Hans-Ake Lilja recently interviewed Glen Mazzara, the new showrunner of The Walking Dead. While they talked about a number of topics, we found the most interesting parts to be the discussion of the writers' room and writing process. There are many fans that aren't aware familiar with the writing process and don't know how involved Robert Kirkman is on the show. This should give you a better insight into all of it:
"Lilja: And I guess Robert Kirkman has pretty big input in all this?
Glen Mazzara: Off course. Robert is an executive producer on the show, he’s a writer, his office is right next to mine, we’re in the writers room together every day and we work out the stories with the other writers and he has an enormous input and I can’t imagine doing the show without him. He is so valuable and has really become a good friend so… and he’s been very supportive about us deviating from the comic when necessary and he’s vital to the success of The Walking Dead TV show.
Lilja: You mentioned the writersroom. How does that work?
Glen Mazzara: We have seven writers including Robert and me and we sit around in the writersroom for days, weeks and sometimes months and come up with ideas and we challenge each other and ask questions and the best ideas win. We really work together and then people go off and write their scripts. Then we all give notes on the scripts. It’s a traditional American style writersroom. It’s very common that we have writersroom. I think it’s a bit different than how it’s done in Sweden from what I understand but here we have a staff or writers working on every episode together. Not writing it together but following the process together.
Lilja: Are the writers the same for season 1, 2 and now 3?
Glen Mazzara: No, the writers for season 1 where different but the once for season 2 and 3 are the same, and we’ve added two new writers because season 3 will be 16 episodes.
Lilja: Do you find it hard to map out an episode when there are so many people wanting to contribute with their input?
Glen Mazzara: No but as the showrunner I have the final say. So I listen to a lot of ideas and then I decide what I think is best for the show. I’m the final judge of what we end up doing but all the writers have input and my goal is to not just tell the writers what we’re doing but if I can get all these different viewpoints to buy into a story we all agree is the best story to tell then that’s when the writersroom is working at its best.
Lilja: And now the series has been green lighted for a third season?
Glen Mazzara: Correct. 16 episodes. That is what me and the writers are working on now.
Lilja: And you’re writing the scripts for season 3 now?
Glen Mazzara: Yes, we’re starting to."
To read the rest of the interview, head over to the Lilja's Library link below.
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