Category: Opinion

How To Become A Substance Addicted Hollywood Writer

Don’t let your mothers read this one, newbies. But definitely read David Silverman’s wise words yourselves – and remember, knowledge – even if it’s scary as hell – ultimately will give you power:

For those who don’t recognize him, here’s Edgar Allan Poe

by David Silverman, MA, LMFT

It’s relatively easy. First you get a job as a screenwriter or TV writer. You get to deal with deadlines, rejection, and a roller-coaster of ups and downs in your career. You might encounter heartache, or agonize over where your next job is coming from.  You could be the flavor of the month one day and forgotten the next.

On the other hand, you might just become successful, buy a house in the Hollywood Hills, drive a Lamborghini, and chase after beautiful starlets. You might have wild parties where your friends and acquaintances share drugs, or get hammered and carry on long into the night. read article

Siskoid’s Blog Gives Us the Lowdown on ‘Friends from College’

One of our favorite fan blogs, Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery, comes through with a review of a series most of us here at TVWriter™ would have to admit that we not only haven’t seen, we also haven’t heard of.

The series is on Netflix, a place that fascinates us because not only does it do what, you know, we all expect a streaming media site to do, it also write the best series loglines on the interwebs. You know, like this:

Twenty years after graduation, a tight-knit group of college friends reconnects and discovers that love hasn’t gotten easier with age. read article

Punisher Creator Gerry Conway on Netflix’s ‘THE PUNISHER’ & a Few Other Things

When Gerry Conway speaks, even on other websites, we at TVWriter™ listen. Because not only is he a “minor comics icon,” (in Gerry’s own words), he’s one of Larry Brody’s closest friends, plus a frequent contributor to TVWriter™ and, of course, a force to be reckoned with in ye olde television industry as well.

Last week Gerry talked to SyfyWire about Netflix’s version of one of his major comics creations, the Punisher. Here’s the result:

by Dana Forsythe

The infamous “Death of Gwen Stacy” scene written by Gerry Conway

Boasting dozens of writing credits for both DC and Marvel, Gerry Conway helped shape the Bronze Age of comic books with stories like “The Night Gwen Stacy Died,” the original Clone Saga, the creation of the Punisher, and his run on the Justice League. He’s written almost every superhero from Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash to Spider-Man, Daredevil, Thor, Hulk, and Iron Manand amassed countless writing credits for his work in TV, movies and books. read article

When screenwriter Brian Helgeland talks about Screenwriting, we listen

Writer Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River) explains what it feels like to win an Oscar an a Razzie on the same weekend, why he thinks writer’s block is a myth, and reveals Clint Eastwood’s unique powers of persuasion.

Brought to us by BAFTA Guru, a service the British Academy of Film and Television Arts…for which TVWriter™ is mucho thankful!

John Ostrander: The Elseworlds

by John Ostrander

The CW has been doing annual crossovers of some or all of its DC shows each season to the point where the characters themselves are commenting on it. They like each other well enough but they know each situation is going to involve a BIG Bad and they’re not always keen on it. Kind of a funny, hip, self-aware thing.

In fact, there was a lot of humor in this year’s Crossover Event which was titled Elseworlds. It involved only the Big Three of the CW/DC shows – Supergirl, Arrow, and the Flash. Legends of Tomorrow (which has been a LOT of fun this year) and Black Lightning didn’t get to play which I can understand – by the time you get not only the main characters but significant amounts of the supporting casts it can get a little crowded and unwieldy, especially since they try to advance some of the subplots running in each series.  read article