The Writers Panel
The definitive insider's guide to television's golden age, featuring live convention panels and in-studio interviews with writers, producers, and showrunners behind hit shows. Host Ben Blacker has spoken with Vince Gilligan, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Liz Meriwether, and Damon Lindelof about the art and business of creating great TV. The podcast has produced nearly 500 episodes and continues to expand.
Episodes
Russell T. Davies (Tip Toe; Doctor Who)
Russell T. Davies (Tip Toe; Doctor Who; Queer As Folk) discusses building a story out of anger, his relationship with actors, his response to stupid notes, discovering writing, his unique process, empty staircases, and more.The Thrilling Adventure Hour is live this weekend! Saturday 10/10 At the Dynasty Typewriter Theater in LA and streaming everywhere. Two shows, 7pm PT and 9:30pm PT, two new scr
Anthony King (Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat)
Anthony King (Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat; Rooster; The Afterparty) discusses worldbuilding in the real world, what's too funny for reality, lessons learned from Jury Duty that are applicable to traditional script writing, how the game was nearly blown up, and more.SUNDAY AUGUST 30, 8pm PT at the Lodge Room in LA and streaming live/on demand everywhere:WGF RetroReads presents: Star Trek 60
Pilar Alessandra (On the Page)
Teacher and script consultant Pilar Alessandra is ending her inspiring and instructive podcast, On the Page, after 19 years and 1000 episodes. Ben Blacker administers Pilar's exit interview, discussing why she started the podcast, invaluable advice gleaned from the writers she's interviewed, the "drunk and naked" early episodes, how to write great dialogue, tips on pitching from her children, podc
Cassie Pappas (Lucky)
Cassie Pappas (showrunner, Lucky; Silo; Griselda) discusses shooting in Vegas, movies that inspired the tone of Lucky, the emotional guts of the show, getting weird with the writers, showrunning as a "creative team sport," whether or not you need to live in LA to work in TV, and more.No Notes is Sunday July 19, 7pm, at the Dynasty Typewriter Theater in LA!This is a new staged show in which great p
Ana Nogueira (Supergirl)
Ana Nogueira (Supergirl) discusses pitching open writing assignments, setting a reasonable goal, the Westerns that inspired Supergirl, the core of Kara Zor-El, her favorite brainwash, and lots more.Dead Pilots Society returns live and on demand Sunday July 12, 3-5pm, at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Dead Pilots Society, scripts that were developed by studios and networks but were never produced ar
Christine Boylan (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Christine Boylan (Avatar: The Last Airbender; Poker Face) discusses running seasons 2 and 3, the Stoppard quote that taught her structure, the real world seeping into a fantasy series, her nerd credentials, season 2 as the Empire Strikes Back season, and more.Dead Pilots Society returns live and on demand Sunday July 12, 3-5pm, at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Dead Pilots Society, scripts that wer
Owen Dennis (Among Us)
Owen Dennis (creator of Among Us and Infinity Train) discusses conveying tone, discovering theme, deconstructing tropes, dueling arcs, the line from Star Wars that unlocked everything, and more.Dead Pilots Society returns live and on demand Sunday July 12, 3-5pm, at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Dead Pilots Society, scripts that were developed by studios and networks but were never produced are gi
Ian Deitchman and Kristin Robinson (It's Not Like That)
Ian Deitchman and Kristin Robinson (creators, It's Not Like That; Parenthood; Off Campus) discuss telling emotionally driven stories, resurrecting a decade-old pilot as their new show, how the writers' strike benefited the show, how they run their room, and more.Check out SPECTACULAR, a staged reading of a new pilot by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker & Liz Hara about the making of the disastrous S
Matthew Rosenberg (If Destruction Be Our Lot...)
Comic book writer Matthew Rosenberg (If Destruction Be Our Lot...; 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank; Spawn) discusses co-writing with his brother, comics as a "dirtbag medium," the upcoming 4 Kids... film adaptation, story problems presented by an animatronic Abraham Lincoln, and lots more.Check out SPECTACULAR, a staged reading of a new pilot by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker & Liz Hara about the making
Chandler Levack (Mile End Kicks)
Writer/director Chandler Levack (Mile End Kicks; Roommates; I Like Movies) discusses how her first script became her second movie, revisiting Mile End Kicks after shooting I Like Movies, loving stage directions, music in movies, and lots more.Check out SPECTACULAR, a staged reading of a new pilot by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker & Liz Hara about the making of the disastrous Spider-man musical. C
BritaNick (Pizza Movie)
Writers/directors Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher (Pizza Movie; Over Your Dead Body) discuss their comedy sketch roots as "BritaNick" and what that represents, writing scripts that wouldn't be made, editing themselves, how to interact with the people paying you to write, why Pizza Movie is the perfect BritaNick movie debut, and more.Some fun events coming up!On Sunday, April 19, 2-4pm, is a live D
BenDavid Grabinski (Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice)
Writer/director BenDavid Grabinski (Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice; Scott Pilgrim Takes Off; Happily) discusses getting caught in the current of his career, runs of bad luck, runs of good luck, perseverance, tips for writing an easy-to-read script, making hamburgers, and more.Some fun events coming up!If you're in New Orleans this week, Ben is at the Overlook Film Festival on a panel called "Fea
Colby Day (In the Blink of an Eye)
Colby Day (In the Blink of an Eye; Spaceman) discusses assurance in writing and business, learning by making, writing impossible-to-execute ideas, receiving notes, and more.A couple of fun shows coming up that you can attend in LA or stream from anywhere! On Saturday March 28, 8:30pm, and Sunday April 19, 5pm, Ben Blacker is directing a very fun one-person show by actress Katherine Bourne Taylor.
Hello Sunshine's Lauren Neustadter
Producer Lauren Neustadter, President of Film and Television at Hello Sunshine, discusses building a brand from the ground up, meeting a tumultuous marketplace with optimism, the best way to present your material to buyers, her love of reading and writers, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Wr
Rachel Shukert (The Burbs)
Rachel Shukert (The Burbs; creator, The Baby-Sitters Club; The Handmaid's Tale) returns to discuss relearning to write to act breaks, why mysteries are so hard to crack, finding the heart of The Burbs, dreams of the Golden Girls house, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll a
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman (creator, Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds; Mission Impossible III) and Noga Landau (creator, Nancy Drew and Tom Swift; The Magicians) discuss meeting for the first time, what each looks for in a collaborator, story from the inside out, learning storytelling through Trek, the special sauce of Starfleet Academy, how the st
Alex Russell (Lurker; Beef)
Writer/director Alex Russell (Lurker; The Bear; Beef) discusses why he directed his own script, writing the unspoken, an apt metaphor for discovering story, his Frankenstein approach to outlining, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousand
Ponies
Ponies creators Susanna Fogel and David Iserson (The Spy Who Dumped Me) discuss how they collaborate, the long road to Ponies, comedy with stakes, American culture through a funhouse mirror, genre as a way of writing about relationships and politics, why pitching is a scam, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's
Gordon Smith (Pluribus)
Writer/director Gordon Smith (Pluribus; Better Call Saul) discusses what gives Pluribus legs, story as algorithm, a non-mystery mystery, some great directing advice that's really storytelling advice, parsing notes, getting sand in your eyes, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where yo
Craig Brewer (Song Sung Blue)
Writer/director Craig Brewer (Song Sung Blue; Hustle and Flow; Dolemite Is My Name) discusses making a narrative out of the Song Sung Blue documentary, how it's autobiographical, finding career inspiration in Amadeus, his writing process, "The Shelf," non-musical musicals, the beauty of "Save As," the Faustian bargain of making art, and lots more. Don't skip this one.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLET
Benito Skinner (Overcompensating)
Benito Skinner (creator/star of Overcompensating) discusses creating an honest coming-out story, translating his stand up show to a TV pilot, learning from Shonda Rhimes, writing about gray areas, inhabiting characters, the state of TV comedy, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where
The Running Man
The Running Man writer/director Edgar Wright (Last Night in Soho; Baby Driver) and co-writer Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs the World; 21 Jump Street) discuss adapting Stephen King's novel and what the author's approval meant to them, writing readable scripts, learning from past experiences, world-building, deploying Glen Powell as a secret weapon, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDE
Leslye Headland (Russian Doll; The Acolyte)
Writer/director Leslye Headland (creator, The Acolyte; co-creator, Russian Doll; Dying for Sex) returns to discuss individuality and authenticity, loving Star Wars, creding her team, how Russian Doll began, auteurism, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekl
Rebecca Cutter (Hunting Wives)
Rebecca Cutter (creator, The Hunting Wives and Hightown) returns to discuss why she thinks people have responded so positively to The Hunting Wives, hiring the writers' room, regulating tone by instinct, quality without "prestige," and more.The Thrilling Adventure Hour celebrates its 20th anniversary with shows in London!Come see Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Busy Philipps, Joshua Malina, Jane
Dana Klein & Matt Kuhn (DMV)
DMV showrunners Dana Klein (9JKL; Fresh Off the Boat; Friends) and Matt Kuhn (Doogie Kameāloha, MD; Fresh Off the Boat) discuss pitching and selling the show, keeping a positive and open writers' room together, what they look for in samples when staffing, how comedy has changed since Friends and How I Met Your Mother (where each began), keeping inspired, and more.The Thrilling Adventure Hour celeb
Shane Black (Play Dirty; The Nice Guys)
Shane Black (writer/director, Play Dirty, The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang; writer, Lethal Weapon,The Last Boy Scout) returns to discuss his connection to Donald Westlake, the writer on whose work Play Dirty is based, what he and his co-writers each bring to a script, how he pushes through imposter syndrome, respectful but playful actors, how production is just "shopping for ingredients," and lo
Nnamdi Asomugha (The Knife)
Nnamdi Asomugha (director/co-writer, The Knife) discusses going from playing in the NFL to becoming an actor and now writer and producer, embracing new skills, imposter syndrome, teamwork, and just how hard it really is to get a movie out into the world.The Thrilling Adventure Hour celebrates its 20th anniversary with shows in NY and London!Come see Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Busy Philipps,
Niya Palmer (Miss Governor)
Niya Palmer (co-creator, Miss Governor; Run the World) discusses working with Tyler Perry, being quiet on set, getting inspired by D.A.R.Y.L., how growing up sparring prepared her for some very bad writers' rooms, driving in the wake of an ambulance, and more.LIVE STUFF!A live Dead Pilots Society in LA (or available to stream on demand) on Sunday 9/14 2-4pm at the Elysian Theater. With scripts by
Macon Blair (The Toxic Avenger)
Writer/director Macon Blair (The Toxic Avenger; I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore) discusses managing a bigger production for his second feature, "handmade" films, balancing tones, writing a movie that's not "accidentally stupid," and lots more. LIVE STUFF!A live Dead Pilots Society in LA (or available to stream on demand) on Sunday 9/14 2-4pm at the Elysian Theater. With scripts by Lisa
Jen Statsky (Hacks) / Dan Erickson (Severance)
A double-header today!First, Jen Statsky (co-creator, Hacks) returns to discuss maintaining the high quality of the show four seasons in, staying honest while staying funny, season 4's big emotional moments, Carol Burnett, being raised by television, and more.Then, Severance creator Dan Erickson discusses the challenges of season 2, finding "things you can only do on this show," early comedy influ
Michael Seitzman (The Rainmaker)
Michael Seitzman (creator, The Rainmaker, Intelligence) discusses selling his John Grisham adaptation three times, shooting Dublin for Charleston (for Memphis), his approach to adaptation, storybreaking a conspiracy, hiring a writers room of Finders, Minders, and Grinders, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's
Nicholas Stoller & Francesca Delbanco (Platonic)
Nicholas Stoller (writer and/or director, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Muppets, Neighbors) and novelist Francesca Delbanco created and run Apple TV+'s Platonic. Ahead of the new season on August 6, they discuss writing a show called "Platonic" as a married couple, the importance of set experience for writers, not taking their work home, balancing character and plot, Nick's resistance to writers'
The Naked Gun
The Naked Gun writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand (Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers) discuss the real stakes of a very silly movie, comedy fight scenes, not being referential, why Liam Neeson is integral to remaking The Naked Gun, having on hand an ungodly number of alt jokes, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's new
I Know What You Did Last Summer
I Know What You Did Last Summer writer/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge; Someone Great) returns along with co-writer Sam Lansky to discuss their continuation of the 1997 horror film, modernizing a morality tale, playing plot Jenga, "trauma but make it popcorn," and justifying THAT TWIST.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing
James DeMonaco (The Home; The Purge)
James DeMonaco (writer/director, The Home, The Purge) discusses co-writing during lockdown, collaborating with Pete Davidson, the movie he passed on that got The Home made, advice from Francis Ford Coppola, and news of maybe a new Purge movie!THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll als
TV writer/novelist Stefanie Leder
Stefanie Leder (Faking It; Boo Bitch) discusses her debut novel, Love, Coffee, and Revolution, a coming-of-age/political adventure/rom com. the long road of writing the book, setting reasonable daily goals, the most important thing to getting published, why "TV is Jewish," and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Black
Chris & Paul Weitz (Murderbot)
Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz (creators, Murderbot; American Pie; About a Boy) discuss working with actors and what Alexander Skarsgård brought to the titular role of Murderbot, who your audience is, writing and directing together after a two-decade break, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:
I Don't Understand You
David Joseph Craig & Brian Crano (writers/directors of I Don't Understand You) discuss the personal story behind the movie, writing the truth vs writing honestly, scenes you need, who your competition is, why knowing actors is a good thing, poking the turkey, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter
Leon Chills (Shadow Force)
Leon Chills (Shadow Force) discusses writing his way out of a low point, working things out in the first draft, his approach to action scenes, when to ask someone to read your script, and more. THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers
Mike Drucker (The Tonight Show)
Mike Drucker (The Tonight Show; Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) discusses his new memoir, Good Game, No Rematch, writing his life through the lens of video games, how prose is different from stand up comedy, how his family responded to stories about them, discovering his emotional vulnerabilities, and more.Check out a live DEAD PILOTS SOCIETY this Sunday in LA, or stream on demand from anywhere!TI
Sascha Penn (Power Book III)
Sascha Penn (creator/showrunner, Power Book III) discusses the value of non-industry experience to showrunning, the truth about reps, the storytelling muscle, advice for entering the business at this moment, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from t
Jonathan Tropper (Your Friends and Neighbors)
Jonathan Tropper (creator, Your Friends and Neighbors, Banshee, Warrior) discusses writing a TV show closer in sensibility to his novels, the role of luck in a writing career, writing a non-action show, one key piece of advice about craft, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'
Veronica West (Surface)
Veronica West (creator of Surface, High Fidelity; Dexter: New Blood; Chicago Fire) discusses why she wrote Surface on spec, the elaborate pitch, working with actors, learning on the job, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of write
Abdullah Saeed (Deli Boys)
Abdullah Saeed (creator, Deli Boys) discusses diligence versus talent, his favorite part of the television-making process, the most important part of your sample script, embracing chaos, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of write
Drew Hancock (Companion)
Drew Hancock (writer/director, Companion) discusses being put in a box, tricks for directing on the page, writing from the perspective of a robot, why second drafts always suck, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers h
Katie O'Brien (The Z-Suite)
Katie O'Brien (creator, The Z Suite; co-creator, Teachers; The Santa Clauses) discusses improv and showrunning, her post-Teachers struggle, optimism in the face of rejection, the bananas sample script she had to write, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly ad
Adam Rudman (Nature Cat)
Adam Rudman (Carl the Collector; Nature Cat; Sesame Street) discusses pitching and selling pre-school series, the throughline in his shows, carrying on the traditions of Buster Keaton and Spongebob, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousa
Michelle Nader (Shifting Gears; Deli Boys)
Michelle Nader (showrunner of Shifting Gears and Deli Boys) discusses relationships with actors, including her "avatar" Kat Dennings, writing yourself out of your low points, how growing up in the mob prepared her for a career in television, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where yo
MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios
In our last episode of the year, journalists Joanna Robinson and Dave Gonzales, the authors of MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, discuss making a living as a "pop culture pundit," mapping the story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the missing "DC vs Marvel" chapter, lessons the MCU might take from recent successes like Deadpool & Wolverine and Agatha All Along, what other franchises might lea
Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, and Heath Corson
Heath Corson (Animal Kingdom; Batman: Assault on Arkham) discussing his new 4-issue comic, The Brood. Set in the “Minor Threats” universe, The Brood is a story about family, the patriarch of which happens to be a criminal mastermind.Heath Corson talks about writing from a personal place, how good and evil don't apply to family dynamics, human moments in a comic book world, and more.And after that,
Dana Ledoux Miller (Moana 2)
Dana Ledoux Miller (co-writer/co-director of Moana 2; creator/showrunner of Thai Cave Rescue; Kevin Can F*** Himself; Narcos) discusses turning the Moana sequel from a TV series to movie, learning the rules of musicals, wrong turns, trusting herself, creating a work worthy of 101 years of Disney features, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the
Roma Roth (Sullivan's Crossing)
In this craft-centered episode, Roma Roth (creator, Sullivan's Crossing; Virgin River) discusses finding and adapting IP.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&a
Dean Lorey (Creature Commandos)
In this craft-centered episode, Dean Lorey (showrunner of Kite Man: Hell Yeah!, Poppa's House, Creature Commandos, and Harley Quinn) discusses running multiple shows, writing drama so that the comedy shines, defining Harley Quinn as a solo act, shepherding James Gunn's vision for Creature Commandos, relying on his collaborators, when to stop fiddling, and more.Come see Dead Pilots Society live on
Dailyn Rodriguez (The Lincoln Lawyer)
In this craft-centered episode, The Lincoln Lawyer showrunner Dailyn Rodriguez (Queen of the South; The Night Shift) discusses writing procedurals. Dailyn has worked in that genre frequently, including The Glades, Lie To Me, In Plain Sight, and others.Come see Dead Pilots Society live on Sunday, November 17, 2-4pm at the Elysian Theater in LA! Also available to watch on demand.In Dead Pilots Socie
Gremlins: The Wild Batch
Gremlins: The Wild Batch's Tze Chun and Brendan Hay discuss the smooth sailing of their show, writing animation scripts, bringing little monsters to the Wild West, keeping a stress-free environment during lockdown, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly a
Soo Hugh (Pachinko)
Soo Hugh (showrunner, Pachinko; The Terror) discusses international filmmaking, the translation process, rewriting, her first second season, mild, medium, and spicy takes, and more.Come see The Thrilling Adventure Hour at the Dynasty Typewriter Theater on October 13, 6pm and 8pm, or stream it live or on demand!"An Evening Beyond Belief" stars Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster as married mediums.
Colin from Accounts
Colin from Accounts creators and stars Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer discuss falling into making this show, writing for themselves, creating flawed and funny characters, who's allowed access to the shared document, and more.Come see The Thrilling Adventure Hour at the Dynasty Typewriter Theater on October 13, 6pm and 8pm, or stream it live or on demand!"An Evening Beyond Belief" stars Paul F.
Charlie Covell (Kaos)
Charlie Covell (creator of Kaos and The End of the F***ing World) discusses their influences in retelling classical myths, creating a "contemporary kinked" world, threading the tonal needle, why they love first drafts, their playlists, and more.Want to check out one of the playlists Charlie made as they were creating the characters? Visit benblacker.substack.comCome see Ben Blacker's live show, RE
Sherman Payne (Emperor of Ocean Park)
Sherman Payne (creator, Emperor of Ocean Park; Shameless) discusses how to tell a great story, the different kinds of writers in TV, adaptation, what it takes to thrive as a TV writer, "prestidurals," and more.Come see Ben Blacker's live show, RETROSPECS, on Sunday, September 29, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their draw
Producer Ashley Jay Sandberg (Twisters)
Producer Ashley Jay Sandberg (Twisters; The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) discusses what a producer does, the art of giving and receiving notes, putting together the team, the future of movies, and lots more.Come see Ben Blacker's live show, RETROSPECS, on Sunday, September 29, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of
Will Smith (Slow Horses)
Will Smith (creator, Slow Horses) discusses comedy in drama, building off of author Mick Herron's plots, his work on Veep and The Thick of It with Armando Iannucci, and the reason why this show works as well as it does.Come see Ben Blacker's live show, RETROSPECS, on Sunday, September 29, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of t
Christy Hall (Daddio; It Ends with Us)
Christy Hall (Daddio; It Ends with Us) discusses what working in theater taught her, being curious by the gray areas, what matters most in getting a project off the ground, co-creating I Am Not Okay with This, mowing down cornfields, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll als
Sierra Katow (Exploding Kittens)
Writer/actor Sierra Katow (Funt; Golden Axe; The Sex Lives of College Girls) discusses performing stand-up from a young age, putting together her first hourlong special, the fun of narrative writing, the comedy landscape, writing jokes for clubs, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, whe
Kathleen Jordan (The Decameron)
Kathleen Jordan (creator, The Decameron and Teenage Bounty Hunters) discusses finding inspiration in a 14th century text, creating comic characters, balancing tone, theme, and plot, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of write
Robert Rodat (Those About to Die; Saving Private Ryan)
Robert Rodat (Those About to Die; Saving Private Ryan) discusses the parallels of his ancient Roman series to today's politics, his grueling rewriting process, the "heart and soul" of Saving Private Ryan, the three levels of conflict, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll al
Anna Fishko (Orphan Black: Echoes)
Anna Fishko (creator/showrunner, Orphan Black: Echoes; Fear the Walking Dead) discusses showrunning as a three-person job, hiring people she can trust, her writing superpower, the evolution of the series, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the
Jordan Morris (Youth Group)
Jordan Morris (Jordan Jesse Go!) talks about his new graphic novel, Youth Group, out this week. It's a funny and charming horror-comedy about teenage exorcists in the 1990s.Order your copy now: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250789235/youth-groupTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you
David Koepp (Jurassic Park; Spider-man; Mission Impossible)
Jurassic Park, Spider-man, Mission: Impossible, Carlito's Way, Indiana Jones, Bad Influence, Kimi, Snake Eyes, Panic Room, Presence, Black Bag, and even more. We're lucky to have David Koepp on today's episode. Want to participate in a writing workshop this summer with Ben Blacker and some terrific writers? Go from idea to first draft or get a rewrite into fighting shape? Email NerdistWriters@gmai
Quinn Shephard and Samir Mehta (Under the Bridge)
Under the Bridge creator Quinn Shephard (writer/director, Not Okay) and showrunner Samir Mehta (Narcos; Fear the Walking Dead) discuss couching emotional story in mystery plot, finding the universal in the specific, the Sopranos as children and as comedy, writing from the heart, reading to hire a room, and lots more.Come see Dead Pilots Society on Sunday, June 30, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater i
The Big Cigar's Janine Sherman Barois and Jim Hecht
The Big Cigar's Janine Sherman Barois (Claws; Criminal Minds) and Jim Hecht (Winning Time; Ice Age) discuss the responsibility of telling true stories, how The Big Cigar isn't just a biopic, working on multiple projects, the state of the industry, and more.Come see Dead Pilots Society on Sunday, June 30, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Dead Pilots Society scripts that were developed by s
The First Omen's Arkasha Stevenson + Tim Smith
The First Omen writer/director Arkasha Stevenson and co-writer Tim Smith discuss bringing their perspective to a beloved franchise, body horror, David Lynch, their writing process, that image, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of
Ned Benson (The Greatest Hits)
Writer/director Ned Benson (The Greatest Hits; The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby) discusses writing an earnest love story, writing through the lens of a director, the delusions of belief, when to let go, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the
Aron Eli Coleite (Spiderwick Chronicles; Atlas)
Aron Eli Coleite (creator/showrunner, The Spiderwick Chronicles; Atlas) discusses dialogue and action, helpful Aron-isms, our goldfish attention spans, key differences between TV and movie writing, why development takes so long now, and lots more.Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, May 19, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their
Don McKellar (co-creator, The Sympathizer)
Writer/director/actor Don McKellar (co-creator, The Sympathizer' 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould; Childstar) discusses throwing yourself into the deep end, the terrors of expectation, tradlation, and representation, collaborating with Park Chan-wook, how to know when to fight, his role on Slings and Arrows, and more.Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, May 19, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In
Michael Jamin (Tacoma FD; Maron)
Michael Jamin (Tacoma FD; Maron) discusses his new collection of personal essays, A Paper Orchestra, sharing versus oversharing, what he learned about art from David Bowie and Pharrel, and more.Buy A Paper Orchestra and see Jamin on his live reading tour! Info here: https://michaeljamin.com/product/a-paper-orchestra/Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, April 21, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In
Evan Waite (Family Guy; Kimmy Schmidt)
Evan Waite (Family Guy; The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) discusses the kinds of comedy he enjoys, breaking in by taking chances, his new book Life Wants You Dead: A Calm, Rational and Totally Legit Guide to Scaring Yourself Safe, and more.Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, April 21, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers
Melanie Marnich (showrunner, Apples Never Fall)
Melanie Marnich (creator, Apples Never Fall; The OA; Big Love) discusses pursuing projects that explore personal questions, casting her room for their strengths, pitching her perspective on Lianne Moriarty's novel, the Apples cast's secret text chain, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing
Abe Sylvia (Palm Royale; George and Tammy)
Abe Sylvia (creator, Palm Royale, George and Tammy; Dead to Me; Nurse Jackie) discusses making discoveries on set, healthy debate vs story breaking, working with frequent collaborators, how not outlining "reintroduces writerly delight," and more.Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, April 21, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of thei
John Orloff (Masters of the Air)
John Orloff (creator, Masters of the Air) discusses scripts as selling tools vs scripts as production tools, integrating research into scenes, writing a nine-hour movie, Band of Brothers, and more.Come see Retrospecs this Sunday, March 17, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of
J Blakeson (I Care A Lot; Culprits)
J Blakeson (showrunner/director, Culprits; writer/director I Care a Lot) discusses creating his inadvertent signature film with The Disappearance of Alice Creed, why a law abiding citizen writes crime stories, finding the "what if" in a pitch, why he dislikes Final Draft, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's n
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