
The Writers Panel
The definitive insider's guide to our current golden age of television, Ben Blacker's The Writers Panel is an ever expanding anthology of live convention panels and intimate in-studio interviews with the writers, producers, and show runners responsible for all the shows you can't stop watching. Over the course of nearly 500 episodes and counting, The Writers Panel has sat across from guests such as Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad), Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele (Key and Peele), Liz Meriwether (New Girl), and Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers) to talk about the art and business of creating great television. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Feb 12, 2024 • 45min
Ed Solomon returns
Screenwriter and producer Ed Solomon discusses objective and subjective storytelling, career transitions, rewriting process, and the challenges of working in the crime genre.

Jan 30, 2024 • 47min
Somebody Somewhere's creators and star
Somebody Somewhere creators Hannah Bos & Paul Thureen (High Maintenance) and writer/star Bridget Everett (Inside Amy Schumer) discuss the creation of the show, telling big stories in small moments, what they learned in the first season, the midwest, and lots more.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 23, 2024 • 39min
The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann
Neil Druckmann, co-creator of The Last of Us and Uncharted, discusses adapting his games, balancing action and character, serving different mediums, and how The Last of Us changed his life.

Jan 16, 2024 • 53min
Our Flag Means Death creator David Jenkins
David Jenkins (creator, Our Flag Means Death and People of Earth) discusses his background in theater, how he thinks of comedy, stakes, staffing his shows, people touching his face, and more.Come to a live recording of DEAD PILOTS SOCIETY, Ben Blacker's other podcast. In Dead Pilots Society, scripts that were developed by studios and networks but were never produced are given the table reads they deserve.On Sunday, January 21, 3-5pm, at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles we're recording readings of great pilots by Open Mike Eagle (The New Negroes) & Mike Benner (Bob's Burgers) and Tommy Johnagin (That 90s Show). Starring Tawny Newsome (Star Trek: Lower Decks), Paul F. Tompkins (Bojack Horseman), Langston Kerman (Insecure), and lots more!GET TICKETS NOW!THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 9, 2024 • 45min
Samy Burch (May December; Coyote Vs Acme)
Samy Burch (May December) discusses breaking through with her first produced screenplay after a decade of writing, receiving notes from producers at Gloria Sanchez, Natalie Portman, and director Todd Haynes, "the endurance of failure," writing the shelved (for now?) Coyote vs Acme for Warner Brothers, and why her vision for her writing future is the motto for LA restaurant The Apple Pan. THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 19, 2023 • 1h 32min
For All Mankind creators Ben Nedivi & Matt Wolpert/ Brian Helgeland (LA Confidential)
Creators and showrunners of For All Mankind, Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert, discuss season 4, addressing tone, and killing off characters. Then, writer/director Brian Helgeland talks about his new movie, LA Confidential's creation, and his start in horror.

Dec 12, 2023 • 50min
Untitled Female Driven Podcast crossover!
Hannah Rosner (Legacies) and feature writer Erica Schreiber of the Untitled Female Driven Podcast discuss mistakes they made early in their careers, from learning what to say in meetings to when to turn down a project. Listen to the first half of this conversation in which Hannah and Erica interview The Writers Panel's Ben Blacker on this week's episode of the Untitled Female Driven Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comLive Zoom Q&A with Marc Guggenheim (Arrow; Legends of Tomorrow) on Sunday 12/17! Join the Substack to join and ask your questions or to listen later!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 28, 2023 • 54min
Marvel Comics editor Tom Brevoort
Marvel Comics editor Tom Brevoort discusses working on The Avengers and moving to the X-Men office, mistakes he's made, getting the best out of creatives, why he's optimistic about the industry's future, and lots more.Brevoort's substack, Man with a Hat, is the most informative and inside baseball newsletter about the comics industry out there. Subscribe here: https://tombrevoort.substack.comTHE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comSOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 14, 2023 • 39min
Felicia Day (Third Eye; The Guild)
Writer/actor/producer Felicia Day (The Guild; MST3K; Supernatural) discusses her new audio series Third Eye, getting comfortable with outlining, her approach to world building, maintaining mental health in a difficult industry, and lots more. Third Eye is available now via Audible.THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comLive Zoom Q&A with The Tick creator Ben Edlund (Supernatural) next weekend. Join the Substack to join and ask your questions or to listen later!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 7, 2023 • 47min
Marissa Jo Cerar (Black Cake)
Marissa Jo Cerar (creator/showrunner, Black Cake and Women of the Movement) discusses hiring a writers' room, what she reads, what she expects in interviews, and more. Black Cake is streaming now on Hulu!THE WRITERS PANEL IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.Follow and support the show by subscribing to Ben Blacker's newsletter, Re:Writing, where you'll also get weekly advice from the thousands of writers he's interviewed over the years, as well as access to exclusive live Q&As, meet-ups, and more: benblacker.substack.comLive Zoom Q&A with The Tick creator Ben Edlund (Supernatural) next weekend. Join the Substack to join and ask your questions or to listen later!SOCIALS:Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/benblacker.bsky.socialTwitter: twitter.com/benBlacker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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