Paper Team

Alex and Nick bust ten common myths about the television business, from those about breaking into the industry and getting staffed, to writing samples and the value of representation. Reminder We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. So mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5 and follow TV Calling's brand-new Twitch channel. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite moment or guest from the podcast you want us to highlight? Let us know at http://paperteam.co/200 Links Breaking in as a TV Writer Later in Life ft. J. Holtham (PT92) 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick discuss the process of giving notes and feedback on scripts, including story, structure, characters, world, prose, dialogue, and format. From what we look for in the writing on a granular level to the psychology behind articulating great notes, learn actionable advice on how to properly dissect a television pilot, a spec episode, or any other script. Reminder We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. So mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5 and follow TV Calling's brand-new Twitch channel. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite moment or guest from the podcast you want us to highlight? Let us know at http://paperteam.co/200 Content 1 - How we approach giving notes on scripts (01:37) 2 - What we look for in scripts and give notes on (21:35) 3 - Dos and don'ts of giving script notes (47:53) Links Feedback and Notes: Building Your Reading Onion (PT08) How to Take Feedback (PT142) 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick bust ten common myths about the craft of television writing, from pilot ideas and script feedback, to first drafts and episode content. Reminder We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. So mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5 and follow TV Calling's brand-new Twitch channel. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite moment or guest from the podcast you want us to highlight? Let us know at http://paperteam.co/200 Links Feedback and Notes: Building Your Reading Onion (PT08) TV Pilot 301: Scope, Beginnings, and Ends (PT184) TV Prose 201: Breaking Rules (PT156) 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick answer your television writing questions about meeting people willing to read you, navigating similar ideas, and codifying writing partnerships. Plus, we make a big announcement about our upcoming live 200th Paper Team episode, and discuss the latest television news, including the continuing WGA/agency fight. Announcement We're having our 200th Paper Team episode event STREAMED LIVE! We'll be talking TV writing and celebrating this podcast with some incredible guests. So mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5 and follow TV Calling's brand-new Twitch channel. We also want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite moment or guest from the podcast you want us to highlight? Let us know at http://paperteam.co/200 Content 200th Episode Announcement, PT Updates, and Shout-Outs (00:36) TV Writing Questions: Making connections, similar ideas, and codifying writing partnerships (08:04) TV Writing News: WGA/agency pressure, WB chairman, and open letters (17:32) Links Visual TV Storytelling in Buffy’s "Hush" & "Restless" (PT37) Networking 101: How to Talk With People in Hollywood (PT05)Feedback and Notes: Building Your Reading Onion (PT08) Networking 201: Cold Contact, Queries and Etiquette (PT121) Tips and Tricks for the TV Industry (PT171) Putting Yourself Out There (PT75) "Writers Guild presses CAA and WME to end 18-month standoff over agency practices" - Los Angeles Times "Warner Bros. TV Group Chairman Peter Roth to Step Down" - Variety "Native and Indigenous Writers Ask Hollywood to Advance Film and TV Representation" - The Hollywood Reporter Untitled LatinX Project's letter 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick continue the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with mentee Ben Warner and the beat sheet of his drama pilot THE PIRATE KING. Step two of the process: a beat sheet of the pilot episode, including general acts and story arcs. We hear Ben's pilot episode and share our thoughts live. Content Quick recap and listeners' thoughts on the first 2020 mentorship episode (00:38) "The Pirate King" - Beat sheet (03:16) Discussion of the beat sheet (13:46) Links "The Pirate King" beat sheet 2020 Paper Team Mentorship I - "The Pirate King" Overview (PT190) 2020 Paper Team Mentorship I - Ben's Update 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick invite Shannon Houston, writer on the HBO series Lovecraft Country and co-host of the Lovecraft Country Radio podcast, to discuss writing Lovecraftian horror, representation in genre, and producing a companion podcast for a popular series. How does Lovecraft Country strike a balance with its tone and format each week? What kind of rules are there around the mythology of the world? How is genre and horror used as an allegory to explore social issues? What goes into running a companion podcast to a popular TV show? How is feedback from viewers and listeners received and considered when it comes to the content of the show? Content Writing Lovecraftian horror and making a TV companion podcast with Shannon Houston (00:42) Final advice, resources, and next week on (40:05) Links Shannon Houston on Twitter Lovecraft Country on HBO Lovecraft Country Radio Podcast Resource Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick answer your TV writing questions about non-adult animation, reverse-engineering shows, and cultural references. Plus, we reveal details of our online virtual mixer and discuss the latest TV news, including broadcast comedies under threat, productions resuming, and controversial release schedules. Reminder We're having our first online virtual mixer this week! Join us Saturday, October 3 at 6PM PST over Zoom. Link and information available at http://paperteam.co/onlinemixer Content Virtual Mixer Announcement and Shout-Outs (00:33) TV Writing Questions: Non-adult animation, reverse-engineering shows, and cultural references (03:54) TV Writing News: Controversial release schedules, broadcast comedies, freelance laws, and productions resuming (26:05) Links Nickelodeon Animation Writing Program (PT179) ScreenplaySubs extension "The Boys Showrunner Addresses Backlash to Season 2 Release Schedule" - CBR "Network Comedies’ Future Threatened By Outdated Broadcast Business Model" - Deadline California Assembly Bill 5 (2019) "‘For Life’ Suspends Production Due to ‘Inconsistent’ COVID-19 Test Results" - Variety 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick begin the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with winner and mentee Ben Warner, with his new drama pilot THE PIRATE KING. Step one of the process: a basic overview of the series and pilot, with premise, characters, themes, and arcs. We hear for the first time Ben's pitch and share our thoughts live. The 2020 mentorship begins... Content About the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship and mentee Ben (00:49) "The Pirate King" - Basic series overview (05:54) Discussion of the basic series overview (11:44) Links "The Pirate King" basic series overview document 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick give feedback on five of your teasers on this year's final Paper Tease session. Plus, we reveal the winner of our new 2020 Paper Team Mentorship! Paper Tease Entries "There Goes the Neighbourhood" by Tobias Tobbell "Hench" by Kwame Lewis "Rift Jumpers" by José David Ernand "The Lot" by Travis Brashears "America’s Strangest Syndromes" by Annaliese Eisenstadt 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick answer your TV writing questions about character arcs and animated script length, and discuss the latest TV writing news involving the All-Rise writers' room mutiny and the WarnerMedia restructure. Plus, we talk with director Charles Mruz about his new board-game documentary Gamemaster, and tease an upcoming Paper Team mixer. Content Mixer Tease and Shout-Outs (00:35) TV Writing Questions: Character arcs and animated script length (05:31) Gamemaster documentary with director Charles Mruz (14:45) TV Writing News: All-Rise mutiny and WarnerMedia restructure (25:16) Links Gamemaster Documentary on Linktree Independent Producing ft. Jimmy Nguyen (Showrunners) (PT32) "Writers Mutiny at ‘All Rise,’ the Rare CBS Show With a Black Female Lead" - New York Times "Bob Greenblatt, Kevin Reilly Out at WarnerMedia in Management Shakeup" - Variety 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick catch up with their 2019 Paper Team Mentee Paul Chang, staff writer on the upcoming animated Disney TV comedy The Curse of Molly McGee. We discuss what he's been up to over the past year, including how his first full season in a writers' room went, the importance of building relationships, how COVID has had an impact for him professionally, lessons learned from the mentorship, and much more. Plus, we reveal an update about our 2020 Paper Team Mentorship. Links Paul Chang on Twitter "The Curse of Molly McGee" Paper Team Mentorship IV – Staffing Update With Paul (PT147) 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick discuss the current trend of diminishing episode orders and shorter seasons, and how that affects the size of writers' rooms, opportunities for emerging writers, and other worrying consequences for television writing. Why are TV season orders shrinking from twenty-two episodes down to as few as three? How does this affect professional opportunities for writers, both emerging and established? What does it mean for the TV business and distribution models? What are some of the long-term consequences for access and diversity in television? What are proactive ways of combating and solving these issues? Content 1 - Shorter seasons and diminishing episode orders (00:34) 2 - How that affects writers and opportunities (10:17) 3 - How that affects business and creativity (29:34) Links "Michael Schur on What We Lose When TV Gets Shorter" - Vanity Fair TV Writing Incubators and the Evolution of Access (PT125) The Art of the TV Episode (PT20) 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick feature their next Paper Tease session by giving feedback on four more of your original TV pilot teasers. Paper Tease Entries "Dad’s the Word" by Peter C. Hayward "Earthrise, Earthset" by Zac Kostyrka "Cuba Libre" by Stephen Nolly "Out for Blood" by Jack Fuhrmann 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick talk about the big picture of your TV pilot script and its scope, from what the first episode should capture, to what it can leave out. What defines the scope of your TV pilot? What are ways of deciding when the pilot should start and when it should end? How do you tell a satisfying episodic story while also setting up a longer-tail series? What are common mistakes people make when deciding on the scope of their pilot story? Why shouldn't you "save it for later"? The Paper Team hones in... Content 1 - TV pilot scope and common mistakes (00:29) 2 - TV pilot beginnings and ends (28:58) Links TV Pilot 101 (PT30) TV Pilot 201: Keeping the Reader Interested (PT84) TV Formula 101: Building an Engine For Your Show (PT117) Act Breaks (PT15) Weaving Storylines: A/B/C Stories (PT53) Teasers & Cold Opens (PT61) Analyzing Great TV Pilots: Case Studies of Alias, Community, Homicide, The O.C., Scrubs and 3rd Rock from the Sun (PT54) 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: ask@paperteam.co

Alex and Nick answer your TV writing questions about reference letters, international writing programs, spec script timelines, and title page fonts. Plus, we take a look at the latest business news, notably the new WGA 2020 MBA and success stories of past guests. Content Shout-Outs and Updates (00:32) TV Writing Questions: Reference letters, international writing programs, spec script timeline, and title page fonts (04:36) TV Writing News: 2020 WGA MBA, past guests' overall deals, and series pick-up (18:01) Links Nickelodeon Animation Writing Program ft. Katherine Wells (PT179) Building Your Career as a TV Writer ft. LaToya Morgan (PT111) DaFont Summary of the Tentative 2020 WGA MBA "LaToya Morgan Inks Overall Deal With Warner Bros. Television Group, Launches Production Company" - Deadline "Amazon Sets Mystery-Comedy ‘Nancy Wu Done It’ From Kai Yu Wu And Jessica Henwick" - Deadline 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: ask@paperteam.co