{"product_id":"stage-32-presents-top-television-comedy-professionals-discuss-the-current-state-of-the-tv-comedy-industry-during-covid-19","title":"Stage 32 Presents: Top Television Comedy Professionals Discuss The Current State of the TV Comedy Industry During COVID-19","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB; font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"hardreadability\"\u003eSeven months into COVID, comedy television is once again finding its stride\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"hardreadability\"\u003eProduction is starting again on many shows, networks continue to develop new content, and writers are back to work breaking story and punching up jokes\u003c\/span\u003e. Yet things haven’t exactly gone back to normal. Processes have shifted as networks do what they can to keep their cast and crew safe. \u003cspan class=\"veryhardreadability\"\u003eExecutives are taking meetings and hearing pitches for new shows over Zoom, writers’ rooms have become \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"adverb\"\u003elargely\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"veryhardreadability\"\u003e virtual, and production schedules and practices have shifted \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"adverb\"\u003edramatically\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"veryhardreadability\"\u003eBut things are moving forward, and an increased appetite in comedic content is leading to new opportunities if you are able to navigate the current landscape.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpencer Robinson is a literary manager at Art\/Work Entertainment who has been selling and staffing his comedy clients on the industry's leading series for years, including shows on Amazon, HBO Max and Jason Bateman's production company Aggregate just this year. \u003c\/strong\u003eHe's also had clients work for \u003cstrong\u003eNetflix, The CW, Cinemax, CBS, NBC, FX, Starz, Nickelodeon, EPIX, and TBS\u003c\/strong\u003e, to name a few. Spencer is one of the most sought-after literary managers in the business for nearly two decades and is one of Stage 32's most popular and in demand educators.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVijal Patel is an Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning writer and executive producer who has written for many award-winning comedy series including ABC’s BLACK-ISH and THE MIDDLE.\u003c\/strong\u003e Vijal currently serves as writer and co-executive producer of the ABC comedy series \u003cstrong\u003eSCHOOLED\u003c\/strong\u003e, starring \u003cstrong\u003eTim Meadows\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eAJ Michalka\u003c\/strong\u003e. He also writes and develops feature film projects for the powerhouse studio \u003cstrong\u003eDreamWorks\u003c\/strong\u003e. Vijal has built his career on writing comedy and using it to explore race, family, religion, politics, and class struggle.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLaverne McKinnon is a Japanese-American film and television producer with more than 20 years of successful programming experience in premium cable, broadcast and digital platforms.\u003c\/strong\u003e She is the Executive Producer of the Netflix series GIRLBOSS, and co-founder of \u003cstrong\u003eK\u0026amp;L Productions\u003c\/strong\u003e, a film and television company created with \u003cstrong\u003eKay Cannon\u003c\/strong\u003e (writer of the\u003cstrong\u003e PITCH PERFECT\u003c\/strong\u003e franchise and director of \u003cstrong\u003eBLOCKERS\u003c\/strong\u003e). K\u0026amp;L Productions has a first look production deal at Sony Television with multiple projects sold including at \u003cstrong\u003eAmazon, Quibi, NBC, ABC, CBS,\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eTBS\u003c\/strong\u003e. Previously Laverne was a successful programming executive with stints as Senior Vice President of Drama Development at \u003cstrong\u003eCBS\u003c\/strong\u003e, and as Executive Vice-President of Original Programming \u0026amp; Development at \u003cstrong\u003eEPIX\u003c\/strong\u003e. She was also Head of Television at \u003cstrong\u003eCharlize Theron’s production company, Denver and Delilah\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #cdcdcd;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #42C2CB;\"\u003eIn another FREE Stage 32 COVID-19 webinar, Spencer, Vijal, and Laverne will take part in an exclusive Q\u0026amp;A session where they’ll answer questions from the Stage 32 community about the state of the comedy TV industry today and where they believe things are headed. Bring your questions about the craft and business!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Stage 32","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48056002019635,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0700\/7728\/4659\/files\/image_65c5a4cf34798.jpg?v=1707451601","url":"https:\/\/stage32.myshopify.com\/products\/stage-32-presents-top-television-comedy-professionals-discuss-the-current-state-of-the-tv-comedy-industry-during-covid-19","provider":"Stage 32","version":"1.0","type":"link"}