This week on On Story we’re joined by Academy award winning screenwriter Ron Bass. In 1989, Bass won an Academy Award for co-writing Rain Man. The iconic road trip film stars Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman and took home 4 Oscars – including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, in addition to Bass’ award for writing. Bass’ other writing credits include My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Joy Luck Club, and Stepmom. Over his 35-year career Bass has written 211 scripts which span a variety of genres. Ron Bass sat down with Film Programmer Casey Baron to discuss his process of writing the film What Dreams May Come after a retrospective screening at the Austin Film Festival.   Clips of What Dreams May Come courtesy of Polygram Filmed Entertainment & Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL'S ON STORY PODCAST

What Dreams May Come with Ron Bass

Hello podcast listeners, I’m Barbara Morgan and you’re listening to Austin Film Festival’s On Story. This week on On Story we’re taking a trip out west with Babaloo Mandel and Lowel Ganz, the screenwriting duo behind the classic American Western comedy, CITY SLICKERS. Lowell Ganz and Marc “Babaloo” Mandel are long-time screenwriting partners that began their careers writing for comedic television in the 1970s. The two New Yorkers met in a Hollywood comedy club where Mandel worked as a joke writer. Having both served on the writing staff for the sitcom THE ODD COUPLE they discovered that they had a lot in common, including their off-beat sense of humor and a love of Billy Wilder. Their creative partnership began with collaborations on Laverne and Shirley and the duo made their feature screenplay debut with the black comedy NIGHT SHIFT. They would go on to write hits such as PARENTHOOD, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, and the subject of today’s episode, CITY SLICKERS. I spoke with the pair at a year-round event presented by the Austin Film Festival.    Clips of City Slickers courtesy of Castle Rock Entertainment Clips of Night Shift courtesy of The Ladd Company Clips of Parenthood courtesy of Universal City Studios, Inc., and Imagine Films Entertainment, Inc. Clips of League of their Own courtesy of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

On Writing City Slickers

This week on On Story writing duo, David Benioff & D.B. Weiss joins Catherine Reitman & Sarah Green in conversation about the Art of Storytelling. Catherine Reitman is a screenwriter, and actress known for her roles on Black-ish and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Most recently, Reitman served as the creator, executive producer, writer, and star of the CBC comedy series Workin' Moms. Sarah Green is a producer, known for her work on Terrance Malik’s The Tree of Life, and Jeff Nichols’ Mud, and Loving. Benioff and Weiss created GAME OF THRONES. Under their supervision the series ran for 8 seasons, won 59 Emmys, and became one of HBO’s most popular programs. Producer Barry Josephson spoke with them on a panel about the Art and Craft of Storytelling at the Austin Film Festival.

The Art of Storytelling

This week on On Story we’ll hear from television writers, David Benioff & D.B. Weiss on their process of adapting the Emmy Award-winning HBO television series GAME OF THRONES. Benioff and Weiss created GAME OF THRONES, the HBO adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s series of books ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’. Under their supervision the series ran for 8 seasons, won 59 Emmys, and became one of HBO’s most popular programs. 

On Writing Game of Thrones

Hi podcast listeners, I’m Barbara Morgan and you’re listening to Austin Film Festival’s On Story. This week on On Story we’ll hear from screenwriter and director Doug Atchison. Atchison is a writer-director best known for the 2006 film, Akeelah and the Bee which stars Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne. In 2000 the Atchison’s script won a Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting and the film later earned him a win at the 2007 Image Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Feature Film. Atchison went on to pen the screenplay for the 2018 biopic Brian Banks for which he won a Humanitas award. Moderator Alex Mitchell spoke with Atchison after a screening of Akeelah and the Bee at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Akeelah and the Bee courtesy of LionsGate Films Hi podcast listeners, I’m Barbara Morgan and you’re listening to Austin Film Festival’s On Story. This week on On Story we’ll hear from screenwriter and director Doug Atchison. Atchison is a writer-director best known for the 2006 film, Akeelah and the Bee which stars Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne. In 2000 the Atchison’s script won a Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting and the film later earned him a win at the 2007 Image Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Feature Film. Atchison went on to pen the screenplay for the 2018 biopic Brian Banks for which he won a Humanitas award. Moderator Alex Mitchell spoke with Atchison after a screening of Akeelah and the Bee at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Akeelah and the Bee courtesy of LionsGate Films

Akeelah and the Bee: A Conversation with Doug Atchison

Hello podcast listeners, I’m Barbara Morgan and you’re listening to Austin Film Festival’s On Story. This week on On Story we’ll hear from award-winning screenwriter, playwright, producer and director, Kemp Powers. Kemp Powers is a Golden Globe-award winning, playwright, producer and director. In 2020 he co-directed and wrote the Academy Award Winning Pixar animated feature, Soul. He later wrote the critically acclaimed Amazon feature, One Night In Miami, which he adapted from his 2013 award-winning stage play. He was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2021 Academy Awards. The film is a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcom X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered to discuss their roles in the Civil Rights Movment of the 60s. I spoke with Kemp Powers about his journey as a writer at a year round Austin Film Festival event that was co-presented with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Educational Initiatives.   Clips of One Night in Miami courtesy of Amazon Studios. Clips of Soul courtesy of  Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios.

A Conversation with Kemp Powers

This week on On Story we’ll hear from screenwriter Kelly Masterson as he takes on a journey from Script to Screen of the 2013 sci-fi action film, SNOWPIERCER, which was directed by Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho. The film follows the story of Chris Evans as Curtis Everett, one of the lower-class tail-section passengers of a train carrying the last remnants of humanity, as they rebel against the elite of the front of the train. Moderator Dennis Bishop spoke with Masterson on a panel at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Snowpiercer courtesy of Moho Film & Opus Pictures

Script to Screen: Snowpiercer

This week on On Story we’ll hear from writer-director Neil Jordan who gave us the cinematic classics THE CRYING GAME, MICHAEL COLLINS, and INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. Neil Jordan is an Irish film director, screenwriter, novelist and short-story writer whose credits include THE CRYING GAME, MICHEAL COLLINS and INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE. In 1992 he won an Academy Award for best original screenplay for THE CRYING GAME. Most recently he wrote and directed 2018’s GRETA which stars Chloë Grace Moretz, as well as the television series RIVIERA. Producer Barry Josephson spoke with Jordan at the Austin Film Festival on a panel about his career as a writer-director. Clips of Mona Lisa courtesy of HandMade Films Clips of The Crying Game courtesy of Palace Pictures Clips of Interview with The Vampire courtesy of  Geffen Pictures

A Conversation with Neil Jordan

This week on On Story we’ll hear from three-time Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, producer, playwright John Logan, about his journey from writing for the stage to the screen. John Logan is a playwright, screenwriter, and television producer known for his work on Gladiator, The Aviator, and 2011’s Hugo. In 1999 he wrote Any Given Sunday which was directed by Oliver Stone. His other work includes Rango, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for which he received a Golden Globe as well as the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre. Producer Barbara Morgan, spoke with Logan about his incredible journey on a panel at the Austin Film Festival.

A Conversation with John Logan

This week on On Story we’ll hear from television writer & producer Howard Gordon on his process of creating a hit television series. Howard Gordon is a television writer and producer best known for his work on the Fox action series 24 and the award-winning Showtime thriller Homeland which he co-developed with Alex Gansa. Gordon first gained national attention for his award-winning work on Fox’s groundbreaking series The X-Files, for which he won multiple Golden Globes. His other credits include Tyrant, Legends, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Beauty and the Beast, Sisters, and Spenser: For Hire. Producer Barry Josephson spoke with Gordon at the Austin Film Festival at a panel about his process of writing for hit television. Clips of Homeland, The X-Files, and 24 courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

A Conversation with Howard Gordon

This week on On Story, award-winning writer and director Brenda Chapman discusses how female perspective, a love of art, and an understanding of flawed characters influenced her writing in the animated classics The Lion King, The Prince of Egypt, and Brave. Brenda Chapman is an American writer, storyboard artist, and director. In 1998, she became the first woman to direct an animated feature from a major studio, DreamWorks Animation's The Prince of Egypt. In 2012, she co-directed the Disney/Pixar film Brave with Mark Andrews, becoming the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Writer and Professor Greg Garrett spoke with Chapman about her process of taking ideas from the drawing board to the screen at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King & The Rescuers Down Under courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures Clips of The Prince of Egypt courtesy of DreamWorks, LLC Clips of Brave courtesy of Pixar & Disney Enterprises, Inc.

A Conversation with Brenda Chapman

This week on On Story we’ll hear from veteran screenwriters John Lee Hancock, Brian Helgeland and Robin Swicord on the process of creating compelling characters. And later, award-winning writer and director Brenda Chapman discusses how female perspective, a love of art, and an understanding of flawed characters influenced her writing in the animated classics The Lion King, The Prince of Egypt, and Brave.   Characters are the emotional anchor for all great stories. No matter how intricate the plot, well-developed characters are crucial ingredients for engaging an audience and encouraging them to invest in a story's journey. I spoke with a group of veteran screenwriters about their process of crafting compelling characters at the Austin Film Festival. John Lee Hancock is a director, writer and producer most known for his work on The Blind Side, A Perfect World and his latest film The Little Things. Brian Helgeland is a screenwriter, producer and director. His writing credits include L.A. Confidential, Man on Fire, and A Knight’s Tale. Robin Swicord is the writer of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Memoirs of a Geisha and Little Women.   Clips of A Knight's Tale courtesy of Columbia Pictures Clips of A Perfect World courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc Clips of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button courtesy of Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. Clips of Man on Fire courtesy of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation & Regency Entertainment

Creating Compelling Characters

Hello podcast listeners, you’re listening to Austin Film Festival’s On Story. This week on On Story we’ll hear from the filmmakers behind The Outpost. The film, which stars Scott Eastwood and Orlando Bloom, was adapted from Jake Tapper’s book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor which follows the story of a team of American soldiers as they valiantly work together to survive behind enemy lines. The panel included writers Eric Johnson and Paul Tamasy, director Rod Lurie, and producer Paul Merryman. We spoke with the team behind The Outpost at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Outpost courtesy of Millennium Media & Screen Media Films

Script to Screen: The Outpost

Hello podcast listeners. This week on On Story we’ll hear from Bill Hader and Alec Berg, the creators of HBO’s hit crime show, Barry. Alec Berg is a writer, producer and director whose credits include Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Silicon Valley and Barry which he co-created with Bill Hader. He’s been nominated for eighteen Emmys, ten Writers Guild awards and a Razzie. Bill Hader is an actor, writer and producer best known for his work on Saturday Night Live, for which he received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations and Peabody Award. We spoke with Alec Berg and Bill Hader at the Austin Film Festival, at a panel about their process of creating the hit HBO series Barry, which stars Bill Hader as a hitman who travels to Los Angeles to kill someone and finds himself drawn towards human connection in the form of a group of aspiring actors. Clips of Barry courtesy of Home Box Office Television

On Writing BARRY with Alec Berg & Bill Hader

Hello podcast listeners, I’m Barbara Morgan and you’re listening to Austin Film Festival’s On Story. This week on On Story we’ll hear from Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Alexander & Karaszewski are a screenwriting duo, best known for their unusual biopics with larger-than-life characters. Their film credits include: The People vs. Larry Flynt, American Crime Story: THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON, and Ed Wood. Their first commercial success was 1990’s Problem Child, which later spawned two sequels. In 1994 they released the biographical dramedy Ed Wood which was directed by Tim Burton and won two Academy Awards. Their first foray into television was American Crime Story: THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON, a true crime anthology drama based on the O. J. Simpson  murder trial. The show went on to win nine Primetime Emmys after it aired on FX in 2016, with Alexander and Karaszewski nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special. Producer Barry Josephson spoke with Alexander & Karaszewski at a panel at the Austin Film Festival.   Clips of Problem Child courtesy of Universal City Studios & Imagine Entertainment Clips of Ed Wood courtesy of Touchstone Pictures & The Walt Disney Company Clips of The People vs. Larry Flynt courtesy of Columbia Pictures Industries Clips of American Crime Story courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation & FX Clips of Man on the Moon courtesy of Universal Pictures

A Conversation with Scott Alexander & Larry Karazsewski

Austin Film Festival's On Story Podcast is the companion to Austin Film Festival's television show, On Story. Get an uncensored inside look at the creative process of film making through the eyes of some of the entertainment industry's most prolific writers, directors and producers.