PrimetimeSublimeA panel discussion with Emmy

Sublime
Primetime
A panel discussion with Emmy-nominated writers
PRESENTED BY
PREMIER SPONSOR
September 11, 2007
7:30 pm
Writers Guild Foundation
Academy of Television
Arts & Sciences
®© ATAS/NATAS
PANELISTS
MODERATOR
Spike Feresten
TalkShow wiTh Spike FereSTen
Spike Feresten was raised in West Bridgewater, MA, where he
attended public school and got his first job as a bag boy at the
local supermarket. With a dream to be the next Jimi Hendrix,
Feresten attended Berklee College of Music in Boston.
One night, disillusioned with his career choice, Feresten thought
he might feel better if he dropped four-foot fluorescent light
bulbs out the window of his dorm room — just to watch them
shatter on the sidewalk eight stories below. He got caught and was evicted. Soon after,
Feresten saw David Letterman performing the exact same stunt on his late-night talk show,
and a real light bulb went on: If network television encouraged this sort of behavior, he might
have a future after all. Thus, a career in TV comedy was born.
Feresten came up through the ranks of television, working first as an intern at NBC in
New York. His career took on a Hollywood fable quality when his job as the receptionist
for SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE led him to pass jokes he had written to “Weekend Update’s”
Dennis Miller. Eventually, Feresten’s full-time job at SNL led to a staff-writing position
in 1990 at LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, where he wrote for five years and earned
five Emmy nominations.
In 1995, Feresten left the late-night realm to join the writing staff of the groundbreaking
sitcom SEINFELD, where he wrote for three seasons, becoming supervising producer in 1998.
During his SEINFELD tenure, Feresten garnered an additional three Emmy nominations,
including one for his famed “Soup Nazi” episode, which remains part of the pop-culture
vernacular.
In addition to SEINFELD and LETTERMAN, Feresten has written and developed other
television comedy, penning episodes of THE SIMpSONS, SpACE GHOST COAST TO COAST
and THE JAMIE KENNEDY EXpERIMENT. Continuing to work with Jerry Seinfeld, Feresten
co-wrote the screenplay for the animated feature BEE MOVIE, scheduled to be released by
DreamWorks Animation in fall 2007. Fox’s second season of TALKSHOW WITH SpIKE FERESTEN
is set to air on September 15, 2007.
Feresten and his wife, Erika, live in Los Angeles.
PANELISTS
Greg Daniels
The oFFiCe – “Gay witch hunt”
Greg Daniels has been a WGA member since 1985. He started his
career writing on HBO’s NOT NECESSARILY THE NEWS, then went
on to write for SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE for three seasons, winning
an Emmy Award in 1990. As a freelancer, he wrote the SEINFELD
episode, “The parking Space,” which was nominated for a Writers
Guild Award.
Daniels spent three seasons on the writing staff of THE
SIMpSONS, where he wrote three out of the top 10 most popular episodes, according to a
TV Guide poll, and won another Emmy for his episode, “Lisa’s Wedding.” In 1997, Daniels
co-created and was the showrunner for KING OF THE HILL, which is the second-longest
running animated series after THE SIMpSONS. KING OF THE HILL earned him another Emmy
in 1999 for Outstanding Animated Series.
Currently, Daniels is executive producer/showrunner of the NBC series THE OFFICE, which he
adapted from the British series in 2005. THE OFFICE won the 2006 Emmy and the 2007 Writers
Guild Award for Best Comedy Series, as well as the producers Guild Award for Best Comedy
Series, and the SAG Award for Comedy Ensemble. THE OFFICE is currently nominated for a
2007 Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Daniels is nominated for Outstanding Writing
for the episode, “Gay Witch Hunt.”
PANELISTS
Josann McGibbon & Sara parriott
The STarTer wiFe
Josann McGibbon and Sara parriott
are versatile screenwriters whose
work encompasses features, feature
animation, and television.
THE STARTER WIFE, a six-hour miniseries on USA based on the novel by
Gigi Levangie Grazer, was written and
executive produced by McGibbon & parriott. It starred Debra Messing, Judy Davis, and
Joe Mantegna, and was nominated for ten Emmys, including Best Miniseries and Best Writing
for a Miniseries or TV Movie.
McGibbon and parriott are well known for their hit movie RUNAWAY BRIDE, starring
Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. In addition, parriott and McGibbon scripted THE FAVOR
starring Brad pitt and Elizabeth McGovern (which they also co-produced), THREE MEN AND A
LITTLE LADY, and the adaptation of the novel WORTH WINNING starring Mark Harmon.
In the animation world, McGibbon’s and parriott’s most recent credit is on Disney’s hit CHICKEN
LITTLE. Continuing their relationship with Disney Feature Animation, parriott and McGibbon
also wrote RApUNZEL UNBRAIDED, currently in pre-production, and FRANKENWEENIE, an
adaptation of Tim Burton’s 1984 live-action short, which Burton is in negotiation to direct.
Josann McGibbon is also a playwright, and Sara parriott’s background includes art and design,
as well as authoring humor books and episodic television. Both writers reside in Los Angeles
with their families. How to tell them apart — Josann is the brunette; Sara is the blonde.
Matt Selman
The SiMpSonS – “The haw-hawed Couple”
Emmy Award-winning writer/producer Matt Selman has worked
on 11 seasons of THE SIMpSONS, and has credit on over 200
episodes. He currently serves as executive producer.
SIMpSONS episodes Selman has written or co-written include:
“Natural Born Kissers,” “Simpsons Bible Stories,” “They Saved Lisa’s
Brain” (guest starring Dr. Stephen Hawking), “Eight Misbehavin’ ,”
“Behind the Laughter,” “Lisa the Treehugger,” “Trilogy of Error,”
“Simpsons Tall Tales,” “Jaws Wired Shut,” “The Dad Who Knew Too Little,” “All’s Fair in Oven War”,
“pranksta Rap,” “Future Drama,” “Girls Just Want to Have Sums,” and “The Haw-Hawed Couple.”
He was also one of the writers on THE SIMpSONS MOVIE. He has won four Emmys and a Writers
Guild Award.
Selman grew up in Boston, MA, and graduated from the University of pennsylvania in 1993. He
wrote on SEINFELD before starting at THE SIMpSONS in 1997. He currently lives in Los Angeles
with his wife and two daughters.
PANELISTS
Matthew weiner
The SopranoS – “kennedy and heidi”
(co-written with David Chase)
Matthew Weiner is the creator and executive producer of
MAD MEN, a new AMC original series. Set in the ruthlessly
competitive world of Madison Avenue advertising executives
in 1960, MAD MEN premiered on AMC in July 2007.
Matthew was executive producer and writer on THE SOpRANOS,
the critically acclaimed drama series on HBO. Along with the
other executive producers, THE SOpRANOS won the 2004 Emmy Award for Outstanding
Drama Series and garnered Matthew an Emmy nomination with co-writer Terence Winter for
outstanding writing in the episode “Unidentified Black Males.” Matthew earned a 2007 Writers
Guild Award for the series and a 2005 pGA Golden Laurel Award for Television producer of the
Year in Episodic.
Before working on THE SOpRANOS, Matthew produced various television series, including
THE NAKED TRUTH, BECKER, and ANDY RICHTER CONTROLS THE UNIVERSE. He also wrote and
directed his first independent feature, WHAT DO YOU DO ALL DAY?
Born in Los Angeles, Matthew studied philosophy, literature, and history at Wesleyan
University. He also earned his MFA from the University of Southern California School of Cinema
and Television. Matthew currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and four sons.
Sheryl Zohn
penn & Teller: BUllShiT! – “wal-Mart”
(co-written with penn Jillette, Teller, Jon hotchkiss,
Michael Goudeau, Star price, Cliff Schoenberg,
and David weiss)
Sheryl Zohn is an Emmy- and WGA Award-nominated writer and
supervising producer for the Showtime comedy/documentary
series pENN & TELLER: BULLSHIT!, where she has taken aim at
everything from life coaching to Mt. Rushmore to the Loch Ness
Monster. She has also written or produced for VH-1, Comedy
Central, FX, and a whole bunch of TV series you’re most likely to watch on JetBlue. Outside
of television, Zohn co-wrote the musical comedy short ’TIL BIRTH DO US pART, and was a
contributing author to the award-winning anthology, The Modern Jewish Girl’s Guide to Guilt.
She splits her time between Los Angeles and New York.
2007 PRIMETIME
EMMY AWARD NOMINEES
outstanding animated program (For programming less Than one hour)
avatar: The last airbender – “City of walls and Secrets”
Head Writer: Aaron Ehasz; Written by Tim Hedrick
robot Chicken – “lust For puppets”
Head Writers: Tom Root, Douglas Goldstein; Writers: Seth Green, Matthew Senreich,
Hugh Davidson, Jordan Allen-Dutton, Mike Fasolo, Dan Milano, Erik Weiner
The Simpsons – “The haw-hawed Couple”
Written by Matt Selman
South park – “Make love, not warcraft”
Written by Trey parker
SpongeBob Squarepants – “Bummer Vacation / wig Struck”
Written by Casey Alexander, Chris Mitchell, Luke Brookshier, Tom King, Dani Michaeli
outstanding animated program (For programming one hour or More)
Good wilt hunting (Foster’s home For imaginary Friends)
Written by Lauren Faust; Story by Craig McCracken, Lauren Faust, Darrick Bachman, Craig Lewis
hellboy animated: Sword of Storms
Screenplay by Tad Stones, Matt Wayne; Story by Tad Stones, Mike Mignola
Secrets of the Deep
Written by Jamie Smith; Story by Nik Sopwith
where’s lazlo? (Camp lazlo)
Written by Joe Murray, Mark O’Hare; Story by Joe Murray, Mark O’Hare, Merriwether Williams
outstanding writing For nonfiction programming
american Masters – “andy warhol: a Documentary Film”
Written by Ric Burns & James Sanders
penn & Teller: Bullshit! – “wal-Mart”
Written by penn Jillette, Teller, Sheryl Zohn, Jon Hotchkiss, Michael Goudeau, Star price,
Cliff Schoenberg, David Weiss
planet earth – “Mountains”
Writers: Vanessa Berlowitz, Gary parker
Star wars: The legacy revealed
Writers: Steven Smith, David Comtois, Kevin Burns
This american life – “God’s Close-Up”
Writer: Nancy Updike
2007 PRIMETIME
EMMY AWARD NOMINEES
outstanding writing For a Comedy Series
extras – “Daniel radcliffe”
Writers: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
The office – “Gay witch hunt”
Written by Greg Daniels
The office – “The negotiation”
Written by Michael Schur
30 rock – “Tracy Does Conan”
Written by Tina Fey
30 rock – “Jack-Tor”
Written by Robert Carlock
outstanding writing For a Drama Series
Battlestar Galactica – “occupation/precipice”
Written by Ronald D. Moore
lost – “Through the looking Glass”
Written by Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof
The Sopranos – “kennedy and heidi”
Written by Matthew Weiner and David Chase
The Sopranos – “The Second Coming”
Written by Terence Winter
The Sopranos – “Made in america”
Written by David Chase
2007 PRIMETIME
EMMY AWARD NOMINEES
outstanding writing For a Variety, Music or Comedy program
The Colbert report
Written by Stephen Colbert, Allison Silverman, Richard Dahm, Michael Brumm,
Rob Dubbin, Eric Drysdale, peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Laura Krafft, Frank Lesser
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Head Writer: Steve Bodow; Written by Rachel Axler, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist,
Tim Carvell, J.R. Havlan, Scott Jacobson, David Javerbaum, Ben Karlin, Rob Kutner,
Josh Lieb, Sam Means, Jason Reich, Jason Ross, Jon Stewart
late night with Conan o’Brien
Head Writer: Mike Sweeney; Written by Chris Albers, Jose Arroyo, Dan Cronin,
Kevin Dorff, Daniel J. Goor, Michael Gordon, Berkley Johnson, Brian Kiley, Michael Koman,
Tim Harrod, Brian McCann, Guy Nicolucci, Conan O’Brien, Brian Stack, Andrew Weinberg
late Show with David letterman
Head Writers: Eric Stangel, Justin Stangel; Written by Michael Barrie, Jim Mulholland,
Steve Young, Tom Ruprecht, Lee Ellenberg, Matt Roberts, Jeremy Weiner, Joe Grossman,
Meredith Scardino, Bill Scheft, Aaron Blitzstein, Bob Borden, Frank Sebastiano, David Letterman
real Time with Bill Maher
Head Writer: Billy Martin; Written by David Feldman, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer,
Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Jonathan Schmock, Danny Vermont, Scott Carter
outstanding writing For a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special
Broken Trail
Written by Alan Geoffrion
Bury My heart at wounded knee
Teleplay by Daniel Giat
Based on the book by Dee Alexander Brown
Jane eyre (Masterpiece Theatre) – “parts 1 & 2”
Adapted by Sandy Welch
prime Suspect: The Final act (Masterpiece Theatre)
Writer: Frank Deasy
The Starter wife
Teleplay by Sara parriott & Josann McGibbon
Based on the book by Gigi Levangie Grazer
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