Emerging: How to Eventually Make it in Film & TV

Being original can feel like the most important thing in the world for a writer, but look around - most things aren't anymore. And while we're not saying rip off Hacks, or resign yourself to never having a truly novel idea ever again, it's important to not let the quest for originality get in the way of actually making stuff. It's your voice and your perspective that's important. So let's talk about ideas, how they happen, how we chase them, and why sometimes we feel like they're lacking. And while we're at it, let's talk about this podcast too, because we've definitely been running a little dry recently... Got any burning questions or ideas for topics? Drop us a line. 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).

Sometimes the best way to learn how to write is to read how other people have done it. And we don't just mean the pros. We spend a lot of time reading each others work, scripts from friends, and the absolute smorgasbord of unproduced screenplays floating around on the internet, on top of the regular funnel of 'For Your Consideration' writing released every awards season. But what's the best way to approach reading a screenplay to get the most out of the experience? How long should it take? Where can I find scripts and how do I physically read them? All this and more within! And if you're trying to find the unproduced Michael Waldron Blacklist script we talk about, it's called 'The Worst Guy Of All Time, And The Girl Who Came To Kill Him' and like most things, it's probably out there somewhere if you look hard enough. 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).

Spring is finally here, and it's been a very busy Q1 for a bunch of different reasons; Martin's on a new scheme, Tray's spreading his networking wings, and Ben's producing(!), we're a long way from where we were a few months ago. But what does that mean for our writing resolutions? Staying on track with your goals can be hard - we set each other some pretty hefty resolutions back at the start of 2026, so here we are checking in. What's working, what's not, what have we written / worked on, what do we WISH we'd written / worked on, what are we missing, and most of all, are we *okay*? (the answer may surprise you)Checking in is important, so why not give it a go yourself?📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).

The podcast is a whole year old! And even though Martin refuses to admit it, it's definitely had a big impact on the way we approach our writing and networking. So this week we're looking back - not in a clip show way, but in a reflective way - and chatting through what we've learned, how we've changed and how the show has managed to re-shape us as writers.As a bonus, we also reached out to our previous guests and asked them the same question, so dotted throughout are voice notes from some of the industry's best and brightest, who have far more interesting and exciting things to say than we do!With thanks to Beatty Smith, Mike Powell, Olivia Ababio, Thomas Burr, Hanna Tatschl, Max Krupski, Sophie Park, Rachel Flynn, Emma Sheldrick and Yuan Hu for their insight. 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).

As the Oscars and BAFTAs pass us all by once again, we're digging into awards season as a whole and the very concept of awards full stop. Do they matter? Is it actually the best films that win? How do you judge if something should win an award for writing? And will WE ever actually win one?Not only are we going through the Best Screenplay nominees and winners, we're also taking a look at our favourite bits of writing from the year that didn't get anywhere near an award - we don't have to let the Academy dictate the conversation!📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).

One final last 20 minute dive into the mind of fantastic filmmaker Yuan Hu, as we take him through the Last Call and he takes us through his best and worst creative advice, how to find motivation as a writer with inspiration from David Lynch, and why Paul Thomas Anderson is the GOAT. You can find Yuan on Instagram as @yuanwho, and watch his incredible work on his website yuan-hu[dot]com. Look out for the rest of our chat next week! 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).

The second part of our long, wisdom-filled chat with filmmaker Yuan Hu leaves Spike Lee behind in favour of going deep into the development process. After nailing his first short and scoring an agent, Yuan soon found himself developing a feature film with Film4, so here he is explaining how it works. From that first meeting with the Film4 execs, to how long it took to build out the film's treatment, attaching a production company, and how it feels receiving round after round of notes. As always with Yuan, this is a super fascinating and to the point chat that covers a lot of ground - if you've ever been interested in the UK film development process, this is the episode for you. And do not miss Part 1 of this chat, which has some frankly ludicrous showbiz experiences. You can find Yuan on Instagram as @yuanwho, and watch his incredible work on his website yuan-hu[dot]com. Look out for the rest of our chat next week! 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).

I know we always say it, but this week you really are in for a treat - celebrated director and reluctant writer Yuan Hu joins us for a fun deep dive into what's quickly become a very exciting career for him. First making commercial films for huge fashion brands and musicians like Little Simz, before a swift handbrake turn into narrative with short Sticks of Fury, which was immediately swiped up by BFI's London Film Festival, nabbing Yuan an agent in the process.But it all started when he took a chance on a trip to New York, and what soon became a blossoming mentorship from the legendary Spike Lee. As you'll soon find, this is only Part 1 of our chat with Yuan - there was so much good stuff, cutting it back felt mad! But in this chunk we're talking more specifically about mentors and early opportunities, and how Yuan certainly made the most out of working for big names like Spike Lee and Rankin. You can find Yuan on Instagram as @yuanwho, and watch his incredible work on his website yuan-hu[dot]com. Look out for the rest of our chat next week! 📬 Get In Touch:Email us: TheEmergingPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: @theemergingpodBen is @bmlrobinsMartin is @bananabreadfilmTray is @ByTrayepps✨ Support the Show:If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review! And share it with a fellow emerging writer who needs a boost (or a laugh).