Working in a Hollywood style writer’s room with a show runner herding a team to write stories... that must be a crazy experience. I don’t think I could do it. Like the transition from solo programming habits to shared git repos where the team owns the code, but harder.
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I’ve done it twice AMA. I’ve also been (very slowly in the background) making a video game that simulates the experience.
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Some takeaways:
- Rooms like this work best for problem solving and brainstorming additional details on a story that already has good bones
- Most pro Hollywood writers are far better on character and scenework than structure
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Also, a big one, scheduling matters massively. Some networks run the writers room in parallel with shooting, some do all writing up front. Later is WILDLY preferable. Once prep and shooting starts, showrunner is constantly torn away for production questions. Can cripple a room.
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Replying to
In parallel is the tradition Broadcast Network way to do it. You get like 2-3 episodes in and then production starts. I think it made more sense when shows were episodic rather than serial. Less need for coherent throughlines and more possibility for individual writer autonomy.
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