102 - Spiro Skentzos (Arrow, Grimm, Chadam)

 

This week, host Gray Jones interviews writer Spiro Skentzos, who has written for "Arrow," "Grimm," and TV pilots, as well as "Chadam," an animated web series he co-created.

This episode is sponsored by Pilar Alessandra of onthepage.tv. Pilar is offering a 10% discount on her online "Writing TV" class, which runs Saturdays from July 11 - August 1. To get your 10% off, use the coupon code onthepage10 at checkout.

Spiro Skentzos grew up in a multi-ethnic family speaking Spanish, Greek, and English – and the inevitable mash-up of Magical Realism and ancient mythology primed him as a child to fall hard for genre stories, the world-building fantasy of comic books, and Star Wars.

His first foray into screenwriting was as a young boy, when he wrote a script for his Star Wars figures where they battled his sister’s giant, menacing Barbie dolls—and he’s been writing ever since.

His professional career began in comedy on “George Lopez." Then Spiro co-created and co-wrote the animated sci-fi/zombie web series “Chadam.” He’s written on two seasons on “Grimm,” a season on “Arrow,” and has sold 3 pilots.

To inspire the next generation of writers, Spiro created the “Intro to TV Writing” panel at Comic-Con, currently in its eleventh year. He’s a graduate of NBC’s Writers on the Verge Program, and co-chairs the WGA’s LGBTQ+ Committee. When not writing, he paints (on canvas, not houses), is learning French, and still enjoys reading comics. Follow Spiro on twitter @spirographo & IG @spirovisionproductions.

INDEX TO THE EPISODE:

01:29 - Interview start.
02:18 - How is the virus affecting you?
04:41 - His background, art history major at U of Michigan.
05:31 - Started as an assistant on the George Lopez Show.
05:44 - How he “almost” got representation air that time.
07:34 - How he made the shift to genre writing, and where his love of mythology and comic books came from.
08:44 - Co-creating, co-writing animated web series Chadam, trying to break into one hour drama. Agent horror story, and the spec that got him into NBC Writers on the Verge.
10:19 - 2008 writers strike was a setback, but NBC really pushed to get him onto a show, and he finally got on staff on Grimm.
13:02 - On developing and selling pilots and a feature, and then staffing on Arrow.
15:19 - Sponsors.
16:17 - All about Arrow.
18:01 - What he’s been working on since Arrow.
18:57 - Who his mentors have been - Erika Kennair, Karen Horn, others, and the importance of fostering friendships. Also how he mentors others.
22:18 - How and why he got started moderating panels.
25:49 - how he learned and hones his craft.
27:21 - toughest part and best part about being a TV writer. Turning bad experiences into a story.
31:08 - How Peak TV is changing TV writing… smaller staffs, shorter runs.
34:14 - His future plans.
37:45 - Tips for greener writers, general writing & career tips.

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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.

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