PODCAST · tv
When Isabel Met Aviva
by Isabel Thottam and Aviva Peltin
A podcast about romcoms, female-driven screenwriting, and breaking into the industry! Hosted by Isabel Thottam & Aviva Peltin.
Episodes
-
7.7 - Directing Finding Emily! (Interview with Alicia MacDonald)
In this episode, we are joined on the pod by director Alicia McDonald who shares her journey into filmmaking, the creative process behind her rom-com Finding Emily, and insights into making authentic, relatable stories that challenge genre stereotypes. We got so many great insights from Alicia...
-
7.6 - Editing Nobody Wants This! (Interview with Catherine Cloutier)
In this episode, we explore the world of editing! From film school to working on blockbuster trailers and scripted TV shows, this episode features a guest and friend, Catherine Cloutier! Cat shares her insights into the technical and creative aspects of editing, the challenges of trailer...
-
7.5 - From USC to Cannes (Interview with Candace Williamson)
Welcome back to another episode of the pod! This week, we got to chat with local LA Director, Candace Williamson! She shares her journey from USC to Cannes, her experiences at USC, and her innovative projects including a PBS documentary and a short film about black farmers and the history of the...
-
7.4 - Directing In Seattle (Interview with Gracen Bayer)
We're back! In this episode, we chat with local Seattle filmmaker Gracen Bayer about her journey in the film industry, her projects, and her insights on directing, genre preferences, and industry challenges. FYI she is the director of the romcom (or romdram???) that Aviva wrote and in this...
-
7.3 - How to Fundraise 12k While Hustling in LA (Interview with Kalee Quiñones)
Another Wednesday, another episode of the pod!! In this episode, we explore the journey of being an emerging writer and filmmaker navigating the industry. Our friend and a listener of the pod, Kalee Quiñones, joins us to share her insights on screenwriting, networking, and personal growth! We…
more -
7.2 - An International Romcom Debate (Interview with Becky Jerams)
In this episode of the pod, we are joined by our writing group friend and fellow romcom writer, Becky Jerams! Becky is a UK-based novelist and joins us to share her journey from songwriting to novel writing. We chat about the challenges of the teen and adult romance markets, and explore the...
-
7.1 - Aviva Optioned A Script!
We're bacccccck! And we are kicking off season 7 with amazing news to share and celebrate: Aviva optioned her first script!!!!! How freaking cool is that?! Listen to this episode of the pod to hear all the deets that Aviva can *legally* share! Aviva's inspiring sale led us into a discussion about...
-
Table Read: Twinsies
Welcome to the second table read on the pod! This episode features a unique table read format. We are joined by six professional actors who read for the characters in Aviva’s Mary-Kate and Ashley-inspired romcom fan fiction script, TWINSIES. Logline: After their grandfather dies, two Millennial...
-
Trailer: Twinsies Table Read
A special episode of the pod is releasing on 6/13/26, which happens to be Mary-Kate and Ashley’s birthday! Isabel & Aviva are joined by six actors for a table read of Aviva’s Mary-Kate and Ashley-inspired romcom fan fiction script, TWINSIES (the same script Isabel read when they first connected…
more -
6.10 - Writing A Romcom For Tubi (Interview with Maggie Hartmans)
It's the last episode of Season 6 already!? We think it was Worth The Wait for this chat with Maggie Hartmans, a screenwriter who turned her passion into a career and sold her first movie to Tubi, a free streaming platform! Maggie joins us on the pod to tell us how she made her first movie, a...
-
6.9 - The Reality of La La Land (Interview with Avra Friedman)
In this candid, fun chat on the pod, Avra Friedman joins us to share her behind the scenes of her life in La La Land! You may recognize her from our table read of Isabel's script, Dating Zac Efron! We had such a good time chatting with Avra about the bizarre world of seat fillers at the Oscars to...
-
6.8 - Ableism in Romcoms (Interview with Alys Murray)
In this episode of the pod, we discuss ableism in romcoms with writer Alys Murray! Alys shares her journey from aspiring musical theater director to successful screenwriter and novelist. She discusses her work in rom-coms for Hallmark and Lifetime, the creative process behind her scripts, and her...
-
6.7 - That Was So Romcom
We're back with another yap on the pod! In this episode, we breakdown how Isabel’s new daily writing flow helped her finally finish a script, why she stopped stressing over perfect scenes, and her "dump draft" technique that keeps her writing consistent! Aviva shares her recent wins—including...
-
6.6 - A Cinderella Story (Interview with Leigh Dunlap)
We've got a super exciting episode of the pod today! We had the honor of chatting with screenwriter Leigh Dunlap, creator of the beloved film 'A Cinderella Story!!!' We shared and reflected on this iconic film's impact, particularly on both Aviva and Isabel's pre-teen years! Leigh shared some...
-
6.5 - Oscars Chat with Simone Toney!
In this new episode of the pod, we chat with screenwriter and cinephile, Simone Toney! Simone told us all about her journey as a screenwriter, her experiences at the 2025 Austin Film Festival, and her insights on pop culture, specifically some of her hot takes on the Oscar noms!! Simone’s…
more -
6.4 - Twelve Dates 'Til Christmas (Interview with Erin Rodman)
We're back with a new interview! For this episode, we were so excited to chat with Erin Rodman, a showrunner and screenwriter who recently produced the new Hallmark series '12 Dates Till Christmas.' Yay! We finally learned what a showrunner does! Erin's Website: https://www.erinrodman.com/ Erin's...
-
6.3 - Aviva Made A Short Film!
Another week, another episode of the pod! This time we discuss our personal creative journeys, chatting about the challenges and triumphs of writing and filmmaking! Aviva shares exciting behind-the-scene stories from her first time making a short film of her script, "Let The Dust Settle." Plus…
more -
6.2 - How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (Interview with Kristen Buckley)
Our first interview of season 6 is one we have been manifesting for a long time!! At the end of 2025 we finally got to chat with Kristen Buckley, the screenwriter of the iconic rom-com 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days!!' We're so excited to finally share our chat with Kristen and you won't believe…
more -
6.1 - 2026, We're Ready!
We're back for another year of the pod!! For our first episode of season six, we reflect on our experiences and growth throughout 2025. We chat about the challenges of balancing writing with full-time jobs, our personal lives and, you now, trying to do ALL THE THINGS! We manifest our goals for...
-
In Memory of Karen Glass
Hi, everyone. What a surreal episode to publish, but Aviva’s producer, mentor, and friend, Karen Glass, passed away unexpectedly this week. We are heartbroken. We wanted to re-release the conversation we had with her from season one of the podcast in 2023. It was a privilege to hear all her…
more -
5.10 - You’ve Got Smale…Again! (Interview with Carley Smale)
She's back...our first guest on the pod, Carley Smale, joins us almost exactly two years later for a fun catch up! We loved getting to hear how Carley's career has grown since we last had her on the pod! In this episode, we chat about the challenges of maintaining creativity amidst life's...
-
5.9 - Set It Up! (Interview with Claire Scanlon)
We're beyond excited to share this week's episode of the pod because we finally set it up....and got to chat with Claire Scanlon, the director of Isabel's fav Netflix romcom, Set It Up!! We discuss the making of Set It Up and Claire's journey to becoming a director and editor for shows such as…
more -
5.8 - Reviewing Materialists (Interview with Matchmaker Susannah Stengel)
This is a fun episode of the pod as we chat with Susannah, a matchmaker and screenwriter, about dating and...well, writing about it! Susannah is a professional matchmaker, so we discussed the recent fake romcom, Materialists, and shared all our hottest takes! Susannah also shares about her…
more -
5.7 - The Power of Authenticity (Interview with Paulina Warda)
This week on the pod, we are joined by another screenwriting Twitter friend, Paulina Ward! We had such a cute chat about our shared experiences in the screenwriting world, the challenges of trying to be authentic with our creative expressions on social media, and Paulina teaches us all about…
more -
Table Read: Dating Zac Efron
Welcome to the first table read on the pod! This episode features a unique table read format. We are joined by 6 professional actors who read for the characters in Isabel's romcom fan fiction script, 'Dating Zac Efron'. Logline: Actor Zac efron tries to use tinder but gets no swipes because…
more -
5.6 - To All The Screenplays I Wrote Before (Interview with Sofia Alvarez)
Welcome back to another episode of the pod! We are so excited to share this interview we did with Sofia Alvarez!! Sofia joins us to share her journey from playwright to screenwriter, discussing her work on adaptations like 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' and 'Along for the Ride.' We chat…
more -
Trailer: Dating Zac Efron Table Read
A special episode of the pod is releasing on 10.18.25, which happens to be Zac Efron's birthday!! Isabel & Aviva are joined by 6 actors for a table read of Isabel's romcom fan fiction script (you know, the one that led to our Twitter meet cute?) titled, "Dating Zac Efron!" Logline: Actor Zac…
more -
5.5 - The Screenwriting Influencer (Interview with Julia Yorks)
This week on the pod, we chat with Instagram screenwriting influencer, writer, and actor, Julia Yorks! We loved this lil chat with Julia getting to hear about her journey from being a child actor to becoming a successful screenwriter. We chat about the importance of social media in storytelling,...
-
5.4 - The Best Holiday Romcom on Netflix (Interview with Rebecca Ewing)
Christmas came early for us on the pod because in this episode, we chat with Rebecca Ewing, who co-wrote our favorite holiday romcom on Netflix, "Love Hard!" Rebecca shares her journey from being a literary agent to a successful screenwriter...Love Hard was the first script she ever wrote so…
more -
5.3 - We're Freaking Out! (Interview with Heather Hach Hearne)
We're back...and we're FREAKING OUT because in this episode, we interview Heather Hach Hearne, the screenwriter of Freaky Friday!!! Heather shares her experiences in Hollywood writing Freaky Friday, What to Expect When You're Expecting, and gives her thoughts on the sequel, Freakier Friday, now…
more -
5.2 - When Isabel Met Aviva IRL!!!
Aviva and Isabel kick off the second episode of season five by discussing their recent LA trip during which they finally met IRL!!! We talk about our WB studio tour, our podcast meetup, visiting some romcom filming locations...and we went to a comedy show!! We had a blast! We also spent a solid…
more -
5.1 - Music Editing For Romcoms (Interview with Lesley Langs)
It's a new season already!! In this episode of the pod, we discuss our first ever IRL meeting in LA! We then chat with Music Editor Lesley Langs and discuss the importance of music in film, the creative process, and the value of networking within the industry. Bring back the movie soundtrack,...
-
4.10 - How To Become A Creative Executive (Interview with Kari O'Hara)
Wow! We didn't realize this was the last episode of the pod for season 4, yet here we are! In this episode, we reflect on our journey through the podcast and welcome Kari O'Hara, a creative executive at Lean Machine, to the pod! We got to discuss Kari's path into the production industry, the…
more -
4.9 - Bride Hard (Interview with Shaina Steinberg)
This week on the pod, we are joined by writer Shaina Steinberg, who wrote BRIDE HARD, now in theaters! We spoke with Shaina a few days after her MOVIE PREMIERE and got to hear all about her experience seeing her first movie being made! In this episode, we also discuss the challenges of the film...
-
4.8 - Here’s The Tea On Scammers!
We're back with a chatty episode, just the two of us! Like old times! This episode is a good one filled with...tea! We share some updates on our personal writing journeys, our #romcom real-life moments, and discuss how our emotional states are influenced by planetary shifts - casual chit chat…
more -
4.7 - The OG Screenwriting Tweeter (Interview with Kim Hornsby)
Writer Kim Horsnby joins us for this episode of the pod to explore the intricacies of screenwriting, the importance of community support, and the journey from novel writing to screenwriting. We chat about the challenges of breaking into the rom-com market, the power of manifestation, and the...
-
4.6 - The Million Dollar Spec Script (Interview with Diane Drake)
In this episode, we get real deep and talk about heartbreak and how our perspectives on the romcom have evolved recently. Then, we interview the inspiring and fabulous Diane Drake, who wrote romcom hits, such as ONLY YOU and WHAT WOMEN WANT. Diane sold ONLY YOU for one million dollars in the 90s,...
-
4.5 - How To Make a TV Pilot…Internationally (Interview with Heather Pilder Olson and Debra Pralle)
Welcome back to another episode of the pod! Filmmakers Heather Pilder Olson and Debra Pralle join us to discuss their pilot project, "A Broad Abroad," which they filmed in Italy! We loved hearing their insights on the challenges of international filmmaking, the importance of community in the...
-
4.4 - How to Make a TV Pilot (Interview with Anisa Ashabi)
In this episode of the pod, we're joined by Anisa Ashabi! Anisa shares her journey as a screenwriter and filmmaker, discussing her latest project, 'Finding Chaz.' Anisa shares her creative process, the challenges of casting and fundraising, and the dynamics of working with a director to make her...
-
4.3 - How to Climb Up the Film Hierarchy (Interview with Alex Cottle)
In this episode, we chat with Aviva's friend she met during an internship: Alex Cottle! Alex shares her journey through the film and television industry, discussing her experiences in LA and New York, her passion for rom-coms, and the importance of queer representation in media. She offers…
more -
4.2 - And Action: How To Direct A Romcom (Interview with Christine Luby)
In this episode, Isabel & Aviva chat with Australia-based Christine Luby, a seasoned film and TV director! Christine shares her journey into the world of directing the romcom and discusses the challenges of balancing personal and professional life, the importance of script development, and the...
-
4.1 - Keep Calm And Write A Romcom
We're back! It's our 4th season of the pod, and we're ready to be #consistent with our episode releases and our screenwriting! In this episode, Isabel shares advice from her producers and mentions that she got on the dating app Raya. Aviva talks about a general meeting she had, and Isabel gives a...
-
3.10 - British vs. American Romcoms (Interview with Catherine Slaughter-King)
It's our last episode of season 3! We interview Catherine Slaughter-King, a Development Executive & Producer in the United Kingdom! We had such a fun chat discussing the difference between British and American romcoms - can you guess which ones are our favorites?! About Catherine Catherine...
-
3.9 - Are we Confident Or Are We Delusional?
Hi, everyone! Welcome back. Today Isabel and Aviva chat about what they hope to manifest in 2025, what they accomplished this past year writing-wise and on the pod, their 2024 favorite films and shows, how they have some major beef with many romcoms made today, and more. As we approach the end of...
-
3.8 - How Twilight Started Her Career (Interview with Rosa Camero)
Happy New Year! Our first episode of 2025 features some reflection on our writing careers and an inspiring interview with Rosa Camero, a Film Producer and Film Distribution & Marketing Consultant. Rosa tells us the story about how a moment of courage at the Twilight movie premiere in Mexico led…
more -
3.7 - How To Network and Sell Your Script (Interview with Isabel Dréan)
Today’s episode may be our longest one to date because we couldn’t stop chatting with our guest. Meet Isabel Dréan, screenwriter, producer, director, teacher, and master networker. Beginning in 2021, she sold five scripts in 18 months, such as CHRISTMAS BENEATH THE STARS and SECRET SANTA. In this...
-
3.6 - What Would Elle Woods Do? (Interview with Hillary Hughes)
Today’s episode features Foster Garvey entertainment attorney Hillary Hughes! As screenwriters breaking into the biz, we thought a legal chat was long overdue. Hillary not only specializes in entertainment law, but she also works in food and beverage, beauty and wellness, consumer packaged goods,...
-
3.5 - When Isabel and Aviva Met Delia (Interview with Delia Ephron)
Today’s episode features an interview with the one and only, Delia Ephron (YOU’VE GOT MAIL, THIS IS MY LIFE, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS, BEWITCHED, the list goes on)! In this inspiring chat, she tells us about her Broadway debut, Left on Tenth, how her writing career began, what makes…
more -
3.4 - Screenwriting 101 (Interview with Lindsey Stidham)
In this episode, we chat with Screenwriting Adjunct Assistant Professor, Lindsay Stidham! Lindsay reviews all the basics about screenplay formatting and answers our burning questions, like, "Is there a right way to format a montage?" Aviva took Lindsay's Sundance Collabortion screenwriting class!...
-
3.3 - Stick It, Hollywood (Interview With Jessica Bendinger)
We are honored to share that we had the opportunity to chat with screenwriter Jessica Bendinger! Jessica wrote a few of our fav movies - Stick It, Bring It On, and Aquamarine, to name a few! In this episode, we discuss the state of Hollywood with Jessica (forewarning, there are quite a few…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does When Isabel Met Aviva have?
When Isabel Met Aviva currently has 72 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is When Isabel Met Aviva about?
A podcast about romcoms, female-driven screenwriting, and breaking into the industry! Hosted by Isabel Thottam & Aviva Peltin.
How often does When Isabel Met Aviva release new episodes?
When Isabel Met Aviva has 72 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to When Isabel Met Aviva?
You can listen to When Isabel Met Aviva on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts When Isabel Met Aviva?
When Isabel Met Aviva is created and hosted by Isabel Thottam and Aviva Peltin.
URL copied to clipboard!