Blacklisted
Blacklisted is a podcast where we delve into the minds of the talented writers who have been featured on the annual Black List - a prestigious list of the best unproduced scripts in Hollywood, as voted on by industry professionals. Each episode, we talk to a screenwriter about their first screenplay that placed on the coveted list; the journey it took to get there, and the subsequent impact the achievement had on their career.
Episodes
To celebrate the #BlackList2025 release, we're dropping a loaded bonus episode with Black List founder Franklin Leonard.
Twenty-one years after its inception, the Black List has become Hollywood's most influential survey of unproduced screenplays - launching careers, reshaping industry gatekeeping, and proving that meritocracy can be an engine for diversity. As the 2025 list drops, we sit down with founder Franklin Leona...
Trevor White of Star Thrower Productions talks about how he and his brother Tim have built their producing careers by working hands-on with screenwriters to develop their scripts, then using the Black List as a spotlight tool to get the industry buzzing and help package projects with the right talent - a strategy that's led to some serious hits including King Richard (2021), where Zach Baylin's script about Venus and Serena William...
Get your copy of John's exceptional book here.
What if every story you've ever loved - from ancient myths to Marvel blockbusters, from Shakespeare to The Sopranos - follows the exact same blueprint?
Today we dive deep into John Yorke's revolutionary book "Into the Woods: How Stories Work and Why We Tell Them," the UK's bestselling screenwriting text that's required reading for story enthusiasts ...
Hit the link here for 10% off Story and Plot's pro digital screenwriting courses, MASTERING STRUCTURE and IDEA TO OUTLINE.
- There you can sign up for Tom's weekly newsletter - it's a free screenwriting lesson in your inbox every Tuesday morning.
- It's also where you can find his FREE email course, SCREENWRITING FOR BEGINNERS, for those at the beginning of their journey.
Discover why 90% of s...
In our season two finale, we speak to screenwriter Justin Kremer, who made history as the first writer to be signed via The Black List website just six weeks after its launch. Six weeks later, he landed on the annual Black List for his historical political biopic McCarthy, which chronicles the rise and fall of 1950s Senator Joseph R. McCarthy. The script explores McCarthy's tenure as the most visible face of Cold War-era fears abou...
This week on Blacklisted, we sit down with screenwriter Shea Mayo to dive into the bloody good journey of their spec script Crush on You - a love letter to '80s slasher films and ‘90s teen horror that caught Hollywood's attention and landed on the prestigious Black List in 2020.
Mayo breaks down how she channeled the iconic terror of Nightmare on Elm Street and other genre classics into a fresh, contemporary horror story.
Whether yo...
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 th...
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 Instagram
Host: ...
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 Instagram
Host: Chris Hill on Instagram and ...
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 BlueSky
Visit storyandplot.com/blacklisted for a 10% discount on ...
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 whe...
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 BlueSky
Host: Chris Hill on Inst...
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 Instagram
Host: Chris Hill on Instagram and ...
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...
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 M...
In our final bonus episode with lit managers of season one, we speak with producer Kate Sharp of Bellevue Productions.
Kate is the lit manager of season one guests: Alexandra Tran and Jessica Welsh.
Take a Deeper Dive:
Interesting article about the curious case of copyright as it applies to Frank Capra's It's A Wonderful Life - here.
The script we talk about that sold for $2M to MGM Amazon Studios was a spec by Nyad scribe, Juli...
In our third of four bonus episodes with lit managers, we speak with genre aficionado Matthew Dartnell of Writ Large.
Matt is the lit manager of season one guest: Austin Everett.
Guest: Matt Dartnell on Instagram
Host: Chris Hill on Instagram, X and BSky
If you can, maybe kindly tip your host with a coffee
In our second bonus episode with literary managers, we speak with the manager of our very own host, Chris Coggins, over at Heroes and Villains Entertainment.
Chris is the lit manager of season one guest: Noga Pnueli.
Guest: Chris Coggins on Instagram and X
Host: Chris Hill on Instagram, X and BSky
If you can, maybe kindly tip your host with a coff...
In our first bonus episode, we speak with John Zaozirny - the founder and head of Bellevue Productions.
John is the literary manager of season one guests: Ian Shorr, Kevin Sheridan and Sophia Lopez.
Guest: John Zaozirny on X
Host: Chris Hill on Instagram and X
If you can, maybe kindly tip your host with a coffee
Follow us on X...
In our final episode of season one, we welcome Austin Everett to the pod to discuss his 2019 Black List adaptation of the 'grounded' sci-fi novel, The Traveler.
Guest: Austin Everett on Instagram
Based on the novella written by Joseph Eckert
'Impressive' Scriptshadow Review for The Traveler
Host: Chris Hill on Instagram and X
Season Sponsor...
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