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.
095 - Michael Narducci (Showrunner of The Originals)
094 - Arika Lisanne Mittman (EP of Paradise Lost, Timeless)
093 - Sarah Watson (Creator of The Bold Type, Author of Most Likely)
092 - Bob Goodman (Creator of The Zeta Project, EP of Elementary)
091 – “How I Wrote That” Podcast Host Khanisha Foster (VIDEO)
090 – Touched By An Angel, A Prairie Home Companion Writer Ken LaZebnik (VIDEO)
089 – Kirby Buckets Co-Creator Mike Alber (VIDEO)
088 – Jimmy Kimmel Writer, 2nd Smartest in the World Rick Rosner (VIDEO)
087 – Hand of God Creator/Showrunner Ben Watkins (VIDEO)
086 – Automatic Pilot Author Bill Taub (VIDEO)
085 – San Diego Comic-Con Panel - How to Write a TV Pilot (VIDEO)
084 – Unseen Africa Pilot Producer/Host Francis Tapon (VIDEO)
083 – Bad Teacher Creator/Showrunner Hilary Winston (VIDEO)
082 – Caper Creator, Eureka Writer/Producer Amy Berg (VIDEO)
081 – Lost Co-Creator, Tuck Everlasting & Necessary Roughness Writer Jeffrey Lieber (VIDEO)
080 – UK Writers James Whitehouse & Hannah George (VIDEO)
079 – The Finder, The Good Guys Writer Aaron Ginsburg (VIDEO)
078 – The Client List Writer, Script Anatomy Consultant Tawnya Bhattacharya (VIDEO)
077 – Own Your Career – Sterling Anderson from Sterling Writers Group (VIDEO)
076 – Hemlock Grove, Battlestar Galactica, Smallville Writer/EP Mark Verheiden (VIDEO)
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