The Successful Screenwriter with Geoffrey D Calhoun: Screenwriting Podcast EP 285 - Horror Binge, The Film Industry, and Bad Writing Advice
Sep 8, 2025
22:55
Geoffrey welcomes writer and filmmaker Kristy Leigh Lussier back for a brand-new hangoute episode. They dive into a horror binge of The Conjuring films, swap takes on wild fairy-tale reimaginings like The Ugly Stepsister, and share some of the worst (and most damaging) screenwriting advice floating around online. Plus, they break down the state of today’s industry and how Kristy rallied a 30-person crew to shoot a vertical micro-drama in Idaho.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Kristy Leigh Lussier is a screenwriter and filmmaker based in Boise. A horror fan with credits that include The Death of Snow White, she creates character-driven genre stories and recently directed a vertical micro-drama with a local crew.
About the Host
With films on network television, streaming platforms, and in theaters, Geoffrey D. Calhoun is a screenwriter, author of The Guide for Every Screenwriter, and a passionate mentor in the industry. He hosts The Successful Screenwriter podcast to empower writers and filmmakers at every level.
Resources Mentioned in the Episode
Enjoyed this format? Leave a comment with your favorite Conjuring-style watch order or a fairy-tale twist you’d love to see on screen. Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode with a writer friend.
#screenwriting #podcast #horror #Conjuring #filmmaking #indiefilm #writingadvice #storytelling #publicdomainhorror
Explore Free Resources & Membership
👉 Visit TheSuccessfulScreenwriter.com for free tools, guides, and podcast extras.
Members unlock Virtual Geoffrey, the AI screenwriting assistant built to transform good drafts into great scripts.
Connect with Geoffrey
📸 Instagram: @screenwriterpod
▶️ YouTube: The Successful Screenwriter
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Share it with a fellow screenwriter who’d find it valuable!
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- A simple Conjuring watch order to start your binge
- Why the first Conjuring still holds up as one of the best modern horror films
- How bold fairy-tale twists like The Ugly Stepsister can inspire fresh writing
- Why “don’t write from your life” is terrible advice
- How to find (or build) your own creative film community
- 00:00 Welcome and new format with Kristy
- 01:27 Why The Conjuring inspires and how it builds tension with heart
- 03:20 The Warrens and casting that anchors the franchise
- 03:56 Where to start with the Conjuring watch order
- 07:10 Geoffrey’s take on The Ugly Stepsister (and a quick content warning)
- 09:20 Public-domain horror trend: Pooh, Bambi, Popeye, Steamboat Willie
- 12:21 Bad advice of the week: “Do not write from your life”
- 16:05 State of the industry and why self-starting matters
- 18:55 Kristy’s vertical micro-drama and how a 30-person crew came together
- 22:33 Final encouragement and plans to continue the series
Kristy Leigh Lussier is a screenwriter and filmmaker based in Boise. A horror fan with credits that include The Death of Snow White, she creates character-driven genre stories and recently directed a vertical micro-drama with a local crew.
About the Host
With films on network television, streaming platforms, and in theaters, Geoffrey D. Calhoun is a screenwriter, author of The Guide for Every Screenwriter, and a passionate mentor in the industry. He hosts The Successful Screenwriter podcast to empower writers and filmmakers at every level.
Resources Mentioned in the Episode
- The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2
- Insidious, Saw
- Jaws 50th anniversary IMAX release
- The Ugly Stepsister (Amazon Prime)
- Public-domain horror examples: Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, Bambi reimagining, Steamboat Willie horror
- Vertical micro-dramas and short-form series
- Website: TheSuccessfulScreenwriter.com
- Instagram: @screenwriterpod
- YouTube: The Successful Screenwriter
Enjoyed this format? Leave a comment with your favorite Conjuring-style watch order or a fairy-tale twist you’d love to see on screen. Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode with a writer friend.
#screenwriting #podcast #horror #Conjuring #filmmaking #indiefilm #writingadvice #storytelling #publicdomainhorror
Explore Free Resources & Membership
👉 Visit TheSuccessfulScreenwriter.com for free tools, guides, and podcast extras.
Members unlock Virtual Geoffrey, the AI screenwriting assistant built to transform good drafts into great scripts.
Connect with Geoffrey
📸 Instagram: @screenwriterpod
▶️ YouTube: The Successful Screenwriter
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe. Share it with a fellow screenwriter who’d find it valuable!