Inside Hollywood Writers' Rooms
Pictured above: photographs of famous writers' rooms.
Interviews from the industry:
“It’s not a democracy,” says Brady. “We have to take all these ideas and then cosign them, putting ourselves on the line. Ultimately, we have to believe in what everybody’s pitching and the people who can help us get there.”
--T.J. Brady a show runner for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for The Hollywood Reporter
“I always want a mix of people in terms of how they see the world and where they’re from,” he says. “Then you have to have a sense that they’ll play well with others.”
--Chris Mundy a show runner for Ozark for The Hollywood Reporter
The debate about where to order lunch is constant and never fully satisfying. There's been an equally heated debate about what snack items go better on the crackers in the show kitchen. "We lost a whole afternoon to that one," admits Khan, who is partial to Cheez-Its and turkey jerky.
--Nahnatchka Khan an executive producer for Fresh Off the Boat for The Hollywood Reporter
The room kind of takes a cue from Field Day at summer camp. "Comedy writing is collaborative, in the same way that tug-of-war is collaborative"
--Michael Schur an executive producer for The Good Place for The Hollywood Reporter
“We were so obsessed with this subject, even a week or two in, we couldn't wait to get to that table every morning to keep talking about what we'd been looking into the night before."
--Dave Kajganich an executive producer for The Terror for The Hollywood Reporter
“I’ve been in writer’s rooms where you’re there for eight, nine hours a day. And you’re doing 22 episodes a year. I remember the second year I was doing network TV, I looked across the table and I was like 'I’ve looked at this person’s face more than I’ve looked at anything in my entire life. I know every mole on his face.'”
--Tze Chun a co-showrunner for I’m a Virgo for The Hollywood Reporter
“Menus would magically appear in the middle of the conference room table at 10:30 every morning. Do you know that there is not a single Thai restaurant where I live?”
--Samantha Irby a writer for Shrill for The Guardian
“It’s not a democracy,” says Brady. “We have to take all these ideas and then cosign them, putting ourselves on the line. Ultimately, we have to believe in what everybody’s pitching and the people who can help us get there.”
--T.J. Brady a show runner for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for The Hollywood Reporter
“I always want a mix of people in terms of how they see the world and where they’re from,” he says. “Then you have to have a sense that they’ll play well with others.”
--Chris Mundy a show runner for Ozark for The Hollywood Reporter
The debate about where to order lunch is constant and never fully satisfying. There's been an equally heated debate about what snack items go better on the crackers in the show kitchen. "We lost a whole afternoon to that one," admits Khan, who is partial to Cheez-Its and turkey jerky.
--Nahnatchka Khan an executive producer for Fresh Off the Boat for The Hollywood Reporter
The room kind of takes a cue from Field Day at summer camp. "Comedy writing is collaborative, in the same way that tug-of-war is collaborative"
--Michael Schur an executive producer for The Good Place for The Hollywood Reporter
“We were so obsessed with this subject, even a week or two in, we couldn't wait to get to that table every morning to keep talking about what we'd been looking into the night before."
--Dave Kajganich an executive producer for The Terror for The Hollywood Reporter
“I’ve been in writer’s rooms where you’re there for eight, nine hours a day. And you’re doing 22 episodes a year. I remember the second year I was doing network TV, I looked across the table and I was like 'I’ve looked at this person’s face more than I’ve looked at anything in my entire life. I know every mole on his face.'”
--Tze Chun a co-showrunner for I’m a Virgo for The Hollywood Reporter
“Menus would magically appear in the middle of the conference room table at 10:30 every morning. Do you know that there is not a single Thai restaurant where I live?”
--Samantha Irby a writer for Shrill for The Guardian
Writers' Room Time-lapse
Video: A time-lapse of the writers' room for Season 5 of the AMC hit series Breaking Bad.
Header Image: Meg Cotner / WeHeartAstoria