Posts tagged as “Staffing”

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.)