From Alaska to the CIA to being the funny drama guy... this week host Gray Jones interviews TV writer and Script Anatomy instructor Zach Ayers.
Zach Ayers is a versatile TV writer who has found his stride as the funny guy in a drama room. Although before his TV career, Zach spent five years in a deadly-serious job at the Central Intelligence Agency. There he wrote and produced top-secret training films that taught US intelligence officers how to do their job well and survive doing it. He knows all the scary stuff. Which, in retrospect, Zach finds hilarious.
Recently, Zach wrote and produced the bio-series "American Soul" (BET). Other credits include "Siren" (Freeform), "State of Affairs" (NBC) and "A.N.T. Farm" (Disney). He’s also developed and sold several TV projects of his own across genres and formats. Zach's one of those oddball writers who actually loves to pitch.
Zach's an alumnus of the ABC/Disney Writing Fellowship, Second City and Ithaca College. He grew up in rural, working-class Alaska, learning how to drive a forklift before he learned how to drive a car. But now he’s 100% city kid, living with his family and his cat Balki on the eastside of Los Angeles. He still does his own yardwork.
Follow Zach on Twitter: @ZachTellsLies
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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.
077 – Own Your Career – Sterling Anderson from Sterling Writers Group (mp3)
076 – Hemlock Grove, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville Writer/EP Mark Verheiden (mp3)
075 – Former Development Exec Scott Manville, Creator of TV Writers Vault (mp3)
074 – House of Cards Creator/Showrunner Beau Willimon (mp3)
073 – Shooting Your Own TV Pilot – Corinna Mendis (mp3)
072 – Continuum Writing Team Jeremy Smith & Matt Venables (mp3)
071 – Novelist/Screenwriter Vivi Anna / Tawny Stokes (mp3)
070 – The Emotion Thesaurus Author Angela Ackerman (mp3)
069 – Suits, The Good Guys Writer Rick Muirragui (mp3)
068 – Jamie Livingston - TV Writer Chat Pilot Program (mp3)
067 – Let’s Stay Together, Reed Between the Lines Writer LaMont Ferrell (mp3)
066 – Literary Manager Jenny Frankfurt (mp3)
065 – Good in a Room Author Stephanie Palmer (mp3)
064 – Beauty and the Beast Director Bradley Walsh (mp3)
063 – Killers, White Collar Writer Bob DeRosa (mp3)
062 – Law & Order: SVU, Killer Instinct Writer Kam Miller (mp3)
061 – King Writer, Nothing Too Good For A Cowboy Co-Creator David Barlow (mp3)
060 – MADtv, Weeds Writer Devon Shepard (mp3)
059 – Creative Destiny Coach / Screenwriter Jenna Avery (mp3)
058 – ER, Third Watch, Criminal Minds Writer / EP Janine Sherman Barrois (mp3)
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