Category: Resources

40 years worth of TV writing experience and info, yours for the taking.

munchman: Do You Know About the Sundance Institute Episodic Story Lab?

Sundance Story Lab Captureby munchman

Actually, storytellers were much more than all-round traveling public service units back in the days of yore. For aboriginal people, storytellers were sacred, prophet-minstrels whose tales gave order to the chaos of their lives. But I’d never expect a fucking actor like Robby Redford to know that.

Still, the guy’s done a pretty good job with his Sundance gig, including the creation of the Sundance Episodic Story Lab, which is all about preparing you, me, and whomever else can crack open the gate and get in, a quick, down, and dirty course in writing for TV.

Well, okay, so Robby probably didn’t do it, but, hell, he has even more minions than LB so…that. read article

Disney/ABC Writing Program Announces Changes in Its Application Process

Disney-ABC LogoCapture

Direct from the Disney ABC Creative Talent Development Facebook page: (And if you can’t believe FB, who can you believe?)

ATTENTION POTENTIAL WRITING PROGRAM APPLICANTS!!! This year’s application process will be different from previous years. In addition to your application, submissions must include TWO writing samples: 1) An original pilot script that captures your unique tone, style and point of view, and 2) A spec script for a cable or broadcast series airing during the 2013-14 television season. We advise you to select a series that is well-established in at least its second season. This second sample should demonstrate your ability to adapt to an existing format while at the same time infusing your unique point of view and sensibility. Both samples MUST be live-action content. We do not accept animation samples. read article

The WGA’s Official Announcement of Its Impending Agreement with the AMPTP

In their own writerly words, distributed in an email sent to members. Just in case you missed it:

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To our colleagues, read article

Peggy Bechko: Evolution of Beginnings – Writers Keeping Up With Readers

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by Peggy Bechko

I’ve talked about beginnings of novels before but recently I’ve seen a few articles on a different angle and had someone ask me how beginnings have changed over the eons of writing. Had another someone, reading an Ebook, comment he didn’t have time to read works like War and Peace because its length depended mainly on long introductions and pages and pages of description that goes on at length about a tilt of a head or small gesture.

It got me to thinking, and reading, and thinking some more.

Here’s the thing. Each way of writing is correct for the era it’s written in. The old classics are mostly filled with long descriptions, some with flowery prose, and the like. It was a different time. And it lingered that way for quite a while. The writer would feed the reader a whole backstory right in the beginning to set the stage. They’d provide lots of description to give a feel for place and time. read article

Angelo J. Bell: SERIOUS ROGERS goes to New York

by Angelo J. Bell

My neo-noir action thriller, “Resurrection of Serious Rogers” heads to NYC to be screened at the BREAKTHROUGH FESTIVAL an independent film festival organized by the filmmaker Sujewa Ekanayake of Sri Lanka.

rsr-blocks3 read article