

On The Page
Pilar Alessandra
ON THE PAGE: Join professional script consultant Pilar Alessandra as she demystifies screenwriting and answers your questions about script craft and story.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 26, 2021 • 42min
746. Film Pioneers
Emerson film student Kat Poole’s passion is to rediscover and celebrate female film pioneers. Here, she educates us about three of them: filmmaker Alice-Guy Blache screenwriter Jeanie MacPherson and editor Margaret Booth.

Nov 19, 2021 • 40min
745. Inside Hollywood and Washington
George Stevens Jr. the founder of the American Film Institute, talks about the passion for film that inspired him to preserve and archive great movies, establish the Kennedy Center Honors and serve as a voice for the arts in Washington DC. as Co-chair of the Presidential Committee on the Arts & Humanities.

Nov 12, 2021 • 42min
744. One Take Wonder
Director Philip Barantini shot his independent feature film Boiling Point in one take and lived to tell the tale. Hear how he kept the camera moving while also telling a rich story of an intense night in a restaurant.

Nov 5, 2021 • 42min
743. Never Judge a Character
Writer Celia Finkelstein talks about the projects she has in development, her pitch style on Zoom and how her acting experience has taught her not to judge a character.

Oct 29, 2021 • 41min
742. A Tornado of Talent
Canadian writer Lindsay Gossling reveals the work and effort that went into writing and directing her disaster movieThirteen Minutes. She also talks about the challenges of making her film Un Traductor which went on to become Cuba’s submission for the Academy Awards.

Oct 22, 2021 • 41min
741. Creating Friday the 13th
Sean S. Cunningham, director and producer of the original Friday the 13th movie, talks about the film's humble beginnings, Jason’s evolvement as an “anti-hero” and the need for great story above all.

Oct 15, 2021 • 55min
740. A Sense of Dread
What makes us afraid and how do we write that on the page? Writer Neal Marshall Stevens provides answers as he gives a preview of his book, A Sense of Dread: Getting Under the Skin of Horror Writing.

Oct 8, 2021 • 38min
739. Writing for The Conners
Shelley Dennis grew up loving the TV show Roseanne and now she has a staff writing position on The Conners! Hear how hard work, attention to story and a little mindfulness paid off.

Oct 1, 2021 • 1h
738. Executive Chair to Writers’ Room
Veteran producer and creative executive Kelly Edwards worked with every major studio in Hollywood and is now pursuing her dream of being a television writer on the Fox Drama Our Kind of People. Here she talks openly about her career pivot and also offers nuggets from her new book The Executive Chair: A Writer’s Guide To TV Series Development.

Sep 24, 2021 • 36min
737. Riding the Rollercoaster
Writer Jo Rochelle was just about to call it quits when her writing career caught fire. Hear how she got the attention of a manager, became staffed on her favorite show Good Trouble, and filmed her own independent movie - all while continuing to “ride the rollercoaster."