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 Monday, June 22, 2009
The Future of TV: CBS vs. NBC
Posted by Chad
Hey, all--
Just wanted to point out a great article from Brian Steinberg in this morning's Ad Age... he does a nice job of pointing out how NBC (which is seemingly in a deadly tailspin) and CBS are both programming their air in vastly different ways-- and how their two strategies reflect the seismic shifts going on across television.
Click HERE for "NBC, CBS Have Conflicting Visions of Broadcast Future." (Also, I'm linking to TVWeek's pickup of the article, since Ad Age usually takes their pieces down after a day or two.) (Damn those businesses that actually want to get paid for their services!)
Industry Updates | Interesting Talking Points | Writing TV
Monday, June 22, 2009 8:11:14 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00) 
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More on Ageism in Hollywood...
Posted by Chad
Some of you may remember, a few weeks back when loyal reader Jon sent in a question and we had an ongoing discussion about ageism.
Well, thanks to Jon for sending in "What Hollywood Is Not Letting You See," a recent piece from Robert Elisberg in The Huffington Post.
It's a great piece... click HERE to check it out!
Interesting Talking Points | Reader Questions
Monday, June 22, 2009 4:59:57 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Storywise: All Your Favorite Writers... In Their Own Words!
Posted by Chad
Hey, folks--
This is gonna sound like shameless promotion, and maybe it is-- especially considering Jen Grisanti is a friend of mine-- but this is a great new resource that you should all check out.
Jen, who used to run current programming at Spelling TV and is now coaching countless of top-notch writers and directors through Jen Grisanti Consultancy, has launched Storywise... a monthly periodic podcast of interviews with A-list screenwriters and TV writers.
Her first episode features an awesome interview with TV writer and executive producer Glen Mazzara (The Shield, Life, Crash, Hawthorne), and her latest interview is with feature writer Jason Filardi (Bringing Down the House, 17 Again).
If you love hearing writers talk about their own paths, definitely check this out!
Also-- as a lot of you know-- I'm a HUGE proponent of podcasts... I'm always shocked that they haven't become more mainstream, especially since they're downloadable, making them portable enough to listen to in your car, at the gym, as you're cooking dinner-- wherever you want!
Anyway, for writers looking to learn from other writers' experiences, Storywise a great way to get wonderful advice right from the source!
Click HERE to check it out...
Digital Media and Web Series | Fun Stuff
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 3:40:15 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Friday, June 12, 2009
35 Tips on Indie Filmmaking... According to Nikki Finke & Friends
Posted by Chad
At last weekend's Producers Guild/Produced By conference, a Deadline Hollywood Daily stringer compiled a list of 35 tips on producing indie films, from the mouths of folks like RJ Cutler, Roger Corman, Lawrence Bender, and a host of great execs, producers, and agents.
Click HERE to check it out!
Books Tools Resources | Career Advice | Conferences and Festivals | Production | Screenwriting (Film)
Friday, June 12, 2009 3:48:10 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Thursday, June 11, 2009
Melissa Scrivner: From Writers Assistant to TV Writers Room (Courtesy of HWAS)
Posted by Chad
Hey, TV writers--
The good folks over at the Hollywood Writers Office Assistants Social (HWAS) have put up another great interview, this time with a good friend of mine... Melissa Scrivner, who was a writer last year on NBC's tragically under-appreciated cop show, Life. For those of you fighting to get into a writers room, it's an interesting read... Melissa talks openly about how she got into the room... what she learned... how to play your cards.
Click HERE to take a look!
Career Advice | Guest Perspectives | Writing TV
Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:57:42 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Are Emmy's Writing Awards Inaccurate?
Posted by Chad
Hey, guys-- just wanted to let you all know about a piece I have in today's issue of Variety about the Emmy's "Outstanding Writing" category... and whether or not it's fair and accurate. Take a look... and lemme know if you think the Emmys' process is fair, accurate, or dead-on!
Click HERE to read...
Industry Updates | Interesting Talking Points | Writing TV
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 7:31:29 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Back to the Futurama
Posted by Chad
Hey, guys--
If you're a fan of Matt Groening and David Cohen's Futurama, which was canceled by FOX six years ago, check out this Hollywood Reporter article, hot off the press...
Comedy Central has picked up the series, and new episodes will begin debuting next year!
Fun Stuff | Industry Updates
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 11:12:36 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Hung Up on the Hangover!
Posted by Chad
Hey, guys--
Thanks to Brian, who pointed out this great article on Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily about how The Hangover came to be written... it's a pretty fun story-- check it out!
Fun Stuff | Industry Updates | Screenwriting (Film)
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 5:04:50 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Friday, June 05, 2009
Getting Canceled: Terminator-Style
Posted by Chad
So, I'm not sure how many of you are/were fans of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which was recently canceled by FOX (personally, I LOVED the first season and Tivoed most of the second, but haven't watched it yet), but either way...
You have to read this blog post from Josh Friedman, one of the creators and showrunners.
I don't know if this was the smartest career move for Josh-- I mean, he rips new assholes for FOX, Warner Brothers, even Chuck Lorre (kind of)-- but he certainly captures the pain, frustration, anger, betrayal, and heartbreak of having your show canceled.
It's truly a rare, uncensored glimpse into the mind of a screenwriter dealing with the brutal side of Hollywood... IN THE MOMENT... as it's happening.
(Also, I don't know how network and studio execs will react to Josh's post, but the truth is... if they don't know how much it hurts to have your show killed... and how it often happens in the most brutal ways... then they're not very good executives. I'm sure they'll look at this and A) feel defensive, B) laugh a little-- because hey, some of it really is funny-- and C) TAKE NOTHING AWAY FROM IT. But the truth is... we work in a business that does this to people ON A REGULAR BASIS. And on one hand, sure-- that may be the nature of the game. Yet on the other-- come on, Hollywood, surely there are better ways of handling these things?)
Click HERE to check it out...
(By the way, Josh has some other really fun, interesting posts re: life in Hollywood. He doesn't post much, but when he does, it's always entertaining. So if you get a chance, check out the whole blog.)
Fun Stuff | Writing TV
Friday, June 05, 2009 4:33:01 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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PITCH WORKSHOP: Preston's psychological thriller
Posted by Chad
Hey, folks--
Today's Pitch Workshop submission comes from Preston in Chicago, who's working on a screenplay and wants us to-- these are his words, not mine, I swear!-- "rip [his] work apart" so he can "fix it right" and "become the next Diablo Cody."
All right, Preston-- you asked for it.
Folks... here's Preston's synopsis for his psychological action-thriller, Thy Brother's Keeper...
Title: Thy Brother's Keeper
Genre: Psychological Action Thriller
Log-line: Ronald Davis’s jealousy and envy causes him to sabotage his twin brother Rashawn’s college basketball scholarship chances by planting steroids in his locker. This ends up sending Rashawn to prison, while Ronald goes on to lead a successful corporate career. Upon Rashawn’s return to the world as a criminal minded thug, he finds Ronald was the cause of his demise. He then sets out to destroy his twin brother’s life by assuming his identity and going on a murderous crime spree. Ronald has to leave his corporate life and turn to the streets to stop his twin brother. After chasing Ronald threw the streets of Los Angeles, it will take detectives Garrison and Rodriguez to find out that Rashawn died at birth, but yet lives in the schizophrenic mind of the surviving twin Ronald.
There you go, everyone... CRITIQUE AWAY!!
Coming up, we'll have pitch submissions from Gareth and Gail, some long overdue reader questions, book reviews... and much more!
SCRIPT NOTES PITCH WORKSHOP
Friday, June 05, 2009 12:57:31 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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