Writers, stop trying to control the darkness and start letting it speak.

Actor, filmmaker, and comic book creator DAVID DASTMALCHIAN (‘Dune’, ‘Late Night with the Devil’, ‘Murderbot’) joins me to discuss why the most dangerous thing an artist can do is try to "button up" the darkness. Through the lens of his life, career, and bold new graphic novel ‘Through’, we explore the thin line between creating a "fortress" of control and finding the courage to let your stories – and your life – remain beautifully unresolved.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: https://colehaddon.substack.com/

ON THE ITINERARY:

• AVOIDING ARCHETYPAL ANTAGONISTS: Why fully fleshed-out villains, like those in Frank Herbert’s Dune, are essential for a story to feel truly justified and human.
• THE MONSTER WITHIN: How the horror genre provides a safe place to confront not just the "dark outside the window," but the terrifying parts of ourselves we aren't comfortable talking about.
• THE CREATIVE VACUUM: Why the artist’s best work is done when seeking to overcome fear rather than being driven by it, moving from a state of hyper-vigilance to conscious presence.
• THE TRUTH ABOUT VULNERABILITY: A raw discussion on addiction, suicide attempts, and the "implosion" of self-control – and how these experiences become the clay for David’s meaningful art.
• BREAKING ‘THROUGH’: The creative and emotional origins of David’s new graphic novel from Z2 Comics and why it’s one of the most personal things he’s ever worked on.
• THE SABOTAGED ENDING: The last-minute phone call that dismantled a "perfect" conclusion to ‘Through’ because life – and art – is far more honest when it refuses to be buttoned up.
• RADICAL HOPE: How normalizing conversations about the morbid can help us face the "monstrous" within a capitalist culture that often buries the value of human wellbeing.

🔒 EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971)

David Dastmalchianb returns to discuss a seminal piece of art from his life – HAROLD AND MAUDE, the 1971 cult classic from legendary director Hal Ashby. This conversation is going to explain how David became the person – and artist – he is today.

🔑 UNLOCK AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/

🔑 UNLOCK AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-david-dastmalchian-talks-harold-and-maude/id1807437928?i=1000766143248

LINKS

• Learn more about and purchase David Dastmalchian's graphic novel THROUGH: https://z2comics.com/products/david-dastmalchian-through-graphic-novel-collectors-cards-deluxe-edition
• Watch/Listen to David's podcast GRAVE CONVERSATIONS: https://www.youtube.com/@graveconversations

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

5AM StoryTalk is reader-supported. Help me keep the coffee brewing by becoming a free or paid subscriber at Substack: https://colehaddon.substack.com/

TIP JAR

Not up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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EMAIL

⁠5AMStoryTalk@gmail.com

CREDITS

◼5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.

◼This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠my dear friend Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Are you thinking about writing a feature spec script? I’m breaking down the 4-part stress test I used to pick my first big-screen project in five years.

Today on The Brew — an intimate 5AM StoryTalk series on the struggles and successes of life in the arts — I’m sharing the exact process I used to identify and fall in love with an idea that would also have commercial appeal. Whether you are a screenwriter, author, or graphic novelist, the logic remains the same — what is relevant to one medium has applications across all others.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

Join the 10,000+ members of the 5AM StoryTalk community at Substack mastering the craft of storytelling (and the art of life) together: https://colehaddon.substack.com/

ON THE ITINERARY THIS WEEK

• THE ARTIST’S INTERROGATION: Why you must constantly challenge your creative process and the way you pursue your art.
• THE PILOT POISON: How a decade of writing TV pilots "ruined" the feature-writing process by favoring aborted character journeys over definitive endings.
• THE BULLSEYE STRATEGY: A breakdown of the four-part stress test used to find the precise intersection of passion, commercial logic, theme, and sequel potential.
• THE "COMMERCIAL" MYTH: Why writing for a large audience is a moral case for cinema rather than "selling out".
• THE LAVA CAKE STRATEGY: Learning to hide your most serious, "grim" themes inside a high-octane "sugar cake" of entertainment.
• THE JAMES CAMERON SCHOOL OF GOAL-SETTING: Why setting ridiculously high goals ensures that even your failures land above everyone else's success.

🔒 EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: "WEAPONIZING CURIOSITY IN SCREENWRITING: BUILDING THE NARRATIVE HOOK"

🔑 UNLOCK THE BONUS AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/weaponizing-curiosity-screenwriting

🔑 UNLOCK THE BONUS AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-weaponizing-curiosity-in-screenwriting-building/id1807437928?i=1000763998965

LINKS:

• Watch/Listen/Read "'Project Hail Mary' Is the Blueprint to Save Hollywood (and Our Future)": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/project-hail-mary-blueprint-save-hollywood-our-future
• Watch/Listen/Read "The Brew | 'Hustle Culture Is Killing Me'": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/5am-realtalk-feb-23-i-cant-do-this?utm_source=publication-search

TIP JAR:

Not up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Follow Cole/5AM StoryTalk at…

• 5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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EMAIL:

⁠5AMStoryTalk@gmail.com

CREDITS:

• 5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.
• This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We’ve all said it: "They don’t make movies like they used to.” It's true, too...but Andy Weir's PROJECT HAIL MARY is the blueprint for how to fix the problem!

This is the story of how my 11-year-old son — a kid raised on a steady diet of Marvel and Star Wars — ended up sobbing through a 28-year-old disaster flick and declaring it the best thing he’s ever seen. It’s also about why Hollywood is currently failing its audience, and how a science teacher lightyears from home in PROJECT HAIL MARY holds the key to saving the movie business and maybe even our future.

If you’ve ever felt fatigued by superheroes and god-like beings, if you’re a screenwriter trying to work out what’s next, or if you’re wondering how a culture could so dramatically lose its way, this episode of 5AM StoryTalk is for you!

ON THE ITINERARY:

• DECONSTRUCTIVE VS. CONSTRUCTIVE ART: The difference between art as a "mirror" and art as a "hammer."
• THE 11-YEAR-OLD LITMUS TEST: Lessons from ‘Deep Impact’ on why grounded human drama triggers "awe."
• THE SCIENCE OF MORAL BEAUTY: Exploring Dr. Dacher Keltner’s research on why acts of courage are emotional triggers.
• SUPERHERO FATIGUE: Why we must trade powerful beings for ordinary people facing certain death.
• ANDY WEIR'S ‘PROJECT HAIL MARY’: Why this story is the answer to: "Why don’t they make movies like they used to?"
• THE MIDDLE ROAD: Using the "grinder" of deconstruction to earn a transcendent ending.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

5AM StoryTalk is reader-supported. Help me keep the coffee brewing by becoming a free or paid subscriber at Substack: https://colehaddon.substack.com/

LINKS

• Listen/Watch/Read "Screenwriters Meg LeFauve & Joe Forte | Breaking Your Story (and Life)": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/the-screenwriting-life-meg-lefauve-joe-forte?utm_source=publication-search
• Listen/Read "When Did We Stop Dreaming of a Better Future?": https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/new-podcast-did-science-fiction-help?utm_source=publication-search
• Learn more about Dacher Keltner's study of awe: https://www.dacherkeltner.com/

TIP JAR

Not up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Follow Cole/5AM StoryTalk at…

• 5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

EMAIL

⁠5AMStoryTalk@gmail.com

CREDITS

• 5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.
• This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠my dear friend Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What happens when our cultural stories fail to tell the truth about where we’ve been and where we’re going?

Independent immigration researcher and campaigner ZOE GARDNER joins me to challenge the dehumanizing narratives surrounding immigration, refugees, and borders. We dive deep into the intersection of policy, power, and the arts to uncover the systemic forces reshaping our global social landscape.

ON THE ITINERARY:

• COLONIAL AMNESIA ON SCREENS: An exploration of why British TV and film’s reluctance to depict colonial history has fueled the ascent of Far-Right influence.
• THE CASTING DILEMMA IN BRITISH TV: A look at “color-blind” casting in period dramas and whether it risks erasing the very history we need to confront.
• THE FAR-RIGHT THREAT: How Nigel Farage and his Reform Party are weaponizing fear for power and profit.
• THE LABOR VACUUM: Why Keir Starmer’s Labor Party is failing by trying to appeal to the Right instead of the Left.
• THE TRUTH ABOUT IMMIGRATION: Understanding the reality of UK immigration today and why it is necessary for the country’s future.
• THE REVOLUTIONARY ACT: Why the struggle for justice is vital even when victory feels impossible – and the role of the artist in that fight.
• RADICAL HOPE: How a plumber-turned-MP is shattering the narrative that we have to choose between “sensible” and “hopeful” politics.

🔒 EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: JOAN BAEZ VS. BOB DYLAN

Zoe Gardner returns to discuss a seminal moment in art that helped shape her worldview: the very public disagreement of musicians JOAN BAEZ AND BOB DYLAN over his responsibility (or lack thereof) to help change the world. Does an artist have a moral obligation to take a position when their voice matters so much? 🎸

🔑 UNLOCK AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/zoe-gardner-baez-vs-dylan

🔑 UNLOCK AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/zoe-gardner-talks-joan-baez-vs-bob-dylan/id1807437928?i=1000761453682

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

5AM StoryTalk is reader-supported. Help me keep the coffee brewing by becoming a free or paid subscriber at Substack: https://colehaddon.substack.com/

LINKS

• Donate to Praxis, which supports migrants and refugees, particularly those experiencing destitution. Recommended by Zoe. https://www.praxis.org.uk/?form=FUNULBFMMCZ
• Read Zoe's latest immigration report, which I highly recommend if you want to better understand UK immigration: https://zoegardner.net/assets/time-for-change.pdf
• Read "Independent Thematic Review of portrayal and representation of the UK in BBC content", referenced in this conversation: https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/documents/thematic-review-of-portrayal-and-representation.pdf
• Listen to "Sen. Fatima Payman on the Price of Defiance in Australian Politics" from 5AM StoryTalk (Sen. Payman is a former refugee turned politician): https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/podcast-fatima-payman-labor-party-australian-politics?utm_source=publication-search

TIP JAR

Not up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• 5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

EMAIL

⁠5AMStoryTalk@gmail.com

CREDITS

◼5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.

◼This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠my dear friend Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is a Hollywood horror story about the dumbest thing to ever happen to me as a screenwriter - including the exact moment a room full of industry pros realized the embarrassing six-figure mistake that had been made.

ON THE ITINERARY

• THE “DRACULA” HANGOVER: Recovering from creating a TV series that turned into a "shit-show" while your career is technically booming.
• THE GOLDEN GOD TRAP: When “we love this script, you’re brilliant!” turns into a repetitive, unsolvable note.
• THE UNPAID EXTRA MILE: Navigating the "two-Step" pilot deal and why agents push you to work for free.
• THE LITMUS TEST: Getting trusted feedback from showrunners to confirm you aren't the crazy one.
• THE WINDOWLESS ROOM: The exact moment a "bad idea" revealed a six-figure misunderstanding.
• THE SIX-MONTH COST: The reality of wasting half a year on a project that never had a chance.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

5AM StoryTalk is reader-supported. Help me keep the coffee brewing by becoming a free or paid subscriber at Substack:https://colehaddon.substack.com/

LINKS

• Listen to "The Horror of 'Dracula': The Unbelievable True Story of the 2013 TV Series - Part 1" at Substack: "https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/new-podcast-episode-the-horror-of
• Listen to "The Horror of 'Dracula': The Unbelievable True Story of the 2013 TV Series - Part 1" at your favorite podcast player: https://pod.link/1807437928/episode/NWNkNTk0N2MtNDE5MC00YWZhLWE4NjktZDk3Zjc2MDM3MjVl

TIP JAR

Not up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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• 5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

EMAIL

⁠5AMStoryTalk@gmail.com

CREDITS

◼5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.

◼This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠my dear friend Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-

00:00 Welcome and Tease

01:14 Spooky Premise Setup

01:57 Post Dracula Career

02:53 New Adaptation Gig

03:34 The One Note Scarier

04:30 Free Drafts Pressure

05:59 Meeting Goes Sideways

06:49 Wait There Is a Ghost

07:44 The Real Mix Up0

8:41 Wrap Up and Subscribe

If you’re struggling to master screenplay structure and finding that screenwriting guides aren’t making it easier like they promised, this episode of THE BREW (formerly 5AM RealTalk) is for you.

The bad news: those mass-marketed screenplay templates you’ve been told to follow are originality killers – and their “hacks” tend to turn you into a hack.

The good news: While there is no cheat code to becoming a great screenwriter, there is a way to learn structure on your own terms. The strategy I’m going to discuss today – in response to a listener’s question – can help you internalize it, more quickly identify your original voice, and cut out a lot of the creative angst that comes with the process.

The even better news? What I’m proposing is a lot more fun.

• ON THE ITINERARY:
• THE TEMPLATE TRAP: Why mass-marketed guides are producing a sea of “hacks” and knock-offs. 📉
• NARRATIVE AUTONOMY: How to develop your own screenplay template rather than filling in someone else’s blanks. 🧠
• THE MARKET REALITY: Why “hacks” get work, but original voices are the ones that develop real careers. 💰
• THE PICASSO PROTOCOL: Why you have to learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist. 🎨
• RIP REALTALK: Why I’m pivoting to THE BREW and how I’m cleaning up the 5AM StoryTalk architecture. 💀

JOIN THE COMMUNITY!

5AM StoryTalk is reader-supported. Help me keep the coffee brewing by becoming a free or paid subscriber at Substack:

https://colehaddon.substack.com/

🔒 EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: HOW TO FIX YOUR SH*TTY EXPOSITION

I break down why vomitous info dumps kill scripts, how to turn every scene into a power struggle (with detailed examples from one of the greatest filmmakers to ever live), and why you should never, ever put a “pope in a pool.”

🔑 UNLOCK THE BONUS AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/screenwriting-exposition-fail-pope-in-a-pool

🔑 UNLOCK THE BONUS AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-how-to-fix-your-sh-tty-dialogue/id1807437928?i=1000756101768

LINKS:

• Read “What That Last Brownie Really Means in ‘Notting Hill’ from 5AM StoryTalk: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/what-that-last-brownie-really-means
• Read “Don’t Save the Cat...Put It in the Blender!” from 5AM StoryTalk: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/dont-save-the-catput-it-in-the-blender
• Read “50 Essential Scripts to Download and Study If You Want to Be a Screenwriter” from 5AM StoryTalk: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/50-essential-scripts-to-download

TIP JAR:

Not up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here to help keep me caffeinated (translation: writing)⁠⁠⁠:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Follow Cole/5AM StoryTalk at…

• 5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

EMAIL:

⁠5AMStoryTalk@gmail.com

CREDITS:

5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.

This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

00:00 Welcome and Topic Setup

00:34 Rebranding The Brew

02:20 Why Templates Fail

04:32 Study Films Beat by Beat

05:50 Movies to Break Down

08:05 Build Your Own Intuition

10:30 Picasso Quote and Rules

11:46 Wrap Up and Next Episode

"Every billion-dollar movie has tapped into something personal."

Screenwriting isn't just a craft – it’s a psychological excavation. In this episode of 5AM StoryTalk, I sit down with Oscar-nominated screenwriter and co-host of ‘The Screenwriting Life’ MEG LeFAUVE (‘Inside Out’, ‘Captain Marvel’) and filmmaker JOE FORTE (‘The Man Who Saved Ben-Hur’) to pull back the curtain on the "sacred act" of storytelling.

We move past the surface-level mechanics of scriptwriting to explore the high-stakes emotional work required to actually break and outline story. From the "clinical" necessity of a structural blueprint to the "molten lava" of personal truth that brings your structure to life, Meg and Joe share how to transform your deepest blind spots into universal narrative.

This is a must-listen for screenwriters at all levels, artists who believe we find ourselves through what we create, and anyone dreaming of a future in Hollywood. Is the “screenwriting life” still worth it in 2026? You’re going to want to hear their answer!

🔒 EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE: SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952)

Meg and Joe return to break down a seminal piece of art from their lives – one of the greatest films ever made, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN. This is an opportunity to hear two master screenwriters – one of them being the co-host of one of your favorite screenwriting podcasts – deconstruct this masterpiece for screenwriters and all filmmakers to learn from.

🔑 UNLOCK THE BONUS AT SUBSTACK: https://colehaddon.substack.com/p/the-screenwriting-life-meg-lefauve-joe-forte

🔑 UNLOCK THE BONUS AT APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-meg-lefauve-and-joe-forte-talk-singin-in-the-rain/id1807437928?i=1000756963956

ON THE ITINERARY:

• SCRIPTS AS LITERATURE OR BLUEPRINT: The "clinical" necessity of structure versus visceral art. 📄
• THE STRUCTURE STRUGGLE: Moving past the "vomit draft" into a layered, iterative approach. 🏗️
• STEPPING OVER THE THRESHOLD: How a simple story note can trigger a psychological breakthrough. 🔥
• BEHAVIOR VS. WORDS: Why actions are the ultimate "breadcrumbs" for a writer. 🥤
• A PARADE FOR THE PROCESS: Why starting with a "parade" of appreciation is the secret to keeping the creative spark alive. 🎺

LINKS:

• Listen to ‘The Screenwriting Life’: https://www.thescreenwritinglife.com/
• Listen to ‘The Screenwriting Life’ with yours truly as a guest: https://podcasts.apple.com/uy/podcast/185-why-tone-and-genre-plot-ft-cole-haddon/id1501641442?i=1000650005185
• Read a previous interview with Meg LeFauve published at the 5AM StoryTalk Newsletter:
• Learn about Joe Forte’s art: https://joeforte.com/

TIP JAR:

Not up for a paid subscription but appreciate the work that’s gone into making this podcast happen? You can “buy me a coffee” ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/colehaddon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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• 5AM StoryTalk @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/5amstorytalkpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Cole Haddon @ Instagram⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/colehaddonwashere/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Bluesky⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/colehaddon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Threads⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.com/Colehaddonwashere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

EMAIL:

⁠5AMStoryTalk@gmail.com

CREDITS:

5AM StoryTalk acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is recorded, the Djarra people of the Kulin Nation and pay respects to Elders past and present.

This podcast’s music is by ⁠⁠Cary Brothers⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.carybrothers.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠