Episodes

Alex and Nick announce that they're taking a break from Paper Team. From new content to COVID fatigue, we go over all the reasons behind our decision in this episode. - Plus, we discuss the future of the podcast and our Patreon campaign. - Links

Alex and Nick answer your TV writing questions about the usefulness of being an assistant, limited access for lower-level writers, and supporting yourself financially. Plus, we discuss the latest TV writing news, including the Paramount+ presentation and a series finale’s oral history. Content Review shout-out (00:32) TV Writing Questions: Usefulness of being an assistant, supporting yourself financially, and limited access for lower-levels (01:18) TV Writing News: Paramount+ presentation, ...

Alex and Nick follow up on past Paper Tease entrants to see what has happened with their scripts and their careers since their work appeared on Paper Team. Links Paper Tease: Hooked On A Story – July Session (PT180) Paper Tease Reveals – November Session (PT158) Paper Tease Returns – September Session (PT151) Paper Scraps Monthly VI – Mentorship Announcement, November Paper Tease, Overall Deals & Executives (PT113) Paper Tease: Microcosms – August Session (PT185) Paper Tease: Context For Your ...

Alex and Nick discuss the realities of sustaining a career as a TV writer, from financial and mental hardships, to professional and personal burnout. What does “breaking in” really mean? What are the practical and emotional realities of being a TV writer? What are strategies we’ve found helpful for our own well-being? Why is taking care of your mental health so important for your work? How does social and professional burnout manifest? When should you quit the industry? How do you outwit, outpl...

Alex and Nick answer your TV writing questions about ideal writing conditions, writing essentials, and predatory representation contracts. Plus, we discuss the latest news, including the WGA/WME agreement, and problematic behaviors in our industry. Content TV Writing Questions: Ideal writing conditions and predatory contracts (00:32) TV Writing News: WGA/WME Agreement, problematic behaviors, and a new OTT (21:14) Links WGA Agreement with WME “Gina Carano fired from ‘Mandalorian’ after soci...

Alex and Nick take a look at the outlining process in television writing. Whether you’re working on your own TV sample scripts, or asked to deliver outlines in a writers’ room, we dig into everything you should watch out for. Why is outlining a critical step in television? How do we approach outlines? Have there been times we’ve decided not to outline? How early in the process do we outline? How do outlines differ between your own work and what is expected in a writers’ room? Why has there been...

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 sc...

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...

Alex and Nick continue the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with mentee Ben Warner, and the revised draft of his drama pilot THE PIRATE KING. Step five of the process: revising the first draft of the original pilot. We share our thoughts on Ben’s revised draft. Content 2020 Mentorship recap (00:00:45) Discussion of “The Pirate King” revised draft (00:02:05) Links “The Pirate King” revised draft 2020 Paper Team Mentorship I – “The Pirate King” Overview (PT190) 2020 Paper Team Mentorship I – Ben’...

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) Resourc...

Alex and Nick celebrate the end of 2020 by taking a look back at the year for Paper Team and TV writing, plus celebrating our fans and announcing our 2021 plans for the podcast. What were the most popular and discussed episodes of Paper Team in 2020? Did we hit our 2020 goals for the podcast? What were our favorite shows, movies, music, books of the year? What are our 2021 Paper Team goals? What virtual gifts did Alex and Nick get each other? Content 1 - Paper Team Shout-outs (00:00:47) 2 - ...

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) 20...

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 sc...

Alex and Nick discuss television writing threads about showrunner credit, rewrite/punchup process, and industry inspirations. Plus, we discuss the latest television news, including production returning to California and the ongoing WGA/CAA battle. Reminder We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE this Saturday, December 5 at 2PM PST! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. Follow follow TV Calling's Twitch channel to be notifi...

Alex and Nick continue the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with mentee Ben Warner and the beat sheet of his drama pilot THE PIRATE KING. Step three of the process: a detailed outline of the pilot episode, with every act broken down scene-by-scene. We answer some feedback and discuss our thoughts on Ben's outline. Reminder We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. So mark your calendars for S...

Alex and Nick bust ten common myths about the television business, from those about breaking into the industry and getting staffed, to writing samples and the value of representation. Reminder We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. So mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5 and follow TV Calling's brand-new Twitch channel. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite mom...

Alex and Nick discuss the process of giving notes and feedback on scripts, including story, structure, characters, world, prose, dialogue, and format. From what we look for in the writing on a granular level to the psychology behind articulating great notes, learn actionable advice on how to properly dissect a television pilot, a spec episode, or any other script. Reminder We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast w...

Alex and Nick bust ten common myths about the craft of television writing, from pilot ideas and script feedback, to first drafts and episode content. Reminder We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. So mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5 and follow TV Calling's brand-new Twitch channel. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite moment or guest from the podcast you ...

Alex and Nick answer your television writing questions about meeting people willing to read you, navigating similar ideas, and codifying writing partnerships. Plus, we make a big announcement about our upcoming live 200th Paper Team episode, and discuss the latest television news, including the continuing WGA/agency fight. Announcement We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. So mark yo...

Alex and Nick continue the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with mentee Ben Warner and the beat sheet of his drama pilot THE PIRATE KING. Step two of the process: a beat sheet of the pilot episode, including general acts and story arcs. We hear Ben's pilot episode and share our thoughts live. Content Quick recap and listeners' thoughts on the first 2020 mentorship episode (00:38) "The Pirate King" - Beat sheet (03:16) Discussion of the beat sheet (13:46) Links "The Pirate King" beat sheet 2020...

Alex and Nick invite Shannon Houston, writer on the HBO series Lovecraft Country and co-host of the Lovecraft Country Radio podcast, to discuss writing Lovecraftian horror, representation in genre, and producing a companion podcast for a popular series. How does Lovecraft Country strike a balance with its tone and format each week? What kind of rules are there around the mythology of the world? How is genre and horror used as an allegory to explore social issues? What goes into running a compan...

Alex and Nick answer your TV writing questions about non-adult animation, reverse-engineering shows, and cultural references. Plus, we reveal details of our online virtual mixer and discuss the latest TV news, including broadcast comedies under threat, productions resuming, and controversial release schedules. Reminder We're having our first online virtual mixer this week! Join us Saturday, October 3 at 6PM PST over Zoom. Link and information available at http://paperteam.co/onlinemixer Co...

Alex and Nick begin the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with winner and mentee Ben Warner, with his new drama pilot THE PIRATE KING. Step one of the process: a basic overview of the series and pilot, with premise, characters, themes, and arcs. We hear for the first time Ben's pitch and share our thoughts live. The 2020 mentorship begins... Content About the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship and mentee Ben (00:49) "The Pirate King" - Basic series overview (05:54) Discussion of the basic series overvie...

Alex and Nick give feedback on five of your teasers on this year's final Paper Tease session. - Plus, we reveal the winner of our new 2020 Paper Team Mentorship! - Paper Tease Entries "There Goes the Neighbourhood" by Tobias Tobbell