519: Storytelling & Identity with Dave Callaham (Part 1 of 3): What it’s Like Writing Marvel Movies, Asian-American Representation in Hollywood, and Advice on Finding Your Voice

The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

In this new three-part series, Ethan sits down with his screenwriter friends to do a deep dive into the creative process, the power of storytelling, and how identity plays a role in both. In Episode 1, Ethan is joined by screenwriter Dave Callaham, known best for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Wonder Woman 1984 and many others.

Dave and Ethan discuss, among other things:

• When Dave knew he was a storyteller
• The “armor” that Dave wears (how he presents physically vs. who he is)
• What the process of writing Shang-Chi was like, especially when much of the source material included outdated stereotypes and problematic portrayals.
• Dave’s advice to writers on finding their voice
• And more

Fun fact: You can find the video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel by clicking here. This is a longer episode format we’re experimenting with, so feel free to use the chapters on the video to skip around, and let us know what you think in the YouTube comments.

Rather than give you the typical bio, Ethan and Dave kick things off with an improv game where Dave shares what he loves and knows a lot about — an activity that is great for brainstorming ideas for the personal statement!

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

• 2:02 - Dave plays “I love, I know” – a brainstorming exercise
• 3:45 - What was Dave like in high school?
• 7:46 - When did Dave start writing?
• 11:08 - When did Dave realize he was a storyteller?
• 12:12 - What did Dave study in college?
• 13:11 - What was it like writing Shang-Chi?
• 16:57 - Where does “Dave” show up in Shang-Chi?
• 28:39 - What is Dave’s writing process like when working on a movie?
• 32:42 - How is writing for animation different from live-action?
• 35:14 - How does writing change through the movie process?
• 39:01 - How does Dave decide what to write about next?
• 51:59 - How important is structure when it comes to screenwriting?
• 58:30 - The “armor” that Dave wears (how he presents physically vs. who he is)
• 1:09:33 - What did Dave learn about fight scenes when writing Shang-Chi?
• 1:16:58 - Dave’s advice to writers on finding their voice
• 1:24:09 - What did Dave write about in his college essay?
• 1:29:07 - How much time does Dave dedicate to brainstorming in his writing process?
• 1:32:30 - If Dave could do college again, what might he do differently?
• 1:39:20 - Why is representation so important on screen?
• 1:44:06 - What is something Dave wants to share about screenwriting?
• 1:48:50 - What advice would you give to young people who are considering writing for a living?
• 1:50:32 - Rapid-fire questions

Resources:

• YouTube video version of this episode
• I love, I know – a brainstorming exercise
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub