We were lucky to catch up with Wendy Fishman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ms. Fishman, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

I’m a writer and the first step to begin a screenplay is being inspired by something I’ve read, seen, heard or sometimes even dreamed about. Once I have the general idea about the story, my creativity literally starts to flow and I begin to form the first thoughts about how to structure the script. After years of writing, I’ve learned that the best way to approach a screenplay is to spend a lot of time on an outline. This way, when I am ready to write the script, I can concentrate on the characters, dialogue and the structure of the scene itself. Actually, I probably spend more time on the outline than writing the script. Because what many writers don’t appreciate is that screenplays are one part talent and one part craft. Both are necessary for a good script. An outline lets me concentrate not only on character and story arcs but on the craft or structure of the script as well.

Ms. Fishman, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc., what type of products/services/creative works you provide, what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others. What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.

Like many people who work in the Entertainment business, I had a circuitous and I believe somewhat fated way that brought me into the industry. I came to Los Angeles from New York to go to law school. While clerking for an attorney in a suite of small practices, I met an entertainment lawyer who asked me if I wanted to join The Beverly Hills Barristers, a group of attorneys and other industry professionals. Through that organization I met a producer who knew I wasn’t happy practicing law and offered me a production assistant job for very little money on a public affairs show at a local Los Angeles station. I was hooked. I went on to become a producer at USA cable network which led me to a small start-up cable company called Movietime. As one of four producers creating programing for a 24-hour Entertainment News channel, we literally created the network.

Three years later Movietime was bought by HBO and Warner Brothers where I became part of the creative team that reimagined and launched a new cable channel, called E! Entertainment Television. Then another twist in my story when I co-created a talk show about daytime Soap Operas. It led me to land a job as the Director of Daytime for CBS in New York. As the Network Executive, I worked writers. This is where my love of story and writing took hold and I became a writer on “Guiding Light.” This led me to a partnership with a well-respected television writer. We sold a number pilots and television idea but unfortunately none were produced. I went on to switch between writing, script coaching and producing reality television show including back at E! for Wilshire Studios.

Eventually I decided I wanted to try my hand at films. I met my current creative partner, Vickie Sampson. through work. We produced two award-winning shorts films I wrote and she directed. Although I ‘m honored and proud to have been a part of creating a very successful cable network, these two 8-minute films are the proudest moment in my career. I was determined to become a screenwriter and Vickie and I decided the we weren’t going to wait for someone else to say “Yes” in order to make our dreams come true. Instead, we raised the money ourselves through crowd funding and had complete control over our projects. It proved to be the best experience I’ve had in the 35+ years I have been in the Entertainment industry.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I am someone who loves new experiences and challenges which has led me to have a wide-ranging number of jobs in very different parts of the Entertainment industry. What I didn’t fully appreciate is that it wasn’t the right choice for someone who wanted to reach the heights of success. Usually once you find a path, you stay there building relationships in your chosen lane and move up the ladder through concentrated experience in a certain field. My creative restlessness brought me from Executive producing reality-based television to scripted Television Network Executive, to a writer and back to being a Supervising Producer for reality shows to a freelance producer and writer. Then of course I leaped into film. With no clear direction, my ability to get steady work was becoming more difficult. I had to think of another way to make money.

When I was a Network Executive at CBS, I learned how to give notes to writers that inspired them instead of criticism which always led to them becoming defensive and pushing back. When I become a writer and received these notes, I had gained a better understanding of the best way to approach giving script notes. As a result, most of my friends who were writers came to me for script advice and told me that I gave the best script notes anyone had ever given them including the professional readers. When I was struggling with finding work, my creative partner, Vickie, suggested that I become a freelance script adviser and script doctor. She said I was better than just a note giver, I was more like a coach who inspired, encouraged and gave writers ways to think about their scripts in a way that touched them creatively. Eight years ago, I started my Script Coaching business which has helped support my own writing career. I’m very grateful to all the people who helped me see what was possible when I couldn’t!

Any advice for managing a team?

My first experience managing a department came early in my career and I learned a great deal. The first thing I came to understand was that my team was a reflection of my management skills. If they failed, I failed. When it came to my bosses, they didn’t want excuses, they wanted results.

I learned that the best way to approach members of my team, especially if they were creative people, was with RESPECT and PATIENCE. I never raised my voice or acted angry. I was always measured and nice. But it’s important that they knew that I was their boss and there was a line in the sand they couldn’t cross without repercussions. My rules were no lying, no excuses and let’s find out what’s not working, why and how to do fix it TOGETHER. When you involve the employee in finding solutions to improving their own skill set, they have a stake in their success. It also has the benefit of giving them a window on how to be a good manager themselves.

Another important part of my management style, especially with new hires, was to find out if they were capable of doing the job, assessing the best way for them to learn the ropes and what steps I had to take to get the best out of them for their sake and mine. If I found they were in the wrong job, then I would work with them to find the right position for their particular talents. Sometimes it just wasn’t the right fit at all and I would have to get HR involved but it was the last resort.

I treated everyone equally whether they were assistants or producers. No one was allowed to treat anyone badly… no yelling, no harsh language and if the problem persisted, they had to bring it to me immediately and I would deal with it. I made sure that the group I managed knew that we were a true team, we would win together or lose together. Any personality conflicts were quickly dealt with and I had little patience for large egos and oversensitive reactions to small perceived slights.

Contact Info:

• Website: echocreeekfilms.com
• Linkedin: Wendy Fishman, Writer/Producer/Script Consultant
• Other: They can contact me at [email protected]