Enter the Writers’ Room: Breaking an Episode of Cable TV
VFS IN-PRODUCTION BOOTCAMP
EXPERIENCE A REAL-WORLD WRITERS’ ROOM AND WHAT IT TAKES TO WRITE FOR TV.
A 2-day In-Production Bootcamp for writers to get a hands-on introduction to the collaborative and practical skills needed in real-life TV writers’ rooms.
RICK CLEVELAND
Emmy-winning Writer and Producer
Rick Cleveland is an Emmy-winning television writer/producer, screenwriter and playwright whose credits include The West Wing, Six Feet Under, Mad Men, Nurse Jackie, House Of Cards, Archer, and Legit. With an MFA from the University of Iowa, he’s also won three Writers Guild Awards and the Jury Award for Best One Person Show at the HBO Comedy Arts Festival for his play My Buddy Bill. His screenplay for Runaway Jury was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award, and his plays have won grants from the National Endowment for the Arts & the Kennedy Center’s Fund for New American Plays.
How It Works
The process of writing for television is vastly different from feature films. While some series are driven by a single showrunner, most are collaborative – featuring a staff of writers working together. This is your opportunity to work alongside Rick Cleveland to gain real insight and experience into what it’s like to work as a staff writer inside an industry writers’ room, using HBO’s Six Feet Under as a blueprint.
The event kicks off on Friday, May 29 with an Ask Me Anything with Rick. Then, in an immersive, day-long workshop on Saturday, May 30, experience a day in a writer’s room as Rick takes on the role of TV showrunner, leading a small group of writers in breaking a brand-new episode of a fictional reboot of HBO's Six Feet Under. You and your cohort will pitch ideas, build characters, and create a ‘beat sheet’ (i.e., a detailed outline of the episode) for your career portfolio. No prior familiarity with Six Feet Under is required, but fans of the show will find this workshop especially meaningful.
Note: The episode created in this workshop is a purely creative exercise, unaffiliated with HBO and in no way connected to any potential reboot of the series.
VFS AMA (Ask Me Anything) Industry Talk & Screening
Attend a Talk & Screening with Rick Cleveland
Friday, May 29 | 6 – 9 p.m. PDT | VFS Film Campus, 151 West Cordova Street
AMA Industry Talk & Screening only – $20
In-Production Bootcamp:
TV Writers’ Room Experience
Saturday, May 30 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. PDT | VFS Film Campus, 151 West Cordova Street
AMA + In-Production Bootcamp – $120
Ensure that you scroll through the entire registration form below for all options.
AMA Industry Talk & Screening with Rick Cleveland
Attend an intimate fireside chat where Rick will discuss his illustrious career writing for popular series like Six Feet Under and The West Wing and provide insights & tips on breaking into the entertainment industry, followed by a Q&A. Then, you’ll watch the landmark finale of HBO’s Six Feet Under – the perfect precursor to the Saturday workshop.
For those interested in only attending the AMA and screening, this is an incredible opportunity to hear from a titan of industry what it takes to write for television. Students registering for the full Bootcamp experience will also be briefed for what to expect at the Saturday workshop.
What to Expect at the Bootcamp
Step into a simulated writers’ room and experience the real dynamics of breaking story for television. Guided by Rick Cleveland acting as showrunner, you’ll collaborate with a small group of writers to develop an original episode centered on six young adult characters – each introduced as children in the original Six Feet Under series.
Over the course of the day, you’ll work together to break the first episode through pitching ideas, building character arcs, shaping story beats, and navigating the fast-paced, highly collaborative environment that defines professional TV writing. You’ll practice articulating your ideas in front of your cohort, respond to feedback in real time, and contributing meaningfully under pressure – core skills for any working television writer.
By the end of the session, your group will have created a beat sheet for the episode – a detailed story roadmap and an essential first step towards a full outline. You’ll leave with a tangible piece for your portfolio and a realistic look at how great television is born.
FAQ
1. Do I need to have seen Six Feet Under to participate?
No. While familiarity with Six Feet Under will add context, it’s not required. The workshop is designed so all participants can jump in and contribute.
2. What level of writing experience is required?
This bootcamp is best suited for emerging to intermediate writers with some familiarity with screenwriting fundamentals. You don’t need professional experience, just a strong interest in writing for television and a willingness to collaborate.
3. What will I walk away with?
By the end of the Bootcamp, you’ll have contributed to a completed beat sheet for an original episode. You’ll also gain hands-on experience in pitching, story breaking, and working in a simulated writers’ room.
4. Will I be writing individually or as part of a group?
The workshop is fully collaborative. You’ll work closely with a small group of writers, just like in a real TV writers’ room, building ideas together under the guidance of Rick Cleveland.
5. Is this affiliated with HBO or an official reboot of the series?
No. This is a creative exercise for educational purposes only and is not affiliated with HBO or connected to any official reboot of Six Feet Under.
6. What will makeup artists be doing?
Makeup artists will participate in a workshop with a professional VFS Makeup Artist and learn how to transform a subject into a creature out of KPop Demon Hunters.
7.Can I attend just the AMA and not the full bootcamp?
Yes. You can register for the AMA Industry Talk & Screening as a standalone event or choose the full package to attend both the AMA and the In-Production Bootcamp.