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TV Calling

TV Writing Programs and Fellowships ft. Andy Mathieson, Jenny Deiker Restivo and Thomas Reyes (PT85)

Alex and Nick invite three fellows of the network TV writing programs to discuss their experiences applying, being selected, and participating in the curricula.

Guests include Andy Mathieson from the 2016 Disney/ABC Writing Program, Jenny Deiker Restivo from the 2018 FOX Writers Lab, and Thomas Reyes from the 2016 Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop.

What is the selection process of the TV writing programs? What are the interview rounds like? What are the fellowships’ requirements? What can you learn in the writing programs? What are some common misconceptions about them? How do you get the most out of the experience?

The Paper Team applies themselves…

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 – Speccing, applying, and the TV writing programs’ selection process (00:00:39)
2 – Being in the TV writing programs (00:28:46)
3 – After the TV writing programs (00:48:58)
Resources and Next Week On (01:06:20)

Links

Andy Mathieson on IMDb
Jenny Deiker Restivo on Twitter
Thomas Reyes on Twitter
“TV Writing Fellowships: The Big Six” – TV Calling
Disney/ABC TV Writing Program
FOX Writers Lab
Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop
Nickelodeon Writing Program
Altered Carbon
Hard Sun
Future Man
Victoria
The Carmichael Show

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

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]

TV Pilot 201: Keeping the Reader Interested (PT84)

Alex and Nick discuss how to be proactive in the way you write your TV pilot script, and how to keep the reader interested.

Why are loglines and titles so important? How can you connect your script to your personal story? How do you set things up in a pilot? What are ways of counteracting reader fatigue?

Plus, we take a look at the recent revelations about Amazon Prime Video’s internal numbers.

The Paper Team turns the page…

SHOWNOTES

Content

Paper Scraps: Amazon Prime Video viewership (00:37)
1 – Meta: Elements around your TV pilot (07:20)
2 – Script: Translating your TV pilot to the page (26:11)
Takeaways and Resources (45:49)

Links

“TV Pilot 101” (PT30)
“Amazon’s internal numbers on Prime Video, revealed” – Reuters
“TV Characters 101” (PT46)
“Analyzing Great TV Characters” (PT72)
“TV World-Building 101” (PT44)
“Tone in TV Writing” (PT60)
“Act Breaks” (PT15)
“Teasers & Cold Opens” (PT61)
“Analyzing Great TV Pilots” (PT54)
“Weaving Storylines: A/B/C Stories” (PT53)
“Macro Storytelling: Writing Character and Story Arcs in TV” (PT68)
“Writing Themes and Values in TV” (PT36)

Resources

“The Pilot Script Checklist” – Splitsider

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

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]

Reimagined for TV: Writing Shows Based on Popular IP – Paper Team Live at WonderCon 2018 (PT83)

For the second Paper Team Live event, Alex and Nick head to WonderCon 2018 to host a panel on adapting IPs to television.

From books, to comics and movies, it seems that all your favorite TV shows are adaptations of existing properties. But writing a fresh story within well-known worlds poses its own set of challenges. That’s why we’ve invited an all-star panel of TV writers and producers to hear their thoughts on this topic.

Panelists include Michael R. Perry (Altered Carbon, The Dead Zone), Ray Utarnachitt (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Person of Interest), Kai Yu Wu (The Flash, Hannibal), Britta Lundin (Riverdale), and Colleen McAllister (My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop).

What is the process of adapting something to television? How can writers stay true to established material while putting their own spin on it? Why do certain properties make for great TV? How do writers and producers interact with original creators and rights owners?

The Paper Team returns live to room 209…

SHOWNOTES

Content

Paper Team WonderCon 2018 panel on adapting IPs for television (00:41)
Next Time On (48:13)

Links

Colleen McAllister on Twitter
Britta Lundin on Twitter
Ray Utarnachitt on Twitter
Kai Wu on Twitter
Michael R. Perry on Twitter
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls
Littlest Pet Shop
Hanazuki: Full of Treasures
Riverdale
“Ship It” – Britta Lundin
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
The Flash
Supergirl
Hannibal
Deception
Altered Carbon
Captain Cold
Justice League Action
Psych
Jughead Jones
Richard K. Morgan
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Bryan Fuller
Greg Berlanti
Geoff Johns
Heat Wave
Felicity Smoak
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Marc Guggenheim
Laeta Kalogridis
“TV Writer vs. Fandom: Writers’ Rooms and Fan Interaction” (PT38)
Ms. Marvel
Five Deadly Venoms
Nancy Drew (Film)
Into the Badlands
Little House on the Prairie books
Weird War Tales

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for the audio recording and Lauren Conoscenti for the photo.

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

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]