The Writers Panel

Charlie Covell (creator of Kaos and The End of the F***ing World) discusses their influences in retelling classical myths, creating a "contemporary kinked" world, threading the tonal needle, why they love first drafts, their playlists, and more.Want to check out one of the playlists Charlie made as they were creating the characters? Visit benblacker.substack.comCome see Ben Blacker's live show, RETROSPECS, on Sunday, September 29, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The Sept 29 show features a Seinfeld written by David Iserson (New Girl; The Spy Who Dumped Me) and Succession written by the notorious parody account creator Fake Carol Lombardini. Starring Paul Scheer (The League), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black; She-Hulk), Sherry Cola (Nobody Wants This), Ayden Mayeri (Mr. Throwback), Andrew Lopez (The Bear), Chris Grace (Superstore), Jaime Moyer (The Great North), and more!Live or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/retrospecsTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sherman Payne (creator, Emperor of Ocean Park; Shameless) discusses how to tell a great story, the different kinds of writers in TV, adaptation, what it takes to thrive as a TV writer, "prestidurals," and more.Come see Ben Blacker's live show, RETROSPECS, on Sunday, September 29, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The Sept 29 show features a Seinfeld written by David Iserson (New Girl; The Spy Who Dumped Me) and Succession written by the notorious parody account creator Fake Carol Lombardini. Starring Paul Scheer (The League), Hannah Simone (New Girl), Sherry Cola (Nobody Wants This), Ayden Mayeri (Mr. Throwback), Parvesh Cheena (Frasier), and more!Live or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/retrospecsTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Producer Ashley Jay Sandberg (Twisters; The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) discusses what a producer does, the art of giving and receiving notes, putting together the team, the future of movies, and lots more.Come see Ben Blacker's live show, RETROSPECS, on Sunday, September 29, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The Sept 29 show features a Seinfeld written by David Iserson (New Girl; The Spy Who Dumped Me) and Succession written by the notorious parody account creator Fake Carol Lombardini. Starring Paul Scheer (The League), Hannah Simone (New Girl), Sherry Cola (Nobody Wants This), and more!Live or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/retrospecsTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Smith (creator, Slow Horses) discusses comedy in drama, building off of author Mick Herron's plots, his work on Veep and The Thick of It with Armando Iannucci, and the reason why this show works as well as it does.Come see Ben Blacker's live show, RETROSPECS, on Sunday, September 29, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The Sept 29 show features a Seinfeld written by David Iserson (New Girl; The Spy Who Dumped Me) and Succession written by the notorious parody account creator Fake Carol Lombardini. Starring Paul Scheer (The League), Hannah Simone (New Girl), Sherry Cola (Nobody Wants This), and more!Live or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/retrospecsTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christy Hall (Daddio; It Ends with Us) discusses what working in theater taught her, being curious by the gray areas, what matters most in getting a project off the ground, co-creating I Am Not Okay with This, mowing down cornfields, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer/actor Sierra Katow (Funt; Golden Axe; The Sex Lives of College Girls) discusses performing stand-up from a young age, putting together her first hourlong special, the fun of narrative writing, the comedy landscape, writing jokes for clubs, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kathleen Jordan (creator, The Decameron and Teenage Bounty Hunters) discusses finding inspiration in a 14th century text, creating comic characters, balancing tone, theme, and plot, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Rodat (Those About to Die; Saving Private Ryan) discusses the parallels of his ancient Roman series to today's politics, his grueling rewriting process, the "heart and soul" of Saving Private Ryan, the three levels of conflict, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Fishko (creator/showrunner, Orphan Black: Echoes; Fear the Walking Dead) discusses showrunning as a three-person job, hiring people she can trust, her writing superpower, the evolution of the series, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jordan Morris (Jordan Jesse Go!) talks about his new graphic novel, Youth Group, out this week. It's a funny and charming horror-comedy about teenage exorcists in the 1990s.Order your copy now: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250789235/youth-groupTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jurassic Park, Spider-man, Mission: Impossible, Carlito's Way, Indiana Jones, Bad Influence, Kimi, Snake Eyes, Panic Room, Presence, Black Bag, and even more. We're lucky to have David Koepp on today's episode. Want to participate in a writing workshop this summer with Ben Blacker and some terrific writers? Go from idea to first draft or get a rewrite into fighting shape? Email [email protected] see Dead Pilots Society on Sunday, June 30, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Dead Pilots Society scripts that were developed by studios and networks but were never produced are given the table reads they deserve.The June 30 show at the Elysian Theater features scripts by Dario Konjicija & Damir Konjicija (Home Economics; Young Sheldon) and Jordan Roter (American Housewife).The cast includes: Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black), Jonathan Tucker (Kingdom; Westworld), Josh Banday (Upload; Not Dead Yet), Vinny Thomas (Platonic; Ahsoka), Leah Lewis (Matlock; Elemental), Punam Patel (Special; Ghosts) and more to be announced!Get live or video-on-demand tickets here.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under the Bridge creator Quinn Shephard (writer/director, Not Okay) and showrunner Samir Mehta (Narcos; Fear the Walking Dead) discuss couching emotional story in mystery plot, finding the universal in the specific, the Sopranos as children and as comedy, writing from the heart, reading to hire a room, and lots more.Come see Dead Pilots Society on Sunday, June 30, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Dead Pilots Society scripts that were developed by studios and networks but were never produced are given the table reads they deserve.The June 30 show at the Elysian Theater features scripts by Dario Konjicija & Damir Konjicija (Home Economics; Young Sheldon) and Jordan Roter (American Housewife).The cast includes: Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black), Josh Banday (Upload; Not Dead Yet), Vinny Thomas (Platonic; Ahsoka), Leah Lewis (Matlock; Elemental), Punam Patel (Special; Ghosts) and more to be announced!Get live or video-on-demand tickets here.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Big Cigar's Janine Sherman Barois (Claws; Criminal Minds) and Jim Hecht (Winning Time; Ice Age) discuss the responsibility of telling true stories, how The Big Cigar isn't just a biopic, working on multiple projects, the state of the industry, and more.Come see Dead Pilots Society on Sunday, June 30, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Dead Pilots Society scripts that were developed by studios and networks but were never produced are given the table reads they deserve.The June 30 show at the Elysian Theater features scripts by Dario Konjicija & Damir Konjicija (Home Economics; Young Sheldon) and Jordan Roter (American Housewife).The cast includes: Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black), Josh Banday (Upload; Not Dead Yet), Vinny Thomas (Platonic; Ahsoka), Leah Lewis (Matlock; Elemental), Punam Patel (Special; Ghosts) and more to be announced!Get live or video-on-demand tickets here.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The First Omen writer/director Arkasha Stevenson and co-writer Tim Smith discuss bringing their perspective to a beloved franchise, body horror, David Lynch, their writing process, that image, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer/director Ned Benson (The Greatest Hits; The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby) discusses writing an earnest love story, writing through the lens of a director, the delusions of belief, when to let go, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aron Eli Coleite (creator/showrunner, The Spiderwick Chronicles; Atlas) discusses dialogue and action, helpful Aron-isms, our goldfish attention spans, key differences between TV and movie writing, why development takes so long now, and lots more.Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, May 19, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The May 19 show is a benefit for the Green Envelope Fund and features a Seinfeld by David Iserson (The Spy Who Dunped Me; New Girl) and a Succession written by "Fake Carol Lombardini" that takes place during the WGA/SAG strike and co-stars real Carol Lombardini!Live or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/Retro519THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer/director/actor Don McKellar (co-creator, The Sympathizer' 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould; Childstar) discusses throwing yourself into the deep end, the terrors of expectation, tradlation, and representation, collaborating with Park Chan-wook, how to know when to fight, his role on Slings and Arrows, and more.Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, May 19, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The May 19 show is a benefit for the Green Envelope Fund and features a Seinfeld by David Iserson (The Spy Who Dunped Me; New Girl) and a Succession written by "Fake Carol Lombardini" that takes place during the WGA/SAG strike and co-stars real Carol Lombardini!Live or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/retrospecs0519THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Jamin (Tacoma FD; Maron) discusses his new collection of personal essays, A Paper Orchestra, sharing versus oversharing, what he learned about art from David Bowie and Pharrel, and more.Buy A Paper Orchestra and see Jamin on his live reading tour! Info here: https://michaeljamin.com/product/a-paper-orchestra/Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, April 21, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The April 21 show features a West Wing from by Marc Guggenheim (co-creator, Arrow) and a Big Bang Theory written by Helen Shang (Hawaii 5-0).Starring Sherry Cola (Joy Ride), Katie Cassidy (Arrow), Olivia Scott Welch (Fear Street), John Ross Bowie (Big Bang Theory), Hrishikesh Hirway (West Wing Weekly; Song Exploder), Ricardo Hurtado (School of Rock), Kiran Deol (Destroy All Neighbors), and moreLive or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/Retro421THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Evan Waite (Family Guy; The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) discusses the kinds of comedy he enjoys, breaking in by taking chances, his new book Life Wants You Dead: A Calm, Rational and Totally Legit Guide to Scaring Yourself Safe, and more.Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, April 21, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The April 21 show features a West Wing from by Marc Guggenheim (co-creator, Arrow) and a Big Bang Theory written by Helen Shang (Hawaii 5-0).Starring Sherry Cola (Joy Ride), Katie Cassidy (Arrow), Olivia Scott Welch (Fear Street), John Ross Bowie (Big Bang Theory), Hrishikesh Hirway (West Wing Weekly; Song Exploder), Ricardo Hurtado (School of Rock), Kiran Deol (Destroy All Neighbors), and moreLive or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/Retro421THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melanie Marnich (creator, Apples Never Fall; The OA; Big Love) discusses pursuing projects that explore personal questions, casting her room for their strengths, pitching her perspective on Lianne Moriarty's novel, the Apples cast's secret text chain, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abe Sylvia (creator, Palm Royale, George and Tammy; Dead to Me; Nurse Jackie) discusses making discoveries on set, healthy debate vs story breaking, working with frequent collaborators, how not outlining "reintroduces writerly delight," and more.Come see Retrospecs on Sunday, April 21, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows!The April 21 show features a West Wing from by Marc Guggenheim (co-creator, Arrow) and a Big Bang Theory written by Helen Shang (Hawaii 5-0).Live or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/retrospecs0421THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Orloff (creator, Masters of the Air) discusses scripts as selling tools vs scripts as production tools, integrating research into scenes, writing a nine-hour movie, Band of Brothers, and more.Come see Retrospecs this Sunday, March 17, 2-4pm PT at the Elysian Theater in LA! In Retrospecs, we dig those old scripts by established writers out of their drawers and expose them to the warm light of the stage. Starring actors you know and love from TV, film, comedy, and the stage. From Girls to Gilmore Girls, from the Big Bang Theory to Buffy, get NEW EPISODES of your favorite shows, written by writers who never wrote for those shows! The March 17 show features a Mad About You from 1997 by Ben Blacker and a Girls written by Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz (Brooklyn 99).Live or streaming/VOD tickets here: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/retrospecsTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

J Blakeson (showrunner/director, Culprits; writer/director I Care a Lot) discusses creating his inadvertent signature film with The Disappearance of Alice Creed, why a law abiding citizen writes crime stories, finding the "what if" in a pitch, why he dislikes Final Draft, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zoe Lister Jones (creator, Slip; writer/director, How It Ends, The Craft: Legacy) discusses writing, directing, and acting, putting herself into every project, when to be precious, remaining true to her voice, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed Solomon (Full Circle; Bill & Ted; Men in Black) discusses objective and subjective storytelling, choosing a career path and switching gears from comedy to crime, rewriting, listening to the voice of your inner GPS, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Somebody Somewhere creators Hannah Bos & Paul Thureen (High Maintenance) and writer/star Bridget Everett (Inside Amy Schumer) discuss the creation of the show, telling big stories in small moments, what they learned in the first season, the midwest, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Druckmann (co-creator, The Last of Us; Uncharted) discusses previous stabs at adapting his games, balancing action and character, serving different mediums, Uncharted, and how The Last of Us changed his life.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Jenkins (creator, Our Flag Means Death and People of Earth) discusses his background in theater, how he thinks of comedy, stakes, staffing his shows, people touching his face, and more.Come to a live recording of DEAD PILOTS SOCIETY, Ben Blacker's other podcast. In Dead Pilots Society, scripts that were developed by studios and networks but were never produced are given the table reads they deserve.On Sunday, January 21, 3-5pm, at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles we're recording readings of great pilots by Open Mike Eagle (The New Negroes) & Mike Benner (Bob's Burgers) and Tommy Johnagin (That 90s Show). Starring Tawny Newsome (Star Trek: Lower Decks), Paul F. Tompkins (Bojack Horseman), Langston Kerman (Insecure), and lots more!GET TICKETS NOW!THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Samy Burch (May December) discusses breaking through with her first produced screenplay after a decade of writing, receiving notes from producers at Gloria Sanchez, Natalie Portman, and director Todd Haynes, "the endurance of failure," writing the shelved (for now?) Coyote vs Acme for Warner Brothers, and why her vision for her writing future is the motto for LA restaurant The Apple Pan. THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two episodes for the price of one today! (The price is zero dollars).First up, Ben Nedivi & Matt Wolpert (creators/ahowrunners, For All Mankind) discuss season 4 of their alternate history space-race series, trusting their decisions, addressing and adjusting tone, killing off characters, and more.Then, Brian Helgeland (writer/director Finestkind; writer, LA Confidential, Mystic River, lots more) discusses his new movie--written 25 years ago--as well as some of his greatest hits, including the unlikely story of LA Confidential getting made and the sequel that he couldn't get made, the spark that led to A Knight's Tale, getting his start in horror, and more. THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hannah Rosner (Legacies) and feature writer Erica Schreiber of the Untitled Female Driven Podcast discuss mistakes they made early in their careers, from learning what to say in meetings to when to turn down a project. Listen to the first half of this conversation in which Hannah and Erica interview The Writers Panel's Ben Blacker on this week's episode of the Untitled Female Driven Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comLive Zoom Q&A with Marc Guggenheim (Arrow; Legends of Tomorrow) on Sunday 12/17! Join the Substack to join and ask your questions or to listen later!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marvel Comics editor Tom Brevoort discusses working on The Avengers and moving to the X-Men office, mistakes he's made, getting the best out of creatives, why he's optimistic about the industry's future, and lots more.Brevoort's substack, Man with a Hat, is the most informative and inside baseball newsletter about the comics industry out there. Subscribe here: https://tombrevoort.substack.comTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer/actor/producer Felicia Day (The Guild; MST3K; Supernatural) discusses her new audio series Third Eye, getting comfortable with outlining, her approach to world building, maintaining mental health in a difficult industry, and lots more. Third Eye is available now via Audible.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comLive Zoom Q&A with The Tick creator Ben Edlund (Supernatural) next weekend. Join the Substack to join and ask your questions or to listen later!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marissa Jo Cerar (creator/showrunner, Black Cake and Women of the Movement) discusses hiring a writers' room, what she reads, what she expects in interviews, and more. Black Cake is streaming now on Hulu!THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comLive Zoom Q&A with The Tick creator Ben Edlund (Supernatural) next weekend. Join the Substack to join and ask your questions or to listen later!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Paul Tremblay (The Beast You Are; The Cabin at the End of the World) discusses writing horror short stories, turning the personal into the terrifying, and more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlackerTickets are on sale now for The Thrilling Adventure Hour live on Dec 2 at Bourbon Room, LA!Featuring Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Marc Evan Jackson, Joshua Malina, and special guests. All new scripts, different for the 6:30 and 8:30pm shows.Both shows have two ticketing tiers:Seats + Treats - for which you'll received guaranteed seating as well as a Thrilling swag bag. This guaranteed seating level is extremely limited, so get your tickets now!GA - No guaranteed seating, no swag, but you'll see the show!For the late show, the "Seats + Treats" level also includes access to the post-show cast karaoke party, where the cast will sing their favorite songs with the band! It's going to be a ton of fun. GA level does not include post-show karaoke party access and the post-show will not be streamed.Early show (6:30pm): https://tinyurl.com/TAHDec2EarlyLate show (8:30pm): https://tinyurl.com/TAHDec2023LateCan't make it to Hollywood? Both shows are available to stream with just one ticket: https://tinyurl.com/TAHDecStream Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this craft-focused episode, Krystal Ziv (Wolf Pack; The Purge) discusses various types of collaboration.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this craft-centered conversation, author Lily Sparks (Teen Killers Club) discusses writing YA, showing the world as it should be versus how it is, sex in young adult fiction, and more. The final book in Lily's "Teen Killers" trilogy, Teen Killers at Large, is available now!THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comJoin Ben's advanced "Draft Intensive" class and go from outline to script, starts October 22: https://scriptanatomy.com/product/20231022-tv-draft-intensive-98/There are only two slots left, so sign up now!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines writer/director Lindsey Anderson Beer discusses the Stephen King prequel, the intense draft process once she came on board, her background in neuroscience and robotics, the magic script that got her in the door, and lots more.Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is streaming now on Paramount+.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comJoin Ben's advanced "Draft Intensive" class and go from outline to script, starts October 22: https://scriptanatomy.com/product/20231022-tv-draft-intensive-98/There are only two slots left, so sign up now!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Superheroes and Not-so-Supervillains - Patton Oswalt (Minor Threats, Black Hammer: Visions), Jordan Blum (Minor Threats, Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.), Scott Hepburn (Minor Threats), James Tynion IV (The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos, Something is Killing the Children), Tate Brombal (The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos, Barbalien: Red Planet), and Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer, Mazebook; Sweet Tooth) discuss creating their own heroes, villains, and worlds in their creator-owned comics and more.Moderated by Ben Blacker (Hex Wives; The Thrilling Adventure Hour)Recorded at San Diego Comic Con, July 2023.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comJoin Ben's advanced "Draft Intensive" class and go from outline to script, starts October 22: https://scriptanatomy.com/product/20231022-tv-draft-intensive-98/Space is extremely limited, so join now!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer of all media Gerry Duggan (Deadpool; Uncanny Avengers; Attack of the Show!) joined to talk about thinking visually but wound up having a wide-ranging conversation about process, comics, art, movies, and more.Gerry is an accomplished photographer whose work can be seen at https://gerryduggan.substack.comTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comJoin Ben's advanced "Draft Intensive" class and go from outline to script, starts October 22: https://scriptanatomy.com/product/20231022-tv-draft-intensive-98/Space is extremely limited, so join now!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlackerFacebook: facebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a craft-centered episode, Liz Elverenl (Grown-ish; Dollface; I Am Not Okay with This) discusses comedic dialogue.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comJoin Ben's advanced "Draft Intensive" class and go from outline to script, starts October 22: https://scriptanatomy.com/product/20231022-tv-draft-intensive-98/Space is extremely limited, so join now!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlackerFacebook: facebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this craft-centered conversation, Riki Lindhome (co-creator, Another Period; Garfunkel and Oates) discusses keeping a schedule and the discipline to write.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comJoin Ben's introductory "Televisionary" class with Script Anatomy starting Sept 10: https://scriptanatomy.com/product/20230910-televisionary-combo-127/SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlackerFacebook: facebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this craft-centered conversation, Tom Vaughan (Haunting of the Queen Mary; Winchester) discusses second acts in feature scripts.PLUS: Learn how to participate in the "secret workshop" Ben is teaching in September!THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comJoin Ben's introductory "Televisionary" class with Script Anatomy starting Sept 10: https://scriptanatomy.com/product/20230910-televisionary-combo-127/Listen to this episode's intro to learn how to join the secret workshop!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlackerFacebook: facebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a craft-centered episode, Joseph Dougherty (Pretty Little Liars; thirtysomething) discusses dialogue.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlackerFacebook: facebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rodney Barnes (Winning Time; American Gods; Runaways) on the patience to rewrite. PLUS: WGA negotiating committee member Yahlin Chang (The Handmaid's Tale; Supergirl) on the union's proposals around episodic television.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlackerFacebook: facebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this craft-centered episode, Matt Williams (co-creator of Home Improvement, Roseanne, and more) discusses collaborating with non-writers. PLUS: Shoshana Sachi (Doom Patrol; Dead Boy Detectives) talks about trying to do creative work while on strike.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlackerFacebook: facebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this craft-centered episode, Karen Graci (Hailey's On It!, Tuca and Bertie, The Harper House) talks about point-of-view.Plus: "Bitter Script Reader" Adam Mallinger (Superman & Lois) with do's and don'ts for networking on the picket line.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: https://benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:twitter.com/BenBlackerfacebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a craft-centered episode, Marc Bernardin (Treadstone; Star Trek: Picard) discusses world building.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.com SOCIALS:https://twitter.com/BENBLACKER https://www.facebook.com/TVWritersPanel  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

X-Men, X2, and Watchmen screenwriter David Hayter discusses thinking in pictures, how he came to write X-Men, structure, writing fight scenes, and screenwriting's toll on your brain.PLUS: WGA strike captain Gabriel Garza (The Flash; The Winchesters) with tales from the picket line!THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: https://benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:twitter.com/BenBlackerfacebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Mallory O'Meara (The Lady From The Black Lagoon) returns to talk about her new book, Girls Make Movies, why she wrote a guide for young people interested in film, its many, many iterations, being an "author" and being a "writer," and why the draft is not the book. PLUS: Tze Chun (EP/showrunner of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai and EP/co-showrunner with Boots Riley of I'm a Virgo) on what to wear on the picket line, why he's so well-dressed, and the vibe of his writers' rooms.Girls Make Movies is out today! Visit Mallory's website for all ordering options, including signed copies! https://www.malloryomeara.com/girls-make-moviesHere's the really fun playlist Mallory made for Girls Make Movies: https://tinyurl.com/GirlsMakeMoviesTHE WRITERS PANEL IS NOW A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: https://benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:twitter.com/BenBlackerfacebook.com/tvWritersPanel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.