Writer/Director Joss Whedon is one of the most prolific figures in television, but it wasn’t always that way. He started his career as a staff writer for the sitcom, “Rosanne”. From there he moved onto feature films, where he worked for several years as a script doctor, on films such as Speed and Toy Story. Tired of seeing his visions rewritten, Whedon eventually returned to television, bringing with him an adaptation of his first feature film, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. In this candid interview, Joss talks openly about the early days of his career, his showbiz family, his legion of fans, and the trials and tribulations of taking a cult TV hit to the big screen.
Treating Los Angeles as a de facto grad school, Damon Lindelof got his first staff position as a writer on Kevin Williamson’s drama, “Wasteland”. He then went on to become a staff writer for “Nash Bridges” and a writer/producer for “Crossing Jordan”, before hooking up with J.J Abrams to create the ABC hit series, “Lost”. In 2006, Lindelof brought his unquestionable talent to Marvel comics when he wrote the limited series “Ultimate Wolverine vs. The Hulk.” In this interview, Lindelof discusses the challenges of writing for an ensemble cast, the pressures of keeping a TV series fresh, and the need to please both his fans and himself.
Tim Kring’s life is anything but ordinary. As the Executive Producer of the NBC Emmy nominated series “Heroes”, an epic saga that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities, he came to the show with a long and extensive background writing for network television. Over the life of his career, Kring has written for such well known TV hits as “Knight Rider”, “Chicago Hope”, and more recentlly “Crossing Jordan” (which he also created). In this interview, Tim looks back at his early days as a TV writer and shares some of the lessons he learned about creating a hit TV series.
Prior to his success as Creator and Executive Producer of CBS’s long running sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond”, Phil Rosenthal journeyed to Hollywood with dreams of being an actor. His quick wit and effusive charm seemed to make him a natural. Rosenthal was quickly disgruntled and soon found himself writing for a sitcom starring legendary dramatic actor, Robert Mitchum. In this interview, Rosenthal discusses his on the job training in the world of TV sitcoms. He also reveals how he kept Raymond fresh for nine years, the importance craft service plays on creating and keeping a happy writing staff, and why his best work comes from lying down on the job.
Sam Simon started out wanting to be an animator, so it’s no surprise that he is one of the Executive Producers who co-created Fox’s longest running animated TV series, “The Simpsons”. The recipient of a dozen Emmy’s as well as a Peabody Award, Simon has written for some of TV’s most notable series including “Taxi”, “Cheers”, and “The Drew Carey Show”. In this candid one on one with Simon, this critically acclaimed television writer, producer and director discusses his early days in Hollywood, shaping the face of “The Simpsons”, and his fondness for comedian, George Carlin.
Doug Ellin arrived in Hollywood with dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. Life however threw him a curve ball while working in the mail room for New Line Cinema. It was there that he met Mike DeLuca, President of New Line and shortly thereafter, Ellin joined forces with Mark Wahlberg and Steve Levinson to create “Entourage,” which is loosely based upon their shared Hollywood experiences. In this interview Ellin reveals his method of preparation when it comes to each new episode, writing for a unique cast, and his fear of failure.
Jeffrey Berman’s first spec script was purchased by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard at Imagine Films. Since then he has written feature film projects for Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures and The Walt Disney Studio, as well as several independent film companies. His most recent script, Young Robin Hood, co-written with Tony Caballero, has been optioned by Dreambig Entertainment.
In the television market, Berman has co-written and sold several MOWs including The J.K Rowling bio-pic for NBC television and The Last Rainmaker for Hallmark.