Children of Tendu

Children of Tendu

Author: Children of Tendu Language: English Episodes: 50
Children of Tendu is a conversation between two working television writers who have seen it all from both sides of the writers' room table. Hosts Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Jose Molina aren't just names from your favorite show credits; they're seasoned veterans who have navigated the trenches of network TV, genre series, and long-running procedurals. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the real, unvarnished mechanics of building a career in this industry. You'll hear them dissect everything from landing that first staffing job and navigating studio politics to the craft of pitching and the personal resilience required to last for decades. Their advice is never theoretical-it's grounded in specific stories from their time on shows like "Lost," "Firefly," and "Law & Order: SVU." This podcast functions as a persistent, frank mentorship for anyone curious about how television gets made and how to find a place within it. The tone is direct, often funny, and always focused on actionable insight rather than glamour. For aspiring writers, producers, or anyone fascinated by the creative and business realities of TV, Grillo-Marxuach and Molina offer a rare, sustained look at the path in and the skills needed to stay. Tune in for a masterclass that only insiders can provide, where every conversation is built on hard-earned experience and a genuine desire to demystify the process.
Episodes
THE BIG PITCH - PART ONE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:42
Most TV writers do not hear a series being pitched until they are the ones doing the pitching. In this brand new episode, the Children of Tendu discuss the process by which they developed a pitch for a TV adaptation of a…
Actors of Tendu! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:44
In this special episode of the podcast, the Children of Tendu enlist guest stars Natalie Morales - star of Javi's show The Middleman - and Jason O'Mara - who starred in, and worked with Jose on, Terra Nova - to discuss h…
Agents of Tendu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:45
There is one question. The ETERNAL question. The question that all who want to write in Hollywood ask themselves over and over again. How do I get an agent? In this very special episode, Jose's first agent, Matt Bedrosia…
The Union of Tendu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:33
When a guy writes on shows ranging from "Family Guy" to "Futurama" and "The Golden Girls", you pay attention to what he has to say. When that same guy is also Vice President of the Writers Guild, you clean out your ears,…
LIVE AT THE SAN DIEGO COMIC CON [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:36
In which Jose and Javi settle their Gladiator vs. Braveheart feud once and for all - in front of a live audience at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con! Putting that issue to rest with a sense of drama unseen since the Roman Co…
The Comedy Stylings of Tendu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:59
The Children of Tendu know drama... but they are not nearly as knowledgeable about the world of comedy... so to tell you how to break into comedy, what the work is like for writers there, and how to have a long, successf…
The Post-Production of Tendu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:09
In the last two Children of Tendu podcasts, Jose and Javi walked you through Pre-Production and Production... now comes the Grand Finale: Post - AKA: "what happens after you have written your script and it has been filme…
The Production of Tendu - A Children of Tendu Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51:16
The script is done. You have navigated the slings and arrows of pre-production. The cameras are rolling: what does the writer/producer do on the set? What are the pressures, politics, and practicalities of filming an epi…
The Preproduction of Tendu - A Children of Tendu Special! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50:12
In this special, super-sized, episode of the podcast, Jose and Javi break down what happens in that crucial time between the moment a television writer finishes writing a script and when the cameras roll... what is Pre-P…
TENDU EMERGENCY BROADCAST! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:39
On Friday, May 13, the internet was abuzz with news of the pickups and cancellations of dozens of television shows -- feeling the nervy vibe, Jose and Javi took to Periscope to answer questions about pilot season, the up…