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Running the Show

The course

A Jeff Melvoin Programme presented by John Yorke Story in association with MediaXchange.

Gain key insight into the creative and management best practices that make the US showrunner model so successful and learn practical ways to use those processes and apply it to your own work.

This advanced CPD training distils the knowledge of Jeff Melvoin, one of the US’s most experienced showrunners and educators, and John Yorke, the UK’s leading story expert.

It’s perfect for writers, producers and those in similar roles who aspire to take the next step into the lead creative role, and who are looking for a greater understanding of the producorial process for scripted TV drama series.

You’ll work in a small group of dedicated creatives with your teaching team on-hand throughout. By the end you’ll have a clear understanding of the skills you need to develop to advance your career as a showrunner or writer-producer.

 

Meet your course director

Jeff Melvoin

Jeff Melvoin is an Emmy-winning writer-producer, showrunner and educator. Jeff has worked on over a dozen primetime series and was showrunner on eight of them. In all, he’s been involved in over 470 hours of produced television, most recently as an executive producer on season three of Killing Eve.

Meet your course director

John Yorke

John Yorke is widely acknowledged as the UK’s foremost expert on story, and his book Into the Woods is the bestselling book on the subject in the UK. John’s worked on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama, from EastEnders to Shameless, Life on Mars and Wolf Hall.

In partnership with John Yorke Story

Accessible, industry-focused CPD training and consultancy for professionals at any stage of their career. Online learning led by BAFTA-winning John Yorke, author of bestselling book on story structure Into the Woods.

In partnership with MediaXchange

We deliver this course with TV drama accelerator and international media consultancy MediaXchange.

How it works

We give you the theory in the form of videos, podcasts, written lectures and reading extracts. In the case of our live workshops, this includes a live online seminar.

You put it into practice by completing the writing assignments.

You share your work with the small group of fellow writers and the teaching team.

Your tutor and fellow learners read your work and give professional-style feedback on your submission. Giving feedback notes helps to build your skills as an editor - a critical part of the writing process.

You reflect on the exercises with the group and share what you’ve learned.

You use what you learned from the feedback and discussions to review your work and improve it.

Things to know

Running the Show is an advanced training course for head writers, producers, established writers, or those in similar creative roles who have experience working in TV production.

It’s suitable if you’re:

  • Looking to accelerate your career and take the next step into the lead creative role
  • Interested in the US showrunner model and want to know how to apply it to your work as a writer or producer from wherever you are in the world
  • Seeking a greater understanding of the producorial process for scripted TV drama.

This professional training allows you to:

  • Understand the multiple roles and functions of a successful showrunner within the constraints and specific opportunities of the studio system
  • Become familiar with the development process and the vocabulary, business models, production set-up and team structure of this system
  • Identify and suggest good story solutions, in outlines and scripts and when giving and receiving notes
  • Practise the range of creative, practical, management and critical-thinking skills required to run a show
  • Understand how to apply the theory to practical tasks within your own professional context
  • Develop a plan to accelerate your career.

Each course is divided into sessions. These sessions are released one by one (weekly or fortnightly, depending on the course). 

There’s no need to log on at a set time. You can work through the learning materials whenever suits you, day or night, wherever you are in the world. Just complete the assignments and join forum discussions by the session deadline. 

Our teaching method is based on the science of active learning: you read/listen/watch, try out, share and reflect. It’s a social experience – you become part of a small group, feeding back on each other’s writing to build a supportive bunch of readers you trust. Find out more here.

Session 1: From Writer to Manager

Gain an overview of the role of showrunner, explore the business models and psychological, personal and cultural transition required to step up from writer to writer-producer.

Session 2: Managing Writers and the Writing Process – Part One

Learn how to set up a productive writing room and writing process, with emphasis on how to apply the fundamentals of storytelling and analysis.

Session 3: Managing Writers and the Writing Process – Part Two

Take an in-depth look at outlines and the script-drafting process, giving effective notes, and handling writer-related problems. As an exercise you’ll create a writers room schedule based on projected production and air dates.

Session 4: Managing Production and Budgets

Gain an overview of the key players in your production team, how to manage them, and how to make shows on time and on budget.

Session 5: Managing Executives and Crises

Develop effective strategies for building constructive relationships with executives, and to learn how to handle the unexpected.

Session 6: Managing Directors and Actors

Gain a working understanding of directors and actors, and how to communicate effectively with both.

Session 7: Managing Postproduction

Understand the work flow in postproduction and how to take an episode from director’s cut through final mix.

Session 8: Managing Yourself

You’ll apply all the learning to assess the skills you have and those you need to develop further as you compile a personal game plan to take your career forward. Jeff explains why there’s never been a better time to write for television and looks at work-life balance.

Join our alumni

After your course, you can join our online alumni community where you’ll meet our growing network of past students. You’ll be able to.

  • Rejoin your classmates in a private forum
  • Continue to access an archived version of your course materials
  • Meet alumni from other courses and share work for feedback
  • Join discussions about production accounting and the industry
  • Attend live chats with guest writers and industry folk

Mentoring and one-to-one feedback

The John Yorke Story tutor team offer mentoring, script reads and reports. We are happy to quote by job or script, or to arrange a longer mentoring scheme as you work on a specific story idea. We’ll create a package to suit you, so for more information please email [email protected]

Taking things further

If you’d like to take another John Yorke Story course, we’ll give you a discount. Please get in touch for more details.

The team

Meet your course team

Jeff Melvoin

Course Director

Jeff Melvoin is an Emmy-winning writer-producer, showrunner and educator. Jeff has worked on over a dozen primetime series and was showrunner on eight of them. In all, he’s been involved in over 470 hours of produced television, most recently as an executive producer on season three of Killing Eve.

More about Jeff Melvoin

John Yorke

Narrative expert

John Yorke is widely acknowledged as the UK’s foremost expert on story, and his book Into the Woods is the bestselling book on the subject in the UK. John’s worked on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama, from EastEnders to Shameless, Life on Mars and Wolf Hall.

More about John Yorke

Chay Collins

Moderator

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