The Union of Tendu

The Union of Tendu

Author: Children of Tendu September 19, 2016 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, dust off your glasses, take out a pencil and a pad and take down some notes! In this candid, no-holds-barred conversation, Jose and Javi talk to David Goodman about his successes and struggles in comedy - animated and live action - and also have a lively discussion about the Writers Guild: what it does, who is in it and why, the strike of 2007 and how it affected working and neophyte writers alike, and why involvement with the union is crucial for all writers!


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
How Is This Strike Different From The Last? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:26
As veterans of the WGA strike of 2007 picketing in the strike of 2023, Jose and Javi break down the differences between the two labor actions. From the role of social media in the Guild's messaging, to the differences in…
BAD HOMBRES: Writing while Latino/a/e/x [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:39
Being Latino/a/e/x in Trump's America is an increasingly precarious business. As white Puerto Ricans whith careers spanning over a quarter century, Javi and Jose have seen, heard, and experienced the pervasive racism of…
TENDU.0 - Things We Lost In The Stream [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:35
Jose and Javi are back and older than ever! As the Writers Guild strikes for higher pay, job security, and reform in how writers are employed and compensated, Jose and Javi aren't just walking the picket line but also br…
Children of Tendu: On Writing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:44
Remember when we said our previous episode would be our series finale? WE LIED. And we are back to prove it with a super sized episode where we answer YOUR questions about OUR process. How do we write? Why do we write? W…
IS THIS OUR SERIES FINALE? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:15
Seven years ago, veteran television writer/producers Jose Molina and Javier Grillo-Marxuach set out to consign all their experience to a podcast and to give it away for free. One Golden Age of television, a pandemic, and…
The Editorial Of Tendu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:15
Most writers have very little idea of what goes on in an edit bay, and how to best manage the collaborative relationship between a TV writer/producer and the show's editor. To remedy this situation, Javi and Jose have br…
The Directorate of Tendu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:12
In this super-sized deep-dive, Jose and Javi interview Jeremiah Chechik - director not just of the pilot episode of Javi's show "The Middleman" but also TV shows including "Chuck", "Gossip Girl", "Shadowhunters", "Helix"…
THE CHILDREN OF TENDU MEET THE PRESIDENT OF THE WRITERS GUILD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:44
The Writers Guild is currently engaged in a landmark labor action which has already changed the face of the entertainment industry. In this special episode, Jose and Javi have a lengthy and candid conversation with WGA P…
The Big Pitch - Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:54
In this the second part and conclusion of "The Big Pitch" Jose and javi discuss what happened after The Big Pitch... what networks heard The Big Pitch, who didn't and why? What was it like in the rooms where they pitched…