Pitching - TV Calling

Getting Noticed From Outside the Industry ft. Joey Tuccio (Roadmap Writers) (PT104)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:03 — 41.5MB)

Alex and Nick invite Joey Tuccio, CEO of Roadmap Writers, to discuss ways of establishing yourself as a writer when you’re starting from outside the entertainment industry.

How can someone outside LA get noticed as a writer? What can writers do to position themselves for success before trying to break in? What traits do succesful Roadmap writers share? How can writers make the most of their meetings with executives and reps? What are the biggest challenges for aspiring writers breaking in now?

The Paper Team looks at their roadmap…

SHOWNOTES

Content

Starting in LA, selecting what to write, creating a writer’s brand, learning from your peers, finding a mentor, using social media, meeting with executives, being a “human first”, finding a rep, using intellectual property (00:54)
Final Advice, Resources, and Next Week On (40:35)

Links

Joey Tuccio on Instagram
Roadmap Writers
Roadmap’s Career Writer Programs
“How the horror short ‘Lights Out’ went from 3-minute film to Hollywood feature” – Los Angeles Times
Roadmap’s Page Analysis

Resources

SimplyScripts
Short of the Week

This episode brought to you by Roadmap Writers

Use code ROADMAP to get $15 OFF your first Roadmap Writers Program

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

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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]

An Evening in the Writers’ Room – Paper Team Live (PT100)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:26:20 — 134.2MB)

Alex and Nick present two back-to-back TV writing panels, one for comedy and one for drama, digging into the intricacies of the writers’ room.

From staff writer to showrunner, we’ve assembled a dozen TV writers across every level to get a sense of what it’s like to navigate a writers’ room and sustain a career.

Comedy/half-hour and animation panelists include Nina Bargiel (Barbie), Vicky Luu (Superstore), Adam Stein (Harley Quinn), Alison Tafel (BoJack Horseman), Brittani Nichols (Take My Wife), and Lauren Bradley (Spirit: Riding Free).

Drama/one-hour panelists include Alison Schapker (Altered Carbon), Monica Macer (Queen Sugar), Chris Levinson (Tyrant), Grainne Godfree (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), Britta Lundin (Riverdale), and Hilliard Guess (Deadly Class).

How do you navigate a TV writers’ room? How does the dynamic and etiquette of the room influence pitching? How can you gauge if a script is effective? How have writers’ rooms evolved over the years? What do showrunners look for when hiring their staff? How can you approach breaking macro and character arcs? What is the best way for lower-level writers to make themselves valuable in the room? How do you address notes without compromising creative integrity? What are ways of dealing with the instability of the profession?

The Paper Team drops the mic…