TV Writers’ Room Intensive with Jason Rothenberg (The 100) – April 6-9, 2026
Applications due February 20th, 2026
This workshop recreates the experience of working inside a professional television writers’ room. Over the course of four, two-hour evening sessions, participants will collaborate to break one complete episode of television, in the same creative process used on real network series, led by veteran TV showrunner Jason Rothenberg.
The focus is hands-on; participants will function as a real writers’ room—pitching ideas, debating structure, and shaping the story together. By the end, the group will have developed a full episode outline and a concrete understanding of how professional rooms operate.
Source Material
The seminar will use Jason’s produced pilot for Searchers (Warner Bros. and The CW) as the foundation for the show world. Since Searchers never went to series or had a writers’ room, this seminar offers a genuine blank canvas. Participants will pick up exactly where a professional staff would begin—developing episode two and beyond from the pilot foundation.
Note: because Searchers is owned by Warner Bros., all participants will be required to sign NDAs before receiving materials.
Participants will be asked to read the pilot script and watch the produced episode prior to the seminar. Comparing the two versions will help illustrate how a story evolves from page to screen—a key part of understanding how a writers’ room develops episodes that can be successfully produced.
Format & Time Commitment
The program will be structured as a four-evening workshop, meeting for a Zoom orientation two weeks prior to the workshop, and then in-person, from 5:30-7:30p, April 6th-9th. The total time commitment will be roughly 8–10 hours.
The writers’ room will include 8–10 participants to preserve the authenticity and creative rhythm of a professional writers’ room.
Materials Provided
- Pilot script and short show overview
- Beat sheet and act structure templates
- Writers’ Room Workflow Guide (digital PDF distributed before the seminar)
- Viewing materials: a private link to Searchers
Outcome
By the end of the workshop, participants will have collaboratively broken one full episode of television and produced a detailed beat sheet that could be developed into a complete teleplay.
After the seminar, participants will have the option to write their own version of the episode or an assigned act. Jason will read the submissions, provide notes, and select a standout script for recognition or follow-up mentorship.
Participant Selection
To apply, complete the application form at this link.
Applicants will submit:
- A brief bio or résumé
- A short writing sample (1–2 pages)
- A short statement of interest
Selection will be based on clarity of writing and demonstrated interest in television storytelling. Writers of all backgrounds and experience levels will be considered, with 2-3 slots reserved for student-writers.