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<v Speaker 1>Hey, everybody, and Welcome to Life is a gamble. My

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<v Speaker 1>guest today is Elizabeth Reischardt, who we talk a lot

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<v Speaker 1>on this show about life scambals that don't involve money necessarily,

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<v Speaker 1>and so Elizabeth, Welcome to Life is a gamble.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you. I'm always so thrilled to have a chance

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<v Speaker 2>to talk to you, so I'm very excited to be here.

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<v Speaker 1>Well. Thanks. So you have chosen what I kind of

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<v Speaker 1>call lottery professions, which are people and I did this myself,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, wanting to be an actor, and so you

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<v Speaker 1>first wanted to get into dance, and then comedy and

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<v Speaker 1>stand up comedy and then writing for television, all of

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<v Speaker 1>which are these things where super high risk but can

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<v Speaker 1>be very high reward, except for maybe dance. I don't

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<v Speaker 1>think there are any such Charissa's anymore that can actually

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<v Speaker 1>make a lot of money being a dancer. But that's

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<v Speaker 1>where you started, right.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Yeah, you're right, high risk, some reward. Dance leaves

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<v Speaker 2>you with a lot of injuries and a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>mental stuff where you're just always criticizing yourself. But yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>I started with dance when I was younger, and I grew.

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<v Speaker 1>Up how old, oh four? Wow?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I grew up very, very poor, and so my

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<v Speaker 2>mom put me in dance at our church and then

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<v Speaker 2>saw I had a talent. And then she was gambling

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<v Speaker 2>herself because she would put me in classes and get

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<v Speaker 2>them to do do you remember layaway where they would

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<v Speaker 2>have it? I guess she basically did that with dance studios.

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<v Speaker 2>She would have them do payment plans when they didn't

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<v Speaker 2>do that for anyone else, and then I would get

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<v Speaker 2>scholarships to go to summer program. So she really we

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<v Speaker 2>did not have any money, and she put a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of effort into helping me pursue that passion. And then

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<v Speaker 2>at a certain point I was getting way too many injuries.

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<v Speaker 2>My mom got sick, and then I made the decision

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<v Speaker 2>to leave dance behind, even though I still very much

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<v Speaker 2>love it and anytime I get tipsy, I'm dancing around

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<v Speaker 2>the place.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, were you focused on ballet or other forms

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<v Speaker 1>of dance?

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<v Speaker 2>Mainly ballet? I did everything else. I hated tap. Tap

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<v Speaker 2>was my enemy. It was too loud. But ballet I

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<v Speaker 2>loved it. It was so graceful. I think I fit very

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<v Speaker 2>well with it, and it was always away for me

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<v Speaker 2>to express myself. I was very shy when I was younger,

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<v Speaker 2>and so dance was away for me to be vocal

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<v Speaker 2>when I couldn't really be vocal, which really helped at

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<v Speaker 2>that time, that adolescent time when you're so angsty.

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<v Speaker 1>And was the dream to go to New York and

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<v Speaker 1>join ABT or or yeah? Was it so?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 1>And at what age did you finally say all right,

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<v Speaker 1>my body won't put up with this.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I was nineteen. I had a knee injury. I

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<v Speaker 2>kept getting my feet were always in points to you,

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<v Speaker 2>so I was getting infections from the just the moisture

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<v Speaker 2>of always having it in there. But yeah, I remember

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<v Speaker 2>I was in a studio by myself, practicing a variation

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<v Speaker 2>for an audition coming up, and I looked at myself

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<v Speaker 2>in the mirror and I was like, I don't think

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<v Speaker 2>I'm ever going to achieve what I want to achieve,

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<v Speaker 2>which is to be a prima ballerina. And I made

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<v Speaker 2>the choice to go. I don't think. I think I

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<v Speaker 2>got to stop. I don't want to be in the core,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't want to be in the ensemble. And if

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<v Speaker 2>I can't achieve this goal, I think I'm going to

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<v Speaker 2>go to something else. So and at the same time,

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<v Speaker 2>my mom got sick, so I was like, yeah, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>not I went and helped my mom while she was

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<v Speaker 2>going through treatment.

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<v Speaker 1>Where were you when this happened.

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<v Speaker 2>I was in Pittsburgh. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>And was that a I mean for me when I

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<v Speaker 1>reached that moment where you know, I had spent my

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<v Speaker 1>life my life thinking I wanted to be an actor,

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<v Speaker 1>and when it suddenly occurred to me, oh my god,

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<v Speaker 1>I do not want to do this. It was a

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<v Speaker 1>real crisis for me to absolutely And is that what

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<v Speaker 1>happened with you two?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I had a huge identity crisis. I didn't know

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<v Speaker 2>what was up, what was down. I didn't know what

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<v Speaker 2>I was going to do next. It was it was

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<v Speaker 2>very jarring. And you had the same thing with.

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<v Speaker 1>Acting, exactly exactly the same. And it wasn't the acting.

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<v Speaker 1>I still loved the acting, it was the business of

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<v Speaker 1>Hollywood and what the way that actors were treated. And

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<v Speaker 1>you know, my background was on the stage and it

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<v Speaker 1>it was completely different than when you were trying to

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<v Speaker 1>get roles in film and television.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. And that's my biggest thing with any of the

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<v Speaker 2>because I know you and I've dabbled in many different

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<v Speaker 2>industries with art and That's my biggest thing is when

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<v Speaker 2>you start getting treated a certain way, our politics come

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<v Speaker 2>into it, favoritism, Like you start with a bunch of

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<v Speaker 2>group like with your with people who will you just

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<v Speaker 2>have so much passion for the art form, Like I

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<v Speaker 2>know both you and I have done improv and that

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<v Speaker 2>was my biggest thing with improv. I was like, this

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<v Speaker 2>is so cool. It's we get to just have fun

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<v Speaker 2>and laugh. And then all of a sudden people get

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<v Speaker 2>put on teams and then people start being competitive and

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<v Speaker 2>not wanting to hang out with certain people, and you're

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<v Speaker 2>just like, remember when we were all in college and

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<v Speaker 2>hanging out at a pizza's job. Why can't we go

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<v Speaker 2>back there?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah? So how did you handle that when the well,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean you had a big distraction. I guess if

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<v Speaker 1>you're mom was very ill and you were taking care of.

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<v Speaker 2>Her, yeah that period of time, I mean, yeah, so

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<v Speaker 2>with the identity crisis that that took over and then

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<v Speaker 2>she ended up passing away and that was a whole

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<v Speaker 2>nother identity crisis. And you know, I think in big

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<v Speaker 2>life moments like that, you either kind of crumble or

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<v Speaker 2>you you rise like a phoenix from the ashes. And

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<v Speaker 2>me and my siblings were just like, we have to

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<v Speaker 2>honor our mom, you know, all the things that she

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<v Speaker 2>couldn't do. And she was such an artsy person too,

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<v Speaker 2>and she never got to travel. So then I pivoted

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<v Speaker 2>and I was like, I'm going to move to LA.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm going to pursue comedy and writing. And she was

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<v Speaker 2>a big She was a big factor in me really

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<v Speaker 2>jumping and seeing if the net appeared with that, with

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<v Speaker 2>that decision, and.

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<v Speaker 1>So you moved to LA And how old were you

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<v Speaker 1>at that point?

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<v Speaker 2>I was, I think twenty five, twenty four to twenty

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<v Speaker 2>five because in Betwo Queen my mom being her passing away.

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<v Speaker 2>I got my master's in social work when I worked

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<v Speaker 2>in that field for a while, and that was a

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<v Speaker 2>job that brought me to La so I could. I

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<v Speaker 2>worked overnight graveyard shift at a treatment center in Malibu,

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<v Speaker 2>and then I would not sleep, wake up, take improv classes,

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<v Speaker 2>and then I would sleep in my car for a

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<v Speaker 2>little bit, and then I would intern at the comedy places.

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<v Speaker 2>It was I don't know how I did that during

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<v Speaker 2>that time, but it was just go, go, go, go

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<v Speaker 2>go constantly.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, we're kind of invulnerful when we're young, and she

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<v Speaker 1>don't realize what we can't do.

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<v Speaker 2>Yep.

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<v Speaker 1>And so when you moved to LA did you know anybody?

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<v Speaker 1>Did you have any kind of support network out there

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<v Speaker 1>at all, or did you just go in blind?

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<v Speaker 2>Great question. My brother he was actually going to film

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<v Speaker 2>editing school in Burbank, so I stayed with him for

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<v Speaker 2>a little bit. And I did have an old dance

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<v Speaker 2>friend and her now husband that I ended up moving

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<v Speaker 2>in with in North Hollywood, so they were here, but

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<v Speaker 2>it was limited really truly. My community started by going

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<v Speaker 2>to improv. I took a ton of classes and that's

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<v Speaker 2>where I met some of my best friends still to today.

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<v Speaker 2>That yeah, I just hopped around a bunch of improv

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<v Speaker 2>schools and then collected friends and forced them to be

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<v Speaker 2>friends with me too.

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<v Speaker 1>And you were working as a social worker, which yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I think, man, is that a thankless job? And I've

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<v Speaker 1>had several friends who did it and the burnout rate

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<v Speaker 1>is very high.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's insane. It's insane. And I had this moment

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<v Speaker 2>where I told myself social work is something you can

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<v Speaker 2>do at any age, and so I made the decision

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<v Speaker 2>that you know, writing and improv and all that stuff,

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<v Speaker 2>I had to do it at that point and I

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<v Speaker 2>would put social work on the back burner. But I

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<v Speaker 2>still today, I'm still going to go back. I have

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<v Speaker 2>such a passion for it. Oh yeah. I My passion

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<v Speaker 2>is victim of victims of domestic violence and human trafficking,

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<v Speaker 2>and I was able to work with that population before

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<v Speaker 2>I stopped, and I'm going to go back to it eventually.

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<v Speaker 2>And even things like acting, painting, improv those art forms

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<v Speaker 2>you can use as a tool for therapy, so I

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<v Speaker 2>really want to bring that and dance as well. I

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<v Speaker 2>was doing dance movement therapy before I stopped. So all

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<v Speaker 2>of this stuff that I'm kind of collecting all my

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<v Speaker 2>interests I really want to take back to the social

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<v Speaker 2>work world eventually, just not yet.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's funny. I told my you know, I had

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<v Speaker 1>an acting teacher when I was in college who used

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<v Speaker 1>to say to me, it'll take you many years to

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<v Speaker 1>grow into your face. And I had no idea, like

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<v Speaker 1>what does that mean? And I think, looking back on it,

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<v Speaker 1>what it meant is you're never going to get work

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<v Speaker 1>until you're old. And when I gave up acting, when

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<v Speaker 1>I was fortunate that I had a skill I was

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<v Speaker 1>able to use and make earn a living. But once

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<v Speaker 1>I moved back to Las Vegas, I thought, you know what,

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<v Speaker 1>now I can go back to acting without any of

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<v Speaker 1>the worries about not interested in a career or having

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<v Speaker 1>to make money at it or any of that stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I could just do it for the joy

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<v Speaker 1>of it. And it sounds like you're thinking about that

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<v Speaker 1>in terms of social work in the same way that

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<v Speaker 1>you will be able to go back to it at

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<v Speaker 1>some time.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, And isn't that so freeing when I mean, both

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<v Speaker 2>of us, I know, can put ourselves back into that

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<v Speaker 2>mindset because I also acted in LA and commercial work

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<v Speaker 2>and I was fed up with it too. But it's

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<v Speaker 2>so freeing when you're like, I'm just going to use

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<v Speaker 2>for fun. I don't care about the getting the right

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<v Speaker 2>agent or yeah, trying to get that lead role, being

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<v Speaker 2>like the hot commodity in LA. It's nice when you're

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<v Speaker 2>just like, I want to do a play just for fine,

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<v Speaker 2>just for fine, So freeing. I love it.

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<v Speaker 1>Have you will get into writing in a minute, But

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<v Speaker 1>have you written any plays?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah? I actually took a really great play writing class

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<v Speaker 2>in Los Angeles last year when I wrote my first play,

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<v Speaker 2>and it was such a fun experience. And my teacher,

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<v Speaker 2>Bernardo Cubria, who's also a working writer, started as a

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<v Speaker 2>playwright and now works in TV, and I think just

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<v Speaker 2>sold a movie. But he was one of those dead

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<v Speaker 2>poet society teachers that was like hop on your desk,

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<v Speaker 2>and it really made me think about writing in a

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<v Speaker 2>whole different way and like we're saying, like the art

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<v Speaker 2>form should be fun. So, yeah, I wrote my first play,

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<v Speaker 2>and I think you've written place too, right.

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<v Speaker 1>I wrote one, and you know, all the writing that

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<v Speaker 1>I've done has been basically because I had to. I

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't doing it for the joy of it. I was

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<v Speaker 1>doing it in the case of the play, which was

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<v Speaker 1>the first thing that I wrote, other than sort of

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<v Speaker 1>you know, short piece kind of things that were anyway,

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<v Speaker 1>when I got to LA I realized that I was,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, getting into some plays, but I realized I

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<v Speaker 1>was not getting the kind of roles that would get

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<v Speaker 1>me noticed by anybody. And so I thought, the only

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<v Speaker 1>way I'm going to be able to get noticed I

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<v Speaker 1>have a role that because my type was not a

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<v Speaker 1>type that you know, leading man type, even though I

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<v Speaker 1>looked very much like George Clooney. But so I thought, okay,

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<v Speaker 1>I need to write a play for myself. Yeah, and

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<v Speaker 1>that can showcase my talents as an actor.

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<v Speaker 2>And what were what was the what was the type

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<v Speaker 2>that you really were trying to showcase? Like what would

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<v Speaker 2>you describe that like for a log line for that

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<v Speaker 2>that character or type that you were trying.

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<v Speaker 1>To for nowadays, you would call that character of the

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<v Speaker 1>gay name friend, right, I mean, and I wasn't playing

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<v Speaker 1>someone gay, but it was. I mean, that's the kind

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<v Speaker 1>of type I was. I was the best friend, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the kind of either nerdy guy or weirdo guy that

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<v Speaker 1>was the friend of either the girl or the guy

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<v Speaker 1>or whatever. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>The George Costanza George Castanza, which is my favorite. Yeah

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<v Speaker 2>there you go, yes, SA character on TV. Yeah yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>yeah yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah. Anyway, so I wrote the play and what

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<v Speaker 1>was funny was, you know, one of the reasons I

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<v Speaker 1>did it was to try to get an agent. And

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<v Speaker 1>after one of the performance as a guy approached me

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<v Speaker 1>and he was an agent, and he said, hey, I'd

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<v Speaker 1>like to represent you, and I was like, great, that's

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<v Speaker 1>exactly why I did this, And he said, so, the

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<v Speaker 1>first thing I'd like you to do is write a

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<v Speaker 1>specscript for any sitcom on TV. And I was like, whoa, no, no, no, no,

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<v Speaker 1>that's not why I'm I'm looking for a nitchin as

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<v Speaker 1>an actor. And he's like, yeah, well, I'm not really

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<v Speaker 1>interested in that. I'm interested in you as a writer.

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<v Speaker 1>And so he agreed to take me on as an

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<v Speaker 1>actor if he could also take me on as a writer.

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<v Speaker 1>But then I didn't do any more writing until I

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<v Speaker 1>was offered my first directing job. But I had to

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<v Speaker 1>write the script in order to direct it.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, and do you think that that like him

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<v Speaker 2>pushing you to consider yourself more of a writer as well?

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<v Speaker 2>Do you think that that led to your directing career

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<v Speaker 2>without him, without him saying like I want you as

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<v Speaker 2>an actor and writer, do you think you would have

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<v Speaker 2>pursued directing? Still?

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<v Speaker 1>You know, the two things were totally separate. The directing

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<v Speaker 1>came about as really a fluke. You know. I hit

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<v Speaker 1>the that wall where I realized I didn't want to

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<v Speaker 1>be an actor in Hollywood and I didn't know what

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<v Speaker 1>to do. And I had a friend who was going

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<v Speaker 1>to make a movie. He had put together like sixty

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<v Speaker 1>thousand dollars. He was going to make a little movie.

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<v Speaker 1>He asked me to help. I said, of course. And

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<v Speaker 1>I was basically doing what you would call the production manager,

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<v Speaker 1>although it was on a very small, very low budget film.

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<v Speaker 1>And from there he formed a partnership with somebody and

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<v Speaker 1>started a film company and started making these low budget

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<v Speaker 1>movies that they were cranking out. And I was basically

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<v Speaker 1>the production manager on all these early films, and they

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<v Speaker 1>started to it started to be too much for him.

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<v Speaker 1>He was doing all the writing and directing, and his

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<v Speaker 1>partner was doing all of the shooting and editing.

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<v Speaker 2>And only two people. That's crazy.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh yeah, yeah. And I mean our crews in the

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<v Speaker 1>beginning were you know, ten twelve people. And anyway, they

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<v Speaker 1>got to the ninth film and he said, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>do you want to direct? And I was like, yeah, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I would, you know, and and and that's kind of

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<v Speaker 1>how that happened. So it had nothing to do with

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<v Speaker 1>my agent, who never really did anything for me.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, oh my gosh, they never do. But you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm going to be a big nerd right now and

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<v Speaker 2>go back to improv. And yes, and I think that

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<v Speaker 2>that's something that again you and I both share, not

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<v Speaker 2>having an experience with something someone offering it to us

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<v Speaker 2>and us going yeah, I'll do that and then internally

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<v Speaker 2>being like maybe a little scared, but I'll figure it

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<v Speaker 2>out as I go, or I'll do a bunch of research.

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<v Speaker 2>And a lot of people I think they let fear

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<v Speaker 2>stop them from saying yes. And you, if you say yes,

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00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:44.360
<v Speaker 2>your life can skyrocket in totally different, wonderful directions. So

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<v Speaker 2>I'm glad we both have that yes and skill.

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<v Speaker 1>Life is a gamble.

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<v Speaker 2>There is right there there, it is there.

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<v Speaker 1>Takes a risk. Okay, So I want to get back

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<v Speaker 1>to comedy. So you're done with dance, you're working as

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<v Speaker 1>a social work, you're taking improv classes. But the like,

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<v Speaker 1>the the goal wasn't I'm going to be I'm going

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<v Speaker 1>to make my living doing improv. So the thought was

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<v Speaker 1>I can parlay improv into doing stand up comedy.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, that's a great that's a great question. I

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00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:19.839
<v Speaker 2>think when I was heavy into improv, I was just

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<v Speaker 2>so happy, like I got out of my shell. I

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00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:25.799
<v Speaker 2>was so quiet and shy. Pulled me out of my

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00:17:25.799 --> 00:17:28.680
<v Speaker 2>shell and I was just having a blast. You don't

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00:17:28.680 --> 00:17:31.839
<v Speaker 2>get opportunities like that a lot as an adult, where

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00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:34.039
<v Speaker 2>you get to just play and have fun with your

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00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:37.200
<v Speaker 2>friends and laugh. And I know that something you say

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00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:40.400
<v Speaker 2>a lot about your gambling days and being in a

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00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.839
<v Speaker 2>hotel room with your friends and just laughing even though

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00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:44.960
<v Speaker 2>you can, and sleeping on the floor even though you

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00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.599
<v Speaker 2>have separate rooms. It just it had that feel of

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00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:50.440
<v Speaker 2>just like so much joy. So at the time, I

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<v Speaker 2>think I just really wanted to be an improv performer.

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<v Speaker 2>I wanted to get on teams and travel, and at

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<v Speaker 2>the time I wasn't really trying to do any stand up.

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<v Speaker 2>But what improv did for me was I started to

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<v Speaker 2>write sketches, and I started I wrote a one woman show,

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<v Speaker 2>and then I remembered how much I loved writing. I

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00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:13.799
<v Speaker 2>loved writing as a kid, but I think I told

335
00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:16.599
<v Speaker 2>you I had this terrible teacher who was too critical

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<v Speaker 2>in elementary school.

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<v Speaker 1>All the grades.

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00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:24.039
<v Speaker 2>They're too young to be critical, but I they kind

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00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:26.640
<v Speaker 2>of like maybe a little scared to write. And so

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00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:30.160
<v Speaker 2>comedy opened up that door again. I started to write,

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00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:33.160
<v Speaker 2>and then I realized, like, oh, I think I want

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00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:36.119
<v Speaker 2>be in a writer's room. I think the sketch writing

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<v Speaker 2>and this collaboration I'm experiencing on these sketch teams is

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<v Speaker 2>so fun. I didn't want to go back to school

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<v Speaker 2>for it. I did not want to work at an

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<v Speaker 2>agency because I had heard horror stories of agents throwing

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00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:51.400
<v Speaker 2>staplers at insurance heads. I didn't want to experience that.

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<v Speaker 2>And so then I just started to tell all of

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<v Speaker 2>my improv friends, if you hear of an assistant job

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<v Speaker 2>in a writer's room, let me know. And I just

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<v Speaker 2>repeated it over and over and over, which again, if

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00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:04.519
<v Speaker 2>people don't know what you're looking for, they can't help you.

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<v Speaker 2>So then I had a friend that was leaving her

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00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:11.680
<v Speaker 2>job at Shondaland to go to Clowns School, and she

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<v Speaker 2>got me an interview with that writer. Him and I

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00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:16.759
<v Speaker 2>hit it off, and then I got my first writing

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<v Speaker 2>assistant job, which was for the show and Mintique Anna

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00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:22.559
<v Speaker 2>and I think I told you this. Shonda Rhimes herself

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00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:25.000
<v Speaker 2>was show running it, and so I was. I got

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00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:29.000
<v Speaker 2>a masterclass in writing and how to give notes and

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<v Speaker 2>how to collaborate in a writer's room. But to answer

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00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:34.559
<v Speaker 2>your question, because I can be a little word vomity,

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<v Speaker 2>improv helped me realize I wanted to be a writer.

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<v Speaker 1>Gotcha, Yeah, you know. The writing that I have enjoyed

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<v Speaker 1>has always been writing with a partner, never writing alone.

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<v Speaker 1>And I've always been sort of a team player. I

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<v Speaker 1>you know, for my gambling career, I worked always with

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<v Speaker 1>at least one partner and often more. And the same

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00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:02.880
<v Speaker 1>thing in the in writing and anything in my life.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I want to be working with other people. Yeah, same,

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<v Speaker 1>Where did the stand up comedy come in?

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<v Speaker 2>So when I was doing improv, I got I sometimes

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<v Speaker 2>got a little to do improv. You have to get

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<v Speaker 2>your crew together. You have to make sure everyone's there.

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<v Speaker 2>Schedules are so hard to line up. And then I

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<v Speaker 2>did my one woman show and I had so many

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<v Speaker 2>people come up to me and say you should do

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00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:33.279
<v Speaker 2>stand up, and so then I started to do stand

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00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:35.799
<v Speaker 2>up because you can just go to open mics on

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00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:38.799
<v Speaker 2>your own. You don't need to schedule with anyone, although

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00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:41.079
<v Speaker 2>I did. You and I are the same. I love

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00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:44.319
<v Speaker 2>having a bud. My friend Carmen would go to open

383
00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:46.440
<v Speaker 2>mics with me until she moved to New York for

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<v Speaker 2>another job and left me. But yeah, I just had

385
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<v Speaker 2>so many people say you'd be really good at stand up,

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00:20:52.680 --> 00:20:55.079
<v Speaker 2>and so I started to do it, and I really

387
00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:57.960
<v Speaker 2>loved it. The only reason I stopped was the grind.

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't want to be up at one am doing shows.

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00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:04.359
<v Speaker 2>I was tired. I was so tired. But again it's

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<v Speaker 2>something I'll go back to at some point too, because

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<v Speaker 2>I love it. It was so fun.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, it seems like here in Las Vegas there

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00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:16.079
<v Speaker 1>is an open night open mic every single night of

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<v Speaker 1>the week. Somewhere.

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00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:18.599
<v Speaker 2>Oh absolutely that.

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00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:22.200
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, no, I assume La is the same way, yeah.

397
00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:25.200
<v Speaker 2>And different, like there's some that start at five pm

398
00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:27.960
<v Speaker 2>all the way to but you know, as you know,

399
00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:30.839
<v Speaker 2>Los Angeles is a driving city, and so you would

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00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:33.480
<v Speaker 2>have one open mic and have to drive twenty minutes

401
00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:36.200
<v Speaker 2>to the next open mic. And it was that was

402
00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:38.640
<v Speaker 2>the other part of the grind late nights, but also

403
00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:41.599
<v Speaker 2>having to be in your car. But in New York

404
00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:44.720
<v Speaker 2>you just hop on the train. It's so much easier. Yeah.

405
00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:49.160
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, So you get into the writer's room as an

406
00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:51.960
<v Speaker 1>assistant to one of the writers on what was the

407
00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:52.759
<v Speaker 1>name of the show.

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00:21:52.599 --> 00:21:57.200
<v Speaker 2>Again, inventing Anna. It's about that grifter who stole a

409
00:21:57.240 --> 00:22:00.880
<v Speaker 2>lot of money from banks and hotels and.

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00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:04.039
<v Speaker 1>Oh, based on the true story, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.

411
00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:08.839
<v Speaker 3>Yeah yeah yeah and Adelie yeah an adelv yeah yeah

412
00:22:08.920 --> 00:22:13.519
<v Speaker 3>yeah yeah yeah yeah okay, and and so then was

413
00:22:13.559 --> 00:22:17.640
<v Speaker 3>there was that a grind until you actually got into

414
00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:22.200
<v Speaker 3>a room as as a writer as opposed to an assistant.

415
00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:26.160
<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, it was. I've I feel like the common

416
00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:28.440
<v Speaker 2>theme of all the things I've done are it is

417
00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:31.880
<v Speaker 2>a grind and the path I took from assistant to writer.

418
00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:34.480
<v Speaker 2>I'm sure you know this too from being in LA

419
00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:38.680
<v Speaker 2>that is so rare. One percent of people go from

420
00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:42.440
<v Speaker 2>assistant to writer. It is a hard It's hard to

421
00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:46.680
<v Speaker 2>find an assistant job. It is almost impossible nowadays. It's

422
00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:49.799
<v Speaker 2>something that is word of mouth. No one posted posts

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00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:53.279
<v Speaker 2>it on any job listing or anything. But yeah, I

424
00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:56.720
<v Speaker 2>had to work really, really really hard. I had to

425
00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:02.160
<v Speaker 2>kind of be available around the had to I had

426
00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:05.039
<v Speaker 2>to always like read scripts and have notes ready and

427
00:23:05.079 --> 00:23:09.279
<v Speaker 2>have like feedback ready for my boss. And even when

428
00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:11.319
<v Speaker 2>you're in a bad mood, you have to like put

429
00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:11.880
<v Speaker 2>on a face.

430
00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:12.200
<v Speaker 3>You know.

431
00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:16.759
<v Speaker 2>It's because the industry is a lot of do when

432
00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:21.079
<v Speaker 2>people are hiring an assistant, are you talented? Like kay?

433
00:23:21.160 --> 00:23:23.759
<v Speaker 2>Can you write? And also a big one is do

434
00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:26.319
<v Speaker 2>will I be able to hang out with you for

435
00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:29.440
<v Speaker 2>the entire week? Are you someone that I'll mesh with?

436
00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:32.160
<v Speaker 2>And so you never want to be a debbie downer

437
00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:35.200
<v Speaker 2>or you know, it's hard because everyone has bad days,

438
00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:38.200
<v Speaker 2>but I really had to kind of hide how much

439
00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:41.440
<v Speaker 2>it was affecting me. All of the grind in the work.

440
00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:43.480
<v Speaker 2>It was tough. It was really tough.

441
00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:46.519
<v Speaker 1>You weren't still trying to work another job at the

442
00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:48.319
<v Speaker 1>same time right once you were.

443
00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:52.880
<v Speaker 2>No. I was lucky because my brother had a thriving

444
00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:56.279
<v Speaker 2>mobile game business at the time, so I was able

445
00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:59.880
<v Speaker 2>to work for him a little bit because assistant jobs

446
00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:02.359
<v Speaker 2>pay nothing, but I was able to work for him,

447
00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:04.920
<v Speaker 2>and the assistant job and working for your brother is

448
00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:07.640
<v Speaker 2>a lot easier than yeah, having a full time a

449
00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:11.400
<v Speaker 2>full time gig for a company. So yeah, I did.

450
00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:13.319
<v Speaker 2>I didn't have to. I didn't have to do the

451
00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:15.240
<v Speaker 2>whole graveyard shift thing that I was doing when I

452
00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:18.680
<v Speaker 2>first moved to La Think. God, yeah, I don't know.

453
00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:20.480
<v Speaker 2>If i'd made I would have made it out.

454
00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:25.119
<v Speaker 1>So what was your first shot then of actually writing something?

455
00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:27.960
<v Speaker 1>I mean, you don't just immediately get hired as a writer.

456
00:24:28.839 --> 00:24:32.240
<v Speaker 1>You they ask you to do a script, right or something.

457
00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:38.759
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, So Shondaland is really great about nurturing talent for

458
00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:42.359
<v Speaker 2>assistant So one of the first steps you have at

459
00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:46.319
<v Speaker 2>Shondaland is once you're a writer's assistant. You're allowed to

460
00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:48.960
<v Speaker 2>pitch in the room. Now, you're not supposed to pitch

461
00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:51.240
<v Speaker 2>too much. You can't pitch more than the writers. You

462
00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:54.960
<v Speaker 2>can't overtalk. It's like being at a party and being

463
00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:57.920
<v Speaker 2>in a circle and one person is like monopolizing the conversation.

464
00:24:58.680 --> 00:25:00.839
<v Speaker 2>That's a no, no, you can't ever do that. So

465
00:25:00.920 --> 00:25:03.319
<v Speaker 2>you have to find your time and you know, be

466
00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:07.039
<v Speaker 2>a problem solver, find a pitch that if the writers

467
00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:09.880
<v Speaker 2>are like, like, how, you know, how do we get

468
00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:13.079
<v Speaker 2>this character this on this yacht because they're all the

469
00:25:13.079 --> 00:25:14.839
<v Speaker 2>way in Kentucky and we got to get them to

470
00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:17.400
<v Speaker 2>this to the ocean, how like? And then you're the

471
00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:20.400
<v Speaker 2>person that's like, hey, just hop them on an airplane,

472
00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:22.160
<v Speaker 2>fly them to the you know, you just have to

473
00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:25.640
<v Speaker 2>find a solution. And then everyone's like, oh my gosh, amazing,

474
00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:28.160
<v Speaker 2>why didn't we think of that? And then you look

475
00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:31.279
<v Speaker 2>like a hero. So you start with pitching a little bit.

476
00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:36.880
<v Speaker 2>And then at shondaland sometimes they'll assign scenes scene work

477
00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:40.200
<v Speaker 2>to the assistant. Not every assistant, but if you're the

478
00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:43.319
<v Speaker 2>writer's assistant, and that's the way that they can read

479
00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:46.680
<v Speaker 2>your work, give you notes. Sometimes a couple of things

480
00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:49.640
<v Speaker 2>might stay on the screen when it finally gets there,

481
00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:53.240
<v Speaker 2>which is very cool. And then when I was I

482
00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:56.960
<v Speaker 2>went from writer's assistant to researcher because Shondaland is another

483
00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:59.920
<v Speaker 2>like Aaron Sorkin, a couple of these production cup to

484
00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.359
<v Speaker 2>you have a researcher on the show, and so on Bridgerton,

485
00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:06.079
<v Speaker 2>I was a researcher and that's when I was allowed

486
00:26:06.119 --> 00:26:08.759
<v Speaker 2>to write an episode with one of the writers. And

487
00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:12.960
<v Speaker 2>that was an amazing experience and one that when you're

488
00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:16.759
<v Speaker 2>finally able to do it, you either love it or

489
00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:19.079
<v Speaker 2>you hate it, and luckily I loved it. You know,

490
00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:20.960
<v Speaker 2>you have to have these experiences to know if you

491
00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:23.680
<v Speaker 2>actually want to pursue the career. But I was able

492
00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:26.200
<v Speaker 2>to run the room, be in charge of like what

493
00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:30.079
<v Speaker 2>went on the board. It was so exciting and so fun.

494
00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:33.720
<v Speaker 1>Wait, so that was just for the one episode that

495
00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:34.839
<v Speaker 1>you were co writing.

496
00:26:35.559 --> 00:26:37.119
<v Speaker 2>Yes, yeah, so that was season four.

497
00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:39.319
<v Speaker 1>Okay, So I didn't realize there was a whole room

498
00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:42.039
<v Speaker 1>for each individual episode.

499
00:26:42.599 --> 00:26:45.480
<v Speaker 2>I mean, well, what was your question?

500
00:26:46.119 --> 00:26:50.960
<v Speaker 1>Well yeah, so yeah, explain So first of all, on Bridgerton. So,

501
00:26:51.400 --> 00:26:54.079
<v Speaker 1>for any of the listeners who don't know, Bridgerton is

502
00:26:54.119 --> 00:26:59.440
<v Speaker 1>a period drama and So first let's start with what

503
00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:01.319
<v Speaker 1>did the research involved?

504
00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:02.119
<v Speaker 2>Oh?

505
00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:06.200
<v Speaker 1>Sure, like what can we would this be anachronistic if

506
00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:08.200
<v Speaker 1>we did this? Is that kind of stuff?

507
00:27:08.599 --> 00:27:11.720
<v Speaker 2>Or yeah, yeah pretty much that. I mean I came

508
00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:14.160
<v Speaker 2>on season three, so a lot of the initial research

509
00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:17.960
<v Speaker 2>had been done, so my job was very easy. But yeah,

510
00:27:18.119 --> 00:27:20.839
<v Speaker 2>it's if the writers are like one episode, we had

511
00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:23.799
<v Speaker 2>a hot air balloon and they were like, did hot

512
00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:27.279
<v Speaker 2>air balloons exist? What? How did they look different than today?

513
00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:31.519
<v Speaker 2>Or like when when people went swimming during that period,

514
00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:34.759
<v Speaker 2>like what were their swimsuits looked like? Like what did

515
00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.880
<v Speaker 2>they wear in the water. So it's a lot of

516
00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:39.000
<v Speaker 2>like they come up with ideas for the episode, and

517
00:27:39.079 --> 00:27:41.720
<v Speaker 2>then it's like did this exist? Can we put this in?

518
00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:44.759
<v Speaker 2>Is there some kind of wiggle room where we can

519
00:27:44.839 --> 00:27:48.160
<v Speaker 2>make it realistic even though it kind of didn't exist yet?

520
00:27:48.359 --> 00:27:50.960
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, a lot of the research is, hey, we

521
00:27:51.160 --> 00:27:54.480
<v Speaker 2>this cool idea. Can you go see if if it exists?

522
00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:58.920
<v Speaker 1>Got it? And so okay, so now they give you

523
00:27:59.400 --> 00:28:02.640
<v Speaker 1>an assign that you're going to co write an episode.

524
00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:07.519
<v Speaker 1>What happens at that point, Well, first I cried. I

525
00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:09.559
<v Speaker 1>went home and I cried and I called all my

526
00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:15.400
<v Speaker 1>friends and then for that, I was episoder. So in general,

527
00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:18.920
<v Speaker 1>the writer's room, you get together and you're blue sky

528
00:28:19.119 --> 00:28:21.920
<v Speaker 1>what they call blue sky, which is everyone's kind of

529
00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:26.200
<v Speaker 1>like throwing spaghetti at the wall pie in the sky ideas.

530
00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:29.279
<v Speaker 1>We talk about the season that just happened, We talk

531
00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:32.160
<v Speaker 1>about where all the characters ended, and then we we

532
00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:34.720
<v Speaker 1>kind of like dream like, what would we want this

533
00:28:34.880 --> 00:28:37.680
<v Speaker 1>character to do? What are some arcs that like we

534
00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:40.839
<v Speaker 1>really want to see them pursue this season? So you

535
00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:43.200
<v Speaker 1>come up with a ton of ideas, and then the

536
00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:47.319
<v Speaker 1>showrunner narrows it down and we have go through each episodes.

537
00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:51.200
<v Speaker 1>We've eight episodes, and we go there's usually the lead

538
00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:54.359
<v Speaker 1>couple that is the rom Commas based on, and so

539
00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:58.119
<v Speaker 1>we talk about their a story from the first episode

540
00:28:58.160 --> 00:29:02.279
<v Speaker 1>to the last episode, and we as a group decide

541
00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:04.759
<v Speaker 1>where the story is going to fall in each of

542
00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:08.759
<v Speaker 1>those episodes. And so by the time I'm writing my episode,

543
00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:12.480
<v Speaker 1>I kind of already know the tent poles, the beginning, middle,

544
00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:14.920
<v Speaker 1>and end of what's going to happen. But then our

545
00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:18.759
<v Speaker 1>job when it's our episode. They've done one, two, three,

546
00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:22.519
<v Speaker 1>and four, those writers are off writing the episode. It's

547
00:29:22.599 --> 00:29:23.079
<v Speaker 1>our turn.

548
00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:26.200
<v Speaker 2>We show up with the outline of filling in all

549
00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:28.440
<v Speaker 2>the gaps that we haven't talked about as a group,

550
00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:31.519
<v Speaker 2>and then that gets the writer, other writers give notes

551
00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:34.400
<v Speaker 2>on it, it gets approved, and then at a certain

552
00:29:34.440 --> 00:29:37.000
<v Speaker 2>point then we go off to script and write it

553
00:29:37.079 --> 00:29:39.039
<v Speaker 2>and then bring it back to the room for notes.

554
00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:42.920
<v Speaker 2>So it's it's it's pretty basic. But the best part

555
00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:46.359
<v Speaker 2>is the collaboration at the beginning, where it's like, where

556
00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:50.160
<v Speaker 2>can this season go and what's what cool crazy ideas

557
00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:50.880
<v Speaker 2>can we come up with?

558
00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:57.759
<v Speaker 1>And and so are you now on staff or was

559
00:29:57.799 --> 00:30:01.160
<v Speaker 1>that like a one off or what what happened at

560
00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:01.799
<v Speaker 1>that then?

561
00:30:02.599 --> 00:30:05.720
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so that was that was when I was an assistant,

562
00:30:05.799 --> 00:30:08.000
<v Speaker 2>and then I was asked to be on staff the

563
00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:11.720
<v Speaker 2>next season, which they're filming right now, and then I

564
00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:15.400
<v Speaker 2>will go back to the next season after they're done.

565
00:30:15.400 --> 00:30:18.920
<v Speaker 2>They're done filming in I think we're starting in August

566
00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:22.720
<v Speaker 2>or September. Maybe not, still up in the air, but yeah,

567
00:30:22.759 --> 00:30:25.920
<v Speaker 2>so technically now I'm on staff and I can breathe

568
00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:28.319
<v Speaker 2>a little bit. The hard work is done and I

569
00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:30.839
<v Speaker 2>can finally just sit back and breathe.

570
00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:35.720
<v Speaker 1>So for writers, I know, the big issue of the

571
00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:39.759
<v Speaker 1>day that has many people very worried is the whole

572
00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:45.359
<v Speaker 1>AI thing and how is that affecting you guys.

573
00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:50.440
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that's a great question. I mean everyone, I don't

574
00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:55.640
<v Speaker 2>know one writer that is pro AI. Yeah, I'm sure

575
00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:58.720
<v Speaker 2>they exist, just like the people during the strike that

576
00:30:59.079 --> 00:31:02.440
<v Speaker 2>you know, jobs and they're not supposed to take. But

577
00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:06.559
<v Speaker 2>we've had conversations about it in the room about like

578
00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:09.359
<v Speaker 2>do people use it to brainstorm or not? And for

579
00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:11.559
<v Speaker 2>the most part, I think all of us are just

580
00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:15.039
<v Speaker 2>avoiding it. And then you know, the Writer's Guild, there's

581
00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:18.160
<v Speaker 2>a lot of committees with writers that are much more

582
00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:23.119
<v Speaker 2>involved and smarter than I that are yeah, fighting really

583
00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:25.400
<v Speaker 2>like making sure they're on top of the legislation and

584
00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:29.319
<v Speaker 2>making sure it's not infiltrating our industry too much. But

585
00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:30.680
<v Speaker 2>we're you know, we're trying.

586
00:31:31.559 --> 00:31:36.079
<v Speaker 1>So another thing is, now, I've been away from Hollywood

587
00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:38.559
<v Speaker 1>for quite a while now, but if you're a writer

588
00:31:38.759 --> 00:31:44.519
<v Speaker 1>on the network show you know, CBS, NBC, ABC, you

589
00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:46.559
<v Speaker 1>basically if you've got a few years of that, you

590
00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:51.799
<v Speaker 1>could be set for life. And streaming was nowhere close.

591
00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:56.559
<v Speaker 1>I mean, it was pretty pretty bad, and I know

592
00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:59.920
<v Speaker 1>the Writer's Guild has been fighting that for a long

593
00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:05.279
<v Speaker 1>long time and now streaming is actually bigger than the networks,

594
00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:08.400
<v Speaker 1>but the pay is still nowhere close, am I right?

595
00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:13.400
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, it's getting a little bit better. And with

596
00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:17.240
<v Speaker 2>the current the strike that just happened, it finally got

597
00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:21.279
<v Speaker 2>approved that streaming you'd get residuals, because for a long

598
00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:24.559
<v Speaker 2>time you'd work on a Netflix show or HBO or

599
00:32:24.640 --> 00:32:28.319
<v Speaker 2>something and you wouldn't get any residuals. So it was

600
00:32:28.359 --> 00:32:30.440
<v Speaker 2>like the PAYI wasn't as good. And then you also

601
00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:34.160
<v Speaker 2>there wasn't like any kind of paycheck in the future

602
00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:36.720
<v Speaker 2>as your episodes were being watched by millions of people.

603
00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:39.960
<v Speaker 2>Network I don't know if it's as good as it was.

604
00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:42.400
<v Speaker 2>That's something that like I feel like I got to

605
00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:45.119
<v Speaker 2>educate myself a little bit better about because for such

606
00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:47.119
<v Speaker 2>a long time, I was like, I just really want

607
00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:48.839
<v Speaker 2>to get the job. And now you know, you have

608
00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:51.640
<v Speaker 2>to be more aware of like what the pay structures are.

609
00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:55.079
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, yeah, in the beginning, you just exactly you

610
00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:59.319
<v Speaker 2>don't care what the money is. You just want the job. Yeah, exactly, exactly,

611
00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:01.839
<v Speaker 2>but it is you know, you have to inform your

612
00:33:02.319 --> 00:33:05.000
<v Speaker 2>but but I'll tell you, the dreaming has gotten better.

613
00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:08.640
<v Speaker 2>But there's a lot of room for growth. But you know,

614
00:33:08.839 --> 00:33:11.160
<v Speaker 2>as you know, a lot of those companies they penny

615
00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:15.599
<v Speaker 2>pinch and they they want the cheapest, the cheapest route

616
00:33:15.720 --> 00:33:19.359
<v Speaker 2>and the cheapest writer. And that's unfortunate. But that's that's

617
00:33:19.400 --> 00:33:22.119
<v Speaker 2>a tale as old as time. You know, big companies

618
00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:24.839
<v Speaker 2>they just that's that's their goal is to save money.

619
00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:29.039
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and while at the same time they waste so

620
00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:31.359
<v Speaker 1>much money and it's ridiculous.

621
00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:32.200
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

622
00:33:32.279 --> 00:33:34.319
<v Speaker 2>Oh, I've got thoughts on that that I won't say

623
00:33:34.359 --> 00:33:36.640
<v Speaker 2>on the podcast, but I'll tell you off the podcast.

624
00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:39.480
<v Speaker 2>I've got many thoughts, many things I've seen of a

625
00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:40.200
<v Speaker 2>lot of waste.

626
00:33:40.359 --> 00:33:44.000
<v Speaker 1>But you know, I you know, I had I had

627
00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:47.480
<v Speaker 1>a friend that I used to work with in film

628
00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:53.359
<v Speaker 1>and his dad was a producer of you know, big

629
00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:56.759
<v Speaker 1>shows back in this early in the seventies, you know,

630
00:33:57.400 --> 00:34:00.519
<v Speaker 1>shows that we all would have watched when we kids

631
00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:04.079
<v Speaker 1>or whatever. And he said, you know, whenever my mom

632
00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:07.960
<v Speaker 1>wanted to remodel the house, he would just arrange for

633
00:34:08.679 --> 00:34:11.480
<v Speaker 1>scenes to be shot in our house and then he

634
00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:15.320
<v Speaker 1>would direct the art department how to remodel them house.

635
00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:20.639
<v Speaker 2>Now that's an advantage player move if I've ever heard of. Yeah,

636
00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:21.960
<v Speaker 2>that's really smart.

637
00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:28.519
<v Speaker 1>So so you have these long hiatus. Do writers take

638
00:34:28.719 --> 00:34:32.559
<v Speaker 1>other shows that are when their main show is off

639
00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:33.760
<v Speaker 1>on hiatus?

640
00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:37.239
<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, yeah, I mean right now. The industry is

641
00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:40.960
<v Speaker 2>tough and jobs are far and few between. But that's

642
00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:44.840
<v Speaker 2>why networking is so important in the injury, because you'll

643
00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:49.360
<v Speaker 2>often hear about jobs through through your friends and through

644
00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:53.239
<v Speaker 2>people you've worked with. Even like I'm a lower level writer,

645
00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:56.800
<v Speaker 2>even higher level writers, their agent will say, hey, this

646
00:34:57.119 --> 00:34:59.760
<v Speaker 2>this room is about to start. Do you know anyone

647
00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:02.920
<v Speaker 2>in the room that can can vouch for you? So

648
00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:06.719
<v Speaker 2>it's like, like we said, agents and managers, they don't

649
00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:08.920
<v Speaker 2>do a ton. They do some stuff, but it is

650
00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:11.639
<v Speaker 2>really like who you know? So yeah, some of the

651
00:35:11.719 --> 00:35:14.880
<v Speaker 2>writers in my room, they hopped on some other stuff.

652
00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:18.000
<v Speaker 2>The there was a legally Blonde TV show that happened,

653
00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:21.960
<v Speaker 2>and my friend worked on that. But for me, when

654
00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:25.519
<v Speaker 2>I got my I I had worked so hard. I

655
00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:27.920
<v Speaker 2>was so burnt out that I kind of was like

656
00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:30.199
<v Speaker 2>I don't want to I mean, yes, I want to

657
00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:33.079
<v Speaker 2>work and I want other jobs, but I really was like,

658
00:35:33.239 --> 00:35:35.360
<v Speaker 2>I think I'm gonna take a big break. I needed it.

659
00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:38.440
<v Speaker 2>I was so burnt out, so burnt out, it was

660
00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:42.079
<v Speaker 2>so like it drains you because even when I was

661
00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:45.519
<v Speaker 2>an assistant, I hopped on other shows as a writer's assistant.

662
00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:48.639
<v Speaker 2>I worked on the show Physical, there was a reboot

663
00:35:48.679 --> 00:35:51.880
<v Speaker 2>of The L Word I helped on, and it's just

664
00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:55.480
<v Speaker 2>you just go, go, go constantly. But yeah, right now,

665
00:35:55.519 --> 00:35:57.840
<v Speaker 2>the industry is a bit hard. Yeah, get hard.

666
00:35:58.360 --> 00:36:01.360
<v Speaker 1>And the agents and managers base only want you when

667
00:36:01.719 --> 00:36:05.039
<v Speaker 1>you don't need them anymore. Oh yeah no, I mean

668
00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:08.000
<v Speaker 1>maybe they could negotiate you a better contract or something,

669
00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:12.320
<v Speaker 1>but basically in my experience was I already got the job.

670
00:36:13.320 --> 00:36:15.480
<v Speaker 1>Now they want to Now they want to represent me,

671
00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:17.679
<v Speaker 1>so they can just take their peace, you know what

672
00:36:17.760 --> 00:36:22.320
<v Speaker 1>I mean. Yeah, so yeah, it was a really awful

673
00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:23.400
<v Speaker 1>part of the business.

674
00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:24.960
<v Speaker 3>Oh it is.

675
00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:28.000
<v Speaker 2>But you know, one of my friends, I've learned so

676
00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:31.159
<v Speaker 2>much from her. She was an assistant as well, but

677
00:36:31.320 --> 00:36:34.000
<v Speaker 2>she was an assistant before me, so she's always one

678
00:36:34.039 --> 00:36:36.679
<v Speaker 2>step ahead, and I was able to kind of see, like,

679
00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:38.679
<v Speaker 2>how is she doing it? What can I learn from?

680
00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:43.320
<v Speaker 2>And when she got staffed, she got reps and she said, hey,

681
00:36:43.400 --> 00:36:45.519
<v Speaker 2>I got I got staffed on my own. You're not

682
00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:48.199
<v Speaker 2>getting any of this money. And the reps were like yeah, okay,

683
00:36:48.440 --> 00:36:50.519
<v Speaker 2>Like we'll wait till the next job you get. But

684
00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:53.440
<v Speaker 2>I was like wow, old yeah. And some people again

685
00:36:53.519 --> 00:36:56.760
<v Speaker 2>we go back, going back to like operating by fear

686
00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:58.880
<v Speaker 2>of just like I need a rep, so I'll give

687
00:36:58.920 --> 00:37:01.159
<v Speaker 2>them anything or all. You know, I'm going to prove

688
00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:04.199
<v Speaker 2>to them that I'm worthy. I had this cool friend

689
00:37:04.280 --> 00:37:06.320
<v Speaker 2>that was like, I'm worthy, and you're not getting any

690
00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:08.360
<v Speaker 2>of this money I worked for, and I will if

691
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:10.599
<v Speaker 2>you find me something, you can have a piece of it.

692
00:37:11.239 --> 00:37:14.000
<v Speaker 2>But that's another thing about networking is you learn from

693
00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:17.920
<v Speaker 2>each other. Yeah yeah, yeah, huge, huge part of it. Huge.

694
00:37:18.840 --> 00:37:19.039
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

695
00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:25.079
<v Speaker 1>My sort of general operating principles when I'm trying to

696
00:37:25.639 --> 00:37:28.760
<v Speaker 1>learn something is first go read everything I can on it,

697
00:37:28.920 --> 00:37:31.920
<v Speaker 1>and then go find people who are already very good

698
00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:35.320
<v Speaker 1>at it and try to learn as much from them

699
00:37:35.480 --> 00:37:36.800
<v Speaker 1>as they will allow.

700
00:37:37.719 --> 00:37:38.719
<v Speaker 2>Oh. Absolutely.

701
00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:39.400
<v Speaker 3>In La.

702
00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:41.960
<v Speaker 2>A lot of my friends joke and call me the

703
00:37:42.400 --> 00:37:44.480
<v Speaker 2>coffee Queen because I'll just ask people to go to

704
00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:48.400
<v Speaker 2>coffee to ask some questions and I basically what you're saying,

705
00:37:48.480 --> 00:37:51.960
<v Speaker 2>it's like I don't know everything, Like, yeah, can I

706
00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:52.840
<v Speaker 2>ask for advice?

707
00:37:53.760 --> 00:37:54.480
<v Speaker 1>Yep, yep.

708
00:37:55.159 --> 00:37:55.360
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

709
00:37:55.519 --> 00:37:59.920
<v Speaker 1>My attitude was always I'm always willing to take the meeting.

710
00:38:00.440 --> 00:38:03.440
<v Speaker 1>I will go have a meeting with anybody, and ninety

711
00:38:03.519 --> 00:38:05.320
<v Speaker 1>nine percent of them turn into nothing.

712
00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:08.800
<v Speaker 2>But you just never know what you know, Yeah, and

713
00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:12.440
<v Speaker 2>sometimes it's just a really fun conversation. I think the

714
00:38:12.519 --> 00:38:15.440
<v Speaker 2>way I treat networking is never what could you do

715
00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:18.119
<v Speaker 2>for me? I've always like really prided myself in that

716
00:38:18.280 --> 00:38:20.079
<v Speaker 2>of because it's happened to me. I've been at a

717
00:38:20.159 --> 00:38:23.360
<v Speaker 2>party where I'm talking to someone and then they realize

718
00:38:23.440 --> 00:38:25.800
<v Speaker 2>I can't I don't have a cool job, or I

719
00:38:25.840 --> 00:38:28.400
<v Speaker 2>couldn't do anything for them, and then they look over

720
00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:33.280
<v Speaker 2>my head to scare, oh, oh that's a chip on

721
00:38:33.320 --> 00:38:35.480
<v Speaker 2>my shoulder. And I remember being like, I'll never do

722
00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:39.159
<v Speaker 2>that to anybody. But the way I network, and it

723
00:38:39.239 --> 00:38:42.199
<v Speaker 2>sounds like you're the same way is I go in

724
00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:46.320
<v Speaker 2>like wanting to make a friend and having a great conversation, yeah,

725
00:38:46.440 --> 00:38:49.239
<v Speaker 2>and yeah, maybe it doesn't lead to anything. And then

726
00:38:49.280 --> 00:38:54.239
<v Speaker 2>now with the writing, I really want to demystify the industry,

727
00:38:54.280 --> 00:38:57.480
<v Speaker 2>and so I told myself that if anyone ever asks

728
00:38:57.559 --> 00:39:00.119
<v Speaker 2>me to coffee to pick my brain about it, I

729
00:39:00.199 --> 00:39:02.800
<v Speaker 2>always say yes. I had a girl find me on

730
00:39:02.920 --> 00:39:05.800
<v Speaker 2>LinkedIn and she was like, you've worked on all these

731
00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:09.239
<v Speaker 2>shows as a writer's assistant, can I take you to coffee?

732
00:39:09.880 --> 00:39:12.760
<v Speaker 2>Which when you're a writer, it's you never let anyone

733
00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:15.719
<v Speaker 2>get you coffee. You always get the person who doesn't

734
00:39:15.760 --> 00:39:18.400
<v Speaker 2>have the job coffee. It's a it's a nice thing

735
00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:20.280
<v Speaker 2>where it's like, oh, I have I've have this, like

736
00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:22.840
<v Speaker 2>a I have this cool job and I can afford it.

737
00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:25.039
<v Speaker 2>Let me buy you coffee even though you've offered it

738
00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:27.920
<v Speaker 2>to me. But yeah, I will, even at this podcast,

739
00:39:27.960 --> 00:39:29.800
<v Speaker 2>if people want to reach out to me, I will

740
00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:33.599
<v Speaker 2>always take that meeting and and give them any information.

741
00:39:33.719 --> 00:39:37.320
<v Speaker 1>I have perfect segue. So if people want to get

742
00:39:37.360 --> 00:39:39.639
<v Speaker 1>a hold of you, what is the best way.

743
00:39:41.239 --> 00:39:44.639
<v Speaker 2>My email? My email's good or my my instagram is

744
00:39:44.920 --> 00:39:48.400
<v Speaker 2>at Liz Reichel, which is l I z R e

745
00:39:48.559 --> 00:39:51.719
<v Speaker 2>I c h E l T. Or my email is

746
00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:55.360
<v Speaker 2>very similar, it's e R E I c h E

747
00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:58.960
<v Speaker 2>l T twenty three at gmail dot com. Sometimes I'm

748
00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:03.079
<v Speaker 2>bad at respons quickly, but I always respond. I always

749
00:40:03.119 --> 00:40:03.800
<v Speaker 2>write to respond.

750
00:40:04.639 --> 00:40:08.679
<v Speaker 1>Okay, great, And just any advice for those want to

751
00:40:08.760 --> 00:40:11.320
<v Speaker 1>be writers out there before we go.

752
00:40:12.039 --> 00:40:16.400
<v Speaker 2>Oh, of course, write a lot. People can't take that

753
00:40:16.519 --> 00:40:19.199
<v Speaker 2>away from you. Try to write as much as you can.

754
00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:22.880
<v Speaker 2>If people try to, you know, say that your perspective

755
00:40:23.000 --> 00:40:25.480
<v Speaker 2>or your point of view is wrong. They're wrong. So right,

756
00:40:25.599 --> 00:40:27.360
<v Speaker 2>the things you want to write, the genres you want

757
00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:30.840
<v Speaker 2>to write, and really find a network of people that

758
00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:34.760
<v Speaker 2>you can have writer meetings with, like where you can

759
00:40:34.840 --> 00:40:38.119
<v Speaker 2>share work, people you can vent with, people you can

760
00:40:38.679 --> 00:40:41.000
<v Speaker 2>go go watch a movie with and analyze it with.

761
00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:44.679
<v Speaker 2>So write a lot and find a community. Great.

762
00:40:44.840 --> 00:40:47.079
<v Speaker 1>Well, there's a question I ask all my guests before

763
00:40:47.119 --> 00:40:51.199
<v Speaker 1>we leave, and that is favorite restaurant in Las Vegas

764
00:40:51.320 --> 00:40:52.599
<v Speaker 1>that is not in a case.

765
00:40:53.119 --> 00:40:56.159
<v Speaker 2>Oh my gosh, that's hard because my brain just went

766
00:40:56.239 --> 00:41:01.280
<v Speaker 2>to a Malfie in Caesar's because I'm obsessed with it. Okay, okay, okay,

767
00:41:01.360 --> 00:41:05.039
<v Speaker 2>you might have to edit out this pause. Where have

768
00:41:05.199 --> 00:41:08.039
<v Speaker 2>I been? Oh, you know, there's a lot of really

769
00:41:08.119 --> 00:41:12.679
<v Speaker 2>good Hawaiian barbecue here. I think there's one called Mobetta's,

770
00:41:13.079 --> 00:41:15.760
<v Speaker 2>and I order a lot from it. It is cheap,

771
00:41:15.960 --> 00:41:22.159
<v Speaker 2>it's so good. The chicken. Yeah, it's any Hawaiian barbecue,

772
00:41:22.159 --> 00:41:23.480
<v Speaker 2>but that one I ordered from a lot?

773
00:41:24.239 --> 00:41:29.480
<v Speaker 1>Uh huh, Okay, I will This question is completely selfish

774
00:41:29.519 --> 00:41:32.519
<v Speaker 1>because I'm always looking for new places to go eat.

775
00:41:32.679 --> 00:41:35.079
<v Speaker 2>So oh, and and the pizza place that you and

776
00:41:35.159 --> 00:41:37.800
<v Speaker 2>I went to that was a recommendation. I forget the

777
00:41:37.880 --> 00:41:38.239
<v Speaker 2>name of it.

778
00:41:38.440 --> 00:41:40.639
<v Speaker 1>That's oh, a more taste of Chicago.

779
00:41:41.440 --> 00:41:44.400
<v Speaker 2>No, not that it was. Wasn't it something zero? It

780
00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:45.320
<v Speaker 2>was in Chinatown?

781
00:41:46.159 --> 00:41:48.719
<v Speaker 1>Oh oh yes, yes, yes that yeah, I think it

782
00:41:48.840 --> 00:41:49.800
<v Speaker 1>was called Pizza zero.

783
00:41:50.559 --> 00:41:54.559
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that thing from a friend of ours recommended it.

784
00:41:54.719 --> 00:41:56.960
<v Speaker 2>But that pizza place was so great. Yeah. And then

785
00:41:57.280 --> 00:41:59.760
<v Speaker 2>Mobeta is if you want Hawaiian barbecue, it's very good.

786
00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:00.679
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

787
00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:02.840
<v Speaker 1>All right, Well, I'm going to thank you for doing

788
00:42:02.920 --> 00:42:06.000
<v Speaker 1>this and and that's it. Any final thoughts.

789
00:42:06.519 --> 00:42:09.039
<v Speaker 2>This was so fun, Thank you for having me on it.

790
00:42:09.199 --> 00:42:11.239
<v Speaker 2>And everyone should listen to this podcast.

791
00:42:12.880 --> 00:42:15.920
<v Speaker 1>Well if they heard you say that, they already are

792
00:42:16.119 --> 00:42:19.480
<v Speaker 1>so exactly in that case, recommended to a friend.

793
00:42:19.679 --> 00:42:23.519
<v Speaker 2>The recommend it to a friend. Even your dentist, your therapist,

794
00:42:23.639 --> 00:42:24.679
<v Speaker 2>recommended to somebody.

795
00:42:25.480 --> 00:42:28.360
<v Speaker 1>There you go, all right, we'll see you next time, everybody.

796
00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:34.440
<v Speaker 2>Free audio post production by alphonic dot Com.