Happier In Hollywood

Liz and Sarah use several criteria when choosing which TV projects they want to pursue — a world they love, interesting characters, stories with legs. Now they’re adding a new one… is the material consequential? And what does that mean to them? In Take A Hike, Sarah shares how her new Wellness Journal is helping on her health quest. In Hits & Bombs, Liz and Sarah give a Hit to the Olympics. And then Liz gives Sarah a Hit for organizing her bedroom closet, and Sarah gives Liz a Hit for making two trips to Ojai. This week’s Hollywood Hack is an inexpensive way to protect your privacy: a computer camera cover. Finally, Sarah recommends the TV show McDonald & Dodds on Britbox.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about h

In honor of All Work August, Liz and Sarah started the month with an intense two days of work at Sarah’s house in Ojai. They realized all over again how productive they are when they’re in the same room, and they’re determined to make it happen more often in the months to come. In Take Two, they revisit the topic of to dream crush or not to dream crush when giving advice about making it in Hollywood. Next they share why work can be a useful form of procrastination in The Craft (& Fain). This week’s Hollywood Hack was inspired by Liz and Sarah’s recent viewing of the Suits pilot: Don’t assume you know (what something is). Finally, Liz recommends a book for anyone interested in upping their entertaining game — That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life: Creative Gatherings and Self-Care with the Cheese by Numbers Method by Marissa Mullen.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https

Liz and Sarah had a delightful No Work July, but it’s time to put their noses to the grindstone — thus, it’s All Work August. They’re writing an outline, developing two pitches, continuing on their novel, and more. In Take A Hike, Liz talks about what gear she took on her recent hiking trip to England. Her new prized possession? A Tilly sun hat. Next, in Amplify, Liz and Sarah discuss Sorry/Not Sorry, a new documentary about comedian Louis CK’s sexual misconduct. This week’s Hollywood Hack is a product that both Liz and Sarah have fallen in love with: Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen. Finally, Sarah recommends The Thursday Murder Club cozy mystery book series by Richard Osman. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to mak

For years Liz and Sarah have fantasized about taking the month of July off work. This year they’re actually having No Work July, and it’s amazing! In Hits & Bombs, Sarah gives herself a Bomb for not doing car maintenance in almost a decade, and she gives a Hit to the people at Valvoline in Virginia, Minnesota. Liz gives herself a Bomb for her perpetually messy home office, and a Hit for being halfway through her goal of doing fifty Orange Theory classes in 2024. In The Happiness Project Revisited, Sarah shares how she approached the June theme of family, as well as what she’s doing for the July theme of creativity. Hint: It has to do with food. This week’s Hollywood Hack helps make memories: create an annual playlist. Finally, Liz recommends The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHoll

Liz and Sarah debate whether they should be cheerleaders or naysayers when offering advice and insight to people thinking about starting a career in Hollywood. To dream crush or not to dream crush? Inspired by her recent family reunion, Sarah suggests “planting activity seeds” in Take A Hike. Some seed suggestions — setting out a puzzle, a chat pack, or a board game. This week’s Hollywood Hack is for the parents out there: If you’re going on a work trip, show your kids that you’re excited about it. Finally, Sarah recommends a memoir: Locally Laid: How We Built a Plucky, Industry-Changing Egg Farm— From Scratch by Lucie B. Amundsen.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other O

Right now, Hollywood is all about intellection property. Liz and Sarah discuss what they look for in a book (or any other kind of material) when they’re considering whether or not to adapt it for TV. Is there a specific world? Are the characters complex? Does the story have legs? In Take A Hike, Liz reveals that she’s experiencing disconnect anxiety as she prepares for her upcoming trip to England. It’s been years since she’s been unreachable for work, and it’s a weird feeling! This week’s Hollywood Hack is a great gift for almost anyone: give an Uber gift card. Finally Liz recommends I Am: Celine Dion on Amazon Prime. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Projec

Liz and Sarah talk to the fabulous podcast hosts, Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg, about the new season of How To Be Fine, which dives into the loneliness epidemic and the sometimes fraught nature of friendship. What advice to they have for making friends as an adult? Do they ascribe to the idea of having a friend for “a reason, a season, or a lifetime?” In The Mailroom, Liz and Sarah answer a question about how to stay excited about material that may be put out into the world months (or even years) after you’re done working on it. This week’s Hollywood Hack comes from friend of the pod, TV writer Bill Krebs: keep a folder of encouraging words to look at when you’re feeling down. Finally, Sarah has a summer reading recommendation — The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywo

Liz and Sarah discuss the current phase of their work cycle — consuming. With an eye toward developing IP, they’re reading, listening, and watching everything that comes their way. And they love it! In Take A Hike, Liz talks about how her recent Saturday afternoon outing to see stylist Allison Bornstein at the Theory Store in Brentwood inspired advice to “go solo.” Then Sarah gets a Hit for writing postcards to voters, and Liz and Sarah give a Bomb to the universe for giving Sarah a bad cold, causing them to cancel their Roar 24 at the Emerald Iguana Inn. This week Sarah has a tech Hollywood Hack: the Echo Show 15. And finally Liz recommends watching the new documentary, Brats, directed by Andrew McCarthy, on Hulu. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought to

Liz and Sarah discuss the incredible power of encouragement — especially right now. Times are tough in Hollywood (and many places), but hearing that you’re on the right path can make all the difference. In The Mailroom, they answer a question about how to maintain a good attitude at work when you’ve been screwed over. This week’s Hollywood Hack will make your feet happy: Foot Petals Blisstick Blister Preventer. Finally, Sarah has a hilarious recommendation — Tig Notaro’s new special, Hello Again, on Amazon Prime Video. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please sub

Today Liz and Sarah answer more listener questions! Do they weigh in set design? Do writing teams really split a paycheck? Have they ever thought about breaking up? Does Sarah have resources to share for other potential single moms by choice? Is she doing Pilates regularly? And has Liz been going to Orange Theory? They answer all of these questions, and so many more!Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!Photo by Laurin Steffens on Unsplash To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https

Liz and Sarah are celebrating! They can’t reveal details yet, but they sold a pitch that they’ve been working on since before the WGA strike. With Hollywood in a state of upheaval, the sale brings many emotions — including relief. Then Liz and Sarah interview comedy writer and producer, Christy Stratton, about everything from why she decided to take part in the MAX docuseries, Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV, to how she landed a job on Modern Family to her new short film, The Runt. This week’s Hollywood Hack will increase team productivity: have a Team Power Hour. Finally, Sarah recommends her favorite sunburn lotion: Neutrogena Sun Rescue.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check

It’s the Spring 2024 Listener Questions Episode! Where do Liz and Sarah think the TV industry is headed? How do they feel about actors turned directors? If they were stranded on a desert island what’s the one thing each would bring? Spoiler alert: both items require solar chargers. And so much more!Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/

Liz and Sarah talk to comedy feature editor extraordinaire turned director, Debra Neil-Fisher, about all things editing. What makes something funny? How does music impact editing? What advantage does an editor have when directing? Then Sarah gives herself a Hit for writing in the morning, and a Bomb for not using her Pilates reformer enough. Liz gives herself a Hit for not obsessively checking Jack’s grades on the Power School App, and a Bomb for losing her expensive Orange Theory Fitness heart monitor. This week’s Hollywood Hack helps make style affordable: Buy something plain and make it special. Finally, this week Sarah has a recommendation that will lead you to lots of other recommendations — the Ecocult website and newsletter.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of pod

Working in Hollywood is often stressful, now more than ever. Liz and Sarah discuss Chantal Donnelly’s stress framework — are you an Imploder, an Exploder, a Fixer, a Number, or a Denier? In Take A Hike, Type One diabetic Liz reveals how taking the weight loss drug Mounjaro has created an upward spiral in her life. She’s exercising, eating well, and her A1C is the best it’s been in years. Then Sarah talks about what she’s doing for this month’s The Happiness Project Revisited theme of play. Her favorite new activity? Pottery! This week’s Hollywood Hack makes entertaining easy: the Charcuterie Cup. Finally, Liz recommends The Jinx: Part Two on MAX. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check

Liz and Sarah are asked all the time about what it’s like to be part of a team. Today they discuss the power of partnership and why it’s even more crucial to have each other during the tough times. In Take A Hike, Sarah talks about why she’s glad she took Liz’s advice and showed up to a friend’s wedding. Then, in Amplify, Liz suggests listening to the MeSsy podcast, co-hosted by Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler and watching The Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show on MAX. Sarah has a travel Hollywood Hack: the Airplane Pocket. Finally, this week Sarah recommends subscribing to Ply Magazine (or the niche magazine of your choice). Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other

Liz and Sarah talk about the benefits of joining a professional group. They get so much wisdom and support from other female showrunners who deal with the same issues that they do. In Take A Hike, Sarah reveals why she’s decided to make self-care her latest hobby. Then they offer a Pitch Hack Round up — elevate your iPad, do a run through for lighting, reframe anxiety as excitement, and more! Finally, Liz has a new reality show recommendation: The Valley on Bravo.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!LINKS:Nerdw

Liz and Sarah talk to The Good Doctor’s Co-Showrunner, Liz Friedman, about how she approached the end of the beloved series. In Take A Hike, they discuss the nature of friendship. What is the “one essential quality” that Liz and Sarah each value in the other? This week’s Hollywood Hack makes cleaning easy: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Finally, Sarah recommends a special episode of Bluey on Disney +.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends!LINKS:Liz Friedman:Liz Friedman | Producer, Writer, Additional Crewimdb.comThe Goo

Liz and Sarah talk about a Hollywood phenomenon that can be seen as positive or negative — everything changes all the time. Depending on their state of mind they call this “the futility of attachment” or “freedom from fretting.” In Take Two, Liz and Sarah share listener thoughts on True Fun, and answer a question about whether working on their novel is true fun for them. This week’s Hollywood Hack will help you look more polished on Zoom — Quince Mongolian Cashmere sweaters. Then Sarah has a bonus hair Hollywood Hack — the L’Ange Le Volume 2-in-1 Titanium Brush Dryer. Finally, Liz recommends the MAX documentary series Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life bet

Liz and Sarah often talk about the importance of drawing boundaries. Today they pat themselves on the back for drawing a boundary at work — but can they maintain it in the future? In Take A Hike, inspired by Liz finally trying an Orange Theory Fitness class, they discuss the benefits of doing something you’ve been putting off. Then Liz and Sarah answer a Mailroom Question about how they stay (at least somewhat) upbeat on the podcast when they’re going through tough stuff. This week’s Hollywood Hack will help you read more — the Kindle Paperwhite. Finally, Sarah has an old school recommendation: Smithsonian Magazine.Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project po

In this special episode, Liz and Sarah talk about a TV writer/producer’s role on set. Why are you there? (To help execute the Showrunner’s vision.) What should you do to prepare? (Go to lots of meetings!) What should you do during shooting? (Communicate with the director.) They also have several set Hollywood Hacks — wear layers, bring rain pants, avoid Craft Services, get a brightly colored bag, and wear Hokas! Finally, Liz recommends (again) a book by veteran Showrunner Jeff Melvoin, Running The Show: Television From The Inside. Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraftGet in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraftVisit our website: https://happierinhollywood.comJoin our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode