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In the inaugural episode of Paper Team, Alex and Nick discuss the very first step to becoming a TV writer: moving to Los Angeles.
This is not only about knowing why you need to be here, by also why you want to be here. Why did we both literally cross oceans and continents to live in LA? What can you do to prepare your nascent TV writing career before you step on a plane? And why do you need to know the town (and get a car)?
Let’s dig in…
SHOWNOTES
Content
1 – About Paper Team (00:17)
2 – Why television? (03:40)
3 – Why are we in Los Angeles? (07:23)
4 – What you need to do before stepping on a plane (14:27)
5 – Getting set up once you arrive in LA (24:32)
Takeaways and Resources (31:53)
Links
Paris – Six-Part Mini-Series From France
NCIS: LA showrunner Shane Brennan to reboot Australian TV
La Fémis Launches New TV Centered Training Program
Jeffrey Lieber’s Twitter
Academy Nicholl Fellowships
Austin Film Festival
SNL‘s The Californians
Resources
Small Screen, Big Picture – Chad Gervich
This Business of Television – Howard Blumenthal
The Hollywood Assistants Handbook – Peter Nowalk & Hillary Stamm
If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please leave us an iTunes review and/or rating at paperteam.co/itunes! :)
What is Paper Team all about?
This is a podcast about television writing and becoming a TV writer.
It is for people like us–working their way into the business from the ground up–who aspire to be TV writers (whether drama or comedy).
It is also for everyone interested in the television industry and everything around it.
We’ll be alternating every episode between two threads vital to being a successful TV writer: the business side, and the writing side.
On the industry end, we’ll be discussing things like meeting people, networking, finding work, being an assistant, and the television business itself.
On the writing front, we’ll be tackling anything related to our craft. Writing TV pilots, TV specs, taking notes, structure, theme, working in a writers’ room, in a writing team, and so much more.
Our first few episodes aim to give you a basic step-by-step guide to getting yourself established in LA, armed with a basic understanding of TV writing, and giving you the tools needed to start your journey to the writers’ room.
You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex – @TVCalling
Nick – @_njwatson
If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]
Paper Team is a podcast about television writing and becoming a TV writer.
I am wondering if you still feel so strongly about living in LA to operate as a TV Writer. Have TV Writing gigs started to become more modern in terms of using modern communications technologies?
Relocating is a considerable risk and expense. Not to mention that LA is not the most attractive place in many respects. Southern California like many places has its share of challenges and problems. That does not even take into account that there are natural challenges to trying to live there.
Personally, I have never really seen the appeal of trying to live in Los Angeles. I have lived in a few places in this country and have been able to adapt and find good things about being there; but the idea of having to live in LA or even Southern California is not something I want to HAVE to consider.
You make an interesting point early on in this episode about how writing feature films may provide a person more flexibility in terms in where they live and work. But, if I just want to sell a Pilot and Bible, wouldn’t it be possible to work remotely via Skype or some other digital conferencing tech?
I would be interested in your opinion on this.