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Posts published in “TV Business”

Pitches, Pivots, and Pilots – Paper Scraps Monthly (PT205)

Alex and Nick answer your TV writing questions about pitching with a script, and pivoting towards a screenwriting career.

Plus, we discuss the latest news, including productions halting in LA, and pilot season during a pandemic.

Content

Editor Goodbye and Shout-Outs (00:31)
TV Writing Questions: Pitching with a script, pivoting towards a screenwriting career later in life (02:56)
TV Writing News: Warner Bros, Alex Trebek, and production shutdowns (17:58)

Links

Networking 201: Cold Contact, Queries and Etiquette (PT121)
Protecting and Over-Protecting Your TV Script: Copyright, Ownership and Idea Theft (PT23)
Breaking in as a TV Writer Later in Life ft. J. Holtham (PT92)
“Warner Bros will stream its 2021 films” – The Ringer
“HBO Max Planning Original DC Content for International Markets” – CBR
“The Hidden Depths of Alex Trebek’s Banter with Jeopardy Contestants” – The New Yorker
“SAG-AFTRA, Producers Guild & Advertisers Urge Temporary Shutdown” – Deadline

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex@TVCalling
Nick@_njwatson
For any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Work-Life Balance in TV: Tips and Strategies (PT203)

Alex and Nick discuss tips and strategies on how to deal with work-life balance in the television industry now that it has moved to a remote model. How has “work-from-home” had an impact on the industry? What are strategies we’ve worked on to manage both remote work and life? What are some resources for time and productivity while creating healthy boundaries?

Content

1 – Life and Work-From-Home Balance in the TV Industry (00:31)
2 – How We Manage a Work-From-Home/Life Balance (07:36)
Resources and Next Week On (38:28)

Links

Fun Habit (FKA Loop Habit) App
The TV Writer’s Mindset: Dealing With Procrastination, Blank Page, and the Muse (PT17)
Staying Productive During Hiatus (PT126)

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex@TVCalling
Nick@_njwatson
For any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

The Paper Team 200th Episode Special (PT200)

Alex and Nick celebrate the two-hundredth episode of Paper Team with a livestream event featuring several of our past guests, including TV writers, producers, and showrunners from a wide array of shows.

In this first-of-its-kind live and interactive special, we cover all major TV writing topics, from building a competitive TV portfolio and managing industry relationships, to being a useful writer on staff, balancing character with story in scripts, strategies for virtual writers’ rooms, spec scripts, pilot scripts, formats, and so much more.

NOTE: This is the direct audio recording from our Twitch livestream with minimal editing. Occasional bumps are to be expected since we were live, plus hosting while handling the technical side of the event.

Content

Reflections on our first episode, the first Paper Team mentorship, being in L.A. for the industry, and building a TV writing portfolio (00:00:30)
Balancing character with story/structure, and managing industry relationships (00:54:00)
Being a useful writer on staff, and how to approach blue-skying (01:57:00)
Reflections on our second episode, declaring a TV major, evolution of episode formats, and future of the medium (02:36:00)

Links

Alex’s Twitch channel
Video version of our 200th episode special livestream
Moving to Los Angeles (and Things We Wish We Knew) (PT01)
Comedy v. Drama: Declare Your TV Major (PT02)
Paper Team Mentorship I – “Mid-Death Crisis” Overview (PT128)
Paul Chang on Twitter
Alex Switzky on Twitter
Alison Tafel on Twitter
Julia Yorks on Twitter
Jordan VanDina on Twitter
Tamara Becher-Wilkinson on Twitter
Mike Scully on Twitter
J. Holtham on Twitter
Jimmy Nguyen on Twitter
Hilliard Guess on Twitter
Franki Butler on Twitter
Caroline Levich on Twitter
Evelyn Yves on Twitter
Logan Kriete on Twitter

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex@TVCalling
Nick@_njwatson
For any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]