Austin Film Festival's On Story

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 Seinfeld writer David Mandel. David Mandel was the executive producer and showrunner of the Emmy Award-winning TV show Veep, and was also an executive producer and director of Curb Your Enthusiasm. He was a writer for several seasons of Seinfeld and also co-wrote the screenplay for the 2003 film adaptation of The Cat In The Hat. Comedian John Merriman spoke with Mandel at a retrospective screening of episodes of Seinfeld at the Austin Film Festival. Clips of Seinfeld courtesy of NBC

This week on On Story we'll hear from Gone Girl author and screenwriter Gillian Flynn. Gillian Flynn is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Gone Girl, for which she wrote the Golden Globe-nominated screenplay. She is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers Dark Places and Sharp Objects. Flynn later adapted and executive produced the Emmy-nominated SHARP OBJECTS for HBO in 2018, which starred Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson. Also in 2018, Flynn co-wrote, with director Steve McQueen, the screenplay for the heist thriller WIDOWS, starring Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, and Cynthia Erivo. Most recently, Flynn wrote and executive produced UTOPIA for Amazon. I spoke with Gillian Flynn at the 2020 Austin Film Festival about her creative process of writing across mediums and adapting her own work. Clips of Gone Girl & Widows courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation & Regency Entertainment Clips of Sharp Objects courtesy of Warner Brothers Television & HBO Clips of Dark Places courtesy of A24 & Denver & Delilah Films

This week on On Story we'll hear from Ed Solomon, the screenwriter behind Men in Black and the co-writer of the Bill & Ted series. Solomon has had a major film released in each of the last 5 decades starting in 1989 with his first feature Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, which he co-wrote with Chris Matheson. That film has spawned 2 sequels, both written by Solomon and Matheson, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, and 2020's Bill & Ted Face the Music. Solomon wrote Men in Black, Now You See Me, and HBO's interactive series Mosaic. I spoke with Solomon about his writing and the process behind deciding which ideas to pursue at the 2020 Austin Film Festival.

This week on On Story, a conversation with The Queen's Gambit co-creator, Scott Frank and Chernobyl researcher Mimi Munson. Frank is an Academy Award nominated screenwriter whose recent project, The Queen's Gambit, won Best Miniseries at the Golden Globes. I spoke with Frank and Munson at the 2020 virtual Austin Film Festival about their frequent collaboration and how research plays a crucial part in developing projects.

This week on On Story, Emmy-award winning television creator and screenwriter Damon Lindelof joins us for a conversation about the HBO series Watchmen. The series was nominated for 26 Emmy awards - ultimately winning 11, including Best Limited Series. Clips of Watchmen courtesy of DC Comics, Home Box Office, and Warner Brothers Television Clips of The Leftovers courtesy of Warner Brothers Television and Home Box Office

This week on On Story, critically acclaimed writer, Kevin Willmott, joins us for an in-depth conversation on balancing messages of social justice with entertainment. His filmography includes collaborations with filmmaker Spike Lee on Da 5 Bloods, Chi-Raq, and BlacKkKlansman – which one the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay 2019. Greg Garrett spoke with Willmott at the virtual Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Searchers courtesy of C.V. Whitney Pictures, Warner Brothers, and HBOMax Clips of Destination Planet Negro courtesy of Candy Factory Films Clips of BlackKklansman courtesy of Focus Features, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, and 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks Clips of the 24th courtesy of New Slate Ventures and Vertical Entertainment Clips of She's Gotta Have It courtesy of 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks and MGM Home Entertainment Clips of Chi-Raq courtesy of 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks and Amazon Studios Clips of Da 5 Bloods courtesy of Netflix

This week on On Story, filmmakers Stanley Kalu and Ali Leroi discuss the journey of bringing The Obituary of Tunde Johnson from a screenplay competition to the screen. The film follows an African-American teenager that is trapped in a terrifying time loop after being shot to death by police. Ali LeRoi is an Emmy Award-winning writer who is best known for co-creating the hit series Everybody Hates Chris. Stanley Kalu, is a screenwriter and former USC student - Tunde Johnson is his first produced screenplay. The pair spoke with Senior Film Programmer, Casey Baron, at the 2019 Austin Film Festival. Clips of The Obituary of Tunde Johnson courtesy of Wolfe Releasing.

This week on On Story, a conversation with industry veteran, Akiva Goldsman. Goldsman has written across multiple genres -- from superhero movies to biographies tackling mental health issues. Some of his most recognizable film credits include Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, The Client, The Da Vinci Code, and the four-time Academy Award Winner A Beautiful Mind, which earned Goldsman a win for Best Adapted Screenplay. Recently, Goldsman has worked as a writer, director, and producer for the newest addition to the Star Trek television franchise, Star Trek: Picard.

This week on On Story, John Lee Hancock discusses writing and directing The Little Things. The film stars Denzel Washington, Jared Leto, and Rami Malek, and follows two police officers in pursuit of a serial killer terrorizing Los Angeles in the 1990s.