The Screenplay Lab - Jeff Barker
A solo-host podcast where a screenwriter analyzes film scripts, treating them as literary works to teach the craft of writing for the screen.
A solo-host educational podcast where Jeff Barker performs deep-dive analyses of individual screenplays. He treats the script as a standalone literary document, separate from the final film, focusing on elements like writer's voice, structure, character development, and dialogue to teach screenwriting craft. Episodes often focus on a specific script, such as 'The Social Network' or 'Obsession', or explore the careers of notable writers.
“Instead of offering broad advice, the show focuses intensely on one screenplay at a time, often analyzing just the first 50 pages to demonstrate specific writing techniques in practice. The host's unique background in psychiatry informs his analysis of character psychology and motivation.”
Who hosts this show
Jeff Barker is an award-winning screenwriter who hosts this storytelling podcast dedicated to the craft of screenwriting. Prior to his full-time writing career, Barker worked for nine years as a television news anchor and reporter, and later spent over a decade as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Inspired by his sons' success in the film industry, he became obsessed with screenwriting, a passion that led him to create The Screenplay Lab to deconstruct what makes a script work.
Credentials & credits
- Screenwriter and Author
- Host of The Screenplay Lab podcast
- Grand Prize Winner, FADE IN's 2025 Horror Screenwriting Competition
- Black List Recommended Writer
- Former Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
- Former Television News Anchor and Reporter
Other ventures
- Script Consultant on the film 'Obsession'
- Director of short films 'Medium Rare' and 'Good Tape'
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06So many kids. Nor enough days. #filmmaking #screenwriting #obsessionJun 21, 2026 · 29s
- 07
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Obsession (Curry Barker) Part 1
An in-depth analysis of the first 50 pages of the hit horror film 'Obsession', written by the host's son, offering a unique perspective on the script's development.
- 02Screenwriting voice in The Social Network screenplay
A concise breakdown of writer's voice, using Aaron Sorkin's acclaimed script as a prime example of how to establish a unique style on the page.
- 03Father-Son Chat with Curry Barker
A direct conversation between Jeff and his son, director Curry Barker, discussing filmmaking, creativity, and building a career in Hollywood.
What you'll be asked on this show
This is a solo-host narrative show, not an interview format. Jeff Barker reads excerpts from a screenplay and provides running commentary and analysis, breaking down the writer's choices. The episodes published on YouTube are often short, focused clips from longer podcast episodes.
Signature segments
- · The Screenplay Lab: First 50 Pages
- · If you can't think of anything, throw a snake in there.
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show does not feature traditional guests. However, it frequently analyzes the work of specific screenwriters, most notably the 2025 horror film 'Obsession', which was written and directed by the host's son, Curry Barker.
- Curry Barkeron Obsession (First 50 Pages)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
No sponsors or advertisements were identified in the provided evidence.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What is the format of The Screenplay Lab?
- It is a solo-host podcast where Jeff Barker analyzes screenplays. He reads excerpts and provides detailed commentary on craft, character, and structure. It is not an interview show.
- Who is the host, Jeff Barker?
- Jeff Barker is an award-winning screenwriter, author, and former psychiatric nurse practitioner. He is also the father of filmmaker Curry Barker.
- Is this podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast releases episodes regularly, with short clips also appearing on the YouTube channel.
- Why is the screenplay for 'Obsession' featured so often?
- 'Obsession' is a successful 2025 horror film written and directed by the host's son, Curry Barker. Jeff served as a script consultant on the film and uses it as a case study.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The full audio podcast is available on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, while short video clips are posted on the 'The Screenplay Lab - Jeff Barker' YouTube channel.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Jeff Barker - FilmFreewayfilmfreeway.com
- [02]Jeff Barker - Screenwriter / Actor (Official Website)jeff-barker.com
- [03]The Screenplay Lab - Libsynsites.libsyn.com
- [04]The Screenplay Lab - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [05]Jeff Barker - Professional Profile on Backstagebackstage.com
- [06]Interview: Curry Barker's Dad on His Son's 'Mind-Blowing' No. 1 Movie Obsessionyoutube.com
- [07]Interview with Jeff Barker - Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awardssantabarbarascreenplayawards.com
- [08]Obsession (2025 film) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
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