Showrunner and Executive Producer Glen Mazzara (The Walking Dead, The Shield) leads a three-hour Master Class with a focus on writing for television. Using interactive exercises, real-world examples, and case studies from the field, Mazzara reveals the necessary skills for breaking into the writers’ room and succeeding as a staff writer.
Trigger Warning: This video contains a scene breakdown from 1:38-1:48 dealing with a traumatic assault. We encourage you to practice self-care while viewing this video.
Topics covered include:
4:23 - Introductions
8:50 - Glen Mazzara Recounts His Career Path
18:30 - Role of the Showrunner and How it Relates to the Writing Team
22:45 - Other Roles: The “Number Two”, Producing Positions, and Staff Writers
25:29 - The Mechanics of the Writers’ Room
36:22 - Beating Out a Story and the Writing Process
49:25 - Q&A: The Writers’ Room
1:08:50 - Creating Characters
1:24:00 - Q&A: Creating Characters
1:33:50 - Scene Design
1:38:20 - Scene Breakdowns: What Works and What Doesn’t
1:59:26 - Crafting a Pilot and Setting Up a Show
2:09:18 - The Character Pass: How to Strengthen Your Characters’ Voices
2:21:18 - Closing Q&A
2:43:15 - Closing Thoughts
Resources:
