The Leafblower Sessions, Part One

The Leafblower Sessions, Part One

Author: Children of Tendu June 14, 2023 Duration: 1:26:55

In this extra special episode of the podcast, Jose and Javi take a deep, show-by-show dive into Jose's career, dissecting his experiences and distilling the lessons he has learned over the course of his decades-spanning career!


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.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Children of Tendu
Podcast Episodes
The Eleven Laws of Showrunning - A Children of Tendu Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:00
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Tendu or Do Not: Children on the Ledge - Staffing Season Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:00:27
We are now in the thick of that most dreaded of seasons: staffing. For three to four months, every television writer in Los Angeles waits on pins and needles to find out which shows will return the next season and which…
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Duration: 2:07:55
In a very special two-hour Children of Tendu Special, Jose and Javi interview special guests Akela (V, Grimm, The Witches of East End, The 100) and Deric (Warehouse Thirteen, Beauty and the Beast) Hughes on the controver…
10DU or Die! A Children of Tendu Road Trip Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:26:00
A mere week ago, Jose (Agent Carter, Sleepy Hollow) Molina and Javier (Lost, The Middleman) Grillo-Marxuach set off on an epic road trip to Las Vegas Nevada - their goal? To not only make it to Sin City alive, but to rec…
The Children of Tendu Christmas Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:06
Batten down the holiday hatches and gird your Yuletide loins -- Jose and Javi are back at the mic for a two-hour, no-holds-barred, three-fisted discussion of that most mysterious part of their job: the writing process! D…
Episode 13 - Our spine-tingling season finale! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:06:08
In this - the final episode of the first season of the Children of Tendu Podcast - Jose and Javi sit down with a small group of avid listeners - all of them aspiring writers, producers, directors and executives - and ans…
Episode 12 - So you wanna write a television pilot... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:13
The holy grail of television writing is creating, selling and running your own show... but what happens when you sell a pilot and are not yet a showrunner, or when you are a showrunner but do not have a pilot? In this -…
Episode 9 - Your showrunner and you [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:00
Showrunners. Some are great. Some are lousy. Some are geniuses. Some are legends in their own mind. What do showrunners actually do? What is their day like? How do you relate with someone who has the weight of the world…