REWIND. We continue our conversation about how PAGE Awards Judges evaluate your screenplay with Karen Craig and Scott Barkan. Next week, to wrap up this four-part series, we’ll be talking to Kristin Overn, the Founder and Executive Director of the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards.

Karen Craig is a professional screenwriter and script doctor whose credits include AMERICAN PSYCHO II, starring Mila Kunis and William Shatner, and FORBIDDEN SECRETS, starring Kristy Swanson. Karen has served as a judge for the PAGE Awards for the past 12 years, reviewing both Thriller/Horror scripts and Family Films.

Scott Barkan is a professional screenwriter with several produced films and sold scripts to his name. He has worked with Blumhouse and Lionsgate and is represented by Mainstay Entertainment and CAA. Scott is also a university professor, teaching music and communications. As a PAGE judge, he primarily reads Action/Adventure, Thriller/Horror, and Science Fiction scripts.

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REWIND. PAGE Awards Judges David Portlock and John Evans continue our conversation about how they evaluate your screenplay. These two judges share a lot of helpful information in this interview.

✰ David Portlock has worked as a script reader for United Talent Agency and currently works for Bassett Vance Productions. Over the past 15 years, David has consulted and assisted dozens of writers in developing their films. Also a screenwriter, David wrote and directed a feature film picked up by HBO, Cinemax, and Starz; a short film that premiered at Sundance; and a horror script that topped the Bloodlist. As a PAGE judge, David evaluates screenplays in the Science Fiction, Thriller/Horror, Comedy, and Drama categories.

✰ John Evans received his MFA in Screenwriting from Boston University. Since moving to LA, he has worked in the development departments at ABC Studios, The Donners Company, Kopelson Entertainment, and AEI. John has also taught writing at the college level, authored six educational books, and worked as a copywriter and editor for several film distribution companies. John is the editor of our PAGE Awards ezine, and as a contest judge, he primarily reads Thriller/Horror scripts and TV Drama Pilots.

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REWIND of two more PAGE Awards Judges, Dwayne Smith and Mike Kuciak, continues the conversation about how they evaluate your screenplay.

Mike Kuciak has two movies coming out in 2022; he's the writer-director of one and the writer-producer of the other. He's a producer on a third film scheduled to begin production in late 2022. He has served as a producer and executive producer on several independent films. He was the senior vice president of development for a literary management-production company and, after that, the founder/CEO of his own company before hanging that up to focus on writing/directing/producing.

Dwayne Smith has been a professional screenwriter since 1999 and has written scripts for Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Intermedia, and Gold Circle. His urban thriller PAY THE LADY is in post-production, and his sci-fi feature IMPLANT is in pre-production. Representing the management firm Circle of Confusion at numerous screenwriting conferences and festivals, Dwayne has listened to hundreds of pitches and read countless screenplays in search of new writing talent. As a judge for the PAGE Awards, he reads Comedies, Thriller/Horror, Science Fiction, and Action/Adventure scripts.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

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📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

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REWIND. Two PAGE Awards Judges, Victoria Lucas and Laurie Ashbourne, discuss how they evaluate your screenplays, whether you're just starting or have a script in the competition. You do not want to miss this inside talk.

⭐️ Laurie Ashbourne began her film career in Disney animation and has worked over the past 20 years as a story consultant, writer, and producer for Disney, Amazon, and many independent producers. She has more than 30 features and short films to her credit, including her new family feature, CHRISTMAS TIME, which is currently in post-production. As a PAGE judge, Laurie reviews scripts across several genre categories, including Family Films, Comedies, Dramas, and Shorts.

⭐️ Victoria Lucas is an independent producer who has developed scripts for projects starring Antonio Banderas, Scarlett Johansson, Wesley Snipes, and Hilary Swank. Among her favorite projects is the highly acclaimed coming-of-age film The Island on Bird Street, which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Victoria is also a judge for the PAGE Awards, covering a variety of genres, including Drama and Historical Films.👍

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer/Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller

If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.

📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

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Rewind. Spend some time with Sandy and Terry as they explore one of the most iconic last lines in cinema, "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown," from the 1974 film CHINATOWN, written by Robert Towne, directed by Roman Polanski, and starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. In this episode, they reveal the fascinating story of how this memorable line nearly didn’t make it and why!

Executive Producer Kristin Overn

Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis

Producer Terry Sampson

Music by Ethan Stoller

👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.

📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

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In today’s show, Sandy shares some fun insights about onomatopoeia, which can be a writer’s best friend when you want to avoid using the same dull words repeatedly—especially in action scenes. Onomatopoeia is when a word is formed to imitate a sound, like “Boom!”, “Pow!”, or “Splat!”. If you're a screenwriter, it’s a handy trick to keep in your toolkit, especially when crafting exciting action moments. Using onomatopoeia can really bring your writing to life and make it more engaging for your readers, actors, or development executives reading your screenplay.

Executive Producer Kristin Overn

Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis

Producer Terry Sampson

Music by Ethan Stoller

👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.

📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment, please contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

Rewind. Did you know that our host and creator of The Writers’ Hangout, Sandy Adomaitis, has extensive experience in script development for both television and film? She has worked with some of the industry’s top showrunners, including Carlton Cuse, John Wirth, and Tom Spezialy. Now, for the first time, Sandy has compiled a list of ten warning signs that could dampen her enthusiasm for reading your script, available exclusively to our devoted listeners.

Executive Producer Kristin Overn

Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis

Producer Terry Sampson

Music by Ethan Stoller

👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts.

📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment, please contact us @thewritershangoutpodcast@gmail.com

HAPPINESS INCLUDED: It’s finally time for Jan, Jan, Jan!

Sandy has a groovy chat with the legendary Eve Plumb, famously known as the misunderstood middle child, Jan from The Brady Bunch. Eve offers delightful insights into her new memoir, “HAPPINESS INCLUDED: Jan Brady and Beyond.” Since Eve and Sandy are longtime friends, their conversation feels like a cozy, personal catch-up—plus, they even talk about George Glass!

Executive Producer Kristin Overn

Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis

Producer Terry Sampson

Music by Ethan Stoller

Happiness Included: Jan Brady & Beyond (Book)https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9780806545035/happiness-included/

Eve Plumb Official Website https://eveplumb.tv

Follow Eve Plumb https://www.instagram.com/theeveplumb