#37 - Disability in Hollywood: Representation, Writer's Rooms & What Star Trek Got Right | Hilary Van Hoose

A screenwriter for animated children's series, most notably Blue's Clues & You Nursery Rhymes and Barnyard Daycare at Nickelodeon, Hilary Van Hoose is also a journalist who has written for such magazines as Animation and Script. Growing up a PWD and multi-heritage homeschooler in Northern California and Hawaii, Hilary briefly studied to be a pastry chef before attending UC Santa Cruz to study abroad in France and get her BA in film, then earning an MFA in film and television production from USC. She has received accolades from Women in Animation, Children's Media Association, 1IN4 Coalition, Disability Belongs and more. IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: • Why the most underrepresented diversity in media is disability. • The on-screen tropes that need to stop. • How Sci-Fi lets creators tackle disability narratives thoughtfully. • And practical steps we can all take for a more accessible industry. RESOURCES: • Hilary's Screenwriting • Hilary's Journalism • Her Article that inspired our conversation. • Ask JAN: Job Accommodation Network • Geena Davis Institute's Analysis of Disability Representation • WGA's Inclusion & Equity Report WANT MORE? ✏️💥 Make sure to get my free guide: "The Rule Breaker's Guide to Finding Your Creative Voice". A brutally honest roadmap built from the lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs I've collected as a professional writer. 👉 Get it for free at StorySeriesPodcast.com CONNECT: • Instagram • LinkedIn • YouTube