Best Spec Network Podcasts (2025)

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Where to Spend Time: IP or Spec? 44:33

Play Pause

4h ago44:33

44:33

Inspired by a post from Screenwriter Zack Stentz, hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss whether it's a smarter career move to work on IP or to put your head down and write your own spec. They discuss the realities of what it means to work on IP vs. Specs, their own experiences working in both markets, and the consequences (both good & bad) of wo…

1
DF Direct Weekly #222: Oblivion Remaster Fixed? Switch 2 Perf vs PS4/Series S! Nintendo "RT" Patents 1:44:12

1h ago1:44:12

1:44:12

This week, Oblivion Remastered's 1.2 patch "dropped" promising performance improvements - but are its systemic stuttering problems fixed? Alex takes a look at the PC version, both moving to an analysis of Nintendo's recently published "ray tracing" patents - which aren't quite what they seem. Meanwhile, Oliver gets to grips with the Wild Hearts dem…

1
Nintendo Shack 384 - RIP Vouchers 1:59:23

21h ago1:59:23

1:59:23

On this week’s episode, Donnie, Delvin, and Rebecca do their usual recap of the latest Nintendo news, which includes the end of the game voucher program, Donkey Kong Bananza previews, rumors about Camelot’s next project, and more. They read some predictions from listeners as well as answer listener questions, such as what is a game they loved as a …

1
Perfection Is Fragile, and You Should Avoid It 20:03

5d ago20:03

20:03

This episode discusses why perfection is a dangerous and fragile goal, explaining how striving for 100% leads to unsustainable outlier states. It highlights how setting perfection as a bar can cause commitments to break and plans to fail due to a lack of slack, and offers strategies like building redundancy and planning with slack to achieve goals …

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MAILBAG: Ready to Send Your Script? Writer’s Groups, Pitching & More 34:50

7d ago34:50

34:50

It’s a mailbag episode! Tasha and Josh tackle listener questions - from writer’s groups to pitching and more. Plus, This Week in Writing… Tasha is not a boring writer. Questions / Comments: [email protected] Edited by the GREAT Paul LundquistBy The Act Two Network

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DF Direct Weekly #221: Disastrous Xbox Cuts, AMD/Sony PS6 Hints, Helldivers 2 Coming To Xbox 1:56:34

7d ago1:56:34

1:56:34

This week, the DF team is reeling after news of disastrous Xbox cuts resulting in untold job losses, the diminishment of celebrated studios and the cancellation of promising games - this follows on from controversy surrounding Xbox hardware strategy and speculation on future consoles. Meanwhile, AMD and Sony re-affirm the Project Amethyst initative…

1
Nintendo Shack 383 - 8 mins of Kong 2:17:47

8d ago2:17:47

2:17:47

This week on the Nintendo Shack Podcast, Rebecca returns after her week off and chats with Donnie and Delvin about the latest news, including an extended overview and previews for the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza. They touch on the announced price increases for the Switch in Canada as well as give an outline of all the big games coming to the NS2 t…

1
Your System is Perfectly Designed for Your Current Outcomes 18:14

11d ago18:14

18:14

This episode introduces the potentially controversial principle that your system is perfectly designed for its current outcomes, urging listeners to embrace greater responsibility for systemic issues. It explores how to redefine system boundaries to holistically integrate all influencing factors, like talent and organisational processes, ensuring t…

1
Animated to Live Action Adaptation: LILO & STITCH and HTTYD (Part 2) 30:08

14d ago30:08

30:08

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the live action adaptation of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, breaking down, from a writer's perspective, what made it successful and, in these podcasters opinions, unsuccessful as an adaptation. TWIW: Voice in screenwriting is about pacing, and here's why. Questions / Comments: [email protected] Edited by t…

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DF Direct Weekly #220: Switch 2 Blurry Screen Controversy, HDMI 2.2 Specs, Hellblade 2 60FPS! 2:00:19

14d ago2:00:19

2:00:19

In the wake of criticism of DF's comments on Switch 2's motion blur display issues, independent benchmark data from multiple sources proves out our point, so what can be done? Meanwhile, John and Oliver share their impressions of Fast Fusion's "Pure" aka "DLSS Off" update, while Rich weighs in on the Nvidia RTX 5050 reveal specs. Hellblade 2's 60fp…

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Nintendo Shack 382 - ScreenGate 1:45:14

15d ago1:45:14

1:45:14

On this week’s episode, Donnie and Delvin cover for the playing hooky Rebecca. The duo discusses getting “I’m Sorry” gift cards from Target, Street Fighter 6, the latest dbrand killswitch fiasco and address the ever reaching SCREENGATE situation with Switch 2. PSVG Everything in one link: ⁠psvg.taplink.ws…

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Using LLMs To Expand Your Working Vocabulary 13:26

19d ago13:26

13:26

This episode explores the fundamental mindset of building your vocabulary, extending beyond literal words to conceptual understanding and mental models, and how Large Language Models (LLMs) can be a powerful tool for expanding and refining this crucial skill for career growth, clarity, and navigating disruptions. Uncover why building your vocabular…

1
DF Direct Weekly #219: Xbox/AMD Next-Gen Partnership, Donkey Kong Bananza, Neural Texture Update 1:51:44

20d ago1:51:44

1:51:44

In a packed new Direct, the team convene to discuss the detail - and lack of it - in Xbox and AMD's next-gen partnership announcement. What is the future of the Xbox console? Are MS/AMD looking to compete in the PC prebuilt market? Is the Xbox Ally X part of this arrangement? Is Windows truly capable of working as a robust console-style OS? Meanwhi…

1
Animated to Live Action Adaptation: LILO & STITCH and HTTYD (Part 1) 45:47

21d ago45:47

45:47

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discuss the live action adaptation of LILO & STITCH, breaking down writer and director choices that helped launch it into massive numbers at the box office and that, in these podcasters opinions, makes it the most successful live action Disney adaptation yet! TWIW: Josh thinks he can be a detective after writing one…

1
Nintendo Shack 381 - A DK Bananza 2:24:38

22d ago2:24:38

2:24:38

On this week’s episode, Delvin is back from his caribbean vacation and the Shack crew talks all about the Donkey Kong Bananza direct, including information revealed about the game and their opinions on it all. They also discuss news about Switch 2 game patches as well as headlines from industry talking heads about third party Switch sales. As alway…

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Nintendo Switch 2 - DF Hardware Review - A Satisfying Upgrade... But Display Issues Are Problematic 2:04:44

22d ago2:04:44

2:04:44

It's here - the biggest and most comprehensive Digital Foundry hardware test we've ever done. Across two hours of #content, Oliver Mackenzie, John Linneman and Rich Leadbetter share their data, tests, opinions and impressions of the entire Switch 2 package ranging from hardware analysis, display options, power consumption and efficiency, loading ti…

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Great Reviews and Terrible Tacos - Sharpening Substitute Questions with Counterfactuals 23:28

26d ago23:28

23:28

This episode delves into the use of substitute questions—simpler queries we use to answer more complex ones—and the crucial concept of cohesion between these substitutes and our true objectives. You'll learn how to leverage counterfactual thinking to scrutinize your assumptions and enhance the effectiveness of your decisions. Discover two powerful …

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DF Direct Weekly #218: MindsEye Launch Disaster, Next-Gen PS Handheld Specs, Switch 2 Sells 3.5m! 1:46:56

28d ago1:46:56

1:46:56

The catastrophic launch of MindsEye dominates the Direct this week - but how does the game actually look and run on PS5 Pro and PC? We'll have a more detailed review soon, but there's good and bad with this one. Meanwhile, legit-looking specs emerge for the next-gen PlayStation handheld, Switch 2 sells through 3.5m units in four days and Rich spend…

1
When Life Happens, How to Keep Writing 39:37

28d ago39:37

39:37

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman have just been side-lined by sicknesses and Tasha is recently back from a month on the road. It's time to talk about how to keep writing during unexpected obstacles. Inertia in the right direction is important, but Life can get in the way. Let's talk practical, real ways to keep going during tough times. Questions /…

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Nintendo Shack 380 - The Week After 1:44:34

29d ago1:44:34

1:44:34

This week Donnie & Rebecca chat about a week with Nintendo Switch 2. The two take a deep dive into Mario Kart World. Rebecca follows up on Welcome Tour and game chat while Donnie continues with more Breath of the Wild and Under Par Golf Architect. This week in the news the duo covers the latest update for Splatoon 3 and upcoming spinoff, Splatoon R…

1
Why Maintenance Matters Now - Construal Level Theory, Marshmallows, and Hyperbolic Discounting 22:57

1M ago22:57

22:57

This episode explores why maintenance tasks, despite their fundamental importance, are often neglected or deprioritised in our daily lives and professional work. It delves into the psychological biases that make consistent maintenance challenging, such as hyperbolic discounting, where immediate gratification is valued over future gains, and the con…

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ElevateAEC 2025 Preview: Growth, Innovation, and Networking Opportunities in San Antonio 35:08

1M ago35:08

35:08

ElevateAEC 2025 Preview: Growth, Innovation, and Networking Opportunities in San Antonio “Proximity is a place of power. If you are a design firm leader or design firm owner and you’re trying to take your firm to the next level, sometimes it means you need to get around other people that have actually already done it.” Randy Wilburn Episode Summary…

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DF Direct Special: Xbox Showcase Reaction - Xbox Ally Handhelds, Final Fantasy 16 Tested + More! 1:19:54

1M ago1:19:54

1:19:54

The summer gaming events continue with the arrival of the Xbox Showcase. Microsoft has had a stellar 2025 and has delivered some exceptional events over the last few years - but this one doesn't quite make the grade. Rich, John and Oliver talk Ally handhelds, the pick of the games shown, the 2026 teases and we have capture and analysis of the "shad…

1
RE-RELEASE: How to Stay in Screenwriting Shape 37:58

1M ago37:58

37:58

Hosts Tasha Huo & Josh Hallman discuss a blog post by Final Draft about 5 Ways to stretch your Screenwriting muscles every day so you never lose writing momentum, even on days you don't feel like writing. Questions / Comments: [email protected] Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist Music by 414Beg…

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DF Direct Weekly #217: Summer Game Fest/State Of Play! Black Myth Wukong Xbox! PS5 VRR fixed! 2:09:29

1M ago2:09:29

2:09:29

Join Rich, Alex and John for their thoughts on two of the major summer events: Sony's State of Play and Geoff's Summer Game Fest. The team share their thoughts on the biggest games of the shows, before moving onto other matters: Rich is happy to see that Sony has fixed the VRR stuttering problem with PlayStation consoles, Alex discusses the team's …

1
Nintendo Shack 378 - Nintendo Switch 2 2:46:30

1M ago2:46:30

2:46:30

The Nintendo Shack crew celebrates their first few days with the Switch 2 by sharing their personal experiences with launch day and the games they’ve played so far, such as Mario Kart World, Breath of the Wild NS2 Edition, Welcome Tour, and more. They discuss some of the latest announcements from Summer Game Fest showcases that will be releasing on…

1
Follow This Principle - Establish Your Baselines 8:00

1M ago8:00

8:00

This episode introduces a profound yet simple principle: knowing your baselines. This concept is crucial for effectively detecting and measuring change in your life and career. Uncover the fundamental idea that to recognise when something has changed, you must first understand what things were like before the change occurred. Often, people haven't …

1
Are You Excited? JUNE 2025 EDITION 22:08

1M ago22:08

22:08

Summer movies are out! And it's time to see if you're excited about what Hollywood has to offer in June! Some surprises, and some long-awaited blockbusters. What will you be seeing this June? Questions / Comments: [email protected] Edited by the GREAT Paul LundquistBy The Act Two Network

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DF Direct Weekly #216: Switch 2 Retail Units Leak, Xbox 'Sidelines' Handheld, F1 25 Path Tracing! 1:56:29

1M ago1:56:29

1:56:29

The pre-launch anticipation for Nintendo Switch 2 ratchets up a level as retail units leak ahead of time, revealing the system's boot procedure, a preview of the front end and... not much more. The DF team react to those leaks, reflect on the Switch 2 journey that brought us to this launch and share some initial plans for coverage. Meanwhile, accor…

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Nintendo Shack 377 - Good Night Sweet Prince 1:56:30

1M ago1:56:30

1:56:30

On the very last episode before the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, Donnie, Delvin, and Rebecca reminisce about the Switch 1 and how far the Nintendo Shack Podcast has come during its 10-year run. They discuss news about Switch 2 consoles in the wild and other tidbits about what is to come. They also acknowledge the 10th anniversary of the Splatoo…

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DF Direct Weekly #215: Switch 2 Cyberpunk 2077 Preview, RX AMD 9060 XT Reveal, FSR Redstone! 1:51:51

2M ago1:51:51

1:51:51

Another packed Direct sees Tom, Rich and Oliver pore over 37 minutes of Cyberpunk 2077 Switch 2 footage, stacking it up against Series S and PS4 with intriguing results. AMD's announcement for the RX 9060 XT promises to be everything RTX 5060 isn't, while the team mull over Mario Kart World developer disclosures! Oliver gets Doom: The Dark Ages' PC…

1
Top Tips for Aspiring Screenwriters 41:00

2M ago41:00

41:00

Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman discover a list of top tips for aspiring Screenwriters, according to the New York Film Academy. They disagree fundamentally with some tips, and expound on the practicality of others in the real world. There is advice for up & coming Screenwriters everywhere. Tasha and Josh help translate that advice into real-life s…

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Nintendo Shack 376 - Switch 2 Time Capsule 2:21:30

2M ago2:21:30

2:21:30

This week, Rebecca is back to chat with Donnie and Delvin about the latest news regarding the Nintendo Switch 2. Headlines include news about game chat enforcement, rumors about a Hotel Dusk revival, NSO games and classic icons, developer updates about Mario Kart World and Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment, and more. As always, they answer listen…

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Advice on Advice - Taking Everything with a Grain of Salt 13:54

2M ago13:54

13:54

This episode explores the complex landscape of receiving advice in your career, particularly during uncertain times. It offers insights on how to critically evaluate feedback and external information, prepare for potential negative outcomes outside of your control, and adapt your focus to thrive in a changing industry. Explore why the vast amount o…

1
DF Direct Weekly #214: No Switch 2 Launch Reviews? Next-Gen Xbox Using ARM + The "Forced RT" Debate! 1:59:36

2M ago1:59:36

1:59:36

In this week's Direct, Rich, John and Alex discuss the strongly rumoured plans for NO Switch 2 launch reviews, along with apparent news that the next-gen Xbox will use ARM-based Snapdragon processors. Rich tests out our in-development VRR capture/analysis tools with Days Gone Remastered, measures the ongoing PS5 VRR stutter effect while Alex shares…

1
A Writer's Tools: The Oversized Sketchpad 31:21

2M ago31:21

31:21

Host Tasha Huo rants about her oversized sketchpad and the different ways she's used it to help break multiple script ideas. She answers listener questions on using the sketchpad, and, really, just won't shut up about the sketchpad. TWIW: What would Tasha's greatest betrayal of Josh be? / Don't sleep on The Accountant and The Accountant 2 Questions…

1
Nintendo Shack 374 - TECH SPECS 1:46:47

2M ago1:46:47

1:46:47

On this week’s episode, Donnie & Delvin discuss Tetris Forever & Doom the Dark Ages, recent Switch 2 tech specifications, the next Mario movie, what those free Switch 2 upgrades mean for us, favorite Switch 1 games and more! PSVG Everything in one link: ⁠psvg.taplink.ws

1
Career Advice for Surviving AI Outsourcing 13:09

2M ago13:09

13:09

This episode addresses the fear surrounding industry changes, such as AI and potential outsourcing, and offers actionable advice for engineers, managers, and leaders to navigate these challenges. You'll learn why shifting your focus from just developing skills to embracing ownership and responsibility is crucial for long-term career resilience and …

1
8 Famous Improv Moments Writers Can Learn From 39:32

2M ago39:32

39:32

Not everything you see on screen was in the script. Hosts Tasha Huo and Josh Hallman break down 8 famous improvised movie moments - what made them work, how they changed the scene, and what screenwriters can learn from embracing spontaneity. Questions or comments? Hit us up at [email protected] Edited by the GREAT Paul Lundquist.…

1
DF Direct Weekly #213: Switch 2 Processor Analysed, GTA 6 'Gameplay', RTX 5060 Controversy 1:45:30

2M ago1:45:30

1:45:30

Switch 2 mysteries are finally resolved as two independent analyses confirm an 8nm processor... with a twist. Meanwhile, Rich, Alex and Oliver debate the meaning of 'gameplay' with regards to Grand Theft Auto 6, Trailer 2 while the team compares notes on the Asus ROG Ally 2, Xbox Project Kennan leaks. Oliver stacks up Switch 2 Final Fantasy 7 Remak…

1
Nintendo Shack 373 - Nintendo Finances & Switch 2 Updates 2:19:01

2M ago2:19:01

2:19:01

On this week’s episode, Donnie, Delvin, and Rebecca shed some light on the Game Key Cards for the Nintendo Switch 2 after new information was obtained via a hack. They briefly discuss the latest Nintendo financial details as well as Switch 2 forecasts before diving into the latest headlines about Chrono Trigger, Switch 2 console themes, the newest …