This week, host Gray Jones interviews Ali Laventhol, most recently co-executive producer on 'Ginny & Georgia' with her writing partner Tawnya Bhattacharya of Script Anatomy.
Ali Laventhol Biography
Ali Laventhol got her start in show business working on movies like 'National Treasure: Book of Secrets,' 'Terminator: Salvation' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.' Only not as a writer. She was a visual effects compositor for features, commercials and music videos before making the leap to her original love: writing.
Teaming up with Tawnya Bhattacharya and together attending the NBC Writers on the Verge writing fellowship led to staff gigs on shows like 'A Million Little Things,' 'Famous In Love,' 'Perception,' and 'The Client List.' Most recently the duo have been Co-Executive Producers for 'Ginny & Georgia' at Netflix and 'Salsa' at Apple.
A former competitive equestrian and certified massage therapist, Ali currently teaches TV writing at Script Anatomy. Her free time is generally spent playing in local tennis leagues or with her rescue mutt, Mavis, who has her extremely well trained.
INDEX TO THE EPISODE:
0:04 - Intro, special discounts for podcast listeners - 15% off photo & video scanning/importing at avgearguy.com, and 20% off 9-angle driving plates at drivingfootage.com.
3:41 - Interview start, Ali’s background in visual effects.
10:22 - How she made the career transition into writing.
11:50 - Building a writing partnership with Tawnya Bhattacharya, after meeting her at Writers Boot Camp in 2005.
13:57 - How they got into NBC’s Writers on the Verge, and their experience in the writing fellowship, including getting representation and their first job. Discussion about being in a writing partnership.
19:30 - Her experience on their first staff job, ‘Fairly Legal.’
22:08 - Signposts of their subsequent 8 year successful run, going from one show to another.
25:07 - Discussing producer responsibilities, like visiting set, casting, etc.
27:35 - Their more recent projects, discussing different showrunning styles.
30:40 - Co-executive producing on ‘Ginny & Georgia’ and their most recent project for AppleTV, which was primarily developed over Zoom in a mini-room format.
33:43 - Script tips based on her wealth of experience reading scripts, and coaching and teaching through Script Anatomy.
36:51 - What Script Anatomy offers writers.
39:55 - The most common advice she gives newer writers.
46:37 - Do you really need to go to film school?
48:09 - What does she wish she had known at the start of her career, that she knows now: how different each showrunner is.
49:52 - What helps to get through the harder times?
51:13 - End of interview, how to connect with her.
Follow Ali on Twitter: @AliLaventhol.
You can help with the ongoing costs of bringing these weekly podcasts to you by becoming a patron of the podcast – for as little as 25¢ per episode! There are many reward levels. CLICK HERE to find out more.
Buying Final Draft screenwriting software? Use this link to support the podcast: tinyurl.com/BuyFinalDraft.
Buy Gray’s book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews.
Didn’t get your questions asked? Make sure you follow Gray on Twitter (@GrayJones) so you can get the scoop on who is being interviewed and how to get your questions in. Also check out our TV Writer Twitter Database to find Twitter addresses for over 1,200 TV writers. Find previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com.
117 - Money and the Writer with Trina Rozen, CPA
116 - Tawnya Bhattacharya, Founder of Script Anatomy
114 - Cameron Johnson (Empire, Zoe Ever After)
113 - Lee Aronsohn & Jason Kyle
112 - Elaine Loh (Gossip Girl, Dynasty)
111 - Michael Jamin (Beavis & Butthead, King of the Hill, Maron, Tacoma FD)
110 - Greta Heinemann (NCIS: New Orleans, NBC's Good Girls)
109 - Priyanka Mattoo - How to Find a Hollywood Mentor During Lockdown
108 - Will Pascoe (Showrunner of Absentia)
107 - Jami O'Brien (Creator / Showrunner of N0S4A2)
106 - UK Show Creator / Show Runner Dan Sefton (Co-Founder, Seven Seas Films)
105 - Steve Harper (God Friended Me, American Crime, Send Me)
104 - Evan Bleiweiss (Vampire Diaries, Rosewood, Black Sails, The Crossing)
103 – Carole Kirschner (CBS Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring Program, Showrunner Training Program)
102 - Spiro Skentzos (Arrow, Grimm, Chadam)
101 - Shawn Ryan (Timeless, SWAT, The Shield, The Chicago Code, The Unit)
100 - Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes (Warehouse 13, Arrow, The Flash, Legacies)
099 - Ken Estin (Showrunner of Cheers, Taxi) and Paula Finn (Author, Sitcom Writers Talk Shop)
098 - Robert Hewitt Wolfe (EP of Elementary, The Dresden Files & Andromeda)
Join Podbean Ads Marketplace and connect with engaged listeners.
Advertise Today
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Sackhoff Show
Still Here Hollywood
Toon’d In! with Jim Cummings
You Can’t Make This Up
Script Apart