Blacklisted

Today we're talking with Colin Bannon, a screenwriter who's made the prestigious Black List a record seven times with his genre-bending thrillers and survival horror scripts. We're diving into his breakthrough screenplay "The Interventionist," which landed on the 2018 Black List and follows a drug-addicted interventionist trying to help his own daughter, only to discover something far more sinister than addiction lurking beneath the surface. Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Colin Bannon⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠storyandplot.com/blacklisted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a 10% discount on Tom Vaughan's fantastic screenwriting courses.Useful links:'Long Lost' - Short Story Sale'Don't Look' - Short Story SaleTriStar Lands 'Ultra' - Survival Thriller SpecNetflix wins 'First Ascent'

Multi-hyphenate talent Leah McKendrick joins us to dive deep into her romantic comedy screenplay Voicemails for Isabelle, which earned a coveted spot on the 2019 Black List. Now McKendrick is bringing her vision to life as the film's director, with Netflix set to release the project featuring Nick Robinson and Zoey Deutch in the leading roles.Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leah McKendrick on ⁠⁠X⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠storyandplot.com/blacklisted⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a 10% discount on Tom Vaughan's fantastic screenwriting courses.Useful links:Original Director (as discussed) - Deadline Netflix Announcement - Leah now at the helm - DeadlineUniversal Monster Movie - DeadlineVoicemails for Isabelle - Scriptshadow ReviewLeah McKendrick - Scriptshadow InterviewScrambled Interview - Script Magazine

In the sixth episode of season two, we're joined by writer David Lee Williams (or is it Hawk?) to discuss his ⁠2022 Black List⁠ script Clementine — a high-octane thriller with the real-time propulsion of Run Lola Run, fueled by the visceral maternal energy of J.Lo's The Mother. Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠David L Williams⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠X⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠⁠storyandplot.com/blacklisted⁠⁠⁠ for a 10% discount on Tom Vaughan's fantastic screenwriting courses.Useful links:'Forever Purge' Director to Helm Thriller 'Clementine'Deadline Article on Director AttachmentScriptshadow - 'Clementine' Review and InterviewGo Into The Story - David L Williams Interview w/Scott Myers

In the fifth episode of season two, we're joined by actor, writer and human rights activist, Alyssa Ross to talk about her Michael Phelps biopic, Resurfaced, which featured on the 2022 Black List.Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alyssa Ross⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on ⁠X⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠⁠storyandplot.com/blacklisted⁠⁠⁠ for a 10% discount on Tom Vaughan's fantastic screenwriting courses.Useful links:TV Pilot Trailer - The HumanitariansAlyssa's Website Mentioned Article about Resurfaced on SwimSwam

In our fourth episode of season two, we're joined by spec king, Dan Kunka to discuss his ⁠2014 Black List⁠ script, Yellowstone Falls - a 52-page script with minimal dialogue and few human characters. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where a catastrophic event has stripped the humanity from most survivors, leaving them as mutated threats. At its core, it's the story of a mother wolf who becomes separated from her mate when their pack flees to safety. Now alone, she must defend her cubs from an oncoming swarm of these dehumanized creatures.Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dan Kunka⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on ⁠X⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠BlueSky⁠Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠⁠storyandplot.com/blacklisted⁠⁠⁠ for a 10% discount on Tom Vaughan's fantastic screenwriting courses.Useful links:Deadline - QED buys 'Yellowstone Falls'Deadline - 'Lift' Spec Sale Final Draft - Spec Spotlight: LiftCreative Screenwriting - Interview

In the third episode of season two, we're joined by former journalist Anna Klassen (Newsweek, The Daily Beast, BuzzFeed) to discuss her 2017 Black List script When Lightning Strikes — a coming-of-age story exploring the early life of J.K. Rowling, the novelist who conjured the magical world of Harry Potter.Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anna Klassen ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on X, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ and BlueSkyHost: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠storyandplot.com/blacklisted⁠⁠ for a 10% discount on Tom Vaughan's fantastic screenwriting courses.Useful links:Final Draft - How Anna Klassen Turned Competition Wins into a Thriving CareerCanvas Rebel - Meet Anna KlassenThe Cosmophage - Anna KlassenThe Script Lab - InterviewInto The Script - Taking The Industry By Storm: An Interview with Screenwriter Anna KlassenShoutout LA - Meet Anna Klassen | Screenwriter

In our second episode of season two, we welcome Travis Braun to the podcast to discuss his 2022 Black List script, Dying For You. Travis made Black List history in December 2024, by becoming the first writer to top the list twice - and if that wasn't enough, he did it in successive years! Well done, TB.Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Travis Braun⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky⁠Visit ⁠storyandplot.com/blacklisted⁠ for a 10% discount on Tom Vaughan's fantastic screenwriting courses.Useful links:Deadline - Travis Braun and Black List make historyDeadline - 'One Night Only' sells to UniversalDeadline - 'Bad Boy' package taken to EFM

In our Season 2 premiere, we welcome Elyse Hollander to discuss her 2016 Black List-topping script Blonde Ambition—a Madonna biopic chronicling the pop icon's rise through the sexism-fueled music industry of the early 1980s. After selling to Universal with Michael De Luca producing, the project sparked massive controversy when Madonna herself took to social media to publicly denounce it. For the first time, Elyse opens up about the media firestorm, the personal toll of being targeted by one of the world's biggest stars, and what it's really like when your breakthrough script becomes a lightning rod for public debate.Guest: ⁠⁠⁠Elyse Hollander ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSkyVisit storyandplot.com/blacklisted for a 10% discount on Tom Vaughan's fantastic screenwriting courses.Useful links:New York Times article on Madonna criticism BBC fact-check Elyse's screenplayTHR article on Madonna controversyDeadline article on Madonna reactionPeople - 'Madonna to write and direct her own biopic'Madonna's Netflix limited series announcementMaybe kindly buy our host a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email us @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblacklisted.pod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Happy New Year! Let us be the first to welcome you to 2025! Today we bring you a special - surprise - episode with screenwriting career coach, Lee Jessup. May Lee provide you with inspiration to kickstart the new year as you stare at that fresh blank page - full of potential. Take a Deeper Dive: The script consultant that both our host and Crosby Selander have employed is Andrew Hilton who goes by the pseudonym:The Screenplay Mechanic. His services can be accessed here. Competition details for Script Pipeline can be found here. Lee Jessup recently hosted the Final Draft Write On podcast, discussing the state of the industry for screenwriters with Bellevue manager, Jeff Portnoy. Listen to the packed episode here. Guest: Lee Jessup⁠ on ⁠Instagram⁠ and X Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Hill⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠BSky If you can stretch to it, maybe kindly tip your host with a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠BSky⁠⁠⁠ Email us @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblacklisted.pod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this conversation, Kate Sharp, a producer at Bellevue Productions and Emmy-nominated executive behind Hulu's Behind the Mask, shares her insights on discovering new writing talent and the challenges of biopic projects. She dives into the importance of originality for aspiring writers and discusses the evolving dynamics between writers and agents. Kate also encourages blending genres, emphasizing the growing demand for female voices in action and horror narratives. Her perspective on the personal touch in pitching adds a unique angle to the screenwriting process.