Since the deadline for the FOX-NYTVF Sitcom Script Contest was last week, I figured it would be a good time to hear from last year’s winner, Robby O’Connor. I was really excited to interview Robby, as the contest is pretty much the only one in which the prize is a $25K development deal. I was curious what exactly the “development deal” entailed and how Robby’s life had changed because of the win. Let’s get on with it:
The Writer: Robby O’Connor
Evan (ES): Tell everyone a little bit about yourself…Who are you?
Robby (RO): I’m a New Yorker born-and-raised and live here still (in Long Island City). A big part of my writing education came from working in film – first at Paramount’s New York book office and then at Dimension Films.
Working in film was great, but when your job is being critical of other people’s work, it’s hard to turn off that part of your brain and allow yourself to take a chance on the page. Once I’d decided I was going to write, I knew I needed to turn off that inner editor (not completely, but enough to be playful with ideas) and that meant NOT working in film anymore. I also knew I worked best in the mornings and needed a good night sleep, so I couldn’t be a bartender or anything. (Not that I know how to bartend.)
ES: I think one of the hardest choices writers have to make is whether or not to quit their day jobs to pursue writing. How did you end up supporting yourself?
RO: To make ends meet, I found a bunch of weird jobs on Craigslist. The first one I had was nannying for a family with six kids on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. I wasn’t responsible for all six at once; really I was one of maybe three or four people passing through the house at any given time, corralling these kids. It was pretty funny — the kids were four to thirteen years old and couldn’t figure me out. That I’d grown up in New York, went to a good college, but was now somehow their nanny just didn’t compute. I think the parents probably used me as a cautionary tale: “Don’t try to be a writer when you grow up or else you’ll end up like Robby.” Anyway, that job wore me down pretty quick, but I still do a lot of part-time work; writing isn’t paying the bills just yet.
ES: Once you realized that you wanted to be a writer, did you immediately gravitate to television or did you start out writing features?
RO: I stumbled on TV writing because I needed a really good voice sample. The first script I wrote – a feature – got me a manager, but it didn’t sell. It was an attempt at a broad sex comedy, but broad sex comedies that don’t sell aren’t good samples. I was pitching other feature ideas to a producer friend and nothing was gelling. In the process I wound up telling him about meeting my girlfriend online, internet dating, and the like. That friend pushed me to write a spec pilot about dating in New York. It’s pretty close to a zero-concept idea, but the thought was to write the hell out of it and have a solid voice sample. It was great advice.
ES: What television shows are you currently watching?
RO: For someone without a cable package, I watch a lot. Right now I’m tearing through Justified. I don’t think I could write an hour-long cable drama, but I love it when I find a good one. Like everyone, The Wire might be my favorite show, but I’ve been very happy with Breaking Bad too. ARCHER is also great.
Then what else… well this week alone I’ve watched Mad Men, Veep, New Girl, Girls, Up All Night, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Community, and The Good Wife. That covers it I think.
ES: What specs have you written and/or what shows do you plan to spec next?
RO: I wrote a spec episode of Californication a few years back when I took a class on TV writing. Aside from teaching me how to structure a thirty-minute comedy, I don’t think that sample has done a lot for me. From what I’m told and what I’m experiencing, TV is moving away from that. People are open to reading your spec pilot now. So yeah, right now I don’t have plans to spec any existing seriesezez [that's not a typo, that is how I'm going to refer to the plural of 'series' from now on].
The Script: Adulthood for Beginners
ES: In another interview you described Adulthood for Beginners as being kind of a Friends for this generation. Has the success of shows like New Girl and Happy Endings helped or hurt the development of your show?
RO: I’ve actually just started watching Happy Endings because someone told me my pilot would make a great sample for that show. I should have included Happy Endings above, it’s a great show.
I don’t really know if Happy Endings or New Girl’s existences are helping or hurting my show. They’re both great. The real take-away I have from them is that it would have been smart if my pilot had just a tiny bit more of a hook (like those shows do) to tell stories about friends (like those shows do).
ES: How long did it take to write?
RO: Six months? About a month was spent on characters and the outline and three more banging through a few drafts. The finishing touches came slowly over the last two months.
ES: How many pilots have you written?
RO: That was my first!
ES: Describe your writing process a little bit — Are you an outliner or do you simply start writing and let the story take over?
RO: I try to treat it as much like an office job as possible. I belong to a writing space (kind of like a private library with monthly dues) and on a good day work from 10am to 2pm. (The rest of the afternoon I do my freelance work to pay my bills.) Sometimes it’s not there and you’re better off reading magazines or going for a walk or anything to free up your mind. That’s the hard part for me; I wish I could always be in the middle of a draft and know that three hours spent at my computer is three hours closer to the finish line.
I’m learning how to be an outliner. I outlined Adulthood twice; halfway through a draft based off the first outline I realized it wasn’t working – the A story was off and that was affecting my B story too – so I went back and re-outlined the whole thing. That second outline isn’t exactly what’s on the page now, but it was vital to getting there.
After Adulthood I wrote a feature and really outlined that one well (I’m getting better every time). I was able to get through the first draft of that feature in under three weeks. So that’s what a good outline does for you.
ES: Did you have friends or family to workshop the script with? Are you a part of any writers groups?
RO: As I mentioned, a good friend who works for producers encouraged me to write Adulthood. He read and gave me notes on at least three drafts of the script. He’s not the producer on it and did this only out of the kindness of his heart and it was invaluable. If you’re lucky, you’ll have a few people who’ll read your script once and give you feedback, but few of those people ever read the next draft. Having a friend work through it with me on multiple drafts was amazing. I bought him a big bottle of Scotch when I won the contest.
I don’t belong to any writers groups but would love to find one. Because I used to work in film, I still know a lot of people who work in film, so I have a lot of friends who can give really sharp notes.
ES: Did you enter Adulthood in any other contests or festivals?
RO: Nope. The Fox competition was the only one I knew about.
ES: If you had to give one piece of advice to aspiring writers who have never written a TV script before, what would it be?
RO: Read as many pilots as you can. If you can’t get your hands on pilot scripts, watch the first episode of everything that’s streaming on Netflix and Hulu. Your pilot can’t just introduce your characters – it needs an A story and a B story (and a C if you’re Modern Family).
Also, beware of writing a “premise pilot”. I didn’t know what that meant when I wrote Adulthood, but it’s how other people will judge your idea as a series. John August wrote about this in more depth here: http://johnaugust.com/2011/premise-pilots
The Fox Contest / NYTVF
ES: What was your overall impression of the contest and/or the New York Television Festival?
RO: It’s a really cool festival. Going in I was only aware of the Fox contest, but there are so many sponsored contests within it that there’s really something for anyone interested in any facet of television.
ES: Were there any areas that you feel need improvement?
RO: Not really. The thing to remember is that it’s a “TV” festival and not a “scripted programming” festival. If you go into it thinking “this is a festival about writing comedy” or that TV as a business is just about writing comedy, then you’re in for some education.
ES: I have to imagine scoring a development deal with Fox gets you a ton of attention. What was that first week like after winning?
RO: Really fun. I mean, I got money for writing for the first time in my life. I wish that meant less to me than it did, but that was great. I rode that high for a long time.
But did it get me a lot of attention? Yes and no. It got me the attention that mattered the most, which was professional validation and agency representation. But no, it wasn’t like my phone was ringing non-stop with 310 and 323 area codes. I didn’t quit any jobs. I’m still slogging through it like most everyone. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
ES: Has the contest win led to any new friendships, business contacts, doors to the industry opening, etc.?
RO: What I expected doesn’t mean a whole lot because I just didn’t know much at all about TV as a business. I’m learning that network TV has a very definite calendar, so Fox deals with its scripts during very specific months of the year, then its pilots, etc., before the cycle starts over again for the next year. Right now things are quiet with Adulthood, but fingers crossed there will be activity on it soon.
Having the development deal means building a relationship with Fox. It might be Adulthood that we work on together, though I’d love to be a staff writer on someone else’s show. That would be an amazing education I think.
ES: Your website notes that you currently have representation; was this a result of the win, or were you repped before?
RO: I already had an amazing features manager from before, but winning the contest got me totally stellar TV agents and now I feel pretty well covered.
ES: With this contest, is Fox looking mainly for a show to produce or are they looking for a writer to develop and build a relationship?
RO: Good question and I don’t know. I hope it’s a little of both because that means there’s hope for my show and then hope for me afterwards if my show doesn’t make it to pilot or series.
ES: Advice for anyone entering next year?
RO: Chose a title that starts with an “A”. I’m joking, but it was fun to see my script at the top of the list of 25 finalists. It took me a few minutes to realize the list was in alphabetical order, but for those few minutes I thought I’d already won!
ES: What’s next? What are you working on? Anything you want to pimp or sell to us?
RO: I’m just trying to write more. The contest was fantastic, but winning it doesn’t mean it’s time to rest on my laurels. I’ve got a lot to learn still. Also there are a lot of people who want to break into TV and even people who’ve been employed for years have to hustle to sell their ideas and get staffed.
A HUGE thanks goes out to Robby for taking the time to answer these questions. I think his point about having a good hook for your show is important to note. Based on a lot of interviews I’ve heard with showrunners, you need a strong hook to sell a show, but once the show is on the air there’s less of a reliance on the hook as the characters take over and draw the audience in. Draw people in with insanity and keep them around with empathy.
If you have any other questions for Robby, feel free to drop them in the comments section or contact him directly:
Twitter: @RobbyOC
Website: www.robbyoconnor.com
Friday Links: Raising Hope, Inspiration, Jokes & Commas
Happy Friday – Here are some links that I came across during the week that you all might find interesting. My main source of is from my future boss / writing chum Crystal Hubbard’s Twitter feed, so give her a follow.
Something useful:
- Raising Hope Scripts - It’s probably not the “hottest” show to spec, but I imagine there are writers out there who will be speccing Raising Hope. Although I have no plans to spec it, I enjoy the show and am happy to see another Northern Virginian showrunner on the air in Greg Garcia.
Something Inspiring:
- “Balls of Steel: How far will you go?” by Jeanne Veillette Bowerman - I’m not opposed to posts about inspiration, but there are just soooooo many out there that the messages start to become redundant and diluted. However, Bowerman’s articles tend to take a logical approach to inspire other writers. Rather than generalized canned ideas, like “never give up,” she expands on not just the what, but also the why and how.
Something jokey:
- “Joke Writing Techniques Vary Depending on the Medium” by Jonathan Leigh Solomon - This article takes a look at how jokes are constructed across different forms: Stand-up, sitcom, features, etc. Although this is somewhat basic information, I think it does an excellent job of distilling exactly what works for which form.
Something technical:
- “Fanfare for the Comma Man“ by Ben Yagoda - Have you ever wished that there was one article that breaks down when, where, how, and, why, commas, are, used? Me neither. However, I did find this article interesting, as it examines how comma rules have changed over the years and even confirms that there aren’t necessarily any hard and fast rules.
Something fun:
- http://ifttt.com/wtf - This is a cool website that allows you to create “If, Then” commands to make all of your web apps work together. For example, you can create a “recipe” so that any time you star something in Google Reader, it will automatically tweet the link to the article from your Twitter feed. It’s nerdy, but could be very helpful.
Making my first feature…Part 2: Procrastiwriting
As I mentioned in first post, I co-wrote a film called Love Reason and now we’re trying to produce it. Hooray!
[About 1/3 of it has already been filmed and we're currently in the middle of an IndieGoGo campaign to raise funding to finish it. Every little bit helps; even that five bucks you have stashed in your car for "emergencies." If this isn't an emergency, I don't know what is.]
Over the next couple weeks I’m going to share my experiences working on Love Reason and what I’ve learned from them. Click here to read PART ONE: Let’s Work Together. Now, on to the second part…
PART TWO: Procrastiwriting.
Deadlines. Ha! I laugh at your face, deadline. You don’t own me. I can move you back a week and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Travis and I had a few conversations about how we wanted to handle the script. He had an outline and a few scenes, so the blueprint was already there. But early in the process we slipped into the habit of dismissing deadlines. It was bad cycle that we got into that went something like…
- Monday: We can probably finish Act I by the end of the week. No problem. Plenty of time.
- Tuesday: Work was crazy! No time to write. Plenty of time the rest of the week, though.
- Wednesday: Work, not so crazy…but there was a new Modern Family and Happy Endings! I still gots time to write later.
- Thursday: I almost wrote during lunch, but someone suggested Chipotle for lunch. Do I really want to be the one asshole who’s in his office writing while everyone else is deep throating a 1,500-calorie, foil-wrapped flavor torpedo? Nope. I can write tonight…
- Friday: I wish I would’ve written last night, but my stomach hurt for some reason… It’s been a long week, I deserve a break. If I write for 24 straight hours this weekend, I’ll still be ahead of the game!
- Saturday: Who writes on Saturday? Besides, my dog deserves to go to the dogpark. He had a rough week, too.
- Sunday: Writing day! If I write for an hour, then I get to play PS3, right?
Lesson Learned: When working with a partner, the most important work you can do is before you even start writing the script. If you’re not on the same page (literally and figuratively…and I supposed metaphorically) on day one, you’ll spend twice as much time rewriting. Be clear in what you plan to write and never ever assume anything. And even in this digital age of email, Dropboxes, texts, Twitter, and Google docs, don’t take for granted a good ol’ fashioned face-to-face conversation. There’s nothing quite like eating pancakes at 10 pm next to a diabetic teenager in her Tazmanian Devil pajamas, while breaking a story.*
*Based on actual events.
Making my first feature… Part 1
Besides writing sitcoms and ignoring this blog, a good portion of my time has been spent working on an indie feature, Love Reason, with a buddy of mine, Travis Jones. The experience has been challenging, rewarding, fun, and a great learning experience in writing and producing a film. We’ve shot about 1/3 of the film and are currently in the midst of an IndieGoGo Campaign to fund the rest. I’m extremely pleased with how the footage has turned out and am hopeful we’ll receive enough funding to finish. [If you're a fan of the blog and want to show some support for an indie film, any donations would be greatly appreciated 
]
Over the next couple weeks I’m going to share my experiences working on this project and what I’ve learned from them. Rather than have one long post, I decided to break them up into parts… because I only feel like writing enough for Part One today.
PART ONE: Let’s work together.
Travis and I originally met through my blog when he was searching for Community scripts. We corresponded a few times and exchanged examples of each others work. I liked the look and quality of some of the shorts he had shot, while he enjoyed my sitcom scripts. We became friends and agreed that we should eventually work together on something. His primary love being directing and mine being writing, it was a good connection to make. Oh, did I mention we both live in the same state?
Travis approached me with his initial idea last summer about his take on an indie romcom that he wanted to direct. Many parts were based on his own experiences, so he wanted to bring me in to help write since I had a fresh perspective on story. He also wanted the tone to be a bit dark/real, but with moments of levity. We were both fans of Blue Valentine and (500) Days of Summer, but they were on opposite ends of the tonal spectrum. Travis wanted to make something that landed somewhere in between those movies and felt real. Between my comedic voice and his more dramatic style, we agreed that the we could figure this out…
Travis already had a basic outline and a few scenes written, but what drew me on to the project was his clear vision for what he wanted the film to look and feel like. Aside from the basic story beats and character emotions, he went on and on about different lenses, lighting, color palettes, and lots of other technical crap that I barely understood. What I did understand, was his passion for this project and the fact that he was going to make this no matter what.
That’s a huge draw for me: A finished film. I think after a while, every writer gets to point where they want to see their work produced in some way or another.
And you can’t make a film alone. (Well, I guess you could, but it would be a pain in the ass.)
So, I agreed to co-write Love Reason and in hindsight, that was by far easiest part of the process.
…to be continued…
L O S T
END OF COLD OPEN
Lesson Learned: You never know where you’re going to meet a potential partner, so don’t be afraid to reach out to people you meet online (or even in person). If you want to make movies or television, you must collaborate with others at some point. Now go email a stranger online…maybe one day that person will help you make a movie.*
*Always meet strangers in well-lit public places.Friday Links: Happy Endings, Single vs. Multi-Cam, LA Neighborhoods, & ‘Labia Saturation’
In an effort to ease myself back into writing regular posts, I’m going to try and do a weekly “Friday Links” post. It’ll basically just be a brief collection of random writing and/or sitcom related links that I’ve come across during the week (most of the links will be stolen from my future boss / writing chum Crystal Hubbard’s Twitter feed, since she has a lot more free time than I do). I realize how lazy this appears, but I am taking the effort to copy and paste the links, so…
I’m generally late to the party on everything, so there may be some links that end up being like two years old. Sue me. Now, on to the links!
Something useful:
- Happy Endings Scripts - For the people out there who are writing Happy Endings specs. This is an awesome collection of ten — yes, ten — scripts from the show. Now go write your script!
Something for your brain:
- “Laugh tracks in sitcoms are so retro. Single-camera shows, shot without an audience, are all the rage” by Jaime Weinman - It’s the ol’ single-cam vs. multi-cam debate. And the winner is… Well, Weinman doesn’t necessarily declare a winner, but he does a good job of analyzing the moving trend toward single-cam shows. If you want your weekly does of intellectual thoughts about the sitcom world, definitely add Jaime Weinman to your Google Reader. He’s also from Canada, so he hasn’t been corrupted by Hollywood.
Something for your ears:
- Making It with Riki Lindhome Podcast – Episode #36: Adam Pally - If you like Happy Endings, then you probably love Max (played by Adam Pally). This interview takes a look at how he went from a nobody like me, to a moderately famous sitcom actor like…himself. I hope he doesn’t take that the wrong way. He apparently has anger issues… MEEEEAAAX!
Something for your eyes:
- “The One Where They All Fell in Love With Each Other: A Visit to the Set of Happy Endings” by Andy Greenwald - You had me at “visit to the set of Happy Endings.” A fun interview with the cast that will make you want to quit your day job so you can pursue acting/improv, just so you can have as much fun as these motherf-ers...
Something for people moving to LA:
- “Where should I live in LA“ by Scriptshadow aka Carson Reeves - Scriptshadow is notorious for reviewing scripts that have yet to hit the theaters. Love him or hate him, I think this mini-guide to LA might be helpful for those of you heading out west.
Something for the ladies:
- “Ashton Kutcher Wants to Return for Another ‘Two and a Half Men’ Season, Says Show Co-Creator“ by Etan Vlessing - The title of this one doesn’t do the article justice. I only posted it because of the awesome quote from Two and a Half Men co-creator Lee Aronsohn: ”…we’re approaching peak vagina on television, the point of labia saturation” Don’t worry about the context or whether or not he was joking, to me that’s irrelevant. It just sounds like a cool quote… However, the real question is whether or not ‘labia saturation’ is covered by Obamacare.
Nerdist Writer’s Panel
Let me preface this post by saying that I probably should have made this post about six months ago. So, many of you may have already discovered the greatness that is the Nerdist Writer’s Panel podcasts. However, for the handful of you that want to write sitcoms and have not listened to this podcast before, please stop what you’re doing and start downloading immediately.
A couple years ago, when I was an un-engaged, dogless, condo renter, I dreamed of a world that included a podcast that provided in-depth interviews with television writers. Time to wake up, because that dream is a reality and was brought to us by Nerdist Industries and Ben Blacker, professional television writer and moderator of said podcasts. So, instead of sending your significant other jewelry, flowers, and chocolates on Valentines Day send them to Mr. Blacker, as he has helped create something that every writer will fall in love with.
Want got get into the minds of Steven Levitan, Dan Harmon, and Liz Meriwether? (Don’t know who those people are? Google it. The first result is a link to the Nerdist Writer’s Podcast!) Want to hear stories from the writers and creators of Modern Family, Community, New Girl, Parks and Recreation, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Lost, Friends, Will and Grace, Mad Men, Parenthood, Justified, The Killing, and many many more? Ben Blacker has made this possible. Mitchell Hurwitz would also be a great guest (hint, hint) considering all the Arrested Development talk going on these days.
Go to iTunes right now and subscribe!
The only major downside to the podcast is the theme song. It will get stuck in your head, because it’s so damn catchy.
Bonus: Want to learn more about Ben Blacker? Check out Ross Carey’s interview with him. You will not be disappointed.
(This is not meant to discount the other Nerdist Podcasts, which are all great. But this one is my favorite. At least until Dan Harmon gets his own podcast.)
Q&A: Matt Laughery – PAGE Awards Gold Prize Winner
Doesn't he look like a fun guy?
I care about my readers. I really do. Even the new ones (Hi, Javier and Shelby!). It is this caring, combined with the fact that I’ve been doing the blog for about a year and half now, that made me realize that this blog was lacking something: Interviews with eventual sitcom writers. Since I obviously don’t know how to win a sitcom contest, I figured I should at least make an effort to find some folks who do. Hell, I take it back — I don’t care about the readers. I wanted to find out more about these award winning writers simply to satisfy my own curiosity. Most contests give you the name of the writer and the name of the script, but I want to know more! I want to get inside their brains. I want to stalk them on Twitter, friend them on Facebook, send a few colorful emails, dog-sit for them, clean their car, sneak into their computer and steal any good sitcom ideas, and then eventually (many years down the road) score a staff writing gig on the show that they’ll eventually create. Don’t ruin this for me, people!
Anyway… Today’s Q&A is with Matt Laughery, 2011 International PAGE Awards Gold Prize winner in the sitcom category (with all those syllables, it has to be prestigious, right?). I met Matt through Twitter and so can you: @mattlaughery
***UPDATE – January 2012: Matt is currently raising funds via IndieGOGO to self-produce his pilot. Check out his donation page and throw a few bucks his way to help bring For Pay to life. ***
The Writer: Matt Laughery
Evan (ES): Tell everyone a little bit about yourself…Who are you?
Matt (ML): I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA… moved to Los Angeles when I was 22 and never looked back! Sorry mom!
ES: What television shows are you currently watching?
ML: The question should be “What am I NOT watching?” I’m such a TV whore! (Can I use the word “whore” in this interview? [Yes, you can... sorry mom!]) Revenge is my #1 show right now. I haven’t been this addicted to a show since Melrose Place. The original one, not that travesty CW put out a few years ago. I’m also into 2 Broke Girls and Whitney, I’m a sucker for multi-cam sitcoms and laugh tracks.
ES: What specs have you written and/or what shows do you plan to spec next?
ML: I have an It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia spec titled “The Gang Gets AIDS” that I’m very proud of. I also have a Cougar Town spec that’s solid. I’m working on a Happy Endings right now. I’ll probably do a 2 Broke Girls.
ES: I’m a huge Always Sunny fan, so that title intrigues me…
ML: The Sunny spec basically follows the gang after Paddy’s Pub is accused of causing an HIV outbreak in Philly. That’s all I’ll say! It has been rather polarizing to readers, which I understand. Nothing offends me (except the Kardashians) but I know not all people feel the same way.
ES: ”The Gang Gets Aids” would also be a great premise for a Kardashian episode… [I want co-producing credit on that, Seacrest]
The Script: For Pay
ES: What’s your script about?
ML: A publicity-hungry young man begins recording a reality TV show about his secret life as a heterosexual that does gay porn, complicating his conservative Republican mother’s Senate run and risking his relationship with his Catholic girlfriend’s Mafioso family.
ES: Based on the phrase “heterosexual that does gay porn,” I’m assuming this is cable show…
ML: For Pay is definitely cable! I mean, I could rework it for network, especially with some of the jokes network sitcoms are getting past the censors! But my sense of humor is very cable as it is, so I’m fine with that.
ES: Where did the idea come from?
ML: I actually got the idea and inspiration from an article in a magazine — I think it was Details or Esquire – about the lives of three “gay for pay” porn stars. These were self-proclaimed “straight men” with girlfriends who just happened to make their money sleeping with other men. Which is funny, because I’m getting people now telling me “Nobody will ever believe this! This would never happen in real life!” and I want to say, all serious, in like a Law and Order voice, “It was ripped from the headlines!”
ES: How long did it take to write?
ML: The first draft was done in about two weeks, but I went through at least five passes and rewrites.
ES: How many pilots have you written?
ML: Two. For Pay and one called Crumbs. It’s my multi-cam baby.
ES: Describe your writing process a little bit — Are you an outliner or do you simply start writing and let the story take over?
ML: I’m a terrible outliner. Meaning, I don’t outline like you’re supposed to. I do what I call “character outlining.” Meaning, where the character starts at the beginning of the script and what happens to the character through each act.
ES: I like that term “character outlining” – Is this something you discovered after you began writing, or was this a tip you picked up from someone else?
ML: ”Character Outlining” is something I totally made up! Here’s my thing — especially with sitcoms, but I believe it works for TV drama as well: If all of your characters resonate with the viewer, they will invest in any story you give them. I believe it’s why Revenge is catching on; all of the characters are so delicious, whether you love or hate them. And look at Modern Family, people LOVE the characters. I’m sure people scream “Cam! CAM!” at Eric Stonestreet where ever he goes. It’s why people have a favorite “Friend” or “Seinfeld.” The characters.
ES: Did you have friends or family to workshop the script with? Are you a part of any writers groups?
ML: I have a fantastic partner that is very honest with me about my work. He will definitely tell me what isn’t funny and what doesn’t work. I also have two great best friends in different cities that happen to be awesome writers that offer their help.
ES: Besides PAGE, did you enter For Pay in any other contests or festivals?
ML: I entered StoryboardTV, which is a fantastic contest for the entry fee. It’s only $20 and it’s a supportive community of writers that can read your script and give feedback as the contest goes on. I happened to be Top 10 and got a half-hour phone call’s worth of coverage!
ES: Looking back at the draft that won, do you still see parts that you want to rewrite, or are you completely happy with it?
ML: Sure, I’m always thinking there are things that can be reworked. I just touched things up on it today.
ES: If you had to give one piece of advice to aspiring writers who have never written a TV script before, what would it be?
ML: Love your characters. Know your voice… and Please, PLEASE, for the love of God… know the difference between “your” and “you’re.”
The PAGE Awards
ES: What was your overall impression of the contest (how it was run, the prizes, etc.)?
ML: PAGE is run smooth as butter! I was shocked at how quick email correspondence was! And a $25,000 Grand Prize?! Who does that?!
ES: Were there any areas that you feel need improvement?
ML: Not at all.
ES: Do you plan on entering again next year?
ML: Absolutely! Hopefully with a screenplay.
ES: Has the contest win led to any new friendships, business contacts, doors to the industry opening, etc.?
ML: For sure! As of right now, nothing is solidified, so I don’t want to jinx anything by talking about it. I will say that I know I wouldn’t have anything near the interest in me and my script if it weren’t for my PAGE win.
ES: Advice for anyone entering next year?
ML: Proofread until your eyes hurt. There is always need for a rewrite. Always trust your voice.
ES: What’s next? What are you working on? Anything you want to pimp or sell to us?
ML: Hopefully I’ll be repped in time for pitch season! I have a great pilot/show idea that I’m dying to get out there. I’m also working on a horror screenplay. Horror films are another one of my obsessions.
A HUGE thanks goes out to Matt for taking the time to answer a few questions. It was fun and insightful; his tips on characters were great! If you have any other questions for Matt, feel free to drop them in the comments section or contact him directly:
Twitter: @mattlaughery
Email: mattlaughery@gmail.com
Tumblr: mattlaughery.tumblr.com
