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Posts published in “TV Writing”

The TV Writer’s Mindset: Dealing With Procrastination, Blank Page, and the Muse (PT17)

Alex and Nick tackle how to get into a TV writing mindset and actually finish that script.
We talk about the psychological side of writing and practical ways of dealing with procrastination, deadlines, and the muse.

How do you beat the blank page? How do you deal with procrastination? How do you stay accountable with your work?

The Paper Team starts the clock…

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 – Approaching writing or the myth of “the muse” (00:38)
2 – Time-management and procrastination (06:45)
3 – External and introspective factors (21:36)
Takeaways and Resources (28:46)

Links

Parkinson’s Law
Pomodoro technique
Crave Cafe (Studio City)
Republic of Pies
Sublime Text
Highland
Fade In
Habitica
Ig Nobel Prize
The Art of Procrastination – John Perry
Pavlok
The Most Dangerous Writing App
Nathan For You – “Dating Website/Party Planner” (2×07)
Pumping Iron

Resources

Time Timer MOD
Rainy Mood
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

Special thanks to Jason J. Cohn 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]

Act Breaks (PT15)

Alex and Nick discuss the goal and narrative impact of TV act breaks, also known as the structural core of every television episode ever.

Why do shows have act breaks? What is the difference between an act break in comedy versus drama? What impact has the inflation of act breaks in shows had on TV stories?

The Paper Team smashes to black…

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 – Introduction to act breaks (00:30)
2 – Act breaks and TV narrative (12:29)
3 – Inflation of act breaks and impact on pacing (18:28)
4 – Writing without acts (31:00)
Takeaways & Resources (40:04)

Links

Format of Gunsmoke
Over-the-top Content (OTT)
Smash to Black – TV Tropes
Coup de théâtre
One Mississippi
NBC’s Seeso
Julie Plec on Act Breaks
Tom Fontana

Resources

“Basic TV Act Structure” – Excerpt from “Showrunners” by Tara Bennett
“Cracking the Sitcom Code” – The Atlantic

Special thanks to Jason J. Cohn 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]

Diversity in TV and the Writers’ Room ft. Francesca Butler & Kelly Lynne D’Angelo (PT14)

Alex and Nick welcome Francesca Butler and Kelly Lynne D’Angelo to discuss diversity and representation in television — both on screen and in the writers’ room.
What has been their personal experience working in TV? What shows influenced them growing up? What are they thoughts on diversity staffing and writing programs?

The Paper Team hands the mic over for some thought-provoking insight…

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 – Influences growing up (00:33)
2 – Cultural appropriation and experiences being in the writers’ room (11:59)
3 – Diversity staffing and the writing programs (24:58)
4 – WGA’s Diversity Committees & Caucuses (33:11)
5 – Moving forward, selling yourself and recommended shows (36:12)

Links

Francesca Butler on Twitter
Kelly Lynne D’Angelo on Twitter
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
The Patriot
Hamilton
All That
Roundhouse
The West Wing
American Dreams
Living Single
Angela Moore (from Boy Meets World)
The Journey of Allen Strange
The Meteor Man
Hollywood Shuffle
“Shapes” (1×19 – The X-Files)
Thunderbird House (from Harry Potter)
Jacqueline White (from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Sundance Institute/IAIA’s Native Writer’s Workshop
LA Skins Fest’s Native American TV Writers Lab
“TV Diversity Programs: Launching Pad or Scarlet Letter?”
WGAW Diversity Committees
A Different World
The Flash and Supergirl’s Musical Crossover
Insecure
Being Mary Jane
Greenleaf
The Son

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]