From Winning Script to Active Development |Kinolime Podcast Ep 37

Show Notes

Podcast Episode Description: Winning the Kinolime Competition and Navigating Rewrites with Eric Landau In this exciting episode of the Kinolime Podcast, host John Schram sits down with Eric Landau, the brilliant comedic mind and winner of the Kinolime 2.0 Screenwriting Competition for his absurd comedy script, Mob Mentality. With his option signed, a check in hand, and the script officially going out to A-list directors, Eric gives listeners an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at what happens after you win a major competition and take the next crucial steps toward getting your movie made.

Whether you are an aspiring screenwriter curious about the development process or a filmmaker preparing to submit to a competition, this episode offers a grounded, practical look at the realities of writing a feature film.

🎬 Episode Highlights & Screenwriting Takeaways Life as an Optioned Writer: Eric discusses the surreal transition from writing solo to getting paid and collaborating with a production company, noting that the magnitude of the achievement probably won't fully sink in until the movie is actually released.

Mastering Studio Notes: Receiving a mountain of notes from producers can be daunting for any writer who has already poured their soul into a script. Eric shares his pragmatic approach to rewrites: formulating a game plan, tackling notes line by line, and knowing when to agree, compromise, or push back to serve the story.

The Quirky Writing Routine: Get a hyper-specific breakdown of Eric’s creative process. From strictly writing in local coffee shops (never at home) and wearing wired headphones with zero audio playing, to deliberately disconnecting from Wi-Fi to avoid checking New York Yankees scores, Eric shares the disciplined habits that keep him locked in.

The Power of Delivering on Time: John offers a crucial piece of industry advice to aspiring writers: if you want to be beloved by production companies and executives, under-promise and over-deliver on your deadlines, just like Eric consistently did during the rewrite phase.

Key Takeaways:

Career-Changing Near Miss: In an inspiring confession, Eric reveals he almost didn't enter the Kinolime competition because he didn't have the required 5-page treatment ready just days before the deadline. His decision to sit down, grind it out, and hit "submit" ultimately changed the trajectory of his career.

Full Transcript

[00:00]

think at first it was maybe slightly daunting realizing how much work I needed to put into this

[00:04]

after already putting so much work into it initially. But then once I gave it some thought and

[00:10]

kind of came up with formulated a game plan for how to go forward. It's been good.

[00:23]

Welcome. We have such an amazing guest today. He was not really a guest because you're like

[00:27]

family. We have Eric Landau, the winner of our 2.0 screen running competition. In studio,

[00:33]

Eric, what's up, dude? Thanks for having me. How are you, bro? Doing well.

[00:35]

That was so nice for you to come in. What we wanted to do today for everyone out there that's

[00:40]

curious about our second movie that we're going to be making out of our competition,

[00:44]

we have the writer here. We're going to have some questions. We're going to get to know what the

[00:47]

process has been like, how he's feeling and anything that you want to talk about regarding

[00:53]

being now an option writer that has their movie on the way of being made. So, Eric, first of all,

[01:00]

take us through you win the competition, right? Just send you the check, got the option signed.

[01:07]

What has life been like as an option writer? Yeah, so far so good. I mean, we've really just

[01:13]

been working with Kino Lahn, you yourself, Danny and Mira, had a few in-person meetings here

[01:19]

in several zooms, just kind of put together a game plan for the rewrite, and then really just

[01:24]

when I hit the ground running on that. But did that affect you in a way like where you've been

[01:31]

trying to write to get a movie made, right? Like we're all right. I believe that if you're a writer,

[01:37]

the people say, I have to be paid for a speed to be considered right. I don't believe in that. If

[01:41]

you're writing, you're a writer. So, you've been writing, but now to be paid, a company attached to

[01:48]

your screenplay, has that like sunk in? Like what does that, did that movie at all or just like,

[01:53]

hey, it's another day at the office, like take us through that mental process of taking that next step

[01:58]

in your career? Maybe that hasn't sunk in yet. Okay. When the movie comes out, then I'll kind of

[02:03]

get more thought to that. For now, just keeping it all business and trying to get the script to where

[02:07]

where you want to go. All right, cool. So, we get the option signed and we have notes, right?

[02:16]

Typical, like it's like any production company studio. I mean, we're hoping one day to get a

[02:21]

screenplay that needs zero notes, but like every piece of art, I think you want to keep your working,

[02:26]

you're working, you're working, and getting that in whatever inside of you out on the page to make

[02:31]

the best movie possible. What was it like to receive a bunch of notes, you know, from a production

[02:37]

company for the first time, you know, that's actively trying to make your movie? I think at first,

[02:42]

it was maybe slightly daunting realizing how much work I needed to put into this after already,

[02:47]

you know, putting so much work into initially. Yeah. But then once I gave it some thought and

[02:52]

kind of came up with formulated a game plan for how to go forward, it's been good. Yeah, I think a

[02:56]

lot of people take notes personally, they're like, oh, like, well, we're actually even better to what

[03:02]

you just said, right? I put in a lot of effort already. I don't want to go back in, but I firmly

[03:07]

believe you need 10 drafts before your script is ready to be, you know, shot in my opinion.

[03:13]

I'm not alone. I think other director and writers have talked about that. We're not a draft 10,

[03:18]

but we're not in, but maybe it's draft four. We're getting there. But how did you overcome that?

[03:26]

Because, you know, I got to be honest, you've been fantastic. Like, we've given you notes and you are

[03:32]

boom, like weeks later delivered. And I will also say if you're a young writer out there or

[03:38]

a writer that's trying to get in the business, get paid, get hired, deliver on time. I can't say it

[03:46]

enough. Like for a production company, we love this guy because he delivers before he said he

[03:51]

was going to deliver. He underpromises over deliver. That's a big deal. So you've got our notes,

[03:56]

you were a little bit like, I put so much time in, but like, how did you get over that hump? Was it

[03:59]

just like, I got to do this, like, take me through your kind of your process there. Yeah, just really

[04:04]

took my laptop to a coffee shop and got into it. Okay. So then you hand in your next draft, right? And

[04:12]

there are more notes. How is it like after your first rewrite to get more notes? Yeah, I mean,

[04:19]

I just went through the notes one by one and most of them seemed reasonable. I feel like they're

[04:23]

fully agreed, partially agreed or didn't agree and really just went one by one and tried to address

[04:28]

them to the best of my ability. Okay. Did you, as someone who's been writing on their own,

[04:34]

what does it like been collaborating with a producer, production company? That's just got a few

[04:40]

different people in the room that are, you know, we're not you, we're not in your headspace, but how is

[04:44]

that been creatively to work with somebody? Yeah, that part's been fun because yourself, Danny and

[04:50]

Mera are not afraid again to the nitty gritty of, you know, an absurd comedy script like this. Yeah,

[04:55]

and we know we're having full conversations about something that is, you know, kind of absurd

[04:58]

on space, yeah, at least at parts of it. So that, but I love that. Like I love, you know,

[05:04]

brainstorming and talking story and structure and all that. So I really enjoyed that part.

[05:10]

Now when we, when we've given you notes, take us through your writing process, right? So people

[05:16]

like, I don't know where you're right. I want to know what time you're right. So take us through your

[05:19]

writing process with a full-time job. I know you can, you're flexible with your hours, but I want to

[05:24]

know about like, how does that like land out right? Yeah, either go some days in the morning before

[05:29]

work or some days I do after work, really varies. I just can't get anything done in my apartment. So

[05:34]

I always, so you go out of that, you go to out of the place of residence, where do you go? I've

[05:38]

said what coffee shops I rotate around. Okay. They know me. I'm a regular. Okay, a couple places. I have

[05:42]

the same seat I get it every time. Corner seat, middle of the restaurant or cafe. Really varies. But

[05:49]

headphones, non-headphones. Usually put in headphones. I do not connect to the Wi-Fi. Okay.

[05:54]

That was something I used to do a long time ago, but now I really just try to eliminate that

[05:57]

potential distraction. You'll find yourself scrolling or browsing the news. Yeah. I mean, I'm

[06:04]

assuming you're a Yankee fan because it's in the screen playing. Yeah, knowyspin.com. Check in the

[06:08]

yanks. They got Cody Ballinger. You're fine now. You can breathe easy. So no Wi-Fi, what do you listen to

[06:13]

music? What do you listen to? No, I'm very rarely music. Oh, podcast or just some of the times I've

[06:17]

put my headphones in, but I'm nothing playing. Just like that. Really kind of lock in a little bit.

[06:21]

Noise canceling or just standard. Now standard wired headphones. Not airlikes. I like it.

[06:26]

Wired. Very nice. So over the year. Old school and you know, avoid that Wi-Fi. I like that.

[06:33]

That's it. And you got your laptop out. What do you write on? Final draft. Self-draft. Okay. Very

[06:39]

cool. Now do you have the handwritten notes in front of you? Do you sit on your laptop? I know

[06:44]

this sounds annoying, but like I'm obsessed with knowing process and like what gets you going.

[06:49]

I print everything out. So you print it? Print out the notes. Print out the notes. Type notes.

[06:53]

Print them out. Yes. You can't go in front of that. You got your coffee. What are you drinking?

[06:57]

What's your coffee? Just coffee with half and half. Small and medium large.

[07:03]

Are you puking your nose? No, I really want to know. You really care about these things? I honestly

[07:07]

care because like I have a special routine. Like writers, I find our creature habits. So I like to know,

[07:12]

you know, is it eventees and a small? I mean, you're a comedian. We're over here. I laugh.

[07:16]

Yeah, I get a coffee with half and half. Okay. And I use Final draft on a Mac computer. Okay.

[07:23]

And you know, I mean, some days are better than others. Clearly, like I don't always go there and

[07:27]

get a lot of stuff done. Sure. Some days are getting very little done. When you go, do you have a set

[07:33]

minimum time limit? Like I'm my ass is not leaving the chair for an hour or two hours. Like what's your

[07:39]

on a day that's maybe it's not coming out as easy? When will you leave the location? Yeah, I wish I was

[07:45]

that discipline. Very jealous of some of these writers who could spend, you know, 10 hours doing it

[07:49]

on Saturdays and Sundays. Sure. I can't. I don't know. I don't have that type of a will power, I guess.

[07:54]

So a couple hours. Yeah. Okay. And then, but you never write it home. Always out of the house.

[07:59]

Yeah. Okay. Now, do you have moments of like inspiration? You'll be sleeping or going for a walk

[08:05]

or whatever. Like, oh, F, that's ideas awesome. That just came to my head. Like, does that

[08:10]

does that happen to you? Is it mostly you find it while you're writing that the ideas come out?

[08:14]

I'm not sure. Maybe a little above. Nothing that I could really point to.

[08:18]

All right. And we have a draft that we've we're starting to actively go out to directors. We can't

[08:25]

share the list yet because it's top secret. But some big, big name A list directors that we're

[08:30]

going after because we believe in this screenplay so much. Like, what are you feeling now that you're

[08:37]

parts done, right? Effectively, you're done now. Like, it will you'll come back in to play later.

[08:42]

But right now you've you've given us the Holy Grail. And we're going out to talent. What do you

[08:47]

like, what are you feeling? Like, take us through this is like the point where like things pop and

[08:53]

things go. Right? Once the director attaches, it's kind of off to the races. So what are you feeling?

[08:59]

I'm happy that I submitted to this contest. My main I mean, I'm ocean. I'm glad I submitted.

[09:06]

And yeah, it always feels good to kind of get to the end on any script. So that part also feels good.

[09:10]

What are you working on now? It's a super funny guy, dude. I hope you continue to write.

[09:15]

Appreciate it. Yeah. This like, please, please do. But what do you what do you got going on?

[09:19]

Just tinkering with a couple things kind of like your director list. Can't really divulge your

[09:23]

Okay, I like it. But hopefully, uh, some point I'll sign an NDA if you sign an NDA.

[09:30]

As you know, we have just started our third competition, right? You're our number two winner.

[09:36]

A couple of months from now, we're going to crown number three. So what would you say to the film

[09:41]

loving community, the writers out there that are trying to make it in this world of filmmaking?

[09:46]

Right? Like you are now the winner. You got paid, got option. We're going to directors.

[09:50]

Um, what would you say to someone that is like, you know, ready to hit submit? Like what's your

[09:55]

vote of confidence? What's your, you know, uh, best wishes, vote of encouragement towards someone

[10:02]

that's going to about to enter the keynote on competition. Yeah, I mean, I think that's one of the

[10:06]

hardest things is getting your stuff read. I mean, uh, I think producers are, you know, overwhelmed

[10:12]

with submissions and it's very hard to get feedback or, you know, get anyone to read your stuff. So

[10:19]

this is an opportunity to send it in and saw some sort of email that I got from prior

[10:24]

contest that I submitted to. I'm on like mailing list and stuff and I saw the keynote line.

[10:30]

I saw the yet to submit a five page treatment, which I didn't have. And I almost didn't submit because

[10:34]

of that. Whoa, because I'm like, okay, I don't, I, this is like a few days before the deadline. I didn't

[10:39]

have this treatment. I was like, oh, man, I, I, maybe I won't, yeah, maybe I'll just, you know,

[10:43]

skip this one. Then I just sat there banged out the treatment submitted and I'm glad I did.

[10:48]

And we're glad you did. Honestly, like your screenplay is hilarious. You've been a true gem to

[10:54]

work with like real, real, real, I mean, that like a real pleasure to work with someone who like

[10:58]

works hard. Um, you question the notes. We dig deep into story. Like this, this guy's got it on.

[11:04]

He's going to have amazing, huge career. Don't forget about keynote. Because that's where you started.

[11:09]

But uh, no, it's been a real, real blessing and like we're super pumped to get mob mentality out

[11:14]

there. So thanks so much for coming into the air, dude. Um, and we like cannot wait to get this movie

[11:18]

going. Thank you. Appreciate it. Our previous two competition winners, the Waf in near one and

[11:23]

mob mentality year two are going into production this year. Yes. In 2026, we were making two movies

[11:30]

the Wafen Mob mentality. You, you win this year. You're next. We're making your film next. So

[11:36]

please, please, please get your screenplays ready. Sharper in your pencils. Get the keyboards

[11:41]

get your screenplay submitted to keenalime.com create an account, ask questions. We're here to answer

[11:46]

anything that you have to throw away. We want to hear from you and we also, I want to read your

[11:50]

screenplay. So please go to keenalime.com, submit your screenplay and we cannot wait to get this

[11:55]

competition rolling.

From Winning Script to Active Development |Kinolime Podcast Ep 37

Show Notes

Key Takeaways:

Full Transcript

Competition

Company

Site Info

Resources