Sep 1, 2020
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a screenwriter? Well, this week you will get an inside peek into what it takes to not only become a writer in Hollywood, but some behind the scenes insights from a writer and executive producer on Showtime's Billions, Theo Travers.
In this episode, Theo shares the story of how he became a writer and drove across the U.S. from NYC to L.A. to pursue his dream. His journey is a reminder to us all that if you want to pursue a career, it’s not all about luck. Instead, prepare, show up, be ambitious and get comfortable with making scary choices.
After graduating from NYU's Tisch School of Arts, Theo’s first foray into television was as an event coordinator for the William S. Paley Festival, where he helped assemble panels with show creators and their lead actors. After a brief detour in television ad sales, Theo cut his writing chops as a television news reporter in the Southeast, most recently in Memphis, TN. He shadowed undercover cops on drug busts and prostitution stings, earning an AP award for excellent journalism. He even got a chance to interview President Barack Obama and Representative John Lewis one-on-one. With a passion for scripted narrative still burning, Theo relocated to Los Angeles and broke into the creative side of television as an assistant to several production executives.
Theo first staffed as a writer on Showtime's House of Lies starring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell. There he wrote for four seasons, rising in the ranks and gaining hands-on production experience. Theo has gone on to write for network dramas Sleepy Hollow (FOX) The Brave (NBC) and served as writer and co-executive producer on Starz's hit crime saga, Power.
This is an episode that busts misconceptions about working in the TV business, includes several examples of making scary choices voluntarily, and will give you goosebumps especially when Theo shares how he had the chance to thank John Singleton for replying to his letter 20-years before they met.
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