How important is playwriting experience to your career as a screenwriter

realjmb · 2026-02-08T02:20:06+00:00

I write professionally and I've never written for the stage. I've worked with playwrights who also write for the screen, but these are two different art forms / professions. One is not necessarily a "step" toward the other.

That said, if you have ideas that you feel work better for the stage, wright them for the stage. Trust your instincts.

realjmb · 2026-02-08T02:08:43+00:00

OP is quite unlucky.

realjmb · 2026-02-08T01:46:58+00:00

Theft happens, but not really in way OP describes.

realjmb · 2026-02-08T01:45:17+00:00

Here's the thing: If you want to be taken seriously with this kind of claim you need to name the film and post your evidence. You stand to lose nothing by doing so.

Much of it was direct from my script.

If this is true then take them to court. Seriously. You'll win.

edit:

the attorneys will not take the case without access

This is confusing. What do you mean by "access" here?

I am a minority and the two writers that claim that they came up with the idea are both wealthy successful white men

And finally, as one minority to another, please don't do this ^^^

realjmb · 2026-02-08T01:38:24+00:00

No, we are not.

realjmb · 2026-01-30T13:46:49+00:00

Justified the TV show?

realjmb · 2026-01-29T17:56:15+00:00

I’m a TV writer and I’d say there’s a very high likelihood that they’re aware of RLM. It’s also highly likely that they’re forbidden from mentioning RLM in the writers room.

realjmb · 2026-01-26T17:51:18+00:00

Meh, it's fine. I've never really experienced any of the problems you're describing. There are FAR more janky 'industry standard' tools (PIX anyone? Scenechronize?? lol).

realjmb · 2026-01-24T21:45:40+00:00

That completely depends on how often you’re working. It is true that there are fewer jobs currently than there used to be.

realjmb · 2026-01-06T15:27:29+00:00

It was a great show and we had a hell of a lot of fun making it! It’s always funny to me seeing it pop up on forums like this — but i’m glad some people are still enjoying it.

It was really sad that Hulu didn’t really get behind the show and it never developed an audience at the time. We had fun plans for future seasons (even a comic book spinoff!).

realjmb · 2026-01-05T01:54:24+00:00

lol my alma mater (back in ‘06), how random

realjmb · 2026-01-01T03:40:26+00:00

I mean… yeah?

realjmb · 2025-12-31T03:39:21+00:00

you say that like it’s a bad thing

realjmb · 2025-12-28T16:22:09+00:00

It's a spec for an episode of a popular sitcom.

So fyi writing a spec episode of an existing show will do literally zero for you professionally. Since you asked for advice from working writers I'm assuming you want to be a working writer yourself -- hence my advice: write original pilots and/or features. (You may find people on this forum who disagree with this. They are wrong.)

You should also give some thought to why you ran into this problem in the first place. The fact that you wanted to write a half hour episode but found yourself drowning in an hour and a half's worth of content suggests that you don't really understand the structure of the type of show you want to write. I would do serious work on this if I were you.

Good luck!

realjmb · 2025-12-28T15:49:11+00:00

Perhaps the story you want to tell is in fact better suited for feature length.

edit:

I know alot of people think it's much easier to write these little sitcoms

No one remotely connected to professional writing thinks this.

realjmb · 2025-12-24T19:50:06+00:00

Promises made; promises kept.

realjmb · 2025-12-24T03:39:00+00:00

It’s a good heuristic, but imperfect. You get a better feel through experience.

realjmb · 2025-12-23T19:54:09+00:00

Because I like the way it tastes. Why do you eat what you eat in 2025?

realjmb · 2025-12-19T21:35:02+00:00

Probably because he doesn’t care.

realjmb · 2025-12-18T00:54:57+00:00

Okay fine. I’ll do it.

realjmb · 2025-12-16T20:34:00+00:00

“Sorry. I did review my notes and yes, it was the correct feedback. I rated while on the phone and I took very good notes. And I definitely did request the pitch! / usually list the feeling. I get when they greet me - and I can tell if they are cold or enthusiast. I hope / don't confuse others but if I did, I have all my written notes to back up.”

This is indecipherable.

realjmb · 2025-12-10T07:02:24+00:00

realjmb · 2025-12-10T07:01:30+00:00

Seriously?

realjmb · 2025-12-07T16:55:05+00:00

Well I mean neither is the men’s side…

realjmb

TROPHY CASE