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The Social Screenwriters Podcast

The Social Screenwriters Podcast

By: Andy Compton
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Welcome to The Social Screenwriters Podcast! Hosted by me, Andy Compton (Screenwriter, Director, idiot). In this podcast, I‘ll be interviewing fellow screenwriters that I‘ve met on Twitter to discuss their path into screenwriting, thoughts on craft, and navigating the business-side of the industry. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Give us a follow and stay tuned!Copyright 2021 All rights reserved. Art
Episodes
  • Writing Animation For Nick, Dreamworks, Netflix, & More with Screenwriter Ellie Guzman

    Writing Animation For Nick, Dreamworks, Netflix, & More with Screenwriter Ellie Guzman
    May 12 2026
    Welcome to Episode 54! Very stoked to have screenwriter, Ellie Guzman on the pod! In this episode, we talk about Ellie's humble beginnings writing a comedy blog by day, and working in emergency rooms by night. The success of her blog later spawned into a full-blown TV writing career. We dive into her story of landing a rep, her writing process, and her now crossing into live-action (while still working in animation), and more! Hope you enjoy the episode! You can follow Ellie Guzman on IG and Threads at @ elliemariaguzman, on X at @ ellie_guzman Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ellie got her creative start in the 2010s by living a double life: running a successful comedy blog by day, and working in an emergency room by night (and also day). After realizing that writing made her feel more alive than literally watching someone's heart get restarted, she transitioned to the entertainment industry as a production assistant in animation, learned the ropes, and worked her way up to TV writer. Now she's written episodes for Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Netflix, Peacock, Disney, Apple+, Mattel, and others, and has also developed studio IP for Dreamworks, SpinMaster, and others. She enjoys writing unhinged comedy in different mediums for all audiences, whether it's a kids 11 minute animated series or a live action adult half hour. She's repped at Sweater, speaks Spanish, and only cried once this week. FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIALS! TSSP on Instagram: / socialwriterpod TSSP on Twitter: https://x.com/SocialWriterPod TSSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... TSSP on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/socialwriter... FOLLOW ANDY ON SOCIALS Andy's Instagram: / andycompton_ Andy's Twitter: https://x.com/andycompton_ Andy on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@andycompton_ 0:00 - Intro to Ellie Guzman 14:23 - How Ellie Got Started in Screenwriting 23:37 - Ellie's Brand 25:08 - 3 Films/TV Shows that Inspired Her 30:49 - Landing a Rep 40:18 - Writing Routine 43:18 - Writing Process 48:39 - How Long to Write a 30-minute Pilot 53:32 - Ellie's Hobbies 59:13 - Ellie's Favorite Script 1:06:18 - Ellie's Advice for Screenwriters
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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • Winning the Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting w/ Filmmaker R.J. Daniel Hanna (SUCCUBUS, HARD MILES)

    Winning the Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting w/ Filmmaker R.J. Daniel Hanna (SUCCUBUS, HARD MILES)
    Apr 20 2026
    Welcome to Episode 53! Very stoked to have screenwriter, director, editor, and 2021 Academy Nicholl Fellow, R.J. Daniel Hanna on the pod! In this episode, we talk about Daniel winning the Nicholl, his films SUCCUBUS (Starring Ron Perlman and Rosanna Arquette), and HARD MILES (Starring Matthew Modine and Sean Astin), his thoughts on screenwriting contests, and more! Hope you enjoy the episode! You can follow R.J. Daniel Hanna on IG at @ rjdanielhanna. Maybe it was growing up in Arkansas as a Canadian, or the summers in rural Ireland with his grandparents, but Daniel has always been drawn to out-of-place characters, strange environments, and the unique rhythms of how people talk. He just completed post on his horror film “Succubus,” starring Ron Perlman and Rosanna Arquette, to be released in 2024. Crossing over 500 screens in the U.S. and beginning its run in the U.K. is his feature “Hard Miles,” starring Golden Globe-winner Matthew Modine and Oscar-Nominee Sean Astin, which has won multiple awards and screened at prestigious festivals including Chicago International, Heartland Film Festival, and Cinequest. Prior to that, Daniel directed the true-story feature “Miss Virginia,” starring three-time Emmy-winner Uzo Aduba, Oscar-Nominee Aunjanue Ellis, and Vanessa Williams. The film was listed as a New York Times and USA Today Must-See Fall Movie, won the Audience Award at The Naples Film Festival, and received a limited theatrical release, cable premiere on BET, and streaming deal with Netflix. As a writer, Daniel is a winner of The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, as well as the Slamdance, ScriptPipeline, and Screencraft writing awards. He also explores storytelling as an editor, with ten features under his belt, including horror film “What Lies Below,” starring Mena Suvari, which hit #1 on Netflix, and “Supercell” starring Alec Baldwin, Anne Heche, and Skeet Ulrich, which hit #1 on Hulu. Daniel hopes to continue telling cinematic, character-driven stories long past the time any sane person would have retired. He lives on the east-side of L.A. with his excessively-vocal cat “Dottie.” FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIALS! TSSP on Instagram: / socialwriterpod TSSP on Twitter: https://x.com/SocialWriterPod TSSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... TSSP on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/socialwriter... FOLLOW ANDY ON SOCIALS Andy's Instagram: / andycompton_ Andy's Twitter: https://x.com/andycompton_ Andy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/andycompton.... CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 5:57 - Daniel's Bio 9:08 - Nicholl Fellowship 12:01 - How'd You Get Into Screenwriting? 13:52 - Contests 16:45 - Winning the Nicholl 25:33 - Describe Your Brand 27:39 - Specs vs Assignment Work 33:04 : Three Favorite Films or TV Shows? 37:02 - Breaking In 39:46 - Writing Routine / Process 50:48 - Daniel's Film, SUCCUBUS 51:48 - Daniel's Film, HARD MILES 52:33 - Directing Famous Actors 57:37 - New Ideas 1:02:01 - Brand New Draft 1:05:26 - Daniel's Hobbies Outside Writing 1:07:04 - Advice for Fellow Writers
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Writing, Directing, & Making Short Films w/ Filmmaker Jackie Mahoney (HALF A CENTURY)

    Writing, Directing, & Making Short Films w/ Filmmaker Jackie Mahoney (HALF A CENTURY)
    Mar 24 2026

    Welcome to Episode 52! Very stoked to have screenwriter, director, producer, and editor, Jackie Mahoney on the pod! In this episode, we talk about her new short film, ALL THE BEST, starring Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (MODERN FAMILY), her screenwriting process, her beloved, LOST, and more! Hope you enjoy the episode!

    You can follow Jackie on IG at @jackiemahoney, and subscribe to her YouTube at ‪@digitalblueproductions‬ !

    Jackie is a writer-director from Phoenix, Arizona currently based in the Greater New York City Area. A graduate of the London Film School's Master's in Screenwriting program, she has a skillset that spans writing, directing, producing, and editing. With a solid foundation in storytelling, Jackie is dedicated to creating compelling human stories using intentional filmmaking throughout every stage of the development process. Her short films have screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival, Cinequest, HollyShorts, and Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival. Most recently, Jackie's comedy pilot, Toxic, won The Art of Brooklyn Screenwriting Competition and was named one of Coverfly's Top 20 Comedy Pilots in December 2024. She has co-written with Gonzalo Maza (Gloria, Una Mujer Fantástica) and, in another life, worked as an advertising specialist for BuzzFeed and MediaStorm LLC.

    FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIALS!

    TSSP on Instagram: / socialwriterpod

    TSSP on Twitter: https://x.com/SocialWriterPod

    TSSP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

    TSSP on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/socialwriter...

    FOLLOW ANDY ON SOCIALS

    Andy's Instagram: @andycompton_

    Andy's Twitter: https://x.com/andycompton_

    Andy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/andycompton....
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    1 hr and 24 mins
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