judd Apatow for a live conversation with Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner about their latest collaboration, THE FABELMANS. Steven Spielberg a screenwriter, director, producer, and studio executive. In a career spanning over four decades, Spielberg has directed nearly three dozen feature films and written or cowritten the screenplays for four. His directorial work has covered many themes and genres–from science-fiction and adventure films to subjects like the Holocaust, the Transatlantic slave trade, war, and terrorism. He has been the subject of widespread critical acclaim, and numerous awards and accolades including 19 nominations and 3 wins at the Academy Awards, multiple Golden Globe and Emmy nominations and wins, and the 2015 United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, among many others. Tony Kushner is a celebrated playwright, author, and screenwriter who is perhaps best known for writing the acclaimed play Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes—and its TV miniseries adaptation—as well as for his collaborations with Steven Spielberg as screenwriter of MUNICH, LINCOLN—both of which earned him Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay—and the 2022 adaptation of WEST SIDE STORY. Angels in America earned Tony both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 1993, and he received Emmy and Writers Guild Awards for its onscreen adaptation. He also received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2013. Together, Steven and Tony cowrote the screenplay for THE FABELMANS, which Steven also directed. The semi-autobiographical story of Spielberg's own adolescence follows a young Sammy Fabelman as he falls in love with movies after his parents take him to see "The Greatest Show on Earth." Armed with a camera, Sammy starts to make his own films at home, much to the delight of his supportive mother - and discovers how the power of films can help him see the truth about his dysfunctional family and those around him. The Oscar- and Writers Guild Award-nominated film was released in November 2022 and is now available on most major SVOD platforms. Moderator Judd Apatow is a writer, director, comedian, and producer known for his work writing and directing films such as THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, KNOCKED UP, and FUNNY PEOPLE, among many others. In 2012, he received the Writers Guild of America, East’s Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 104: Tony Gilroy, "Andor"
02/03/2023
Episode 104: Tony Gilroy, "Andor"
Host Greg Iwinski talks to Tony Gilroy about ANDOR, how his music career influenced his work as a screenwriter, why empathy is the key to imagination, the similarities between being a showrunner and a dairy farmer, and more. Tony Gilroy is a writer, director, and showrunner known for his numerous screenplays, including THE CUTTING EDGE, the JASON BOURNE franchise, and his 2007 acclaimed directorial debut MICHAEL CLAYTON, for which earned received Oscar, BAFTA, and Writers Guild Award nominations for Original Screenplay. Currently, Tony is the showrunner and executive producer of the Star Wars series ANDOR. The show, which he also created, serves as a prequel to both the 2016 spin-off ROGUE ONE as well as the original 1977 STAR WARS film. The Writers Guild Award-nominated series follows Cassian Andor, a Rebel spy during the formative years of the Rebellion, and chronicles his difficult missions for the cause. ANDOR premiered in September 2022 and is in production for its second season. Season one is currently available to stream on Disney+. Greg Iwinski is an Emmy-winning comedy writer and no-award-winning performer whose writing includes LAST WEEK TONIGHT and THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT. He recently finished writing the first season of GAME THEORY WITH BOMANI JONES on HBO, and can be found on Twitter --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 103: David Magee, "A Man Called Otto," "Lady Chatterley's Lover," "The School for Good and Evil"
01/23/2023
Episode 103: David Magee, "A Man Called Otto," "Lady Chatterley's Lover," "The School for Good and Evil"
Host Alison Herman talks to David Magee about writing three films that were released in the same year, adaptation as a form of translation, exploring the deeper cause of pain and bitterness in both Chatterley and Otto, and much more. David Magee is the Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of FINDING NEVERLAND, THE LIFE OF PI, MARY POPPINS RETURNS and many more. His credits in 2022 include an impressive three feature films: THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, now streaming on Netflix; an adaptation of D. H. Lawrence's LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER, also streaming on Netflix. And finally, A MAN CALLED OTTO, and an adaptation of the Swedish novel and film, A Man called Ove, which is now streaming in theaters. Alison Herman is a staff writer for The Ringer, where she writes about culture in general and television in specific. When not fighting a losing battle against Peak TV, she tweets at . --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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Episode 102: Sharon Horgan, "Bad Sisters"
01/20/2023
Episode 102: Sharon Horgan, "Bad Sisters"
Host Alison Herman talks to Sharon Horgan about how she kept her stories straight when writing across two timelines, her tips for pitching a project, the universal ideas at the heart of a story about four sisters failing spectacularly at attempting murder, and more. Sharon Horgan is an acclaimed writer, actress, producer, and director, best known for her multiple award-winning sitcom CATASTROPHE, which she co-wrote and starred in with Rob Delaney. Her other writing credits include the BBC comedy series PULLING, the comedy series SHINING VALE, and the BBC sitcom MOTHERLAND. As an actress, Sharon is known for her roles in feature films like GAME NIGHT, DATING AMBER, THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT, among others. Her latest project is BAD SISTERS, which she co-created, wrote, and stars in. The ten-part comedy thriller follows a group of five sisters (the Garveys) and the promise they make to always protect each other after their parents’ premature death. The Writers Guild Award-nominated series premiered in the US in August 2022 and is available to stream on Apple TV+ Alison Herman is a staff writer for The Ringer, where she writes about culture in general and television in specific. When not fighting a losing battle against Peak TV, she tweets at . --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out . Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast
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