Go Big or Go Home, said the writer

Saturday Angela and I trekked out to North Hollywood and found the lovely, large, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences campus. I'd never been up there and I was impressed. Theater, offices, what appeared to be an airport set from the 1940s which was actually a pre-Emmy party theme, just a very cool place. We wound our way into the theater and settled in for PrimeCuts, the panel discussion of Emmy-nominated editors hosted by Shawn Ryan (creator and writer of many amazing television shows such as The Shield, Chicago Code, etc.).

After Angela and Shawn found their way to the restrooms (apparently they bonded over a lack of signage) the panel began. And it was quite the afternoon. We heard from a woman who's been one of Woody Allen's editors since Annie Hall and who was nominated for her work this year on Louie. We heard from reality show editors (no, nothing is apparently staged on Project Runway!) and Mad Men editors (nominated for his first episode of the show) and several others.

Shawn Ryan (moderator), Susan Morse (Louie), Alexandre de Franceschi (Top of the Lake), Chris Heller (Conan), Lisa Trulli (Project Runway), Chris Peterson (Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic), Chris Figler (Mad Men)

What I love most about this panel (this is the second year in a row we've gone) is that the editors talk as much about crafting story as any writers I've ever heard speak. They talk about how important it is to build empathy and create the character on screen whether through action or dialogue. They talk about how important it is to create a story, not just cut together footage. I love that. And my hope is some day soon I'll be sitting in an editing booth alongside one of these amazing television professionals.

Then last night I headed into Hollywood to attend Sublime Primetime, a panel discussion with Emmy-nominated writers. This is one of my favorite industry events each year. Last night was cool because not only did I get to hear lots of crazy, cool stories from the people who bring you The Daily Show, Breaking Bad, and The Office, among other things, I also ran into a few friends! Sometimes L.A. can be a small town!

A common theme I heard last night from several writers was the idea of "Go Big or Go Home". This was particular to Breaking Bad and The Office but I've heard the sentiment a lot lately. It's one I subscribe to in other areas of my life but just recently started thinking about it in writing terms. It's the idea that you should leave nothing on the table, no story point should be saved for another season or another episode even. Write your characters into a corner, push your plot to the breaking point, do everything before those few precious primetime moments are gone. Because there's no guarantee you'll be back next week or next year.

I see this on TV more and more lately, particularly with cable shows. Just when you have no idea how a character could possibly come back from X, Y, or Z - he or she does. And I love that. None of us in life are guaranteed a tomorrow. Society rallies around the "You Only Live Once" and "Live Like There's No Tomorrow" philosophies. So writers should too.

At the end of the panel last night someone asked the writers what's next. Many of them have fires in the oven but a few were just happy to be enjoying this ride, this weekend, whatever the Emmy-envelope shall bring forth Sunday night. But I can't imagine I'm the only one, sitting down to work on a pilot today, who isn't thinking of the "Go Big or Go Home" adage. So here goes...

Richard LaGravenese (Behind the Candelabra), Lizzie & Wendy Molyneux (Bob's Burgers), Greg Daniels (The Office), Larry Wilmore (moderator), Kevin Bleyer (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), Erica Oyama (Burning Love), George Mastras (Breaking Bad)