I’m teaching a class at the UCLA Extension School about developing your original story. Over 12 weeks, we’re exploring the basics behind TV movies, mini-series and TV shows. The class culminates in the students developing a pitch. They’ll turn in a written version and then they’ll pitch […]
Last week when it was announced that ABC wouldn’t be renewing American Crime, I received the news like a punch in the gut.
I knew, intellectually, that it might happen: although our reviews were stellar [Deadline critic Dominic Patten called season 3 “the strongest installment yet in the Emmy-winning anthology series from John Ridley and ABC” and compared the […]
I was in a deep coaching conversation with a talented writer who said he wasn’t writing enough.
Feeling really disappointed in himself, he was reportedly doing any number of productive things with his time, but he wasn’t getting “enough” of his work done. I asked him what the writing tasks were and he listed them. He had some […]
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen those words in a Facebook group or a chat list. “Anybody want to read my script?” I think writers who post this kind of question are playing a dangerous game.
Feedback is a terrific and useful tool in the life of a writer. No matter the medium, it’s […]
Last week, I got notes from ABC studios and the TV network on my script for American Crime. It’s the last step in a process of brainstorming, discussing, outlining, rewriting, writing, re-drafting, editing, and revising my episode. Now the script goes off to production and, […]
I’m teaching again at the UCLA Extension school, after a stint there last year. This class is about developing your own story. We started our adventure together with an exercise. I invited the students to introduce themselves – first one on one and then in the larger group. For each […]
Last time I covered what happens prior to a TV show being broadcast. This article is about all the things that happen during the airing of the show. By that I mean during the run of the show – while the episodes are rolling out week to week. Here are some of the things that […]
On Sunday March 12th the third season of American Crime premiered on ABC.
It’s my first season as a writer on the show and I’m very excited. Though I’ve seen the first episode twice and the director’s cut of episode 6 (the one I wrote), I hadn’t seen the other installments of […]
Some people in the world of entertainment say you’re only as good as your latest project. While that may be true depending on the circles you’re in, it’s not valuable in the life of an artist to think that way. The industry may be hungry for the newest, best […]
You’re watching an awards show. Nominees are announced and a winner is named. There’s applause and music as someone walks forward to get their statue.
What are you feeling?
For some artists, the sight of another person winning an award feels like a […]
