With upfronts over, and staffing concluded, a lot of TV writers are now joining their new writers’ room. Those first few days are much like landing in a new school, albeit with even more unsaid rules.
Fortunately for us, Josh Friedman (from the great Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) decided to tweet yesterday morning some advice.
Here are the dozen tweets for posterity (plus bonus Survivor reference):
Good luck to all writer friends starting a new writers' room today. Pitch solutions, not problems. And if u open the poptart pack, eat both.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
RoomAdvice2: No showrunner ever goes home the 1st week & sez "Man, that staff writer was too quiet today." Also, pistachios are for closers.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
WR Dress code: 1st day, wear what u wore for your interview. 1st week, wear fashion level equivalent. Week 2, 1 level nicer than showrunner.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Dont worry if your showrunner dresses 2 the nines. It just means u have 2 wear nice jeans. It does mean they're going to be a crazy asshole.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Dressing 1 level higher than show runner only applies to casual showrunners. Again, showrunners who dress fancy should never be out-dressed.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Writers' Rooms are like Survivor. Alliances will eventually be formed. But being seen doing it too early will get u voted out at 1st tribal.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
The best Writers Rooms for a staff writer are hallways, kitchens, and bathrooms.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Also, there's a good chance the showrunner has known that writers' room asst. longer than they've known u. And trusts them more. Be nice.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Also, let someone else do the Instagram Still Life of Room Snacks and Pens.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Also, as an experiment (and on my shows its a rule), leave your cell phone in your fucking office (or w/ an assistant if you're a parent).
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
If you're a young writer and have good handwriting, u may be drafted into being the official board writer. So volunteer.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Unless you're a lefty. Leftys fuck up all of the previous acts as they write. Also, they're the devil.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
If you can, read one original script by each of your fellow writers. On my last show we had a dropbox folder for everybody's work.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Also, know your caffeine limits. If you want to do a rambling monologue about that funny thing that happened, there's always open mic.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
All right new writers. It's 10:05. Phones down. Pencils up. No more twitter.
— josh friedman (@Josh_Friedman) May 23, 2016
Write on.
(If you’re curious, the featured picture above is from the Arrested Development Season 4 writers’ room.)
“Unless you’re a lefty…”
DIED laughing at that tweet. Guess I should learn to become a righty! Thanks for sharing.
In regards to the lefty stuff, are you aware of how many DEVILS you have in the Friedman family? You’re virtually SURROUNDED. If I am correct, you’re going to have to take off a shoe or two to count them all (That is , IF you wear shoes).