The (Severed) "Foot in the Door"

“If there isn’t a dead body, I don’t want anything to do with it,” said my mentor Wendy West. Wendy West’s credits include the Emmy-nominated series, Dexter, The Blacklist, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In our first introductory meeting, we covered a variety of topics: Wendy’s start in the industry, getting representation, what to watch, and the perks of writing for TV as opposed to film.

Wendy mentioned that she’s recently been re-watching The Sopranos and noting the ways in which the strict, auteur vision is felt throughout every facet of the show. In this way, she notes the advantages and disadvantages of “writing by committee” versus an auteur-style of “television film.” While writing by committee can be efficient, it can dilute the style of and vision for the show. Wendy also commented that she prefers writing for “short” form television rather than films because, in reality, it isn’t “short” form at all. She prefers to get to know her characters and develop them over years rather than over the strict two hour time constraint of the feature film. Wendy was also filled with pro-tips for me as a young writer. She mentioned that the “flavor of the month… well, the ‘flavor of the year’” has been young playwrights who transition into writing for television. Their skill for writing dialogue gives them a distinct advantage in the film industry. Also, when asked about routes into getting representation, she advised that I start connecting with young agents who will be needing to fill their “lineups” and, of course, to be prepared with great samples to show them. These specs, she says, need to “wow” readers with the first five pages or you don’t stand a chance. She also recommended I listen to several podcasts including The Moth, WTF, and Crime Junkie.

Next week, we'll be discussing the intricacies of the writer's room!