Written by Ashley Wehrs, Graphic by Ashley Wehrs
The “Inside the Writers’ Room” panel began Jan. 4, the opening day of SCAD’s first virtual aTVfest. The panel featured writers of various backgrounds, including Nick Antosca of “The Act,” “Channel Zero” and “Hannibal,” Eduardo Cisneros from “Acapulco” and “Half Brothers,” Gina Fattore from “Dare Me,” “Californication,” “Gilmore Girls” and “Dawson’s Creek,” Bridget Kyle and Vicky Luu from “Superstore,” “Marry Me” and “The Grinder” and Alice Marcone from “Noturnos,” “September Mornings” and “He, She, They.”
The writers shared their individual journeys into writers’ rooms, how creative development varies across shows and what they wish they’d known earlier in their careers.
Each writer started with a passion for storytelling but differed in their career paths to television writing.
Antosca started his career writing fiction before moving to Los Angeles to write spec scripts. While writing and working at the New York Public Library, Fattore was connected to Gregg Daniels, creator of “The Office.” Marcone was originally an actress, who became interested in developing characters and stories. Luu studied film and television at the University of Southern California and got a job as an assistant where she met Kyle. Kyle, who studied at Boston University, collaborated with Luu to write a few scripts to build their portfolios and increase their work opportunities. Today, they’re all writing in writers’ rooms.
Every writers’ room functions differently. The way a group brainstorms, plans and produces content is influenced by compilation of experiences, strengths and weaknesses.
Antosca recalled working on shows where the writing department would function on efficient, 3-hour workdays and others where they would spend ten to twelve hours brainstorming. His current team uses note cards to plot episode beatsheets before selecting a single writer to compose an outline.
“An older TV writer said that your job […] is not to make the best show that you can. The job is to help the showrunner make the show they’re trying to make,” Antosca said, “You have to really balance your voice and your instincts with what the holistic vision of what the show is. If the showrunner has done their job, you’re there because of your specific voice.”
Marcone emphasized the impact that having a diverse writing staff can have on creating well-rounded characters and moving past the entertainment industry’s history of misrepresentation. Being a transgender woman writing for a show that puts LGBTQ+ characters at the forefront, Marcone has firsthand experienced the impact of intentionally involving authentic voices. “Having a person like me to build this [character] history is essential,” Marcone said.
In Kyle’s experience, consistently confirming the preservation of character integrity has been a key part of the writing process. She considers their writers’ room to be writing as fans of the show. They don’t want to see characters making decisions that simply don’t make sense. “We see it through the eyes of an audience, because we grew up loving TV,” Kyle said.
Although these writers have accrued many impressive credits, they’ve each had to navigate feelings of self-doubt. “You’re hired for a reason, especially if you are a lower level or newer writer. There is probably something about your voice that stood out,” Cisneros said, “The more time you’re in the room, the less you will [ask if you belong].”
