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Posts published in “TV Writer & Branding”

2020 Paper Team Mentorship VI – “The Pirate King” Strategy (PT206)

Alex and Nick conclude the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with mentee Ben Warner, and his drama pilot THE PIRATE KING.

Final step of the process: strategizing on what to do with your new pilot script, from using this sample to attract representation, to using it as a TV staffing or selling tool, and much more.

Content

2020 Mentorship Recap and “The Pirate King” Script Updates (00:49)
Internal Strategies: Understanding your script and yourself (04:32)
External Strategies: What to do with your script? (19:54)

Links

2020 Paper Team Mentorship I – “The Pirate King” Overview (PT190)
2020 Paper Team Mentorship I – Ben’s Update
2020 Paper Team Mentorship II – “The Pirate King” Beat Sheet (PT193)
2020 Paper Team Mentorship II – Ben’s Update
2020 Paper Team Mentorship III – “The Pirate King” Outline (PT198)
2020 Paper Team Mentorship III – Ben’s Update
2020 Paper Team Mentorship IV – “The Pirate King” First Draft (PT201)
2020 Paper Team Mentorship IV – Ben’s Update
2020 Paper Team Mentorship V – “The Pirate King” Revised Draft (PT204)
Branding Yourself (PT86)
Branding Samples, Manager Opinions, and OTTs (PT145)
Tell Us About Yourself: Crafting the Personal Pitch (PT165)
TV Writing Competitions (PT33)
Script Readiness, Contests, and Career Detours (PT160)
TV Writer Representation 101 (PT31)
Networking 201: Cold Contact, Queries and Etiquette (PT121)
Putting Yourself Out There (PT75)
TV Staffing vs. TV Selling (PT182)

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]

2020 Paper Team Mentorship IV – “The Pirate King” First Draft (PT201)

Alex and Nick pursue the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with mentee Ben Warner and the first draft of his drama pilot THE PIRATE KING.

Step four of the process: writing a first complete draft of the original pilot.

We address a polarizing email and discuss Ben’s first draft.

Content

Mentorship recap and new audience feedback (00:00:43)
Discussion of “The Pirate King” first draft (00:16:41)

Links

“The Pirate King” first draft
2020 Paper Team Mentorship I – “The Pirate King” Overview (PT190)
2020 Paper Team Mentorship I – Ben’s Update
2020 Paper Team Mentorship II – “The Pirate King” Beat Sheet (PT193)
2020 Paper Team Mentorship II – Ben’s Update
2020 Paper Team Mentorship III – “The Pirate King” Outline (PT198)
2020 Paper Team Mentorship III – Ben’s Update

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

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

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]