Paper Team

Alex and Nick invite Mike Scully, executive producer, co-creator, co-showrunner of FOX's Duncanville, long-time writer/showrunner of The Simpsons, and writer/producer on Parks and Recreation/The Carmichael Show/Everybody Loves Raymond, to learn all about his writing process and running a comedy room.

From staffing a writers' room and reading samples, to breaking episodes and producing an animated show, we take a deep dive into what goes into creating a comedy series from the inside.

Content

1 – Beginnings, pitching, and becoming a showrunner (00:00:43)

2 – Staffing Duncanville and other writers' rooms: reading samples, assembling the right staff and advice for showrunner meetings (00:09:19)

3 - The Duncanville & Simpsons rooms and writing process: best practices, format differences, blue-skying, breaking episodes, tone, structure, and character arcs (00:23:53)

4 – Production of Duncanville: animation, department heads, casting and punch-ups (00:40:47)

Final advice, resources, and next week on (01:11:38)

Links

Duncanville on FOX

Mike Scully on Twitter

Everybody Loves Raymond

Parks and Recreation

The Carmichael Show

What a Country!

Out of This World

Resource

"Tinker in Television" - Grant Tinker

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex and Nick share tips and tricks all about handling the TV writing industry. From managing contacts and representation, to juggling projects and dealing with staffing and writers' room red flags, we look at common problems you may have and how to solve them.

How can you get to know working writers/showrunners? How should you maintain relationships when you don’t have anything new to share? How are you able to find the right manager or agent? How should you handle reps not providing enough meetings or sending samples out? Should you take freelance development work? What if you can’t find time to write outside work? How should you handle a bad work or writers’ room environment? Are your general meetings never leading to any jobs?

Content

1 - Problems with networking, managing contacts, and professional relationships (00:00:37)

2 - Issues with representation, agents, and managers (00:21:11)

3 - Handling and juggling multiple projects or development (00:41:51)

4 - Red flags in staffing, interviews, and hostile work environments (00:56:47)

Links

Tips and Tricks for TV Writing (PT93)

How to Meet People in LA (When You Don’t Know Anyone) (PT03)

Networking 101: How to Talk With People in Hollywood (PT05)

Knowing Your Worth as an Assistant: Expectations, Opportunities, and Negotiations (PT168)

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex and Nick answer your TV writing questions about character names, fellowship specs, Paper Tease limits, and choosing representation based on packaging.

Plus, we look at some of the latest TV writing news, including Netflix removing titles, Disney dropping Fox names, and HBO Max productions.

Content

Post-Mixer and Shout-outs (00:32)

Audience Questions: Character names, packaging, 2020 specs, and Patreon (09:48)

TV Writing News: Censorship, OTT movies, and studio rebranding (28:21)

Links

Manager Communication, Assistant Work, and Staffing Starts (PT167)

Showrunning Daybreak ft. Aron Eli Coleite (PT159)

"Netflix Reveals Titles Pulled From Service Over Government Demands" - The Hollywood Reporter

"Disney Drops Fox Name, Will Rebrand as 20th Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures" - Variety

"Warner Bros. and HBO Max Team Up on New Label" - IndieWire

"‘Friends’ Reunion Special On HBO Max Nears Deal" - Deadline

Script Readiness, Contests, and Career Detours (PT160)

Altered Carbon Season 2 on Netflix

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex and Nick have their first Paper Tease session of 2020 and give feedback on five of your TV pilot teasers.

Paper Tease Entries

"It Gets Better" by Nathaniel Nauert

"American Roulette" by Michael Hager

"Reissued" by Adam Moerder

"Chrysalis" by Dan Benamor

"Candy Is Awesome" by Steve Kimura

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Want to get feedback on the teaser of your TV pilot in an upcoming Paper Tease session? Find all the information you need at http://paperteam.co/teaser

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex and Nick take an honest and practical look at what you should be expecting and asking for as an assistant in a TV writers' room or entertainment industry desk.

From our real personal stories and tips negotiating your rate/benefits, to finding value from your job even when things get dire, this is a jam-packed episode you don't want to miss, all about knowing and fighting for your worth as an assistant in Hollywood.

What should you expect from a support staff position in terms of salary and benefits? What are common ways you might get screwed over? How do you ensure that you are being compensated fairly for your duties? What are ways of getting the most out of every professional opportunity? Why is negotiating a rate important and how should you approach it?

Content

1 - Preface (00:00:55)

2 - Expectations versus reality: what pay and benefits you should expect, and how you might get screwed over (00:02:28)

3 - Getting compensated for your job: salary and negotiations (00:30:41)

4 - Creating opportunities during and after your job: creativity, relationships, and paying it forward (00:53:03)

Takeaways, Resources, and Next Week On (01:19:44)

Links

TV Writing Incubators and the Evolution of Access (PT125)

Resources

#PayUpHollywood Town Hall (Video)

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex is back with fellow writer Evelyn Yves to answer your TV writing questions about using life experiences, communicating with your reps, finding assistant gigs, getting started on staffing, and being critical of your own ideas.

Plus, we look at some of the latest TV writing news about FYC scripts and big data in Hollywood.

Reminder

We're having our second mixer this week! Join us Friday, January 31 at Village Idiot on Melrose. The event starts at 7:30PM. More information available at http://paperteam.co/mixermelrose

Content

Audience Questions: life experiences, rep communication, assistant gigs, starting staffing, and handling idea criticism (01:24)

TV Writing News: Golden Globes, favorite shows, FYC scripts, and big data in Hollywood (29:41)

Links

Evelyn Yves on Twitter

Katy Keene premieres February 6 on The CW

Breaking in as a TV Writer Later in Life ft. J. Holtham (PT92)

Script Readiness, Contests, and Career Detours – Paper Scraps Monthly (PT160)

Perspective and POVs in TV Writing (PT88)

"Big Data Comes to Hollywood: The Brewing Antitrust Battle of the Streaming Era" - The Hollywood Reporter

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex is joined by Evelyn Yves, writer on Katy Keene, to discuss ways of finding your place in the writers' room, from pitching yourself in a showrunner's meeting and prep work beforehand, to handling the first few weeks pitching in the writers' room and figuring out your own skillset to contribute.

Reminder

We're having our second mixer this month! Join us Friday, January 31 at Village Idiot on Melrose. The event starts at 7:30PM. More information available at http://paperteam.co/mixermelrose

Content

1 - Showrunner meetings and preparing before the room (01:02)

2 - The first few weeks in the room, learning the lingo, and pitching as a new writer (09:43)

3 - Finding your skills in the writers' room (31:30)

Links

Evelyn Yves on Twitter

Katy Keene premieres February 6 on The CW

Tell Us About Yourself: Crafting the Personal Pitch (PT165)

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex and Nick answer the dreaded "tell us about yourself" question, including going over how to craft a compelling personal pitch for general meetings, showrunner meetings, or the #WGAStaffingBoost, using actual examples and actionable steps.

Plus, we announce the date and location of our upcoming January mixer.

Announcement

We're having our second mixer this month! Join us Friday, January 31 at Village Idiot on Melrose. The event starts at 7:30PM. More information available at http://paperteam.co/mixermelrose

Content

Announcement: January Mixer (00:37)

1 - The importance of knowing your personal story (01:20)

2 - Content of your personal story and examples (03:16)

3 - Tailoring your personal story (34:08)

Links

Comedy v. Drama II: Blurred Lines (PT143)

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex and Nick celebrate the end of 2019 by taking a look back at the last year of the decade, both for Paper Team and TV writing news, plus answering more of your questions, celebrating our fans, and announcing our 2020 plans for the podcast.

When and how can you include holidays in your scripts? What were the most popular and discussed episodes of Paper Team in 2019? What were our favorite shows, movies, music, books of the year? What are our favorite series of the past decade? What are our 2020 Paper Team goals? What gifts did Alex and Nick get each other?

Content

1 - Paper Team Announcements: Mixer, Mentorship, Showrunner Series (00:00:44)

2 - Holiday Question and Shout-outs (00:03:34)

3 - Paper Team 2019: A year in review (00:12:09)

4 - Best of 2019 (TV, episodes, movies, music, books) and shows of the decade (00:26:02)

5 - Paper Team Goals for 2020 (00:52:53)

Gift Exchange and Next Time On (00:56:48)

Links

The 2016 Paper Team Holiday Special (PT25)

Halloween on TV (PT64)

Disney ABC Writing Program ft. Kristi Shuton (PT130)

CBS Writers Mentoring Program ft. Jeanne Mau (PT131)

NBC Writers on the Verge ft. Karen Horne (PT132)

Warner Bros. Television Writers' Workshop ft. Rebecca Windsor (PT133)

Comics and TV Writing: How to Bring the Page to Screen – Paper Team Live at WonderCon 2019 (PT129)

TV Formula 101: Building an Engine For Your Show (PT117)

Writing Samples and Preparing for TV Staffing ft. Liz Alper & Kai Wu (PT119)

Impostor Syndrome, Staffing Submissions and Commercials (PT149)

Comedy v. Drama II: Blurred Lines (PT143)

The Paper Team 150th Episode Special (PT150)

TV Writing Resources We Use (PT139)

Earning Your Way Into the Writers' Room ft. Ning Zhou (PT135)

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your TV Scripts (PT148)

The Boys (TV Show)

Watchmen (TV Show)

Fleabag

What We Do in the Shadows (TV Show)

"Bandsersnatch" (Black Mirror TV Movie)

"She Was Killed by Space Junk" (1x03 - Watchmen)

"Little Fear of Lightning" (1x05 - Watchmen)

"This Extraordinary Being" (1x06 - Watchmen)

"Twin Cities" (2x06 - Counterpart)

"Pandemonium" (3x12 - The Good Place)

"Episode 6" (2x06 - Fleabag)

Bloom

There's Something About Movies

The Circle (TV Show)

"Cuz I Love You" by Lizzo

"Fear Inoculum" by Tool

"Good Luck, Kid" by Joseph

"new skin" by Vérité

Avengers: Endgame

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Parasite (2019 Movie)

"Permanent Record" by Edward Snowden

Showrunning Daybreak ft. Aron Eli Coleite (PT159)

Writing Heroes and Breaking Genres ft. Tamara Becher-Wilkinson (PT144)

Writing Classic Multicams to Cable Darlings ft. Dan O’Keefe (PT154)

Networking 201: Cold Contact, Queries and Etiquette (PT121)

TV Writing Incubators and the Evolution of Access (PT125)

TV Prose 201: Breaking Rules (PT156)

"What is the best UK show no one knows about?" - TV Calling

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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

Alex and Nick are joined by Jordan VanDina, writer on the new Animaniacs TV show, the upcoming movie The Binge with Vince Vaughn, and creator/writer of Weekend Scripts, to discuss generating scripts that will go viral, leveraging online success to get work, plus the importance of having a pasta pass in your arsenal.

How do you go about promoting stunt scripts? What are ways of writing scripts quickly? How can you leverage online success to get representation and work? How was Weekend Scripts born? What was the experience of working on What Would Diplo Do? What is the new Animaniacs writers' room like? How do you transition into feature work?

Content

Writing scripts that go viral with Jordan VanDina (01:07)

Final advice, resources and next week on (31:22)

Links

Jordan VanDina on Twitter

What Would Diplo Do?

SuperMansion

The Binge

Weekend Scripts

TV Stunt Specs ft. Billy Domineau (PT45)

Never Ending Pasta Pass

This episode brought to you by Roadmap WritersUse the code PAPERTEAM to get $15 OFF your Roadmap Writers Program

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:

Alex - @TVCalling

Nick - @_njwatson

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