The Writers Panel with Ben Blacker

Panel interview with Kara Lee Burk (Costume Quest, The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show), Franklin Hardy (The Mick, You're the Worst), & Denise Harkavy (The Expanse, The Brave).

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Panel interview with Jihan Crowther (The Man in the High Castle, The Underground Railroad), Ray Utarnachitt (Legends of Tomorrow, Person of Interest), & Jack Kenny (Jessica Jones, Caroline in the City, Dave's World).

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Ben previews another episode of the forthcoming podcast COMIC BOOK COMMENTARY, an in-depth, page-by-page, behind-the-scenes journey through your favorite comics with the writers and artists themselves. Imagine a DVD commentary track. But for comic books.

On this second episode, Ben takes you through his critically-acclaimed Vertigo comic Hex Wives #2. Available for purchase here:

Ben previews a new podcast coming your way in 2019, tentatively titled COMIC BOOK COMMENTARY, an in-depth, page-by-page, behind-the-scenes journey through your favorite comics with the writers and artists themselves. Imagine a DVD commentary track. But for comic books.

On this first episode, Ben takes you through his critically-acclaimed Vertigo comic Hex Wives #1. Available for purchase here:

“State of the Scare” panel from the Austin Film Festival with C. Robert Cargill (Sinister; Doctor Strange); Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place); Yasemin Yilmaz (The Protector, The Exorcist); and Alvaro Rodriguez (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series; Seis Manos). Recorded October 27, 2018 at the Austin Film Festival.

Panel interview with Alexandra Cunningham (Dirty John, Desperate Housewives, NYPD Blue); Ben Cory Jones (Insecure, Underground, Boomerang); and Beth Schacter (Bunheads, Quantico, Normal Adolescent Behavior).

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A conversation with Steve Conrad, creator of the Amazon original series PATRIOT.

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Ben talks to artist/illustrator and practicing witch Jenny Calabro about witchery, pop culture witches, and witchcraft history.

Ben's new Vertigo book HEX WIVES is coming out this week on Halloween 10/31/18!!!

A conversation w/ Julie Plec & Kevin Williamson from New York ComicCon 2018. Recorded Live October 5, 2018. Plus a bonus interview with Beth Broderick (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) about portraying witches and pop culture witchcraft.

A panel from New York Comic Con 2018 with the storytellers behind the DC Vertigo comics relaunch. This next generation is taking the beloved imprint to new heights, with fantastical series from the new Sandman Universe and brand-new titles launching each month including HEX WIVES, GODDESS MODE, SAFE SEX and many more. Panelists: Zoe Quinn (Goddess Mode); Dan Watters (Lucifer - The Sandman Universe); Tina Horn (Safe Sex); Kat Howard (Books of Magic - The Sandman Universe); and Rob Sheridan (High Level); Ben Blacker (Hex Wives). Moderated by Mark Doyle. Recorded October 5, 2018 at New York Comic Con

A panel from New York Comic Con 2018 about the pop culture witches, enchantresses, genies, charmers, and sorceresses who conjured the craft in our popular imaginations in the past. How have women with (super) powers been portrayed, and how is that portrayal evolving? Panelists: Jill Thompson (creator, Scary Godmother); Valorie Curry (actor, The Tick, Blair Witch, and practicing witch); editor Heather Antos (Redlands); and Zoe Quinn (Vertigo's upcoming Goddess Mode). Moderated by Ben Blacker.

Recorded October 6, 2018 at New York Comic Con

A conversation with Ben Macintyre, the author of several amazing and unbelievable non-fiction accounts of WWII spycraft, including The Spy and the Traitor; Operation Mincemeat; and Agent Zigzag. (Starts at 14:40). Plus a bonus interview with Madeline Miller, author of Circe, about reinventing one of mythology's most famous (and misunderstood) witches.

Roundtable interview with Grainne Godfree (Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Arrow); Sierra Ornelas (Happy Endings, Superstore); and Monica Beletsky (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, Fargo). Starts at 20:10.

Plus a bonus interview with Andrew Miller (The Secret Circle), talking unconventional TV witches, creating the rules of a supernatural world, and favorite pop culture witches.

In honor of the relaunch of Neil Gaiman's groundbreaking SANDMAN series, Ben Blacker talks about the history of DC's Vertigo imprint, its influence on the rise of graphic novels, and gives a sneak peek at two of the new Sandman titles, "The Dreaming" and "House of Whispers."

CHECK OUT ALL THE NEW SANDMAN TITLES:

A panel from SDCC 2018 about power, gender politics, and the representation of witches in popular culture. Panelists: Sabrina the Teenage Witch showrunner, Nell Scovell; author of Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi; co-showrunner of the CW’s Charmed reboot, Jessica O’Toole; Ruth Connell, who plays Rowena on Supernatural; and Juliana Crouch, a practicing witch. Moderated by Ben Blacker.

Recorded July 20, 2018 at San Diego Comic-Con International

Roundtable interview with Meredith Averill (The Good Wife, The Haunting of Hill House, Locke and Key); Chris Collins (The Wire, Sons of Anarchy, The Continental); and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro (Unreal). Starts at 18:50.

Plus a bonus interview with Julie Plec, co-creator of The Vampire Diaries and its spinoff The Originals, talking witches on TV, creating the rules of a supernatural world, and pop culture witches.

Ben records the 400th episode of The Writers Panel Live at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles featuring an incredible panel of writers and showrunners, including:

Caroline Dries (NBC's upcoming Witchblade; DC Universe's upcoming Batwoman; Vampire Diaries)

LaToya Morgan (creator of AMC's upcoming adaptation of Hugh Howey's Wool; Into the Badlands)

Alexandra Cunningham (showrunner, Bravo's upcoming Dirty John series; creator of Chance and Prime Suspect)

Monica Owuso-Breen (upcoming: Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot; creator, Midnight, Texas; Lost; Alias)

Christine Boylan (upcoming Painkiller Jane movie; The Punisher; Cloak & Dagger)

Shernold Edwards (upcoming, CBS's Red Line; Anne with an E)

Angela Kang (showrunner, The Walking Dead)

Gennifer Hutchison (upcoming Welcome to Night Vale series; Better Call Saul; Breaking Bad)

Recorded Live at the Dynasty Typewriter Theater on August 26, 2018.

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Roundtable interview with Alison Bennett (You're the Worst; LA to Vegas; Single Parents) and Steven Lilien & Bryan Wynbrandt (God Friended Me). Starts at 20:48.

Plus a bonus interview talking witches with Winnie Holzman, the creator of My So-Called Life and the librettist for the musical version of Wicked.

"Bottle Episodes" from the ATX Television Festival 2018. Panelists: Michael Jacobs (Boy Meets World); Anthony Hemingway (Underground); John Wirth (Hell On Wheels); and Kevin Falls (The West Wing). Moderated by Ben Blacker. Recorded June 9, 2018 at the ATX Television Festival, Austin TX.

Plus a bonus interview with Maggie Friedman (Eastwick, Witches of East End) about the open ended mythology of witchcraft and the art of creating compelling, credible TV witches.

The 400th Episode of The Writers Panel is recording live at the Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Sun 8/26!

Roundtable interview with Jacque Edmonds Cofer (creator, Let's Stay Together; Martin; Moesha); Akela Cooper (The Flash; Luke Cage; The 100); Caroline Kepnes (creator, YOU). Starts at 23:16.

Plus a bonus interview with practicing witch Amanda Damron (@AmandaDamron) about the differences between witchcraft and wicca, discovering witchcraft via Oprah, and spellcraft as a political act.

The 400th Episode of The Writers Panel is recording live at the Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Sun 8/26!

Meet the new voices behind DC Vertigo comics relaunch. Moderated by DC Vertigo Executive Editor Mark Doyle. Panelists include the creative team from Sandman Universe’s HOUSE OF WHISPERS, Nalo Hopkinson and Dominike “Domo” Stanton; BORDER TOWN’s Eric M. Esquivel and Ramon Villalobos; HEX WIVES Ben Blacker and Mirka Andolfo; AMERICAN CARNAGE writer Bryan Edward Hill; GODDESS MODE’s Zoë Quinn and Robbi Rodriguez; HIGH LEVEL’s Rob Sheridan; and writer Mark Russell of SECOND COMING.

Recorded July 20, 2018 at San Diego Comic-Con International.

Roundtable interview with Raamla Mohamed (Scandal); James LaRosa (creator, Hit the Floor); and Holly Henderson (Hit the Floor; Smallville). Starts at 23:25.

Plus a bonus interview with actress Claudia Black (The Originals) about playing a witch, her favorite pop culture witches, and more.

The 400th Episode of The Writers Panel is recording live at the Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on Sun 8/26!

The creators of the brand new action comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me, Susanna Fogel (writer/director) and David Iserson (writer), join Ben to talk about the making of the film and why it often takes 10 years to become an overnight success in Hollywood.

Plus a bonus interview with actress/writer Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Witches of Echo Park) about the art of witchcraft, playing witches, and more.

Nash Bridges Writers Room Reunion from the ATX Television Festival. Carlton Cuse (Writer/EP); Shawn Ryan (Writer/Co-Producer); Glen Mazzara (Writer); Jed Seidel (Writer/Supervising Producer); Pam Veasey (Writer). Moderated by Ben Blacker.

Recorded June 9, 2018 at the ATX Television Festival, Austin TX.

THIS EPISODE BROUGHT TO YOU BY PUBLIC DOMAIN THEATER, HOSTED BY KELLY NUGENT & LINDSAY KATAI, ON THE FOREVER DOG PODCAST NETWORK:

Ben talks to Robert and Michelle King, co-creators of "The Good Wife" and "The Good Fight."

Recorded June 9, 2018 at the ATX Television Festival, Austin TX.

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Shernold Edwards (Red Line, Anne with an E); Vera Santamaria (Orange is the New Black, Bojack Horseman); and Christine Boylan (The Punisher, Painkiller Jane, Cloak and Dagger).

Recorded July 1 2018.

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Ben brings his hit ATX panel "Breakfast with Phil" to LA's Dynasty Typewriter Theater (30:00) talking food, entertainment, creativity, and why LA is the world's best restaurant city with Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal, actor/restauranteur Danny Trejo (Machete, Spy Kids, Breaking Bad, Trejo's Cantino, Trejo's Doughnuts), and n/naka chefs Niki Nakayama and Carole Iida-Nakayama.

Recorded Live at the Dynasty Typewriter Theater on May 12, 2018. We should say that this was recorded before Anthony's Bourdain's death, as Bourdain is mentioned.

Roundtable discussion with Kenneth Biller (creator, Genius); Maggie Mull (Family Guy; Life in Pieces); and David Graziano (American Gods; Southland).

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Last fall, in the midst of pop culture’s ongoing obsession with all things “true crime,” Netflix’s American Vandal arrived just in time to set social media ablaze with one tantalizing question: Who drew the dicks? Like amateur documentarians Peter and Sam, viewers found themselves enamored not only by the show’s central mystery (uncovering the perpetrator of a costly, phallic prank), but the precision with which the series had satirized the genre itself. In this case study, join the creative team behind Vandal for a detailed look at the series from pitch, to development, to bonafide hit, as they discuss their own influences and fascination with the “true crime” genre.

Panelists: Dan Perrault (Co-Creator/EP), Tony Yacenda (Co-Creator/EP/Director), Dan Lagana (Showrunner/EP), Joe Farrell (VP of Longform Content, Funny or Die/EP)

Recorded Live at ATX Television Festival June 8, 2018

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As different directors tackle single episodes or an entire series, a strong relationship between directors and showrunners is crucial to maintaining a cohesive and dynamic vision of the storytelling. Join these showrunner + director pairs, who have worked together across multiple episodes, as they discuss the challenges of collaborating across a season of stories, establishing trust, and what occurs when opinions collide.

Panelists: Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields (The Americans); Thomas Schlamme (The Americans); Kevin Falls (Pitch, The West Wing); Paris Barclay (Pitch); Dave Andron (Snowfall)

Moderated by Director Kat Candler (Queen Sugar)

Recorded Live at ATX Television Festival June 10, 2017

Greg Garcia (creator, My Name Is Earl), Tracey Wigfield (creator, Great News), Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (The Carmichael Show), Bob Daily (Superior Donuts), and Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman) discuss what the job of showrunner actually entails, swapping stories, asking each other for advice, and giving insight into the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Moderated by Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries).

Recorded at ATX Television Festival on June 11, 2017.

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (creator, Sweet/Vicious), Gloria Calderon Kellett (creator, One Day at a Time), Justin Simien (creator, Dear White People), and David Hudgins (Friday Night Lights) discuss how their series have surpassed diversity trends and token characters by organically weaving in storylines of race, religion, sexual assault, the foster care system, immigration, health care, and many many more, with the belief that exposing audiences to a variety of people, experiences, and worlds they might never encounter will normalize these unfamiliar issues and defuse them once and for all. Moderated by Maury McIntyre (President, Television Academy).

Recorded at ATX Television Festival on June 10, 2017.

Bob Daily (Superior Donuts), Justin Simien (creator, Dear White People), Mike Royce and Gloria Calderon Kellett (creators, One Day at a Time), and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (The Carmichael Show) discuss taking their inspiration from Norman Lear and incorporating issues and debates that are meant to challenge and teach. From race to gender, and politics to religion, these sitcom writers achieve bigger conversations about issues that make a difference in your life, while still making you laugh. Moderated by CNN's Sandra Gonzalez. Recorded at ATX Television Festival on June 10, 2017.

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"Teens on TV" from the LA Times Festival of Books. Lauren Iungerich (creator, On My Block and Awkward), Gina Fattore (Better Things; Gilmore Girls; Dawson's Creek), and Dave Nadelberg (creator, The Mortified Guide) discuss angst on TV, from the scripted (The Wonder Years, Freaks & Geeks) to The Mortified Guide, a nonfiction storytelling project where adults share the embarrassing things they wrote as teenagers.

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