Mel Stephens: Being a Creator is Brutal and Beautiful!

Mel Stephens: Being a Creator is Brutal and Beautiful!

Comedian, filmmaker, and Groundlings alum Mel Stephens and I talk about going from performing to being a writer and director. And why!  What it’s like to be a comedian working with comedian Brett Goldstein to shoot a high-stakes short film in one take; what it’s like when you realize your comedic sensibilities don’t align with the establishment; what it’s like when you realize that no one is coming to rescue you—you have to push the boulder up the hill yourself. And what you can do about it. What you have to do about it. Mel talks about why accepting that writing is supposed to be hard turns out to be the ultimate creative freedom. Mel and I talk about whether or not creative joy is a myth,anxiety, how setting deadlines helps, and (I should listen to this part) why marketing yourself is how you avoid staying hidden. Don't miss Mel's upcoming YouTube stand-up special Sparkles on June 23rd! Follow her @MelM.Stevens.

Why Forrest Macneil Couldn’t Be a Psychopath (with Andy Daly)

How do you make a character likable when they’re doing terrible things? Just ask Andy Daly! Actor, comedian and writer Andy Daly (Review, Eastbound & Down, Silicon Valley) goes deep on the chaos of the Hollywood development process, and on his own comedy process. We dissect the origin story of Comedy Central’s Review, and the creative note from debate champion and director Jeff Blitz that saved Forrest Macneil from being a "psychopath." We also talk improv (we’ve done it together a few times), a failed pitch we did involving an autographed photo of O.J. Simpson, why Andy avoids traditional stand-up (but not completely), and why one might want a bound volume of one's unproduced scripts. Andy gives me a lot of great insights into writing comedy, creative integrity, and how to deal with fussy executive vice presidents named Dan Blithers. Support Andy: Check out his incredible work and subscriber content at https://www.google.com/search?q=https://patreon.com/andydaleypatreon.com/andydaly [http://patreon.com/andydaly] and follow him on Instagram @TVsAndyDaly. Subscribe to Punching Up so you never miss an episode, and feel free to leave me a 5-star review, just to goose the algorithm(which we should all be doing all the time).

The "Second Draft" of Life: Notes from the Universe and New Beginnings

Welcome to Season 2 of Punching Up with Sean Conroy! I'm Sean, and just so you know, this episode gets pretty intensely personal. I'm a TV writer and comedian, and because of some stuff that's gone in my real life recently I've decided to try treating my life like a script. I'm gonna be 60 in a little more than a year, and I'm trying to change some things, both physically and creatively. I even gave myself a deadline- writers love deadlines! (Listen and find out when mine is). Take a listen to why the "shitty first draft" is a writer’s secret weapon, the difference between pure data and moral failure, and why it is never too late to write your own second draft. 📝 WORK WITH ME THIS SUMMER:Want to finish your sitcom pilot by midsummer? Sign up for my upcoming 6-week Sitcom Pilot Writing Workshop starting late June. Space is strictly limited: https://www.seanconroy.com/classes

Decoding Your Sitcom Pilot's DNA: Shortcut To A Better Script

There's a lot of stuff I think about now when I'm starting to figure out how to write a TV pilot script that I would have liked to know when I started out, if somebody was like "hey here are some screenwriting tips for beginners." And writing that script doesn't mean developing a TV series, but it feels like that is something you have to have in the back of your mind when you start, or at least it's something that helps. What is the show gonna be like after the pilot? I was watching trailers for a couple of shows (Mad Men, Reservation Dogs, Deadwood, etc.) and it gave me an idea (honestly, a stroke of genius) for what some people might find a helpful writing exercise. Give it a shot and let me know what you think.

Creative Discipline: Why Showing Up is 90% of the Battle

I've been working on my creative process lately, struggling with overcoming perfectionism and writing consistency, and I feel like I'm kind of winning. A little. Discipline is to creatives as ice cream is to lactose intolerants, but these days I've somehow acquired (ulp) (at least temporarily) some creative discipline. WIth the help of my trusty yellow legal pad and my Sanford uni-Ball 207, and my knowledge of cursive writing, I'm getting some done. See if you can relate on this episode of Punching Up with Sean Conroy.