Writers Group Therapy

It's not everyday that a TV show makes it to four seasons, the magic number for syndication, let alone go beyond to seven, or 10, or even, as record holder The Simpsons currently stands, 30. In this session, we discuss what makes a show go the distance. Why doesn't it "jump the shark"?

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In this week’s session we interview documentarian and author Steven Smith. Steven has produced over 200 documentary features ranging from “The Sound of Music,” to “Star Wars,” to “Aquaman.” We discuss his love of film and telling the stories behind the stories.

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Besides the stories we put into our scripts, we all have our own "writer's story." How does your writer's story influence how and what you write? We discuss our stories and how they drive us in today's session.

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In today's session, we interview podcast writer Ashley Quach from the "Deck the Halls (with Matrimony)" podcast. 

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Sassquach Website: http://www.sassquach.com/

The past few months in Hollywood have been CRAZY! In today's session, we discuss what's going on between the WGA (Writers Guild of America) and the ATA (Association of Talents Agents), the college admissions scandal and the stars caught up in the sting, the dumping on Netflix by the Academy, actors and directors, and Disney's takeover of 20th Century Fox.

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Wonder Con, produced in the Spring in Anaheim, California by the same company that produces San Diego Comic Con (i.e. the mothership of all comic cons), provides opportunities for writers to network and learn, as well as have a lot of fun. Tom shares his experiences from his trip to Wonder Con 2019 in this week's session.

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Are you stuck in a genre rut? We're often told, as writers, to focus on one genre. If you're going to write horror, then write horror, Got an idea for a rom-com? Forget it! Does being in a rut, in what we write and watch, make us less well rounded as writers? What can you do to get out of a rut?

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Netflix Category Code Full List: https://netflix-codes.com/

Living the dream in Hollywood - it's a marathon, not a sprint. How do you survive the ups and (frequent) downs? What keeps you going? We help Tom with his latest freak-out and give you some ideas to make your journey an enjoyable, or at least more bearable, one.

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"Mary Poppins Returns," "The Force Awakens," "Star Trek," "Fast & The Furious"...are these sequels, remakes, reboots or just rehashes? Why, besides money, does Hollywood seem to reinvent the wheel with franchises? SPOILERS!

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How do you build relationships like a pro in the industry? Do you send holiday gifts? Birthday cards? Friend on Facebook? Why professional relationships are important and how to maintain them in this week's session.

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