Industry experts give advice for aspiring writers at aTVfest’s ‘Inside the Writers Room’
For the, “Inside the Writers Room,” panel, students were joined by Ben Edlund, show runner, executive producer, and creator of “The Tick,” Ian Greenstein, co-head of television at the Gersh Agency, Jenny Klein, writer for “Supernatural” and “Jessica Jones” and Kaila York, literary manager and producer at Headlong Entertainment.
Edlund, Greenstein, Klein and York introduced themselves with anecdotes about how they got started in their careers. Each speaker had unique experiences with writing in the film and television industry and shared some valuable advice for aspiring writers.
One of the first things Greenstein mentioned was that a great way to get involved in the entertainment business is to get a position in the mailroom for an agency. Agencies are hubs of information and viable avenues to make valuable connections. The panelists agreed that the first job most people have in their career towards writing is not directly related to writing.
They also emphasized how it might not be enjoyable right away, but the more reliable and effective someone is in those positions, the more likely it is that they will be given an opportunity to work towards something better in the future.
When asked about what they wished they had known in the beginning of their careers, Edlund explained, “I wish I understood the nature of power.” He referred to a time he felt he surrendered too much too soon creatively, assuming that he didn’t know enough about the craft. In hindsight, Edlund said he should have recognized his own agency and creative ability.
Klein mentioned that so much of what makes someone successful in the business is their ability to bounce back. She said, “I wish I had known how much rewriting is part of writing,” and that it’s relieving to realize the first draft is not going directly on-air. Scripts can always be made better, up until the very end of the writing process.
York also explained that a big mistake some people make at the start of their careers is that they focus too much on trying to acquire a particular position, without respecting that it is more about the journey than the destination. “Enjoy the process as much as you can,” said York. She also spoke further on the idea that writing for film and television is a collaborative art and how it’s necessary to be open to that collaboration.
Additionally, the panel focused on what agency heads and managers look for in new writers. Greenstein talked about how he looked for a combination of an interesting personal story and quality writing. He mentioned how it was valuable to be able to instill personal experiences into the projects. “Don’t write for what you think they want,” he said. Also, don’t try to emulate someone else’s writing. Focus on writing something that comes from those unique personal experiences.
The range of experience from the panelists provided students with a well-rounded assortment of advice and perspectives that could be translated into their future careers. Students walked away from the panel with practical advice about what it is like to work as a writer and what will help them move up in the industry.
