Posted on

113 – Lee Aronsohn & Jason Kyle

This week, host Gray Jones interviews Lee Aronsohn, co-creator and showrunner of “Two and a Half Men” and EP of “The Big Bang Theory,” and actor/writer/producer/director Jason Kyle, the founders of the Creators Writing Room.

Lee Aronsohn Biography:

Lee Aronsohn served as showrunner of “Two and a Half Men,” a show which he co-created with Chuck Lorre, and he was also an executive producer on “The Big Bang Theory.” His work spans over three decades, having written for hit shows such as “The Love Boat,” “Who’s the Boss,” “Charles in Charge,” “Cybill,” “CSI,” and others.

Jason Kyle Biography:

Jason is an actor, comedian, writer and voice actor best known for his roles in “100 Blocks,”, “Redress,” and “Watch Dogs 2.” He was also the creator, producer, director and lead actor in “The Bay Area Show.” He currently works in development at Sony Pictures TV, with Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa (creators of “Homeland” and “24“).

INDEX TO THE EPISODE:

2:25 – Interview start
3:38 – Lee’s background, from “The Love Boat” to “Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men.”
5:17 – How the industry has changed over the years.
6:23 – How needing health insurance led to co-creating and running “Two and a Half Men.”
10:01 – How “Big Bang Theory” almost didn’t make it, and needed a second pilot.
13:32 – Jason’s background, from the peace corps in Albania to standup comedy.
18:08 – His next few years acting, directing, producing and writing.
23:05 – The “meet cute” — how they connected and ended up working together.
26:25 – Sponsor break.
27:32 – All about The Creators Writing Room – free content and fee-based classes over Zoom.
32:28 – Why free content on the internet isn’t enough.
36:33 – What the Zoom format provides, especially with their small class sizes.
40:33 – Discussing the different classes they offer.
43:18 – Free Co-Pilot Zoom sessions where they deconstruct pilot scripts
45:49 – Wrap up, website info.

Visit The Creators Writing Room at theCWRoom.com and follow on Twitter: @thecwroom.

Follow Lee Aronsohn on Twitter: @BennyAce

Follow Jason Kyle on Twitter: @GetMeJasonKyle

You can help with the ongoing costs of bringing these weekly podcasts to you by becoming a patron of the podcast – for as little as 25¢ per episode! There are many reward levels. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Buy Gray’s book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews.

Didn’t get your questions asked? Make sure you follow Gray on Twitter (@GrayJones) so you can get the scoop on who is being interviewed and how to get your questions in. Also check out our TV Writer Twitter Database to find Twitter addresses for over 1,200 TV writers. Find previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com.

WATCH NOW:

LISTEN NOW:

Posted on

112 – Elaine Loh (Gossip Girl, Dynasty)

This week, host Gray Jones interviews Elaine Loh, TV writer on the new “Gossip Girl” and “Dynasty,” and also award-winning film writer/director and actor.

Elaine Loh Biography

Elaine recently wrote on the new “Gossip Girl” reboot for HBO Max and is now writing on “Dynasty” for The CW. She is humbled to be a fellow in the HBO Writers Program, as well as to have been named on the coveted Young & Hungry List and as one of the Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch by the International Screenwriters Association. She has had scripts place in the world-renowned PAGE Awards (Silver Prize), Austin Film Festival (3 times), Final Draft Big Break (Top Ten), Tracking Board Launch Pad (Top 50), the ISA (Grand Prize), and the second round of the Sundance Episodic Lab (twice).

Elaine is also a director and her short form series “DOXXED” won Best Short Comedy at Catalyst (formerly itvfest), Best Achievement at Raindance, and a Telly Award (find out more at www.doxxed-series.com). She won the Grand Prize and Audience Vote at the NewFilmmakers LA On Location Project ($60k in cash and prizes) and scored an honorable mention in the Justin Lin/NBCUniversal Interpretations short film contest. She has also directed two short films that screened at Academy-qualifying festivals.

On a personal note, Elaine was born in Singapore, grew up in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and then moved to Massachusetts. She studied Psychology and Math at Brown University, does not speak any Chinese, loves Wendy’s junior bacon cheeseburgers, and can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than two minutes.

INDEX TO THE EPISODE:

1:03 – Interview start; her background, studying psychology and math at Brown, and how she pivoted into acting.
3:30 – When she started writing, and why.
4:04 – Her filmmaking and writing before TV, including placing and being recognized in many competitions. Why she considers competitions so important.
7:39 – How she developed as a writer, going a less traditional route into the industry.
12:45 – Compares Gossip Girl and Dynasty, how they helped prepare her to write a script.

14:14 – Sponsor break – visit drivingfootage.com for 4K 9-angle driving plates for TV & film, and podcast viewers get 10% off photo/video scanning and importing at avgearguy.com. 

15:21 – Getting into and going through the HBO writing fellowship.
18:45 – Getting staffed on Gossip Girl.
20:07 – Being in the writers room for the first time.
22:59 – The pandemic hit, but she was able to land a job on Dynasty. How that show has been different.
25:00 – How her acting experience, and writing directing films has helped her as a TV writer.
27:48 – On developing for TV.
31:45 – Her volunteer work, and what it means to her. 
32:21 – Advice to greener writers, especially when asking someone to read your script.
44:05 – Not giving up.
47:30 – On her award winning web series (www.doxxed-series.com), and how it was great training in telling episodic stories, and in the future, how to run a show.

Elaine runs a political advocacy group that encourages greater civic engagement and raises money for charities. Check it out at www.operationchecksandbalances.org.

Visit Elaine’s website at www.ElaineLoh.com and follow her on Twitter: @ThatElaineLoh.

You can help with the ongoing costs of bringing these weekly podcasts to you by becoming a patron of the podcast – for as little as 25¢ per episode! There are many reward levels. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Buy Gray’s book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews.

Didn’t get your questions asked? Make sure you follow Gray on Twitter (@GrayJones) so you can get the scoop on who is being interviewed and how to get your questions in. Also check out our TV Writer Twitter Database to find Twitter addresses for over 1,200 TV writers. Find previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com.

WATCH NOW:

LISTEN NOW:

Posted on

110 – Greta Heinemann (NCIS: New Orleans, NBC’s Good Girls)

This week, host Gray Jones interviews Greta Heinemann, a TV/film writer who grew up on the Bavarian/Austrian border, and overcame language and immigration barriers to break in to Hollywood.

Greta Heinemann Biography:

Greta Heinemann grew up at the Bavarian-Austrian border and raised herself watching an abundance of German-dubbed US TV shows by day, and action movies by night. Greta has since learned how to speak English and fought hard to immigrate to the US to pursue her dreams of becoming a screenwriter. She currently serves as Supervising Producer on NBC’s “Good Girls,” has a show in development at HBO-Max and is in development on a feature film with David Leitch’s 87North and Amblin Partners.

Greta also developed the Writer’s Wright – The Writer’s Wright is an all-in-one productivity coach, career planner, journal, and notebook specifically developed to help aspiring and working writers structure their careers and lives just as thoroughly as their stories. Find more hours in the day. Make goals and deadlines less intimidating. Inspire. Stay sane, and always drive your story forward. 

Find out more at writerswrightjournal.com.

INDEX TO THE EPISODE:

1:40 – Interview start, with her beginnings near the Bavarian/Austrian border, living alone from the age of 11, and learning English by watching TV.
6:48 – How she immigrated to the US… sent 200 applications for internships, and only one was answered. Eventually found an LGBTQ-friendly production company, but had to go back and forth to Germany for 2 years before she got sponsored on a special skills work visa.
14:39 – Got green card — was finally able to apply for writing fellowships, and also became an intern writing coverage.
17:53 – Got into Humanitas New Voices fellowship, and then the CBS Writers Mentoring Program in the same year, and describes the differences between the programs (plus how the TV Writer Podcast helped her get in!).
29:04 – Discusses representation, and why she changed a few times.
32:06 – Staffing on “NCIS: New Orleans” from her first showrunner meeting (and what led up to that), and how she learned the ropes.
46:18 – How after 4 years she left to develop shows.
49:11 – Staffing on NBC’s “Good Girls.”
52:13 – Sponsor break. Visit drivingfootage.com for 4K 9-angle driving plates, or avgearguy.com for laptop rentals, and scanning/importing of photos, tapes, documents and more.
53:12 – More about writing NBC’s “Good Girls.”
56:42 – Her current feature film project and pilot for HBO.
1:02:32 – Where she sees herself in 5-10 years, and her least and most favorite parts about TV writing.
1:08:45 – Advice to greener writers.
1:15:27 – What does she know now that she wishes she had known when she started out.

Follow Greta on Twitter: @GretaHeinemann

You can help with the ongoing costs of bringing these weekly podcasts to you by becoming a patron of the podcast – for as little as 25¢ per episode! There are many reward levels. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Buy Gray’s book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews.

Didn’t get your questions asked? Make sure you follow Gray on Twitter (@GrayJones) so you can get the scoop on who is being interviewed and how to get your questions in. Also check out our TV Writer Twitter Database to find Twitter addresses for over 1,200 TV writers. Find previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com.

WATCH NOW:

LISTEN NOW:

Posted on

109 – Priyanka Mattoo – How to Find a Hollywood Mentor During Lockdown

This week, host Gray Jones interviews Priyanka Mattoo, a writer/filmmaker and former UTA & WME agent who shares how to find a Hollywood mentor during lockdown.

Priyanka Mattoo Biography:

Priyanka is a writer and filmmaker in Los Angeles.
She was formerly an agent at UTA and WME, as well as Jack Black’s partner at their production company, Electric Dynamite. Priyanka is the co-founder of EARIOS, a women-led podcast network, and co-hosts its critically-acclaimed beauty/wellness podcast, “Foxy Browns.”

Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Vulture, and The Hairpin, and her film work in festivals from Sundance to Cannes. She was raised in India, England, and Saudi Arabia before moving to the U.S. in high school, and holds degrees in Italian and Law from the University of Michigan.

Priyanka now lives in Venice (California) with her husband and kids.

INDEX TO THE EPISODE:

1:43 – Interview start
3:10 – Her back story, a wild ride! Studied law, and ended up at UTA, where she found she had a talent for it and rose up quickly.
8:01 – Found she wasn’t fulfilled, and something was missing — partnered with Jack Black to build a TV production company. Sold 40 pitches while she was at that company.
9:33 – Had a yearning to write and direct her own projects, and after making her first short film, felt she found her niche. Also sold a TV pilot version of it.
12:10 – About her female-focused podcast network, and the podcast she hosts.
15:05 – Discussing her excellent industry-related column on Vulture.
18:48 – Sponsor break – drivingfootage.com and avgearguy.com.
19:46 – Finding a mentor during lockdown.
20:59 – Are there exceptions to her advice about not doing cold contact? Having a touch point, or referral. Building a lateral network.
25:44 – Very important to use this time to hone craft and produce material – write scripts, try shooting a short film or podcast.
30:25 – Don’t talk about yourself. Ask questions, offer help, make other people’s lives better. Never ask for a mentor — let them notice and ask you.
33:50 – How to ask without asking. How to be the person they want to mentor. Don’t gossip or slander. Read a lot, and live a life outside of TV. Be relentlessly pleasant… to everyone, at every level. Listen, notice needs and find a way to meet them.
42:42 – Your online presence during lockdown. What to do and not to do.
49:22 – Using SideTime to reach out to established industry people for a fee.

Follow Priyanka on Twitter: @naanking

Visit Priyanka’s website: primattoo.com

You can help with the ongoing costs of bringing these weekly podcasts to you by becoming a patron of the podcast – for as little as 25¢ per episode! There are many reward levels. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Buy Gray’s book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews.

Didn’t get your questions asked? Make sure you follow Gray on Twitter (@GrayJones) so you can get the scoop on who is being interviewed and how to get your questions in. Also check out our TV Writer Twitter Database to find Twitter addresses for over 1,200 TV writers. Find previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com.

WATCH NOW:

LISTEN NOW:

Posted on

108 – Will Pascoe (Showrunner of Absentia)

This week, host Gray Jones interviews Will Pascoe, showrunner of “Absentia.” Will also wrote for such shows as “The Finder,” “Orphan Black,” “Da Vinci’s Demons,” and “Shut Eye.”

This episode is sponsored by Pilar Alessandra of onthepage.tv. Pilar is offering TV Writer Podcast listeners a 10% discount on any of her services. To get your 10% off, reach out to her directly and tell her Gray sent you!

In this episode, Will has great tips on how not to get fired when you first get on staff, work/life balance, crafting your voice, standing out among the competition, and mentoring others. He also talks about running “Absentia,” including some of the challenges with shooting on another continent.

COVID-19 NOTE: though it was shot in person, safety was maintained through masks when not shooting, long lenses to separate camera and talent, shooting outdoors, and maintaining social distance.

Will Pascoe Bio:

Originally from Canada, Will Pascoe is an award-winning television writer and occasional documentary film director. After writing half-hour television series like “Degrassi,” Will made the jump to writing one-hour television dramas full-time, working on the military-medical series, “Combat Hospital” for ABC and Sony. He then went on to work on Fox’s short-lived series, “The Finder,” and later won a Humanitas New Voices prize and received a blind script deal with Fox to develop his own television show.

He then became an upper-level writer and co-producer on BBC America’s, “Orphan Black.” His episode “Variations Under Domestication” was selected by Entertainment Weekly as one of the best hours of television of the decade and won Will a Writer’s Guild Award and nominations for an Edgar Allan Poe Award and a Hugo Award (where he lost to his idol George R.R. Martin for his “Game of Thrones” “Red Wedding” episode). As well, “Orphan Black” won Will a Peabody Award for his work on the series.

Other credits include the BBC Worldwide/Starz drama series, “Da Vinci’s Demons” and Hulu’s drama series, “Shut Eye.” He’s developed television series for Fox, Playtone and Universal Studios. He’s currently running season three of Amazon Prime’s hit series, “Absentia.” He resides in Los Angeles.

INDEX TO THE EPISODE:

0:25- Interview start, talking about Will’s origins in Canada.
2:26 – First professional writing credit became infamous episode of “DeGrassi.”
3:35 – His first staff job on “Combat Hospital.”
4:42 – Thanks to Hart Hanson, landed a gig on “The Finder,” his first Hollywood show.
5:27 – How he learned to write TV mostly self taught, reading books and scripts, and doing a lot of writing, crafting his own voice.
8:34 – How directing documentaries has influenced his writing, becoming a student of human behavior and interaction, and trying to understand the world.
9:53 – Many of his scripts have stood out… discusses the “Orphan Black” episode which was selected by Entertainment Weekly as one of the best hours of television of the decade.
12:04 – About winning the Humanitas New Voices Award, selling a pilot to Fox, and moving to Los Angeles (including victories and challenges, and immigration).
19:07 – Comparing his path to the more traditional way of breaking in to Hollywood.
21:56 – Sponsor break.
22:54 – Talks about his experience in the Showrunner Training Program, learning about work/life balance for a showrunner. How the information and network of relationships has helped him in the time since.
30:29 – Coming in cold as the showrunner for “Absentia.”
33:31 – The challenges with shooting in Bulgaria, including a funny story about language barriers.
38:21 – Will’s development process, and some of the projects he’s developing.
41:53 – On pitching his material… pitching with slides, and why it’s more difficult via Zoom. Funny stories about Zoom calls.
47:29 – Positives that may come from COVID-19 — better treatment of production crews, better conditions on set.
51:56 – Differences between Canadian and American shows. How new staff writers are treated in each, and advice for new staff writers in US shows. Asking more established writers frequently for a “temperature check” — how did I do in the writers room this week? How more mature writers should go out of their way to encourage newer writers.
57:10 – How Will mentors other writers. Paying it forward.
58:20 – Advice to newer writers, in interviews and on the page. Have ideas for the show, and know the show really well.
1:02:22 – How to stand out among the competition. Make the showrunner’s job easier, constantly push yourself to improve your writing, and always keep learning. Leave your comfort zone, and challenge yourself with different types of writing.

Follow Will Pascoe on Twitter: @EvilWillPascoe

You can help with the ongoing costs of bringing these weekly podcasts to you by becoming a patron of the podcast – for as little as 25¢ per episode! There are many reward levels. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Buy Gray’s book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews.

Didn’t get your questions asked? Make sure you follow Gray on Twitter (@GrayJones) so you can get the scoop on who is being interviewed and how to get your questions in. Also check out our TV Writer Twitter Database to find Twitter addresses for over 1,200 TV writers. Find previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com.

WATCH NOW:

Watch in 4K on YouTube! CLICK HERE

Or watch via Podbean: CLICK HERE

LISTEN NOW:

Posted on

107 – Jami O’Brien (Creator / Showrunner of N0S4A2)

This week, host Gray Jones interviews Jami O’Brien, creator & showrunner of “N0S4A2” on AMC.

This episode is sponsored by Pilar Alessandra of onthepage.tv. Pilar is offering TV Writer Podcast listeners a 10% discount on any of her services. To get your 10% off, reach out to her directly and tell her Gray sent you!

In this episode, Jami has great tips for the writers room, improving your writing, winning in interviews, adapting pre-existing material, and general career advice.

Jami O’Brien Bio:

Jami O’Brien created and showruns “NOS4A2” for AMC. Previously, she’s written for “Fear the Walking Dead,” “Hell on Wheels,” “Big Love,” and “Flesh and Bone,” which was nominated for a Writer’s Guild Award. Jami has an MFA in Playwriting from the Yale School of Drama.

INDEX TO THE EPISODE:

1:06 – Interview start, mention her show “N0S4A2.”

2:00 – Her back story – writing as a kid, Yale playwriting, and eventually moving to LA because of a friend who was a TV writer.

5:18 – Her first LA job, assisting a manager, learning about the industry.

7:11 – When she first started trying to write for TV, got a writing assistant job thanks to one of her Yale professors who was a show runner. Resisted writing a spec, but when she finally did, got good traction from it and landed an agent. Still did not get staffed right away, but after several interviews she was staffed on “Lie To Me.”

12:38 – What it was like to finally write on staff.

14:10 – Talks about her next couple of shows, “The Deep End,” “Big Love,” and a longer stint on “Hell on Wheels.” Describes great lessons she learned from the showrunners and another writer who was a mentor, which helped her scripts to be rewritten less and less.

19:32 – Sponsor break.

20:37 – How she got an overall deal at AMC, got attached to the “N0S4A2” project, and was co-EP on “Fear the Walking Dead.”

23:06 – Her process in how she adapted the book “N0S4A2” into a series, and doing a mini writer’s room.

25:53 – Being a part of the Showrunner Training Program.

30:39 – What it was like to build a staff and run a show for the first time. Some discussion about mini writers rooms.

34:28 – What is she looking for when she interviews new writers? Looking for a voice, a point of view, and something unique. Must stand out from the bulk of scripts which are pretty good.

37:19 – What she looks for in interviews.

38:17 – Where her show is at with respect to Coronavirus.

39:13 – How she feels about the current TV landscape.

41:06 – Advice to younger self.

42:52 – Mistakes she sees newer writers making.

Follow Jami on Twitter: @jami_obrien

You can help with the ongoing costs of bringing these weekly podcasts to you by becoming a patron of the podcast – for as little as 25¢ per episode! There are many reward levels. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Buy Gray’s book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews.

Didn’t get your questions asked? Make sure you follow Gray on Twitter (@GrayJones) so you can get the scoop on who is being interviewed and how to get your questions in. Also check out our TV Writer Twitter Database to find Twitter addresses for over 1,200 TV writers. Find previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com.

WATCH NOW:

LISTEN NOW: