Room etiquette

• Use your real name on the call, the same one as your profile.
• Mic muted unless you have the floor. Camera on when you can, and off when you need a break. That's fine.
• To pitch, raise your hand in Meet or drop a line in the chat. The showrunner calls on people and makes sure quieter voices get the floor.
• Come prepared. Read the agenda and the pitches or pages up for discussion before call time.
• Notes go to the work, not the writer. Build on ideas before you challenge them.
• No recording, screenshots or posting from the call. If the studio records for internal notes, it says so at the top.
• Be on time. The room opens 15 minutes before call time.

How a session runs

1. 0:00Check-in. Quick round of names and what everyone's working on.
2. 0:10Agenda item one. A specific task: pitches, blue-sky time, a story break or notes on pages.
3. 0:50Break. Ten minutes. Cameras off.
4. 1:00Agenda item two. Continue, or split into breakout rooms for each show.
5. 1:20Wrap. The showrunner confirms decisions. The writers' assistant reads back assignments.

Session types

Pitch session

Writers pitch episode ideas to the showrunner: logline, comps and the major beats in about two minutes, then notes.

Story break

The room breaks a picked-up episode beat by beat on the board: A-story, B-story, act breaks and the tag.

Table read

Cast and writers read the current draft aloud so the room can hear what works.

Notes session

The showrunner gives notes on outlines and drafts in progress.

Casting session

Talent reads sides live for the showrunner. Callbacks and chemistry reads are scheduled from here.

Cuts and dailies review

Editors, designers and sound people screen cuts, key art and screen tests for notes.