Meet Justin Chesney | Writer & Podcast Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Justin Chesney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Justin, what role has risk played in your life or career?
You know, we work in an industry that’s built on a foundation of risk; while many of our friends who’ve opted for jobs in much more stable fields, ours is rarely consistent. We find ourselves constantly taking risks just to stay afloat while we push forward doing what we love to do. So, when someone in entertainment asks me if they should take a risk on something, my answer more often than not is “well yeah, why wouldn’t you?”. I mean, maybe don’t take a job that’s shooting in a remote warehouse down by the river, BUT go to that mixer that you feel out of place at, email that management company you feel is out of your league, and enter that competition you feel you have no chance at winning. Why shouldn’t you? As long as you’re not putting yourself in danger or being an asshole (can I say that here?), do it; you’ll thank yourself later.

A little over four years ago, I made the decision to change my career from one focused in performance to one centered on writing. It was…terrifying, to say the least. I’d moved out to Los Angeles, less than six months prior, fully intending on taking the acting career that I had built in New York and planting those roots on the opposite coast, only to realize in the middle of a pandemic that my love for creating worlds far outranked my love for playing in someone else’s. I knew nothing about getting started as a writer; I’d gone to school for performance and spent my entire post-collegiate life up until that point pursuing it…I had no clue what I was doing…and in a lot of ways, I still don’t. Yet, there isn’t a day that’s gone by since then, even on the ones where I feel like a failure, that I haven’t thanked myself for making that decision when I did. Take risks, or regret the ones you never took.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Oh gosh, what sets me apart? I’m a white dude from smalltown, USA; not many people are looking for my story to tell in this day and age, and I don’t trust the ones who are. But there are so many interesting people and incredible stories out there that I want to give a platform to and if I can have even a hand in doing so, I’ll have felt accomplished in my career.

I’ve always had a fascination with the art of the conversation; two, maybe three, people sitting around a table or standing a ‘nothing’ and just drifting off into sometimes deep, but often meaningless, conversation. I’ve always been a fan of Irish novelist and playwright Sam Beckett, whose knack for writing authentic conversation in seemingly outrageous settings has been an inspiration for me and my own work over the years. During the pandemic, I decided to write an homage to Beckett; a short play entitled ‘Life, Death, & the Pursuit of Juice’. In its 15-page run, the play details the conversation between two old friends as one bleeds out on account of the knife in his abdomen. Needless to say, it’s a comedy. Beckett had an amazing way of taking regular folks and/or regular conversation and placing it in the most absurd of settings; as is the case with his play ‘Endgame’. So, as my writing career unfolds, I find that my style has shaped itself into something akin to Mr. Beckett’s work, with everyday characters plucked out of their regular lives and placed into larger than life circumstances.

Many of my works involve at least a few long scenes fueled only by the dialogue between 2-3 characters. I’ve been told that dialogue is my strong suit and whether that’s true or not, it’s certainly my favorite part to write. It’s where I find myself getting to tell other people’s stories, both the real ones and the ones from my brain, the most authentically.

About six years ago now, a buddy of mine and I sat on the A train back home to our respective New York Apartments and we confessed to one another that we were both unsatisfied with the amount of creative energy were exerting on the world. After a brief discussion, and probably a handful of drinks, we decided that the podcast world needed two more straight white dudes. After a few drinks more, we came up with the concept for our show, “Pitch This”. For six years and just over 100 episodes, my dear friend (and co-host) Adam Stark and I have asked questions like “What if Finding Nemo was a film noir detective movie?” and “What if ‘Snowpiercer’ took place in the world of ‘Thomas the Tank Engine'”? We then answer these questions by writing a sample script for each pitch, invite actors on to read each one and then sound design the whole thing to immerse listeners in the world. For six years, this show has been a continuous source of self-motivation and fulfillment. Although at times it feels like a lot work we do for free, the feeling of putting out something into the world, especially during the months where riding jobs are slim, is incredibly important.

Not that I have in any way “made it” in the writing world, but for those who do what I do and feel stuck (or hell, those that just feel stuck in general) my advice to you is to take things into your own hands. So no one is reaching out to you? Reach out to them! So you’re feeling creatively stunted while working your day job? CREATE SOMETHING. And when I say “something” I mean create ANYTHING. The other day, I was stuck with a current writing project I’ve been working on, and I mean never-ending-story-horse-in-quicksand stuck. So instead, I looked up a random playlist on spotify and decided to write a treatment for the movie that random playlist would be the soundtrack of. Do anything; MAKE anything…like going to the gym or eating healthy, you’ll feel so much better at the end of the day, I promise.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve always believed that wherever you’re visiting, you should reserve at least one full day to be a complete and utter tourist. That being said…I’m not bringing someone to the walk of fame unless they absolutely beg me to. Instead, I’d opt for an evening at the Griffith Observatory; a week night, preferably, as it gets absolutely insane there on the weekends.

After that, it’s movie tour time! Suss out your visitor’s favorite films and shows, if you don’t know them already. Odds are at least one of them had an iconic scene filmed right here in LA. Whether it’s the loft from ‘New Girl’, Paddy’s Pub from ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’, ‘Clueless’, ‘La La Land’, etc; the list goes on and on.

Lastly, the niche stuff. There’s a lookout in Malibu canyon that’s gone unmarked and frankly overlooked since I’ve been out here. It hosts one of my favorite views in the world and if you make it there for sunset, you’re in for a real treat. All I’ll say is it’s on Piuma Road…you’ll have to do some exploring to find it for yourself.

I’ve never been one for restaurant recs, but I’ve visited quite a few bars in the city. Here’s a few that stand out:

1. Selfishly, the ‘Inkwell Tavern’ in Burbank. It’s a literary themed bar with a fantastic cocktail menu. Aaaand, if you happen to be there on the last Sunday night of every month, you might catch yours truly hosting a script showcase for local writers.

2. ‘Guildhall’ is a fantastic bar for board game buffs like myself, or for those in search of a chill environment with both staff and patrons eager to meet you.

3. Perhaps the nerdiest of them all, if you find yourself with nothing to do on a weeknight, head to Hollywood for ‘Scum & Villainy’. Fun themed drinks and an interior that gets you close to feeling like you’re drinking in the Star Wars Cantina without having to book tickets to Disney.

4. Idle Hour in North Hollywood has been my go-to local bar for YEARS. Consistently good food and drinks with staff that’s always so kind, even when they’re swamped. Who wouldn’t want to drink in a giant barrel??
5. Finally, another Burbank favorite, ‘Story Tavern’ has been the bar of choice for my friends and I when we want a place to drink some beer, play some ping pong, and just chill the hell out. Fantastic staff and a really great food menu are an added bonus at this place. Make sure to go when the game room is open!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Ah man, I mean so many people. My dad whose pushing for me to pursue something creative in the first place led me here (there’s an alternate reality where I went into biology. I’m scared of the day we have to fight our multiversal selves, that guy’s gonna be a lot smarter than me) and my mom whose appreciation for my writing means the world to me. My sister who will forever keep me grounded despite my successes and many failures. To Peter Charney, who I wrote my first series with back in college and has continued to be a creative inspiration throughout our adult lives; and to many friends who have pushed me over the years, but especially to Adam Stark, one of my best friends and conveniently the co-host of our podcast, without which I might never have realized how much I loved to write. But a very special thank you goes out to my partner, Jackie, who has seen me on my very worst days and has stuck with me through all of them; who has always been my #1 fan and the reason I even get as much writing done as I do.

To those that have listened to me rehearse an audition for hours and those that have read every draft of every pilot I’ve written, thank you.

Instagram: @chez_thewriter

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@pitchthispod?si=vOmcCqh76IVV_0qY

Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/7k4HpLzbcrSLQKBPl9LJk8?si=23439c8c30ff4f80