Act Two Podcast

Tasha Huo & Josh Hallman

Behind-the-Scenes of the Business and Craft of professional Screenwriting.

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20 episodes
Updated Monday

Episodes20

Newest first

Monday · 31 min
Screenplay Structure 101 | Every Major Turning Point, When It Happens & Why It Matters
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down Structure for a feature-length story to its basics. What are each of the turning points, when should they fall in your movie, why are they important, and what effect should they have on your story. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
July 21 · 21 min
5 Tips for Nailing Your TV Writers' Room Interview
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman share five concrete tips for nailing your TV writers' room interview - how to read the room's energy, why having an opinion on the material matters, and the resume detail that helped Tasha land her first staffing job. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
July 13 · 45 min
How Portal A is Changing the Game for Screenwriters & Directors | Producer Jacob Motz Interview
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with Portal A producer, Jacob Motz, to talk about the business of quality filmmaker-driven short form content, and how it's an exciting outlet for all Screenwriters and aspiring Writer-Directors, regardless of level or representation. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
July 6 · 49 min
REPOST - Staying Proactive And Being An Advocate For Yourself.
There are many ways to stay proactive in your writing life. If you're sitting on a script you're passionate about, there are (creative) ways to get it into the world. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman talk about the different outlets screenwriters have and ways to be an advocate for yourself. Edited by the great Paul Lundquist Music by 414beg. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com
June 29 · 39 min
Listener Q&A: Screenwriting from Abroad, Writing Around a Day Job & Why AI Won't Teach You to Write
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman field Listener questions. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
June 22 · 47 min
REPOST — Getting Repped — All the Ways to Get a Manager or Agent
Screenwriters Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman share their wild stories about how they got their first Manager and Agent, and talk through the many ways you can get representation. Everyone tells you to get repped, but why do you even need a rep, and what the heck do they do anyway? This is the Act Two Podcast, where hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman demystify what it means to be an everyday working Screenwriter. Questions/Comments: Tasha.Huo@acttwowriters.com Music by 414beg.
June 15 · 45 min
How to Rewrite Your Screenplay
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the many different ways screenwriters revise a script - from tackling major problems after a first draft to handling vague notes, character issues, comedy passes, production rewrites, and someone else’s pages. They break down their personal revision processes, why certain notes require going back to the cards, and how knowing what kind of rewrite a script needs can keep you from getting overwhelmed. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
June 8 · 36 min
What to See This Summer | 2026 Movie Picks
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the 2026 Summer Blockbuster line-up, what's worth seeing, what are some surprises, and ask the age-old post-pandemic question are "movies back?!" Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
June 1 · 41 min
How Their Stolen Short Film Led to a Hollywood Feature Deal | Interview: Ryan Polly & Matt Black
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with writer-directors Ryan Polly and Matt Black to talk about their wild story of theft and impersonation that led to them making their first Hollywood feature film, and about what it's like to find Hollywood success while living and working in Texas. Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
May 26 · 37 min
Listener Q&A: When a Movie Kills Your Script & Script Submission Rules Hollywood Expects You to Know
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman answer listener questions about what to do when you see a trailer for an upcoming movie... that looks a lot like the script you've just worked so hard writing. How dead is your idea really? Also, what do Studios and Producers expect when it comes to formatting your scripts when you submit them? TWIW: Tasha saw The Sheep Detectives and Remarkably Bright Creatures / Tasha got a good reminder on how to develop ideas from Christopher Nolan & Rian Johnson Questions/Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
May 18 · 54 min
How to Pitch a Screenplay | Producer & Pitch Coach Emmeline Yang Hankins on What Actually Works
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman sit down with producer & development consultant, Emmeline Yang Hankins, to discuss what she's learned over the years about perfecting a pitch, and how she teaches pitching as a powerful tool at any stage of development. Her signature class for scripted TV, Kickstart My Pitch, has new dates coming up in June! Act Two listeners can get an exclusive discount to Emmeline's pitching class at http://talktoemm.com/acttwo Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
May 4 · 31 min
Go Forth and Write Your Spec
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman check in on their current specs, break down their process for starting a new idea, and talk about why uninterrupted writing time is nearly impossible to protect. Also, TWIW! Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
April 27 · 56 min
The Agent Series with Mark Hartogsohn: What is a Lit Agent and How to Get One? (REPOST)
Host Tasha Huo brings on her Gersh agent, Mark Hartogsohn, for the first in a series designed to help Screenwriters navigate what it means to get an Agent and maximize your working relationship once you have an Agent. In this introductory installment, Tasha and Josh discuss how Mark became a Hollywood agent, what it means to be a Lit Agent for Screen and TV Writers, and how he goes about finding new clients. Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
April 20 · 32 min
Rewriting for Yourself vs. Rewriting as a Professional Writer
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down the mindset shift between rewriting for yourself and rewriting for a job, and what it really means to rewrite like a professional writer. Also, in TWIW... Josh drives Jason Blum's golf cart, and Tasha takes a retreat! Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
April 14 · 36 min
The Art of the Cheer Moment | How to Write Scenes That Excite Audiences
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman mourn the shuttering of JJ Abrams' Bad Robot by talking about one of their most valuable lessons from JJ... "Cheer Moments". They discuss examples in Film & TV and how to craft an iconic cheer moment in your own script. Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
April 7 · 40 min
Good Writing Isn't Enough | The "Other" Skills Every Screenwriter Needs to Succeed
Just being a great writer doesn't mean you can make it as a professional Screenwriter. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss what other qualities professional Screenwriters possess that help make them undeniable hires with career longevity. Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
March 30 · 26 min
Don't Send That Script Yet: Rewrites, Feedback & Knowing When Your Screenplay is Ready
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman field a listener question about Rewrites. Do you really need to rewrite your drafts before sending them to managers and agents? Will that slow momentum? How many scripts should you revise before you can start querying reps? Do you need a portfolio of scripts, or just one solid script? Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
March 23 · 35 min
Is the Screenwriting Life Worth It? Yes - Here's Why (Part 2)
In Part Two of a series about the Screenwriter's lifestyle, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman dig into all the ways being a professional Screenwriter is exactly the dream you imagine it to be, and more. If you think you can't handle the Ugly Truths of the previous episode, maybe this will change your mind. TWIW: Tasha had to brainstorm horror movie ideas from scratch; where did she start? Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
March 17 · 41 min
Is the Screenwriting Life Worth It? The Ugly Truth (Part 1 of 2)
Being a Screenwriter is a worthy dream that is attainable. But the dream is much different than we imagine. In this Part One of a series, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the realities of a professional Screenwriter's lifestyle, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. TWIW: What to do when a studio wants to make a movie from a terrible book? Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist
March 9 · 49 min
We Read Our Old Script Coverage (and It's Brutal) | 2025 Oscar Nominee Reactions
Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman read real studio script coverage of their old specs, and it's... painful. Plus, they discuss some of this year's Oscar nominees, their predictions, their reactions, and why! TWIW: Josh has a breakthrough by writing an Act One with no plan / Tasha wrote a movie treatment in a single day and has never felt so alive / We watched & discussed ET for February's Patreon Zoom Q&A and learned so much! / Tasha re-read a script she just submitted to her agents and is now questioning everything Questions / Comments: ActTwoWriters@gmail.com Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist

Act Two Podcast

Screenplay Structure 101 | Every Major Turning Point, When It Happens & Why It Matters

5 Tips for Nailing Your TV Writers' Room Interview

How Portal A is Changing the Game for Screenwriters & Directors | Producer Jacob Motz Interview

REPOST - Staying Proactive And Being An Advocate For Yourself.

Listener Q&A: Screenwriting from Abroad, Writing Around a Day Job & Why AI Won't Teach You to Write

REPOST — Getting Repped — All the Ways to Get a Manager or Agent

How to Rewrite Your Screenplay

What to See This Summer | 2026 Movie Picks

How Their Stolen Short Film Led to a Hollywood Feature Deal | Interview: Ryan Polly & Matt Black

Listener Q&A: When a Movie Kills Your Script & Script Submission Rules Hollywood Expects You to Know

How to Pitch a Screenplay | Producer & Pitch Coach Emmeline Yang Hankins on What Actually Works

Go Forth and Write Your Spec

The Agent Series with Mark Hartogsohn: What is a Lit Agent and How to Get One? (REPOST)

Rewriting for Yourself vs. Rewriting as a Professional Writer

The Art of the Cheer Moment | How to Write Scenes That Excite Audiences

Good Writing Isn't Enough | The "Other" Skills Every Screenwriter Needs to Succeed

Don't Send That Script Yet: Rewrites, Feedback & Knowing When Your Screenplay is Ready

Is the Screenwriting Life Worth It? Yes - Here's Why (Part 2)

Is the Screenwriting Life Worth It? The Ugly Truth (Part 1 of 2)

We Read Our Old Script Coverage (and It's Brutal) | 2025 Oscar Nominee Reactions