The human condition in 1 minute and 14 seconds. A tip of the TVWriter™ toupee to creator Mr. Castro:
Category: By TVWriter.Com
Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 4/30/14
Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
by munchman
- Noah Hawley (FARGO) has a new overall deal with FX for the usual developing/writing/producing stuff. (Cuz no boring, depressing, piece of crap show goes unrewarded, and Noah has given us a doozy in the painfully Coen-like FARGO. Congratulations, Noah!)
- Josh Berman (DROP DEAD DIVA) also has a new overall deal, this one with Sony. (Cuz this being showbiz even the boring, depressing piece of crap show that is DROP DEAD DIVA can make a ton of $$$ for everybody involved. Does your Fabulous Munchkin sound bitter? That’s cuz this kind of thing proves that bitter is better, y’know?)
- Mitch Hurwitz (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT) also has gotten himself a new overall deal. (His is with Netflix, proving that even though his genius faltered a tad with the ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Netflix, um, “return,” Mitch has more talent in his little toe than any other writer mentioned so far in today’s column.)
- Comedy Central is moving its really cool web series hosted by Ari Shaffir, THIS IS NOT HAPPENING, to the channel itself. Which means that TV viewers will have the chance to hear some damn fascinating stories from Ari and his very funny – brilliantly funny, actually – buds. (To which the munchman can only say, “Thank God! A reason to live after all!” Smart move, CC execs!)
Eyes on China
LB has done a lot of work with Chinese film and TV companies, mostly as a consultant although he’s also done some writing in Hong Kong. But do they ever ask him to speak on these panels? Oh no….
Cuz…well, to tell the truth, I don’t know why they don’t. But China definitely is emerging as a market for U.S. product, and this conference for WGA members should be very helpful to those who want to break into it. Just don’t tell ’em TVWriter™ sent you, okay?
A Documentary About Showrunners!
What can we say except – it’s about fucking time.
Writer-director Des Doyle has put together a feature film about the rising power of television series showrunners, featuring such high-powered stalwarts as J.J. Abrams, Matthew Carnahan, Jane Espenson, Hart Hanson, Ronald D. Moore, Kurt Sutter, and Joss Whedon. And let’s get real here: Any film featuring Joss Whedon at work, or just talking about work, is worth a hella lot more than the price of admission.
Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 4/28/14
Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
by munchman
- David Manson (HOUSE OF CARDS) has a new overall deal with FG Productions, where’s going to do the usual developing and stuff. (Word is that the company is absolutely bonkers in love with his FX drama pilot HOKE, so this is a pre-emptive move to keep our hero – no relation to either Marilyn or Charlie Manson as far as we know – in the fold before he gets way too hot for their budget. Munchy congrats, Davey!)
- Jason Aaron (Scalped graphic novel series) has sold that very series to WGN, which is developing it into a TV series for WGN America. (There’s an insider word here too: Jason’s a Prairie Village, Kansas resident who, we understand, is now going to storm the big city. That’s right, he’s coming to – wait for it – Wichita! Congrats on the deal and the new address, Jase!)
- The latest news about Chris Albrecht who, okay, isn’t a writer but certainly has made a bunch of ’em rich as CEO of HBO and, now, Starz, puts the writing deals we talk about her into perspective: Dude may indeed have contributed to the wealth of all kinds of talented wordsmiths, but he himself personally made over $30 million last year just by, well, musing around, it seems to Yer Friendly Neighborhood munchman. Muse me, Chrissy baby! Muse me!)