Carol Barbee

Instructor Biography:

M.F.A., WGA member, Emmy-winning television writer and creator/showrunner of Raising Dion (Netflix). Ms. Barbee served as showrunner for UnReal, Jericho, Swingtown, Touch, Judging Amy, Three Rivers and Girlfriends Guide to Divorce. Her writing credits also include Dash & Lily, Hawaii Five-O and Falling Skies. She is currently developing projects for Disney+ and 20th Television.

Instructor Statement:

“How are they on the page? How are they in the room?” These are the questions all showrunners ask when hiring writers.

Writing for television is both a solitary pursuit and a team sport. My goal is to help you tell the story you want to tell while giving you the experience of being on a writing staff. We will learn to pitch, help break each other’s stories, learn how to give constructive feedback and work toward a strong writing sample that represents you. A writer’s room is a microcosm of the world, made up of people from different backgrounds with varying world views and tastes in writing. Success in that room depends on your ability to take and give feedback, to be a useful part of a larger group while doing your own best work. These skills become even more essential when you create your own show and become a showrunner. So, how are you on the page? How are you in the room? Let’s get you ready for both.