Max Landis is one of the most sought-after screenwriters in Hollywood. From his first big film Chronicle to his upcoming Bright, with Will Smith to his classic YouTube video Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling, Landis is also one of Hollywood’s most prolific screenwriters.

In this episode, Max shares an equally large pile of advice, introspection and reflection about the tension between the struggle to create art and the demands to compromise it to make a living.

This is a must-listen episode for any writer out there, as well as anyone who has ever doubted their own talents. And they discuss the question, “If you know yourself, does your art change?”

In this episode, you will learn:

• How to divorce yourself from your art when selling it.
• The mindset to have when facing unexpected and unwelcome changes.
• The four types of screenwriters.
• How to avoid the seductiveness of cynicism.
• Max’s secret screenwriting techniques, and what he always does on the first page of every screenplay
• The one thing to avoid when re-branding yourself.
• What the open loop is and why it’s paramount to great storytelling
• Why humans love surprises and how to train their emotions.

Listen ➙ The Truth Barrel, Episode 49: Max Landis, Part 1

 

Director and screenwriter Max Landis returns to The Truth Barrel for part 2 of his energetic and informative interview on writing scripts and getting movies made. This time, Max discusses the brutal process of pitch meetings, why pitching a script is infinitely more challenging than a first date, and advice that will help you during your next dreaded work “meeting.” Max also shares a detail about an upcoming film that he’s never revealed publicly before…

In this episode you will learn…

• How Max would have pitched Star Wars.
• The best advice on pitching films that Max has never given before.
• What to look for when picking your creative partners.
• When compromise is victory.
• How to handle bad feedback from superiors.
• The importance of organic communication and “the note behind the note.”
• Why you should talk about your scripts as if they are movies you have seen.
• How to curate a great reading experience.
• How to recognize your own false self-diagnoses.
• How to avoid over-selling something.
• And Neil and Gabby discuss what they have learned together about their respective interviewing processes as co-hosts in their first fifty episodes of The Truth Barrel.

Listen ➙ The Truth Barrel, Episode 50: Max Landis, Part 2

THE TRUTH BARREL EPISODE ARCHIVE:

Episode 48:
PostSecret’s Frank Warren on Exposing Your Deepest Secrets and Desires
(9/12/2017)

Episode 47:
Sex Expert Emily Morse on prioritizing sex and asking for what you want
(9/5/2017)

Episode 46:
Lessons on Recovery and Redemption from Bankruptcy and the Brink of Suicide with Asher Gottesman
(8/22/2017)

Episode 45:
Joakim Noah of the NBA Knicks in a rare and exclusive pre-season interview
(8/15/2017)

Episode 44:
Comedian & Actor Jay Mohr
(8/8/2017)

Episode 43:
The Art of Being Human with Neil and Gabby
(8/1/2017)

Episode 42:
Comedian Danny Lobell on the Art of Storytelling
(7/25/2017)

Episode 41:
Danny Cipriani – Life and Times of a Rugby Legend, Part 2
(7/18/2017)

Episode 40:
Rugby Star Danny Cipriani Opens Up On His Life On and Off the Field
(7/11/2017)

Episode 39:
Sex Guru Reid Mihalko on Casual Sex Protocols & Asking for What You Want
(7/4/2017)

Episode 38:
Rashard Mendenhall on the Transition from Super Bowl Champion to Ballers TV-Show Writer
(6/27/2017)

Episode 37:
The Ultimate Interview with Dr. Robert Lustig on What You Eat and Why You’ve Been Programmed to Eat It
(6/20/2017)

Episode 36:
John Salley (Part 2): The journey from NBA Champion to Vegan Gangster
(6/13/2017)

Episode 35:
NBA Champion John Salley on Getting Over Anger, Unhealthy Habits, & Self-Sabotage
(6/6/2017)

Episode 34:
Braveheart screenwriter Randall Wallace on living with integrity
(5/30/2017)

Episode 33:
How to Breathe for Maximum Health, Performance, and Relaxation (Plus Demonstrations), with Patrick McKeown
(5/23/2017)

Episode 32:
Somatic sexologist Jaiya Ma on Discovering Your Erotic Sexual Blueprint
(5/16/2017)

Episode 31:
Light Watkins on Meditation, Happiness, and Life After Death
(5/9/2017)

Episode 30:
Marvel actor Frank Grillo on persistence and discipline
(5/2/2017)

Episode 29:
Rapper Mikey Mike on how he scammed his way into getting a Grammy
(4/25/2017)

Episode 28:
Cleaning Up the Planet with legendary adventurer Alison Teal
(4/18/2017)

Episode 27:
Life inside an LA Sex Dungeon and opening the door to your secret fantasies with author Jenny Nordbak
(4/11/2017)

Episode 26:
Terrell Owens, NFL legend, on anti-aging, stem cell research, and becoming your own person, Part 2
(4/4/2017)

Episodes 25
Terrell Owens, NFL wide receiver, on Extreme Achievement and Confidence, Part 1
(3/28/2017)

Episode 24:
How to Handle Bullies: From the Playground to Adulthood
(3/21/2017)

Episode 23:
Genetics Researcher, Dr. Dan Reardon
(3/14/2017)

Episode 22:
Art of Charm’s Jordan Harbinger
(3/7/2017)

Episode 21:
Matt Skiba of Blink 182
(2/28/2017)

Episode 20:
Solving Listener Dilemmas with Neil and Gabby
(2/21/2017)

Episode 19:
21-Year-Old Entrepreneur Jared Kleinert
(2/14/2017)

Episode 18:
Sex at Dawn author Dr. Christopher Ryan
(2/7/2017)

Episode 17:
Scott Carney, Investigative Journalist
(1/31/2017)

Episode 16:
Drummer Frank Zummo on the Rise to Rockstar Fame
(1/24/2017)

Episode 15:
Dr. Kelly Starrett on Best Practices for Daily Activities
(1/17/2017)

Episode 14:
Nick Ekbatani on What It Takes to Survive Tragedy
(1/10/2017)

Episode 13:
Michele Paradise on NLP & Psychological Healing
(1/3/2017)

Episode 12:
Kevin Reeve on Surviving Disasters, Revolutions, and the Apocalypse
(12/27/2016)

Episode 11:
Kai Nygard on The Cutting Edge of Longevity Research
(12/20/2016)

Episode 10:
Darin Olien Reveals The Truth About Superfoods
(12/13/2016)

Episode 9:
84 Hacks, Systems, and Gifts To Massively Improve Your Life – Gabby and Neil
(12/6/2016)

Episode 8:
Raising Children Without a Power Struggle and Building Healthy Relationships with Hand in Hand Parenting
(11/29/2016)

Episode 7:
The Acting Discipline and Raising a Child with Special Needs with John C. McGinley
(11/22/2016)

Episode 6:
Rethinking Medical Care & Childhood Vaccinations with Dr. Jay Gordon and Jake Peters
(11/15/2016)

Episode 5:
Changing Your Habitat for Better Health with John Durant, Part 2
(11/8/2016)

Episode 4:
Changing Your Habitat for Better Health with John Durant, Part 1
(11/1/2016)

Episode 3:
Laird Hamilton and Greg Long on Re-Evaluating Death to Improve Performance
(10/25/2016)

Episode 2:
Surviving Death with Marc Weingarten & Larry Miller
(10/18/2016)

Episode 1:
Mark Healey on Facing Fear, Surviving Shark Attacks, & Extreme Breath Holding
(10/11/2016)

Email your questions to Neil and Gabby: [email protected]

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