054 – Hollywood Game Plan Author, Showrunner Training Program Director Carole Kirschner (VIDEO)

From executive at Amblin Entertainment to director of the Showrunner Training Program, Carole Kirschner has the goods on how to break in to Hollywood… so much so, she wrote a book about it!

Carole Kirschner has worked as a senior level television executive for sixteen years. Her posts at CBS and as Vice President of Television at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment have given her an insider’s angle on how to get in, move up and sell projects. She helped develop award-winning shows like Murphy Brown, Designing Women and Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures. She is also a respected presenter and educator through USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and UCLA Extension, among others.

Carole is the creator of the CBS Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring Program. She also collaborated with writer/producer Jeffrey Melvoin to develop the curriculum for the Writers Guild of America Showrunner Training Program, and as the Director, oversees it.

A regular entertainment industry speaker, Ms. Kirschner leads seminars on how to succeed in Hollywood, including strategic networking, pitching and self-promotion for creative professionals who shy away from promoting themselves. Through her career coaching practice, Park on the Lot, she consults with both Hollywood beginners who need a roadmap on breaking in as well as seasoned writers, executives and other professionals who wish to move up and go bigger. Her book, Hollywood Game Plan: How to Land a Job in Film, TV and Digital Entertainment hit stores March 2012.

Buy Gray’s book for only $4.99! Look for it on Amazon – How To Break In To TV Writing: Insider Interviews.

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 our previous episodes and other resources at www.tvwriterpodcast.com or on Gray’s YouTube channel.

First published April 20, 2012.