KCRW's Martini Shot

The Comeback

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:27:50 EDT

It doesn't end well, I don't think, for the kids on MTV's Jersey Shore. I don't know exactly what the third acts of those lives are going to be, but they don't strike me as the kind with the swooping orchestral track and the crane shot. They strike me as the kind of third acts that end up in a Cinnabon somewhere...

Known Issue

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:41:04 EDT

If you've called me anytime since early last week, I probably didn't get the message, if you left a message, because I have no way of knowing there's a message waiting for me...

The Head Writer

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:44:00 EDT

Anything you want to know about the television business you can learn from watching the Dick Van Dyke show, which has it all, including a perfect example of the mis-lead in the opening titles...

Summer Signup 2010

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:44:00 EDT

The best way to get money in Hollywood is to act like you don't need it. That's the logic, I think, behind giving millionaire celebrities lots of cool, free swag just for announcing award nominees or showing up at a charity function. On the way home from some swank event, inside every expensive car gliding away from the port cochere ? or whatever that's called, let's call it an awning, but an expensive one ? there's the deafening sound of tissue paper being ripped apart, bags being emptied and turned out, as whoever is in the passenger seat ? and, occasionally, the driver's seat, too ? tears open the gift bag to find out how much free stuff they got...

Leaving Early

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:44:00 EDT

A veteran television writer once said to me, "My career goal is to go home." Meaning, let's get this rewrite done and get into our cars as fast as possible. Real professionals in this business don't really want to have late-night writing sessions, or production shoots that go past eleven....

Truth?

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:44:00 EDT

There?s an old story about a terrible production of the play, The Diary of Anne Frank. It was so awful, apparently, that in the scene early on, when the Gestapo comes to search the house, someone from the audience called out, ?She?s in the attic! She?s in the attic!? You know, because they wanted it over and stuff...

On the Books

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:53:24 EDT

A few years ago, I got a call from a studio executive I was working with. It was about this time of year ? pitching season ? and the executive wanted to know what, if anything, I was thinking about pitching...

Idea Theft

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:46:51 EDT

A nice friend of mine wrote a great feature film script, and he gave it to me to read, he said. But he didn't really care if I read it. What he wanted me to do was send it along, to agents or producers or directors I know. Which was fine ? it really is a great piece of work ? but he's new to the business, so he asked me to wait a week. Until, he said, he had time to register it with the Writers Guild...

Pitch Face

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:41:01 EDT

People often think that pitching a television series is unpleasant. It's not. It's not easy, of course ? you sort of have to work out a lot beforehand, and then there's awkward small-talk to negotiate ? but the process itself can be sort of fun. I mean, look, it's the easiest kind of sales call to make: the buyer is in the market to buy. They have a budget all worked out. It's sort of like selling cars ? it's not easy work, of course, but anyone who walks onto a car lot and looks around for five minutes is going to buy a car from someone...

Hot in Cleveland

podmaster@kcrw.org (Rob Long) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:44:00 EDT

Last week, almost five million people refused to obey orders. They watched a show called Hot in Cleveland, which has older female stars who are well-known to television audience in a multiple camera sit-com shot in front of a live audience...