Master Class Archive: The Role of the Showrunner with Graham Yost (SILO)
About this Master Class
So that we may continue supporting artists through our content, Sundance Collab Master Classes cost $27. Both registration for the live event and post-event recording access are included in this fee. All Master Classes are included in Collaborator and All Access memberships. Upgrade today for the full library!
Master Classes are in-depth, interactive learning experiences focused on craft and career building and led by renowned industry experts. Topics include fiction and documentary filmmaking, TV writing and production, and navigating and succeeding in the entertainment industry.
Do you have a vision for your dream television show? Are you a writer who wants to know what goes into running the room? In our live and interactive three-hour Master Class, you will learn about the entire process - from developing and pitching a concept through putting together a Writers’ Room to casting, production, post-production and promoting your show. Using examples from shows like Justified, Boomtown, Sneaky Pete and the new Apple series, Silo, Graham Yost will demystify the showrunner’s role and explain what goes into making a compelling series that will resonate with viewers for years to come.
You will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the nuances of working in different formats and countries. Whether you’re an established writer/producer or new to the television medium, you will walk away with a greater understanding of this all-important job.
Topics covered include:
- From idea to completed script
- Pitching and selling your pilot
- The evolution of the format
- Hiring a collaborative writing staff
- Running the room
- Casting your show
- Creating the world, tone and visual style
- Producing on set
- Showrunning in post-production
- Promoting your show
- Season two and beyond
Please download recommended resources here.
If you have a disability and require accommodation in order to fully participate in this event, please complete this form, contact us at (435) 776-7790 or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to discuss your specific needs. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.
The recording will be posted within 24 hours after the event. If you purchased this Master Class, you will find your recording in your “Purchases” section of your account. If this was included as part of your Collaborator or All Access membership, you can access it in our video library. All Master Classes are included in Collaborator and All Access memberships. Sign up today for membership and get a 14-day free trial.
Master ClassTeam
Graham Yost
Instructor
Graham Yost began writing for television in 1989 on the Nickelodeon series HEY DUDE. After a brief stint on FULL HOUSE his script for SPEED was picked up by Paramount (it was later produced by 20th Century Fox). His other feature film credits include BROKEN ARROW, HARD RAIN, MISSION TO MARS, and THE LAST CASTLE.
Yost was nominated for an Emmy as a writer for the HBO miniseries FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON, and won Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for it as a producer. He later wrote/co-wrote two installments of the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning HBO WWII miniseries BAND OF BROTHERS, and won an Emmy Award for THE PACIFIC, HBO’s epic miniseries following three Marines through the Pacific theater of World War II. In 2002, Yost created BOOMTOWN for NBC, which was honored with a Peabody Award and two Television Critics Association awards. In 2006, Yost created RAINES starring Jeff Goldblum for NBC.
Yost was the showrunner on JUSTIFIED, the Emmy winning FX series starring Timothy Olyphant, based on a character created by America’s preeminent crime novelist Elmore Leonard. He also served as an Executive Producer on the Emmy-winning FX series THE AMERICANS, and was the showrunner and executive producer on seasons one and two of Amazon's SNEAKY PETE. Since 2019, Yost has been with AppleTV+. Along with producing SLOW HORSES, Yost is Executive Producing and showrunning SILO, based on Hugh Howey’s Silo series of novels.