//podcastplus.net/feed/theprocess-ink~c8b64c18 Outstanding screenwriters, TV writers-showrunners, directors, producers, actors, executives agents managers and other cultivators of truth and beauty discuss their creative process with Tom Benedek. Sat, 12 Sep 2026 05:11:06 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/2428a9ca-5674-4aae-b18f-a6e20148788e/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1482273652 Tamako Akiyama (Rikkyo University) and Markus Nornes (University of Michigan) speak about the history and state of current independent film in China.  We Talk About:Navigating government censorship overseesForeign distribution practices and circulationA new film festival in Inner MongoliaThe Bejiing International Film Festival shutdownComparing independent filmmaking in China to the U.S. Quotes from the Show:"This one festival got shutdown. They just cut off the electricity, so they couldn't show films. The next festival, the designer of the poster was actually Wong Wo, the guy who directed the film (A Filmless Festival) on the 2014 festival, and his poster was the picture of an electric generator. They bought a bunch of these things just in case... the thing is, that year, they also got shut down.""Writing about, discussing and programming the work of those filmmakers who are dealing with sensitive subjects, I think it's important." Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:40:38 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/2428a9ca-5674-4aae-b18f-a6e20148788e/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1482273652 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/348b7f22-535b-4461-8dd3-a6dc0022937c/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1481685996 Peter Horton (Thirtysomething, Grey's Anatomy) talks about his journey from musician to actor to a director and writer/producer of film and television.We Talk AboutFinally agreeing to act in "Thirtysomething"Writing and producing "American Odyssey" for NetflixDirecting the pilot for "Grey's Anatomy" and producing the first three seasonsThe best kind of actors out thereA new project for Cinemax set in the futureQuotes from the Show“(As a director,) you can never ask for an effect because you’re just sabotaging your actor. You have to be able to say, “It feels like the stakes aren’t as high as they need to be here. Can you find a way to make the stakes higher?” So, then you’re giving it back to them, and they can give you what you need.”“I find the best actors have a real ego about what they’re doing. The they have a real take on it, too. They come in having really done their homework, having really embodied this character, so that they know them better than I do... they go deep with their wo... Wed, 14 Dec 2016 03:26:28 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/348b7f22-535b-4461-8dd3-a6dc0022937c/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1481685996 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/f01dfca4-48fe-4e39-85dc-a6cd0138792b/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1480448287 Jim Burnstein (Love and Honor, D3: The Mighty Ducks, Renaissance Man ) discusses his screenwriting career and shaping the next generation of young writers at UofM We Talk About:Working in Hollywood while living in MichiganThe journey to the first feature film productionTeaching Shakespeare to soldiers and Renaissance ManThe importance of re-writing your screenplayThe value of talent versus the value of disciplineTaking notes on your writing and giving notes to othersCollaborating with a writing partner Quotes from the Show:"The best thing about being a writer is you can write on the moon. You don't have to wait for somebody to give you a job. It only takes one great script to get you in the game.""I do not believe that you can teach talent any more than you can teach speed. A good track coach can make you faster, but he can't make you fast.""I look at the first draft like a dream. You don't know what it means. You don't know why you wrote it. That's what the process of discovery is. Why did you tell... Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:37:44 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/f01dfca4-48fe-4e39-85dc-a6cd0138792b/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1480448287 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/c59cc0f7-e0f6-4030-991f-a6bf01065240/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1479239536 Ben Jacobson (United Talent Agency) discusses representing drama and comedy television writers, directors and producers and the nature of today's industry   We Talk About:Staffing season and the selling cycleDeveloping and branding for a network vs. cableDifferent kinds of working writers todayBreaking in with a new voiceWhat a pitch meeting is really likeCurrent trends in comedy and dramaNavigating and structuring dealsCurating digital content and its future Quotes from the Show:"It really comes from an idea, a book or a format or an original idea, and it's about where can it live in the purest form for that idea instead of trying to jam everything into one box or the other.""Young people grow up and they want to create something... those creative juices are now naturally gravitating towards television.""Word of mouth has become so much more important and the ability for people to watch all the episodes of a show in one day, and say, 'I watched this thing. It was great,' and if enough people say t... Tue, 15 Nov 2016 19:52:01 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/c59cc0f7-e0f6-4030-991f-a6bf01065240/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1479239536 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/782e61e8-9165-4894-8c05-a6b10026f20b/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1477972171 Emily Maya Mills (Upright Citizens Brigade, Orange is the New Black, Parks and Recreation) talks about writing and performing comedy for the stage and on television We talk about:Creating and writing her one-woman showsAll about Upright Citzens Brigade and the processHer debut stand-up album, By a ThreadImprovisation verus acting and memorizationThe evolution of comedy and gender relationshipsStrategy for stand-up material and telling jokes Quotes from the show: "I have a love for performance and acting where you can't see the threads.""I think there's a very transcendent thing that's happening when you're free of those wires... there's a zone of sorts that feels a bit like flying.""UCB teaches students, 'Here's how you find funny...'""When things are unusual... when they tend to have a juxtaposition, they tend to have a reaction within you." Tue, 01 Nov 2016 03:49:18 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/782e61e8-9165-4894-8c05-a6b10026f20b/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1477972171 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/5e97d142-9140-450e-999a-a6aa0012bb82/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1477360821 Alexander Mirecki (All Together Now) & Morgan Krantz (Babysitter) talk about making indie features and creating a webseries, Neurotica, currently in its second season We talk about:The fundamentals of making a webseriesThe importance of episode lengthDeriving stories from real lifeTranslating ninety seconds into half an hourShifting storytelling from season to season Quotes from the show: "We're building out a world where we want threads, but they can't be relationships. It's about lonliness, ultimately, the show.""We like to say (Neurotica) is like Seinfeld on acid.""Right now, you're getting a sense that the character is on the verge of psychotic, but not there, he's definitely still in the realm of neurotic.""We want (our main character) to be Mr. Bean for millenials." Tue, 25 Oct 2016 02:00:09 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/5e97d142-9140-450e-999a-a6aa0012bb82/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1477360821 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/381d35b2-29d4-4810-8dfd-a6a3002b1b0c/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1476762962 Bec Smith (United Talent Agency) discusses her work as both a literary agent and an independent film agent. We talk about:Growing up in Australia with movie maddnessA background in journalism, film criticism and development at Working TitleProducing and selling Animal Kingdom at SundanceWhat it takes for a film to break through the noise, these daysHow independent films get valued and how projects get madeAmerican vs. foreign filmmaking and financingSigning clients ( David Michod, James Ponsoldt, Garth Davis ) from the start Quotes from the show:“I think it’s an exciting and interesting time for feature filmmakers, but I also think it’s more challenging than it’s ever been.”“You’ve got to have a reason for being, either in subject or in terms of the filmmaking.”“I’m a firm believer that cream rises to the top, and I find my way to the things I’m meant to find my way to.”"[A DIY filmmaker] can survive, and plenty of people do, you just have to change your lifestyle. It depends on w... Tue, 18 Oct 2016 03:55:48 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/381d35b2-29d4-4810-8dfd-a6a3002b1b0c/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1476762962 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/ccee5324-e2f6-4ad6-98db-a67d00040bb2/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1476159059 Stephen Nathan (Bones, Joan of Arcadia, Family Law) discusses career in executive producing sit-coms and one-hour drama series and offers a detailed look into a ten-year run on the hit comedy-procedural Bones. We talk about:The future of consuming visual contentWriting and executive producing Bones for a decade The special 200th "Hitchcock" episode of Bones in TechnicolorThe evolution of two central characters Balancing plot and character within episodesSocial media fan support -- the positive and the negativeTransitioning from New York and the stage to LA and a role in Bonanza The demanding schedule of a showrunnerCross-training with playwriting Quotes from the show:"Ten years on one show... I could have become a doctor.""There are two characters; we pick them up at one part of their lives, and then, when the series ends, you leave them in another part of their lives.""The more controversial something is-- or the more upset the audience was-- the more they talked about it, and the more peopl... Tue, 11 Oct 2016 04:10:21 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/ccee5324-e2f6-4ad6-98db-a67d00040bb2/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1476159059 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/37051586-358e-4f42-815a-a67d00040b77/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1475123685 Rick Rosenthal (Transparent, Bad Boys, Halloween II) discusses wearing multiple hats in both film and television, and the efforts of his production company, White Water Films.We talk about:Selling vs. Not Selling ScriptsBonding in Television vs. FilmProducing vs. Directing in TelevisionWorking on ‘Transparent’Script Notes and Editing for the Long Haul in TelevisionImprovisation and Mapping Out Seasons in Television“Is this Story a Movie or a Series?”Today’s Movies and BudgetsProducing vs. Directing in FilmInvesting in Productions and Setting ExpectationsBalancing Film and TV ProjectsCasting Big NamesBuilding and Maintaining RelationshipsQuotes from the show:"You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make a duck wear a saddle. I thought that sort of summed up Hollywood well for me."“Television needs… to sort of look at the way novels are structured and layered, and [how] things are set up and developed over time. Most television hasn’t been like that.”“Your role as a producer… is to... Thu, 29 Sep 2016 04:28:00 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/37051586-358e-4f42-815a-a67d00040b77/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1475123685 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/0ccad2f2-c659-41d2-86e2-a688013851b9/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1474550643 Joe Swanberg (Drinking Buddies, Happy Christmas) discusses his new 8-episode series Easy for Netflix using the same improvisational style he developed to make his numerous indie features.We talk about:Writing, directing and producing EasyCasting over SkypeImprovising vs. sticking to a scriptScheduling in movies vs. TVShooting in Chicago (as much as possible)A typical day on a Swanberg setPitching an idea to NetflixPost-production strategiesQuotes from the show:“There was no rule book for how to do a show like this.”“The characters are all coming from autobiographical places in terms of my connection to them.”“When you put out a movie, you are buying advertising, sort of like throwing rocks hoping to hit the people who might like it, and because Netflix already has that data, it puts the show at such an advantage already to find its perfect audience.”“It’s really wild to think that I made this thing with my small crew in Chicago… but the instant global audience is going to be akin to a big ho... Thu, 22 Sep 2016 13:23:47 +0000 https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5da2a752-d3c5-47cf-81e8-a624007e016d/355e5fee-e7d0-45c4-be09-a62401465712/0ccad2f2-c659-41d2-86e2-a688013851b9/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=8f3c0cfa-7552-48da-b14a-a6240147570f&t=1474550643