The talk, titled “Writing Big for the Small Screen,” was moderated by Dave Tolchinsky, head of the MFA degrees in Writing for the Screen and Stage and Creative Writing for the Media.

Four out of the five panelists were NU alumni, and their post-college credits include writing for television series The Office, Desperate Housewives and Six Feet Under. Panelists aired clips of their work and then discussed their experiences as television writers and answered questions from audience members.

A recurring theme during the discussion was the changing direction of media.

“I think this is a Golden Age in television,” says Margaret Nagle, Speech ’83, who won an Emmy for her writing on the HBO movie Warm Springs. “I think so much is possible in television that wasn’t possible 10 years ago. Everything I want to find is on television now, and 10 years ago everything I wanted was in the movies.”

Small screen possibilities seem pop up in places no one would have imagined in the past.

“Now is your window,” says Aaron Rothman, Communication ’99, the director of original programming at Comedy Central. “I have a staff of six that scours the Internet looking for funny clips. Half the Austin Comedy Festival this year was discovered online.”

Despite new opportunities in writing for the screen, panelists said censorship is still a problem.

“When I left graduate school 10 years ago, I thought I’d never write for television. I’d only write for the stage, because you could say anything on the stage,” says Rick Cleveland, who will film his one-person play My Buddy Bill for Comedy Central this June. “But now I can make jokes about George W. Bush on Comedy Central that I can’t make in certain theaters.”

The panelists who were NU alumni gave advice concerning curriculum and the college experience.

“My biggest regret about school is that I didn’t take enough liberal arts classes,” says Justin Spitzer, Communication ’99, who is a staff writer for The Office. “Being a writer is 95 percent about being smart and being as well-rounded academically as possible.”

“There’s value in taking writing classes and other classes. I think it’s a balance,” says Jenna Bans, Communication ’98, who is currently a staff writer for Desperate Housewives. “When you concentrate too much on the medium of writing, you lose the opportunity to experience other things.”

Throughout, panelists mentioned making connections in the entertainment industry through NU alumni. All say mutual college experience creates an excellent social network.

“It’s not like anyone from Northwestern got me a job – they haven’t – but I know someone everywhere I go,” says Nagle. “I held their hair when they were throwing up in the toilet back in the day.”

Even though connections help, panelists all emphasized they experienced low points before they succeeded. Spitzer mentioned his previous career as an assistant, being forced to pick up one employer’s mother’s ashes and buying illegal drugs for another boss.

Despite their trials, panelists agreed talent and hard work truly determine success.

“I think if you’re a good enough writer, eventually things will work out for you,” Spitzer says. “It does take luck and some connections, but if you keep on writing stuff you’re proud of, eventually a door opens. At least that happened for me.”4

Medill freshman Megan Friedman is a PLAY writer. She can be reached at [email protected].