The Successful Screenwriter with Geoffrey D Calhoun: Screenwriting Podcast

What’s the worst screenwriting advice you’ve ever heard?

We’ve got a few contenders.Join screenwriter Geoffrey D. Calhoun and producer and filmmaker Kristy Leigh Lussier on The Successful Screenwriter. Every week, we break down what makes movies work, talk candidly about the film industry, and take your screenwriting questions live.

From first drafts to rewrites, we share what’s worked for us and what we’ve learned the hard way.

Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch the next livestream on our Instagram and Youtube.

Bring a question about your script or a movie you’re ready to defend.

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Connect with Kristy Leigh Lussier
Instagram: @kantoka127
Watch her vertical drama: The Witch Wolf's Mate
Connect with Geoffrey D. Calhoun
Watch: Elsy
The Rewrite Workbook
Website: thesuccessfulscreenwriter.com
Instagram: @screenwriterpod
YouTube: @thesuccessfulscreenwriter

#screenwriting #filmmaking #writingtips #screenwriterlife #storytelling #filmindustry #indiefilm #writerslife

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Geoffrey D. Calhoun and Kristy Leigh Lussier cover writing for the budget you actually have, whether contests are still worth entering, and why writers should read the fine print on AI platforms. They also answer questions from live viewersWatching lately (1:13): Kristy's take on The Other Mommy (a strong opening act, then the ending falls apart). Geoffrey on the Elizabeth Holmes documentary and its manipulation. Also what they want to see next, including Street Fighter.
Geoffrey's The Rewrite Workbook(6:06): He's about forty drafts in on a writer's block workbook. The Rewrite Workbook is on Amazon, and reviews help independent authors.
Write for where the script will land (7:43): Kristy shares the Indy Film Podcast's debate on writing within a $50K budget. Both hosts say to know your goal before you write, and warn first-time writers about pitching a $200M blockbuster.
Cardinal sins and over-explaining (12:37): First-script mistakes, plus the "it's just a lightsaber" lesson on world-building that bogs the script down.
Viewer Q&A (13:52):Book picks for character development: Screenplay, How to Write a Movie in 21 Days, Kill the Dog (vs. Save the Cat), and Geoffrey's own guide and workbook.
Developing characters: start from theme and make the lead its living embodiment. Test the theme by putting the character in scenarios that challenge it.
Do screenwriting contests still matter? (19:08)

Contests, coverage and AI (19:23): Why both hosts think contests have lost value, and Geoffrey's concern about paid evaluations. They also talk about AI tools for judging and screenwriting, and the warning to read the fine print before uploading your work.
Wrap-up (25:37): Show schedule and episode updates.
Mentioned in the episodeThe Other Mommy, Street Fighter, Good Boy, Wild Horse Nine, and the Elizabeth Holmes/Theranos documentary
Books: Screenplay, How to Write a Movie in 21 Days, Kill the Dog, Save the Cat, and Geoffrey's guide and Rewrite Workbook
The Indy Film Podcast
Platforms and contests: Nicholl, The Black List, InkTip, Suno
Show updatesLive shows are Fridays at 6.
Elsie episode 9 is on Instagram (@ScreenwriterPod) and YouTube (The Successful Screenwriter). Episode 10 comes next week, then a short delay while edits finish and they reach out to apps and networks.

Connect with Kristy Leigh Lussier
Instagram: @kantoka127
Watch her vertical drama: The Witch Wolf's Mate
Connect with Geoffrey D. Calhoun
Watch: Elsy
The Rewrite Workbook
Website: thesuccessfulscreenwriter.com
Instagram: @screenwriterpod
YouTube: @thesuccessfulscreenwriter

#screenwriting #filmmaking #writingtips #screenwriterlife #storytelling #filmindustry #indiefilm #writerslife

Please share this podcast with your community!

Stuck on that rewrite? I got you. Grab The Rewrite Workbook and work through your screenplay one draft at a time.

Could AI let audiences rewrite a movie’s ending and what would that mean for screenwriters? Geoffrey D. Calhoun and co-host Kristy Leigh Lussier discuss the possibilities, the concerns, and the value of human storytelling.Then we tackle your screenwriting questions: Do characters have to be likable? How do you convey emotion without dialogue? Should you avoid adverbs? We also discuss juggling multiple scripts, writing across different mediums, and why we both use WriterDuet.

What You’ll Learn
Why audiences can connect with a character they don’t like.
How to convey emotion through behavior without micromanaging actors.
How specific action verbs bring energy to your scene descriptions.
What to consider when working on multiple screenplays.
How theater, film, and video games approach the character experience.
Why AI-generated endings raise questions about storytelling and creative control.
Key Moments
02:33 — AI filmmaking and the possibility of audience-generated endings.
09:59 — Bad screenwriting advice: every character must be likable.
12:30 — Should you work on more than one script at a time?
14:24 — Theater, film, and video game storytelling.
16:34 — Why we use WriterDuet.
21:44 — Adverbs, action verbs, and finding the right amount of description.

ConnectJoin our live screenwriting Q&A Fridays at 6 p.m. Eastern on Instagram. Bring your questions!
Instagram: @screenwriterpod
YouTube: @thesuccessfulscreenwriter
Screenwriting resources and membership: TheSuccessfulScreenwriter.com
#Screenwriting #ScreenwritingTips #CharacterDevelopment #WritingEmotion #AIInFilm #TheSuccessfulScreenwriter

Connect with Kristy Leigh Lussier
Instagram: @kantoka127
Watch her vertical drama: The Witch Wolf's Mate
Connect with Geoffrey D. Calhoun
Watch: Elsy
The Rewrite Workbook
Website: thesuccessfulscreenwriter.com
Instagram: @screenwriterpod
YouTube: @thesuccessfulscreenwriter

#screenwriting #filmmaking #writingtips #screenwriterlife #storytelling #filmindustry #indiefilm #writerslife

Please share this podcast with your community!

The Rewrite Workbook is out now! I wrote it to simplify the rewrite process, so you can stop feeling overwhelmed by your draft and start making clear, focused improvements. Grab your copy on Amazon.

Are screenwriting “rules” helping your script or getting in the way? Geoffrey D. Calhoun and Kristy Leigh Lussier break down bad screenwriting advice, including character deaths, dramatic irony, rewriting, horror, first-draft self-doubt, and story pacing. Plus, Geoffrey talks about The Rewrite Workbook, his new tool for making the rewrite process simpler and more focused.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why screenwriting rules should be treated as tools instead of laws
When killing a character can establish stakes without advancing the plot
How dramatic irony lets the audience know more than your protagonist
Why rewriting is where much of the real screenwriting work happens
How to keep moving when self-doubt hits during a first draft
Practical ways to identify and fix pacing problems
How horror writers create tension beyond jump scares
Key Moments
07:22 — Bad screenwriting advice and the danger of blanket rules
12:32 — Should the audience ever know more than the protagonist?
14:37 — Geoffrey introduces The Rewrite Workbook
19:25 — Do you really need multiple screenplay drafts?
28:39 — What is story pacing, and how do you fix it?

About the Hosts

Geoffrey D. Calhoun is a produced screenwriter, bestselling author, filmmaker, and host of The Successful Screenwriter Podcast. He is the author of The Guide for Every Screenwriter and The Rewrite Workbook and has spent more than 25 years developing his craft as a screenwriter.

Kristy Leigh Lussier is a screenwriter, filmmaker, producer, and co-host of The Successful Screenwriter Podcast, bringing her writing and production experience to honest conversations about the craft and business of filmmaking.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode
The Rewrite Workbook by Geoffrey D. Calhoun
Resident Evil
Maud
WriterDuet
Halloween

Have a screenwriting or filmmaking question? Join Geoffrey and Kristy live Fridays at 6 PM ET and drop your questions in the comments. They may answer yours on the next episode.

#Screenwriting #ScreenwritingTips #WritingTips #Filmmaking # ScreenwritingPodcast Tags:  Geoffrey D Calhoun, Kristy Leigh Lussier, The Successful Screenwriter, The Rewrite Workbook

Connect with Kristy Leigh Lussier
Instagram: @kantoka127
Watch her vertical drama: The Witch Wolf's Mate
Connect with Geoffrey D. Calhoun
Watch: Elsy
The Rewrite Workbook
Website: thesuccessfulscreenwriter.com
Instagram: @screenwriterpod
YouTube: @thesuccessfulscreenwriter

#screenwriting #filmmaking #writingtips #screenwriterlife #storytelling #filmindustry #indiefilm #writerslife

Please share this podcast with your community!

Geoffrey D. Calhoun and Kristy Leigh Lussier explore what happened when Geoffrey entered Screenwriting Reddit to offer writers free advice without promoting himself or selling anything. His posts quickly reached thousands of writers—but a message encouraging compassion also attracted hostility from the community’s self-appointed gatekeepers.They break down why some online writing communities become toxic, how anonymous critics continually move the goalposts, and why writers need to protect their confidence. Geoffrey and Kristy also discuss the surprising release of Coyote vs. Acme, Jason Statham’s unusual fight-contract rules, when a screenplay prologue works, and why a 30-minute short film may need to become a feature.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
What happened when Geoffrey infiltrated Screenwriting Reddit
Why compassion matters in online screenwriting communities
How writers can protect themselves from toxic feedback
Why studios shelve completed movies for financial reasons
How to avoid using a prologue as an exposition dump
Why an overly long short film may work better as a feature
Key Moments:

02:27 – How Coyote vs. Acme escaped the studio shelf
08:41 – The unusual rules behind Jason Statham’s fight scenes
09:45 – Geoffrey infiltrates Screenwriting Reddit
12:26 – When the Screenwriting Reddit trolls arrived
16:15 – Knowing your value when critics attack
24:10 – Avoiding the exposition and monologue trap
24:48 – Why a 30-minute short film may need to become a feature

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
Screenwriting Reddit
Coyote vs. Acme
Batgirl
Mutiny
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Halloween
The Lord of the Rings
Rabbit Trap
Screenplay prologues and cold opens
Short-film structure
Online screenwriting communities

Connect with Kristy Leigh Lussier
Instagram: @kantoka127
Watch her vertical drama: The Witch Wolf's Mate
Connect with Geoffrey D. Calhoun
Watch: Elsy
The Rewrite Workbook
Website: thesuccessfulscreenwriter.com
Instagram: @screenwriterpod
YouTube: @thesuccessfulscreenwriter

#screenwriting #filmmaking #writingtips #screenwriterlife #storytelling #filmindustry #indiefilm #writerslife

Please share this podcast with your community!