Living To Write

He wrote a screenplay his reps didn’t even know about. Five years later, his movie is on Netflix, starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton.Screenwriter Jeremy Robbins sits down with Brian and Bailey for a deep dive into how that all happened, how he navigates the film and television industries, and why he writes.How did Jeremy become a writer? What does he think about working in writers’ rooms versus writing alone? Why does he focus on spec screenplays even with other deals on the table? How does a script started during the pandemic make it to Netflix? What did a 2021 spot on The Black List end up meaning for him years later?And what can close-up magic possibly teach us about effective pitching?Jeremy has plenty to share about why he wrote his action survival thriller Apex, and how the screenplay evolved before reaching the screen.Produced by Brian Landwehr and Bailey Patterson

Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher of BriTANicK fame sit down with Brian and Bailey for a deep dive into how and why they write.How is their collaboration like an open romantic relationship? What were the writers’ rooms on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Saturday Night Live like? How can a detailed outline save your screenplay before you even start writing? How is effective pitching much more than just describing your project well? And what did they learn from their time in the director’s chairs?And why are Brian and Brian so happy about the spelling of their names?After over 18 years working together—and with their directorial debut Pizza Movie now streaming on Hulu and Disney+, and Over Your Dead Body hitting theaters April 24th—Brian and Nick have plenty to share.Produced by Brian Landwehr and Bailey Patterson.

Imagine writing for an animated Disney series. Now, imagine being invited to write for the Star Wars universe. And imagine that leading you to the Marvel universe.And now, imagine your audience is preschoolers!In this episode of Living To Write, Brian and Bailey talk with James Eason-Garcia, who has done all this and more.His behind-the-scenes stories are fun and enlightening, and his industry and craft advice applies to far more than just animation and writing for kids.Join us to hear everything from how the industry works to how to fine-tune your portfolio to get the attention your writing deserves.And along the way, James even shares his strategy for storing 30,000 comic books!Produced by Bailey Patterson and Brian Landwehr

Brian and Bailey chat with The Naked Gun (2025) screenwriters Dan Gregor and Doug Mand.Comedy ain’t easy. And neither is the job of continuing the beloved Naked Gun franchise with a new chapter that honors the spirit of Lt. Frank Drebin without feeling stuck in the past.But that is exactly what Dan Gregor and Doug Mand have accomplished, and they are here to discuss why and how they do what they do, the lessons learned from years of partnership, and what it takes to keep audiences laughing in a new era.Their journey from the improv comedy scene to How I Met Your Mother, from Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers to The Naked Gun, is a colorful one. So tune in for all that, plus their thoughts on comedy writing in the age of YouTube, and why even in Hollywood a good script is never truly dead.This episode is produced by Brian Landwehr and Bailey Patterson.

On the latest episode of the Living to Write, Brian and Bailey chat with Story Summit founder and former Paramount Pictures studio executive David Paul Kirkpatrick in Part 1 of an unforgettable conversation.Throughout his illustrious career as president of the Motion Picture Group and head of production at both Disney and Touchstone, David helped bring to life some of the most iconic and influential films and franchises of all time, including — Indiana Jones, Star Trek, Friday the 13th, Top Gun, Ghost, The Hunt for Red October, Witness, Reds — and a Living to Write favorite — Can’t Buy Me Love.His remarkable history, combined with talents as both a writer himself and mentor to many, makes David just the man to share some of the most insightful advice and outrageous Hollywood-insider stories you’ll ever hear.What’s it like to be a studio executive? What does it take to actually greenlight a film—and what quietly kills it?Tune in to Part 1 to find out what really happens behind the curtain. And yes... He names names.This podcast is produced by Brian Landwehr and Bailey Patterson.

This time on Living to Write, writer/director Drew Hancock, fresh off his feature debut Companion, joins us to talk about why he writes, how he made the leap to directing his first film, why story is everything, and how he keeps imposter syndrome from slowing him down.Support for this episode comes from Story Summit.This episode is produced by Brian Landwehr & Bailey Patterson.

What do you do when you’ve got no credits, no connections, and no clue? TV writer Michael Jamin (King of the Hill, Beavis & Butthead) figured it out.On this episode of Living to Write, Michael stops by to talk writing, running a show, and how he broke into the industry with zero experience. We dig into how building a social media following helped launch his debut book, A Paper Orchestra, and the one thing he wishes he’d known before getting started.Produced by Brian Landwehr & Bailey Patterson.

The time has finally come. One of the Masters of Horror himself, Mick Garris, is here.Writer, director, producer, and Stephen King's most trusted collaborator, Mick is the mind behind The Stand, The Shining miniseries, Sleepwalkers, Desperation, and the legendary Masters of Horror anthology series. From Hocus Pocus to Critters 2, he's lived every corner of genre filmmaking and survived to tell the tales.We dig into how he went from writing scripts at 12 to becoming one of horror's most iconic voices. How he approaches spec scripts, what fuels his creativity after decades in the dark, and how a gig with Steven Spielberg led to a career working with King, Carpenter, and Dante. We also get into his Post Mortem podcast and that legendary Quentin Tarantino finale.If you love horror, you need to hear this one...Produced by Brian Landwehr and Bailey Patterson.Visit: StorySummit.us

Did someone say Greased Lightning? On this episode of Living to Write, Hollywood legend and T-bird himself, Randal Kleiser, joins the show to chat about a career that spans Grease, The Blue Lagoon, White Fang, and so much more!We dig into his new book, Drawing Directors, his early days working with George Lucas, and the encounters with filmmakers who shaped his path. We also look at the lasting cultural impact of Grease, follow up on how directors choose projects, and ask what keeps a filmmaker inspired after decades in Hollywood.It’s a conversation about filmmaking, lessons learned, and how to survive Hollywood.For more information on Story Summit, visit Story Summit.This episode is produced by Brian Landwehr and Bailey Patterson.

On this episode of Living to Write, we’re hanging with the insanely talented Jessica Welsh! A fellow Story Summit Summiteer and the mind behind Shania!, the spec script that lit up the 2021 Black List. We dive into her writing journey, life in the Apple TV writers’ room, and her insider take on the 2023 writers' strike. Plus, the ultimate screenwriter showdown: Is outlining essential or just a creativity killer? Buckle up.Keep up with Jessica: https://jessica-welsh.comFor more information on Story Summit, visit Story Summit.This podcast is produced by Brian Landwehr and Bailey Patterson.

Welcome to the very first episode of Living to Write! And we’re kicking things off with a legend—Jeff Arch, Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Sleepless in Seattle and author of Attachments.We dive into the wild story of how Sleepless sold, the comedy gig that almost changed everything, and Jeff’s creative process. Plus, behind-the-scenes stories, hard-earned wisdom, and what it’s like mentoring Brian and Bailey (spoiler: chaos).Jeff's novel "Attachments": AmazonStory Summit Writing Group: FacebookThis episode is produced by Brian Landwehr, Kenton Edward Dobrowolski and Bailey Patterson. For more information visit Story Summit.