Introduce Yourself : 4-Part Class: Your Complete Guide To Showrunning by Sydney S

Thanks for sharing, Sydney. Todd is awesome. This is going to be an amazing class.

This class is going to be so fun! Not only will you you learn in detail what a showrunner does day to day, but we will study an episode of Shadowhunters, one of my all time favorite episodes, from the creation in the writer's room through the final delivery to Netflix, with each student receiving the documents I received as a showrunner and learning what exactly I did during the process. Unlike the webinar, we will be able to interact so I can answer your questions directly. Looking forward to it!

Hi All! I'm excited to be here, im glad I saw the email for this class, I'm curious and looking forward to what will be the learning outcomes in this course. I've been interested In learning the ins and outs of being a show runner, specially in this day and age with all the streaming platforms and how to figure out what's the model for your particular idea for a show and the business side of it etc. Thank you!

Hi all. My name is Ben. I'm a screenwriter, script editor and headwriter from South Africa. I'm looking forward to learning with and from each of you and to levelling up my skill set.

Hi all. My name is Danishka. I am based in Toronto but I am currently in LA. I work primarily as a television Producing Director but I have also written some independent feature films. I'm excited to hear Todd's experiences! And I loved Shadowhunters.

The guest list is growing for my upcoming class on showrunning and the study of a Shadowhunters episode from beginning to the end. The writer, director, editor, network executive, and a very very special actor will be there. Can't wait.

Todd Slavkin Couldn't be more excited to have you teach!

Howdy all! So cool to see where everybody is from. Author and publisher here, checking in from the Oregon Coast. Really looking forward to this course to learn how to push some IPs off my desk. Excited to see how I can better set the adaptation materials up for a showrunner, so they are supported from start to finish. I’d like to be the kind of collaborator who at least understands what a showrunner is going through, and how best to offer assistance. Nice to meet you all! Super stoked to be here.

Hi everyone! I'm Leana, a screenwriter from Estonia - thrilled to spend the next four Saturday evenings (courtesy of the time difference :D) with you!

Hi everyone. I'm a writer/director/producer with a fledgling production company. I have never run a show, yet I have been offered the possibility to showrun and I don't want to screw it up. I don't know Shadowhunters, but I have a Hulu subscription. I'll watch the first episodes. Anything else I should know about it? Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Hello :) I'm a writer/producer/actor from Los Angeles, I'm really excited for this class!

Hi everyone! I've written/produced/directed all kinds of things: TV movies/features/an animated feature/one book and some published short stories/lots of unscripted and digital content - my digital series was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Best Short Form Series. But I have never worked in scripted episodic TV, which is why I'm here. I'm in Venice, CA, and looking forward to meeting you all.

Hi fellow creatives! I'm a screenwriter but have also produced, and am in post-production on my first proof-of-concept drama pilot. I'm looking forward to learning about being a Showrunner and am grateful for experienced folks like Todd who are willing to show us the ropes.

Hi everyone! I'm an actor/writer/filmmaker (with another life as a programmer) that has had my proverbial fingers dipped into just about every aspect of production. I look forward to learning along with you!

To the gentleman in class who asked about executive feedback, and when to know if something is done. You asked about going in circles never being finished and when to know if something is better or just different. Sorry I didn’t get your name.

The better vs different statement really struck home.

It’s been my experience with the exec pool, not all but many, that they are often frustrated creatives. There’s a desire/need/urgency to have their creative voice heard, too—and they often stick their fingers in a perfectly good lemon meringue pie (your work) in order to have that need satisfied. Also, keep in mind, the more they fiddle with your work and are entitled to credits, they score on the back end -so some folks are just angling to get a credit (whether it is legitimately helpful contribution or not) so they can advance their own careers or standing. Not all, but some.

The doubt it causes in your inner creative power is substantial when you’re trying to sort out other’s contributions as; ego, helpful, contributory, faulty, useful, progressive, devolving, circular, etc. As writers, we don’t want to miss anything so we hear the notes, dig for the note within the note, and often come up with—wtf? This makes no sense. Because sometimes it doesn’t and won’t. Frustrated creatives tinkering with your work have often not had the creative evolution needed to be able to sustain and truly support excellent contribution—they are still in their phase one stifled expressions throwing spaghetti at walls to be heard. Don’t get hit with their sloppy noodle tossing. It’s not personal, they are trying to be seen, too.

The more fingers that go in your lemon meringue make it salty, and soon you’re holding a pecan pie, or a chicken pot pie, and you're miles away from your original scale and scope and flavor profile. On a crappy day, you just think you’re holding a finger pie. Sorry for the analogy and switch up, it’s just what’s coming to mind.

Take your power back. It’s your pie. Execs have some authority, others may have some say—choose what is useful TO YOU. What makes it better for YOU? Better not different. BETTER.

You will know what better actually is because you built it. If feedback is not better, and it’s just different, maybe take some fingers out that don’t belong there, OR come to terms and peace with the fact that the pie is no longer what you made and you give it over to the mechanisms of an industry that will chew up and spit out anything they think they can digest into profit, or earn a credit on.

BETTER is a judgement call you know inside. Our strongest power as awakened and proficient creatives is to know it when we see it, and to collaborate ONLY with what elevates, enlivens, and creates mastery in the project or our skills. Everything else is a polite, thank you, but no. Right?

Please feel free to make fun of all the fingers in pie and wet noodles references. Alas. A room full of creatives here and I’m sure ya’ll have much better analogies to put out there for it. My apologies.

My two cents? Keep your power. Collaborate at a level and with the kinds of creatives who bring SO MUCH to the table, at such a wonderful elevation that you aren’t questioning if it’s better because you know it is, and you’re grateful for the interaction and relieved to be able to work with those kinds of creative minds who put your feet toward more magnificent creations and successful outlets. When you find those execs, those collaborators—you won’t look back.

Athena . I actually like your culinary references.

I’m sure Todd has much better tools than this for us from his materials, but just in case your, erm, pies are full of fingers and you’re trying to understand which notes are helpful, hurtful, better, or just personal preferences that make your work different, but not necessarily better… this is the tool I use. It’s a hack job from two years and a couple dozen executive meetings, six producers and a reader base, but it’s what gets me through those days when my email comes back loaded with requests and I don’t know where to start. I start at: Hell no, Consider, Hell Yes. Then work my way down from there.

I've learned to ask for notes specific to budget/market demographics be included at the top, or highlighted separately. When they are jumbled in the ramble of notes for worldbuilding, or character, those budget notes can get lost in the sauce. Budget will always trump.

I hope it helps! Does anyone else have any handy tools to help with the notes and feedback process?

Also please feel free to add, subtract, or offer suggestions. I could always use new thoughts on these homemade tools. If someone has a checklist or something—that would be amazing!

Super bummed I had to miss the first class, but looking forward to the rest! I was a Shadowhunters watcher Todd Slavkin, so I'm really looking forward to you using it as a tool for this class.

I'm really enjoying this class. Thank you Todd Slavkin . Feels so good to learn and grow, and expand my skill base. Would love to do a zoom with some of the other class attendees outside of class and get to know you a bit, particularly if you see showrunning as something possible in your not too distant future.

Hi everyone! I'm a producer, director, writer, DP & editor. Serialised storytelling has always been my passion, looking to transition after twenty years of independent filmmaking. Love no BS, hands on approach from Todd Slavkin! And can anyone share Todd's email, please?