How Stories Work with Jay Sherer

How Stories Work with Jay Sherer

Jay Sherer wants to learn everything about storytelling. He interviews screenwriters, novelists, directors, literary agents, producers, and anyone else who knows about the business of storytelling. Plus he studies screenwriting, prose, writing, and the business models driving film, television, and novels. Learn along side Jay about How Stories Work--not just how to write them, but also how to sell them and get them made. Join the network of storytellers trying to improve, grow, and make valuable connections!

Episodes

June 27, 2023 126 mins
Why we have a PG-13 rating: TEMPLE OF DOOM!

In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I'm re-watching all the Indiana Jones content! That means all four movies plus The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (formerly known as "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"). Today, we're talking about Temple of Doom. Topics include:

  • Does this film get too silly?
  • What do you think about Temple of Doom's intro?
  • Was it smart to ...
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Best action sequence? Best character intro? What can we learn from Raiders as writers and storytellers?

In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I'm re-watching all the Indiana Jones content! That means all four movies plus The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (formerly known as "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"). Today, we're talking about my favorite film of all time, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Topics include:

...
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    June 15, 2023 14 mins
    Indy runs away with Leo Tolstoy and then shows his ass in Greece.

    In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I'm re-watching all the Indiana Jones content! That means all four movies plus The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (formerly known as "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"). Watch along with me and join in the discussions! In this episode, "Travels with Father," topics for discussion include:

    • Indy and fr...
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    Sigmund Freud tells Indy that all love is about sex. And then Indy's mom cheats on Henry Jones, Sr.!

    In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I'm re-watching all the Indiana Jones content! That means all four movies plus The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (formerly known as "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"). Watch along with me and join in the discussions! In this episode, "The Perils of Cupid," topics for ...

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    Indy sells fake art and beats up a pimp.

    In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I'm re-watching all the Indiana Jones content! That means all four movies plus The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (formerly known as "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"). Watch along with me and join in the discussions! In this episode, I breakdown Episode 2B (the second half) of the first season, which is titled: "Passion for Li...

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    Indy goes big game hunting with Teddy Roosevelt...

    In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I'm re-watching all the Indiana Jones content! That means all four movies plus The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (formerly known as "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"). Watch along with me and join in the discussions! In this episode, I breakdown Episode 2A (the first half) of the first season, which is titled: "Passi...

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    Young Indy encounters curses, grave robbers, slavery... and wears brownface?

    In preparation for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I'm re-watching all the Indiana Jones content! That means all four movies plus The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (formerly known as "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"). Watch along with me and join in the discussions! In this episode, I breakdown Episode 1 of the first season, which is titled...

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    Sam Tahhan's Writing Journey | Collateral & Skyfall | Reading & Writing Screenplays

    On today's show, I'm joined by a fellow screenwriter from Colorado: Sam Tahhan. You'll hear more about his journey, his advice for screenwriters, and recommended films and screenplays for screenwriters!

     

    SAM'S WEBSITE: https://samtahhan.carbonmade.com/

    SAM'S SHORT FILM, TEST DRIVE: https://vimeo.com/user24898079

     

    SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING...

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    A graphic novel about finding purpose and value. My interview with Drunk3PO (Jay)!

    Jay (Drunk3PO on Twitter) works as a teacher. He was seeing more and more kids who need to find purpose in their lives and value themselves. He decided to write a graphic novel for them. On today’s show, he talks about his first graphic novel Achromatic Chronicles: Blue, the inspiration behind it, and why he decided to become a writer on top of being...

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    Dark stories. The imperfection of being human. Hope and despair.

    On today's show, screenwriter and poet Joe Favalaro joins me to discuss the importance of telling dark stories that get to the core of what it means to be human. We use one of his latest scripts, Ultra Modern, as an example of a dark story told from the truth Joe's experienced in his own life.

    I hope you enjoy my conversation with Joe! Give him a follow on Twitter: @J...

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    Intrigue. Corruption. Amazing dialogue. And so many twists, turns, and clues it's worth digging deeper into...

    Robert Towne's screenplay for Chinatown (1974) is considered by many to be the best screenplay of all time. On today's show (also available as a video on YouTube), I dig as deep as I can into the script to unearth all the clues, twists, and turns that make the script (and the film) incredible!

    SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTE...

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    Banning Books. Huckleberry Finn. Faulkner. Wolfe. And the Power of Literature.

    On today's show, Dr. Jospeh Bentz joins me to discuss the power of literature and storytelling. It's a topic we're both passionate about, and something Dr. Bentz will be writing a book on! We talk extensively about what makes literature different from other mediums, how the interpretation of literature changes over time, and ways to approach literature. ...

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    Getting Notes from City Lights Studio on Our Screenplay: The Harlequin

    What is it like to talk to a studio about your screenplay? On today’s podcast, my co-writer Nathan Scheck and I had a chance to sit down with the new, but quickly-growing City Lights Studio to talk about our latest feature script: The Harlequin. On this show you’ll get to hear:

    • What it’s like to be a brand new studio in Hollywood
    • ...
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    January 10, 2023 41 mins
    The most UNIQUE scene in the history of film is...

    On today's show, I break down a specific scene from an iconic film. Which scene? Listen to find out what makes this scene so unique. I'll read the scene from the original screenplay and break it down so that screenwriters, writers, and film fans can learn what it takes to write a scene that's this powerful. 99.99% of us will never write a scene like this (that gets made), but that ...

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    Agendas in Fiction Writing: Why It COSTS Writers | How to Craft (and Test) a Message | Clarifying the Premise

    On today's show: why writers and storytellers SHOULD NOT write with an agenda, but SHOULD try to say something important and impactful. I'll break down the difference between the two approaches, the mindset writers need, and a process for getting there.

    New shows come out all the time. Watch on YouTube or listen on your pre...

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    Box Office Numbers in a Streaming World: Box Office Numbers Explained | Streaming Business Model Explained | Comedy vs. Drama and Respect

    Special thanks to Josh Taylor from Modern Mouse and Theme Park Casual for submitting this week's topics! How should we think about box office numbers? How has that changed because of streaming services? Plus... why do dramas get so much respect while many comedies don't? I'll break that down, too...

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    Character Deaths and Impact: Darth Vader | Kylo Ren | [SPOILER] in Stranger Things | [SPOILER] in Obi-Wan Kenobi | Cultural Perspectives in Tokyo Vice

    Jay Sherer (The Story Geeks) breaks down character deaths. Why are some character deaths received well while others are hated by fans? We'll break down different character deaths, the perspectives on those deaths, and why some fans are starting to say things like: "I don't want chara...

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    Stranger Things, Season 4: Vecna = The Devil? | Stranger Things Continuity | Devil's Hollow

    Jay Sherer (The Story Geeks) is joined by Chris Easterly (writer of Devil's Hollow) to discuss Season 4 of Stranger Things! We break down Vecna as a villain, talk about his similarities to The Devil, and then dig deeper into Chris's new film, Devil's Hollow and what it takes for a writer/director to produce their own film in 2022.

    New shows ...

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    Logan vs. Kenobi: Audience Emotion | Star Wars Canon vs. Legends | Storytelling Differences

    Jay Sherer (The Story Geeks) breaks down the difference between Logan (the Wolverine film) and the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Both series have been well-rated (though Kenobi seems to be far more controversial). As a storyteller, Jay likes to ask a critical question: "What are the storytellers doing? What works? What doesn't work?" Here's how the...

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    Obi-Wan Kenobi: Who was this show for? | "Weaponized Nostalgia"? | The BEST & WORST of Kenobi

    Jay Sherer (The Story Geeks) is joined by Michael Young (from NERDSoul) and Bryant Dillon (from Fanbase Press) to have a spoiler-filled discussion about the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, including the finale!

    New shows come out all the time. Watch on YouTube or listen on your preferred podcast provider!

     

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