Paper Team

Alex and Nick are joined by comedy writer Kelly Lynne D'Angelo to discuss what it's like to be in a TV writing team (with Nick himself).

We talk about their creative and writing process, how they pitch in a writers' room, how they present themselves in general meetings, how they complete each other, and the benefits (or drawbacks) of being in a writing team over being a solo writer.

Plus, we finally explain what a "paper team" is! (Not something the WGA likes.)

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - The creative process of a writing team (00:36)

2 - Dealing with writing rooms and the business side (21:23)

3 - Resources, how to start a writing team, and who to choose as a partner (39:49)

Links

Kelly Lynne D'Angelo on Twitter

South Park 20 Experience at the Paley Center for Media

"My Life in Four Cameras" (4x17 - Scrubs)

WriterDuet

Settlers of Catan

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Alex and Nick go off the beaten path to discuss the influence of the television medium on both cultures and people. We take a look at a few interesting case studies that have affected us personally, and the world we live in.

Which television stories have had a major impact on our lives? What about representation, international exports, and other cultures? Why is television much more than just an "idiot box"?

From The Simpsons to Star Trek, diversity to social relevance, Paper Team takes a look at a few interesting case studies illustrating television's impact.

This episode is by no means an exhaustive discussion on the subject (people have done entire PhDs on it), merely a conversation starter through specific examples and themes.

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - What is the most influential TV show of all time? (00:55)

2 - A few words on diversity and representation on TV (15:03)

3 - Exports, adaptations, and the influence of international shows (25:24)

4 - TV's social and personal impact (35:02)

Takeaway and next week's topic (46:50)

Links

Bush v. Simpsons (Video)

Kodos and Kang's Two-Party System (Video)

Homer owns the Denver Broncos (Video)

The Simpsons' Movie References (Video)

Irish Unification of 2024

NASA's Science of Star Trek

Nichelle Nichols reflects on MLK Encounter

Lucille Ball & Star Trek

Homosexuality portrayal in Star Trek

Dawson's Creek at ATX (The Writers Panel)

Les Miroirs Obscurs - Martin Winckler

"Indians on TV" (1x04 - Master of None)

NBC's SeeSo

Le bureau

Psychology for Screenwriters - William Indick

"Other Things You Could Be Doing" (2x12 - You're the Worst)

"The Body" (5x16 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

"Mother Simpson" (7x08 - The Simpsons)

"Ecotone" (5x09 - Six Feet Under)

Special thanks to Jason J. Cohn for helping us edit this episode.

If you enjoyed the episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Alex goes on the road at SDCC 2016 with Maggie Herman, assistant to the Executive Producer/Line Producer on the Amazon series Bosch, to discuss every TV writer's favorite topic: budgeting. How much does an hour of television cost? And how do scripts get broken down into money?

It's a double Paper Team first, as we welcome our very first guest-star, and have our very first "On the Road" episode while Alex drives up from San Diego Comic-Con 2016 with Maggie (and another surprise guest).

What is the real cost of an hour of TV? What is the process of breaking scripts into producible selection of scenes? Why would anyone want to become a line producer? What was Maggie's favorite cosplay of the con?

All these questions and many more are answered in this special edition of Paper Team.

NOTE: I (Alex) recorded this podcast while literally on the road (riding shotgun in Maggie's car). There should be minimal background noise after the post-production work done since I fixed it in post--but just in case, prepare your ears.

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - How was Comic-Con 2016? (02:23)

2 - Everything you wanted to know about line producing, budgeting for television, and breaking down scripts into money (04:53)

3 - What Titus Welliver smells like and how amazing his crew gift was (58:19)

Links

Bosch - Available exclusively on Amazon

Maggie Herman's Twitter

Chelsea Crane's Twitter

Transmetropolitan - Warren Ellis & Darick Robertson

Sorkinisms - A Supercut (Video)

Maggie Herman posing for the podcast

Maggie's fancy post-it-notes scheduling board for production

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Alex and Nick talk about everything you need to know on how to get a television production assistant job, and what to do (and what not to do) so you excel at it.

What are the different kinds of TV PAs (on-set PA, office PA, post PA, writers' PA)? What does each job entail? How do you actually get a sweet PA gig? And, more importantly, what should you be doing to make a great impression and make the best of that professional opportunity?

The Paper Team brews a fresh pot of coffee while answering these questions and more...

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - The different TV Production Assistant jobs (00:30)

2 - Getting a PA job (15:56)

3 - What to do and what no to do on the job (21:18)

4 - How to go above and beyond (28:15)

5 - Opportunities to seize while being a PA (32:21)

6 - Keeping the ball rolling after the show wraps (37:27)

Takeaways and Resources (40:00)

Links

Below the Line listings

Production Weekly

eFax

"Attitude!" - The Birth of Poochie in The Simpsons (Video)

Resources

Needle Girl Haystack World

The Anonymous Production Assistant's Blog

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Alex and Nick discuss how you can build a "reading onion" to get constant feedback over the course of your TV writing, and how to deal with the notes you'll be getting.

Who should you get comments from? What do the layers of the "onion" stand for? Which notes should you be ignoring and which ones should you address?

The Paper Team has a few macro thoughts on the issue...

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - Who: Different people for different notes (00:37)

2 - When: The "reading onion" and its first layer (11:47)

3 - Outline: The second layer of the "onion" (15:15)

4 - Rough Draft: The third layer of the "onion" (18:29)

5 - Real Draft: the fourth layer of the "onion" (21:25)

6 - Macro v. Micro notes (23:09)

7 - What: Specific notes you should be getting and asking for (30:08)

8 - How: Reacting to notes and addressing them (39:51)

Takeaways and Resources (45:06)

Links

Writing Jane the Virgin

Resources

A Martian Wouldn't Say That! - Compiled by Leonard Stern & Diane Robison

TV Network Notes (Twitter)

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Alex and Nick discuss the reasons why you would want to follow up with someone, how long you should wait before you do, and what you should be saying in that follow-up message.

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - The Objective: Why you are following up (00:34)

2 - The Timing: When you should follow up (05:56)

3 - The Approach: How you should follow up (18:08)

4 - The Ask: What you will be saying (20:35)

Takeaways and Resources (27:26)

Original timing reference sheet (by Hubspot)

NEW: Get the episode cheat sheet on our Patreon!

Alex and Nick dig into why it's important to maintain a consistent TV writing routine, and how you can mimic the same process from TV writers' rooms into your own home.

It's all about working through each individual (but vital) step of television writing, including inception, pitching, outlining, drafting and rewriting.

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - Why you need to have a TV writing routine (00:27)

2 - Breaking down the TV writers' room process (04:12)

3 - Inception (05:12)

4 - Background Processing (20:29)

5 - Pitching (21:44)

6 - Outlining (26:07)

7 - Drafting (36:48)

8 - Feedback and Rewriting (44:48)

Takeaways and Resources (53:37)

Links

Revenge and The Count of Monte Cristo

Master Class with Evan Daugherty (Snow White and the Huntsman)

Patent Trolling

Wikipedia's Random Feature

Anuario Luis Herrera Solís

Apple Notes

Google Keep

Moleskine Notebook

The Man Who Makes Sense of Lost (Gregg Nations)

Interview with Bryan Cogman

Scrivener

Index cards in Final Draft

The TV Writer's Workbook - Ellen Sandler

Alien shooting script

John Swartzwelder

Resources

Creative Spark with Dustin Lance Black (Video)

Inside the Breaking Bad writers' room (Article)

Vince Gilligan on breaking a story in a writer's room (Video)

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please leave us an iTunes review and/or rating at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Alex and Nick discuss the point of networking, why (aspiring) television writers should network, and how to do it when you don't know anyone or are socially anxious.

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - Networking is about why you're meeting people, not who you should meet (00:25)

2 - Mixers and One-on-ones: the two ways you'll be networking (08:12)

3 - What to talk about and how to behave in a networking situation (12:22)

4 - Learn what you can offer them instead of what they can give you (19:50)

Takeaways and Resources (28:54)

Links

Ben Franklin Effect

Announcing your plans makes you less motivated to accomplish them

“When Intentions Go Public: Does Social Reality Widen the Intention-Behavior Gap?” (PDF)

Resources

Facebook

Make Your Contacts Count - Anne Baber & Lynne Waymon

FullContact

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please leave us an iTunes review and/or rating at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Alex and Nick discuss the differences and implications between writing a television spec episode and a television spec pilot. Which script should you choose to write as your next sample? Whether it's your first teleplay, you want to apply to the fellowships, or you're trying to build a portfolio to get representation, the Paper Team has got you covered.

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - Defining what "spec script" and "spec pilot" mean (00:28)

2 - The goals of writing a TV spec script or a spec pilot (02:33)

3 - Why and how spec scripts and pilots are read (10:13)

4 - Deciding what your next writing sample should be (17:13)

Takeaways and Resources (29:40)

Links

What is the difference between a "spec script" and a "spec pilot"?

Star Trek: Terran

Stargate SG-1 - "The Other Guys"

Resources

Writing the TV Drama Series - Pamela Douglas

The TV Writer's Workbook - Ellen Sandler

TV Calling's TV Spec Course mentioned in the episode is almost ready.

Be prepared by taking our free PDF Spec Test!

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please leave us an iTunes review and/or rating at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

Alex and Nick discuss tips and advice on making new TV and other industry contacts in Los Angeles. How do you create connections for yourself before setting foot in Hollywood? How do you use ones you may already have? And where do you start when you don't know anyone in this strange city? The Paper Team tackles the subject and much more.

SHOWNOTES

Content

1 - Making connections before getting to LA (00:40)

2 - Don't lose sight of the connections you already have (07:29)

3 - What to do when you don't know anyone (14:24)

4 - Creating your own adventures (41:04)

Takeaways and Resources (44:31)

Links

JHRTS

International Screenwriters Association

Tracking-Board.com

TrackingB

Jen Grisanti's Friday Night Drinks

The Black List Events

Nerdist Writers Panel

Austin Film Festival

San Diego Comic-Con

WonderCon (Anaheim/Los Angeles)

Jeffrey Lieber's Twitter

Javier Grillo-Marxuach's Twitter

Jose Molina's Twitter

reddit's Screenwriting subreddit

Resources

Meetup.com

LA TV Writers Group - Yahoo

LA TV Writers Group - Facebook

Hollywood Game Plan - Carole Kirschner

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please leave us an iTunes review and/or rating at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

If you have any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]