Episodes

Alex and Nick discuss macro storytelling in TV writing, from season-long narrative arcs to character development. Why is it important to have character arcs across seasons? When should you write serialized narratives? How far in advance should you plot things out? Do you need to know everything before writing a pilot? What are unique TV examples of macro storytelling? Plus, we talk about what "signing with an agent or manager" literally means. The Paper Team sets things up... SHOWNOTES Cont...

Alex and Nick invite Britta Lundin, story editor on The CW's Riverdale and author of Ship It, to discuss everything you need to know about your first TV staff writing job and working on a popular show. What is the process of getting staffed on a TV series? What is the experience of working in a writers' room for the first time? How do you approach the "room etiquette"? From pitch to draft, and season to episode, what is the writing process like on Riverdale? How do you adapt your voice to that ...

Alex and Nick discuss the evolution of censorship on TV and the involvement of "standards & practices". What is considered censorship in television? How is sensitive content categorized? What are differences in TV censorship across the world? How have sensibilities changed across the years? When can standards & practices influence TV writing? Plus, we answer our very first voicemail. The Paper Team bleeps itself... SHOWNOTES Content Paper Scraps: Rolling submissions and visa questions (00:...

Alex and Nick share their experiences adapting preexisting material to television, from established novels and properties to historical events. What constitutes an adaptation? How do you balance existing content and personal take? How close should you stick to the original source? How do you stay historically accurate while telling a compelling story? When should you spec an existing property without having the rights? Plus, a new venue for feedback and an update on the Fox Writers Lab. The P...

Alex and Nick mark Halloween by looking at iconic TV episodes celebrating the holiday and what makes them so special. How does Halloween translate to television? What are some of the best Halloween episodes? What makes a good Halloween story? The Paper Team scares itself... SHOWNOTES Content 1 - Some Halloween history (00:46) 2 - Elements of Halloween TV episodes (08:17) 3 - Favorite Halloween episodes (17:23) 4 - The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror (29:24) Resources and Next Week On (36:...

Alex and Nick invite Matt Thilenius, TV literary assistant at Creative Artists Agency, to discuss the role of agents representing TV writers. How do agents operate during staffing season? What are tips for writers looking for representation?

Alex and Nick discuss the basics of meetings for TV writers. From generals to staffing, here are some tips and tricks to get and ace your own one-on-ones. What are the different types of meetings? How do you get in the room? How should you prepare for a general or staffing meeting? How do you make a good first impression? What are dos-and-donts during and after your meeting? Plus, we answer additional questions from our "Writing your first TV pilot" Scriptchat session. The Paper Team takes th...

Alex and Nick discuss the importance of teasers in television writing and key elements that make cold opens effective. What is the point of opening scenes? What makes a good teaser? How do you reveal character, story and theme in those first few pages? Are there teaser differences between comedy and drama? Plus, we talk 2017 Emmy winners and the revamped Fox Writers Lab. The Paper Team opens up... SHOWNOTES Content Paper Scraps: Emmys 2017 & Fox Writers Lab (00:28) 1 - Why are teasers and...

Alex and Nick discuss the importance of tone in TV shows and how to establish it in your own writing. What is tone in television? How can you set tone through story, character, themes, and world? How do you keep a consistent tone in your TV script?

Alex and Nick invite Daniela Garcia-Brcek, manager at Circle of Confusion, to discuss ins-and-outs of managing TV writers. What is the relationship between managers and writers? What should writers do before getting repped? How do managers find clients?

Alex and Nick discuss the differences between inspiration and stealing in screenwriting and TV. What constitutes an original idea? Where is the line between inspiration and stealing? Where can you get inspiration from? How many stories are there to tell?

Alex and Nick invite Becca Burgess, casting associate on Last Man Standing, Undateable, and Cougar Town, to discuss how casting works in television. What can TV writers learn from the casting process? How does casting approach TV character descriptions?

Alex and Nick share stories about being immigrants in the US and working in the TV industry as foreigners. Should you move directly to Los Angeles or first get experience somewhere else like New York or Vancouver? When would a show hire you if you're not a US citizen? What are cultural differences and initial difficulties to watch out for when moving countries? What is the visa and green card process for TV writers? What are some unique setbacks of being an immigrant in the TV industry? Plus, ...

Alex and Nick invite three TV writers to discuss what comes after winning a major screenwriting or TV writing competition. Guests include: Talia Gonzalez (Teen Wolf/iZombie) from the 2013 Tacking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, David Hoffman (Timeless) from the 2015 Launch Pad Pilot Competition, and T.A. Snyder from the 2017 Launch Pad Pilot Competition. Why is entering screenwriting competitions important? What should you look out for before submitting a script? What should you expect a...

Alex and Nick break down six iconic TV pilots to look at what makes them great TV scripts (Alias, Community, Homicide, The O.C., Scrubs and 3rd Rock from the Sun). What makes a memorable TV pilot work? What rules do they bend? What lessons can you learn?

Alex and Nick discuss the importance of weaving A, B and C stories in TV writing, and interesting ways of doing it in TV scripts. Why is it important to cut between storylines? Which ones should you spend more time on? What are some noteworthy formats?

Alex and Nick look at the importance of dialogue in TV writing, and give an overview of what makes it stand out. What can you use dialogue for? What makes good or bad dialogue? What are some common pitfalls in dialogue writing? How do you fix dialogue?

Alex and Nick celebrate the fiftieth episode and first year of Paper Team with updates on past TV writing episodes and guests (ft. Tennessee Martin, Steven Darancette, Sam Miller, Chris Corbett, Maggie Herman, Jimmy Nguyen, Gary Sundt).

Alex and Nick invite Dana Bramble, coordinator in current programming at The CW, to discuss the ins-and-outs of working in the scripted side of a TV network. What happens after a pilot gets picked up? How is current programming different from development? What notes do network executives give? How does staffing season operate for current shows? What arcs are pitched ahead of the season? How are standards and practices involved with scripts? The Paper Team looks at the slate... SHOWNOTES Cont...

Update: PT48 transcript now available Alex and Nick discuss why scene descriptions in TV scripts are so important, what to focus on in your TV prose, and treading the line between writing a script as a technical document versus a reading experience. What makes good or bad prose? What are some examples of compelling scene descriptions? Should prose be efficient or florid? How do you convey textual information? When should you "direct" in a TV script? Plus, a quick review of Shonda Rhimes' TV w...

Alex and Nick invite writer/producer Hilliard Guess to talk about his experience in the industry, the importance of the WGA, and his Screenwriter’s Rant Room podcast. How do you build a writing career without the traditional assistant or fellowship route?

Update: PT46 transcript now available Alex and Nick discuss one of the most important parts of television writing: creating compelling characters. Why are characters so vital to television shows? What are some key elements to watch out for when writing characters in a TV script? Why are character introductions so important in screenwriting? How can you create interesting people that fit your TV show? The Paper Team explores their existence... SHOWNOTES Content A special announcement (00:46...

Alex and Nick invite Billy Domineau, writer of the popular Seinfeld 9/11 spec script and staff writer on Family Guy, to talk about the pros and cons of writing a TV stunt spec. When should you write a stunt script? What is the process of making and distributing one? How can a TV spec get shared around town? How do you use that popularity to get represented and staffed on a TV show? The Paper Team goes viral... SHOWNOTES Content 1 - Brainstorming, writing, distributing and having the stunt s...

Alex and Nick discuss the importance of world-building in television writing and TV pilots. What is the point of world-building in TV shows? What are some good and bad examples of it? How can you implement world-building effectively in your own writing?