Liz and Sarah have completed Phase One of Fantasy Island — all of their story areas for the season have been approved! There’s still LOTS of work to do, but they take a moment to savor this accomplishment. Next up? Finishing all the scripts and getting into post! In Take A Hike, they talk to friend of the pod, Dr. Melina Jampolis, about her fantastic new book, Spice Up, Live Long: A Guide to Using Herbs and Spices to Live a Longer, Healthier and More Vibrant Life. Dr. Melina says it’s not just about your lifespan — it’s about your health-span. This week’s Hollywood Hack will help you stay calmer and more empowered: Don’t respond.
Podcast episodes
Episode 212: Be A Boulder Pusher
Liz and Sarah discuss why, in a group setting, it’s important to be a person who pushes the boulder up the hill. And if you can’t push the boulder up the hill, then at least don’t be the one pushing it down the hill! Then, in Take A Hike, they talk about how one of the Fantasy Island writers has inspired them to try to be “at ease in muddy water.” In The Craft (& Fain), Liz and Sarah share some of their favorite lingo from the writers room. What is shoe leather? A house number? What does it mean to hang a light on something? Finally, this week’s Hollywood Hack will help you appear calm, even if you aren’t: Lower your voice.
Episode 211: Everyone Is Right
Liz and Sarah discuss how, when working in a highly collaborative environment, everyone can be right at the same time, which can sometimes make things feel oh so wrong. Then, in The Mailroom, they answer two listener questions. How much thought is put into the way scenes look on television? And how can four women starting a business together successfully make group decisions? In The Craft (& Fain), they share a Tool of the Trade: jumbo neon dry erase whiteboard magnets. Finally, this week’s Hollywood Hack will help you relax: Read a romance.
Episode 210: Cussing and Discussing
Liz and Sarah share a listener’s suggestion about how to frame potentially difficult work conversations so that they stay light-hearted and productive — let everyone know at the outset that there will be plenty of “cussing and discussing.” In Hits & Bombs, they give a big hit to the Fantasy Island hair and makeup team, who gave up their lunch hour to make Liz and Sarah look good for a behind-the-scenes interview. They also give themselves a bomb for too much bitching and complaining! Clearly, Liz and Sarah need to heed their own advice — “don’t treat a gift like a burden.” This week’s Hollywood Hack will add humor to your work text chains — use gifs! Finally, after a year of lockdown, Celebrity Sightings are back! Liz and Sarah are seeing celebrities all over the resort in Puerto Rico — of course these celebrities do happen to be working on Fantasy Island!
Episode 209: Sometimes It’s Not A Fun Job, And We Don’t Enjoy It
Liz and Sarah are in the thick of production on Fantasy Island, and they discuss how sometimes it’s not a fun job, and they don’t enjoy it. But that’s ok! In Take A Hike, they talk about why it’s important that only one of them melts down at a time. Then, in Hits and Bombs, they give a hit to their amazing Fantasy Island cast and crew for coping so well with Covid restrictions in the tropical heat. And they give a bomb to ineffective bug sprays! Finally, Liz and Sarah share an important Hollywood Hack: Go to bed!
Episode 208: The Gift Of Other People’s Productivity
As work on Fantasy Island continues to become more and more intense, Liz and Sarah discuss their gratitude for the gift of other people’s productivity. Without it, they’d never sleep! In their new segment, A Day In The Life, they take listeners through a typical day while running a show. It starts with Sarah waking up at 5:00 AM to finish writing an introduction to a network Show & Tell, and it ends with a story session on Sarah’s patio after Violet falls asleep. In The Craft (& Fain), Liz and Sarah explain how “an idea is wrong until it’s right.” Finally, this week’s Hollywood Hack is a must in Puerto Rico: sun hats!