Spotlights feature conversations with high-profile film and television industry professionals who share helpful advice and insights on their career experiences and creative process. You do not need to have seen the work to participate.


Step inside the creative process of adapting a deeply personal podcast into compelling television with acclaimed writer-producer Kim Rosenstock (New Girl, Only Murders in the Building) in an exclusive conversation hosted by Sundance Collab.


With co-creator Liz Meriwether, Rosenstock transformed the raw, intimate podcast Dying for Sex into a powerful limited series for FX starring Michelle Williams that navigates the complex intersection of mortality, sexuality, and human connection. The original podcast chronicled Molly Kochan's journey of sexual exploration after her terminal cancer diagnosis, offering an unflinching examination of love, loss, and living fully in the face of death. Rosenstock and Meriwether’s adaptation captures both the humor and heartbreak of this extraordinary true story while expanding it for the screen.


In this behind-the-scenes discussion, Rosenstock shares her approach to adapting source material, balancing authenticity with dramatic storytelling, and translating intimate audio narratives into visual television. She explores her collaboration with Liz Meriwether, with the original creators, the challenges of adapting deeply personal real-life stories, and the specific writing choices that brought emotional resonance to this unconventional love story.


This conversation provides valuable insights into the craft of adaptation and practical advice for writers looking to work in television. The session concludes with a Q&A where Rosenstock answers questions about her process and experience working across different formats.


Kim Rosenstock is an Emmy and WGA-nominated TV writer, producer, and playwright renowned for her deft exploration of complex themes, seamlessly blended with emotional depth. Most recently she served as co-creator/co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer of FX’s critically acclaimed (98% RT-certified fresh) limited series DYING FOR SEX, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate, which premiered April 2025. The series, based on the hit Wondery podcast, garnered nine Emmy®-nominations, with Rosenstock earning two Emmy®-nominations for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and Outstanding Writing for Limited or Anthology Series. The show marked Rosenstock’s debut as a creator/showrunner - a major milestone in an already impressive writing career - and was praised for its sharp, heartfelt, and deeply personal perspective - qualities she brings to every project. Her episode “It’s Not That Serious,” which she wrote, was also nominated for a 2025 Humanitas Prize. more...
Moderator | Director, Collab
Patty West is a producer and educator based in California. She led the Directing Workshop for Women and the Thesis Program at the American Film Institute prior to joining the Sundance Institute. She came to Sundance Collab in December of 2019 and now serves as its Director. West is a Chicago native and holds a B.S. from Northwestern University, an M.F.A. from the AFI Conservatory and an Executive M.B.A. from Quantic School of Business & Technology. She is a member of the Producer's Council of the Producers Guild of America. more...

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