Thread by @bergopolis

Staffing season. In the days when the broadcast networks were the only game in town, “going out for staffing” was the March through May scramble that all TV writers endured to find a gig on a series.

It still exists but it’s not much of a season anymore given that cable and streaming have overtaken broadcast both in terms of the number of shows and, some would argue, quality. This makes them a more desirable destination for many writers.

Cable and streaming series aren’t built around a set schedule like broadcast where shows premiere in September and go off the air in May for summer hiatus. They premiere year-round at the discretion of the network/platform.

NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and the CW have all tried year-round programming to varying degrees of success, but the vast majority of their shows still fall within the traditional, seasonal model.

Which means, right now, we’re in the heart of staffing season. Writers not currently working or looking for change are busy running around town taking meetings with execs, producers, and showrunners for their next (or first) gigs.

It’s a hustle. One I’m happy not to participate in. Last time I went through the staffing process was 10 years ago when I was hired on Leverage. All my
subsequent gigs have be procured through prior associations, or because they were shows I created or was brought in to run.

Although it’s been a while since I staffed, I’ve been on both sides of the equation and have a few words of advice and encouragement for those currently enduring this hell.

If you've been invited to meet with an executive or producer, it means at least one person loved your script. Not just liked it, but loved it. So congratulations. That is an accomplishment in and of itself.

But it’s not what’s going to get you the job.

The meeting with the production company, studio, and/or network isn’t getting you the gig either. They’re merely the first line of defense.

You don’t live or die until you’re in the room with the showrunner(s).

The first mistake people make is thinking they have to impress. That instinct
combined with nerves means they may talk more than they usually do and are
overly effusive in their praise of the show/pilot and the showrunner’s past work.

Please don’t do that. For starters, if we think you’re a person who talks too much you’re not getting the job. That’s not the vibe a showrunner wants or needs in their writers room.

All you really have to do in the meeting is two things: 1) provide evidence that you’re not a sociopath, and 2) be thoughtful about the material.

If you’re meeting a showrunner, it means they like your writing. We don’t take meetings to take meetings. We don’t have the time. We might ask about your script but what we’re really curious about is who you are and what kind of talent and energy you’re bringing to the room.

Now that doesn’t mean we want you to jump right in and pitch ideas for the show. That’s dangerous ground you’re treading on. The odds we won’t like what you’re pitching are high and everything you say that doesn’t feel “right” is a knock against you.

If you’re confident in your ideas, that’s great. There will be an opportunity to work them into the conversation organically instead of going down a list. There are showrunners who want to hear your ideas... but let them be the ones to ask.

Whether or not showrunners want your ideas is usually determined by whether the series is serialized or procedural. As I live mostly in the serialized world, I don’t expect you to pitch.

What I want to hear is your thoughts on the characters... why you responded to them (or didn’t) and where we might take them next.

At the end of the day, the meeting is about who you are and how you fit. Assembling a writers room is like casting, you need the right mix of personalities and skillsets. Don’t bring anything into the meeting you wouldn’t bring into the
room. Not just for our sake, but for yours.