Written by Lisa Rosen TOOLS Snow White f creating a successful TV comedy is a mystery, then creating one for kids is a mystery wrapped in marshmallow fluff and covered in sprinkles. All the go-to jokes—sex, race, reli-gion—can’t be gone-to. No refer-ences allowed that children won’t get. (Be prepared to feel old, very old.) Nor can you be condescend-ing—they’re young, not stupid. To the rescue comes Disney Channel Storytellers. Last year, the 20-week salaried program set out to teach up-and-coming writers the Disney Channel ropes, from branding to pitching. In turn, each lucky participant developed a live-action pilot, pitched two other se-ries ideas weekly, and wrote three brief webisodes. Frequent Disney Channel showrunner Marc Warren ( Even Ste-vens, That’s So Raven, Cory in the House ) came on as program supervisor. “When I read spec scripts, I’m look-ing for something edgy,” says Warren, and the Seven Baby Writers DISNEY CHANNEL EDUCATES AND BRANDS A NEW GENERATION. I who also ran Full House with former writing partner Dennis Rinsler for the series’ last three seasons. “We’re look-ing for the out-there people with the quirky voice, because that’s what’s go-ing to make the show interesting and give it that little bit of a twist, rather than hugs and violins.” “I expected it to be a lot easier than it was—foolishly, naively,” confides Disney Channel Story-teller’s Kyle Stegina. “And it was just the opposite. This has turned into one of the hardest things that we’ve done, because it’s tough writing for kids. Obviously, look-ing at me you wouldn’t think that I know what a 14-year-old girl would want.” “I hope not. That sounded very creepy,” says Josh Lehrman, his writing partner. “I’m sure I’m on some sort of list somewhere, be-cause I Googled so many times, What do little girls like? ” Stegina jumps in: “And, What do little girls wear? Google is now com-ing back with, Nice try, predator. ” School of Mouse Meeting near the end of their course, the seven writers array themselves around a conference table in the Dis-ney Channel building in Burbank for their weekly pitch meeting. The pitches are quick loglines for the Disney Chan-nel development pipeline; if Channel execs choose to develop any, and the shows make it to air, everyone at the table will share royalties. Meanwhile, they’re well into the second draft of their pilots. “Seating is 90 percent of the day,” says Stegina, taking a spot next to Lehrman. Both wear checked button-down shirts. Warren, at the head of the table, turns to them first. They pitch an idea about a girl and her mentor, and 52 • WG A W WRITTEN BY SUMMER 20 15
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