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Good Story

Last weekend I attended the ATX Television Festival and had a great time.  I attended screenings and panels, met people from all over the world, and immersed myself in the idea of story.  I am  a huge fan of television because it allows for the time and space to tell character-driven stories.  My method for making sense of the world is to frame everything in a narrative.  I want a beginning, a middle, a where are we now, and a what might come next.  I am fascinated with the process of creating fictional stories that teach about real life.

At one panel I attended, "It's All So Dramatic", the panelists were discussing the evolution of drama on television.  It was an extremely interesting and informative panel.  And then it became my most memorable panel because of a genuine moment of such raw honesty and nobility that it moved everyone in the room.

One of the panelists, Kyle Killen, was asked a question.  He is a writer of wonderful, deep, stories with complex characters.  He has written for three television shows on broadcast networks that have been cancelled in the first season.  It is a business where rejection comes with the territory.  Still, it has an effect and even a seasoned writer can feel a bit beaten by the perceived failures.  It was clear that Kyle was feeling those effects by some of the statements and comments. 

Towards the end of the session, the moderator opened for questions from the audience.  Someone asked Kyle why he continued to take stories to the broadcast networks instead of a cable network or Netflix given the ad-driven business model and lack of time allowed for a show to succeed.  He started to answer and became choked up and teary-eyed.  He then said, "because they gave me my break and I want to pay them back with a good story."   It was heart-felt, authentic and somehow noble. 


I was inspired and impressed.  It was a neat moment.  Everyone in the room was tearing up and clapping.  I felt a sense of electricity in the room.  It was a rare moment of feeling a deep personal connection with a person on a panel, a person I will likely never have a conversation with, and yet, I identified with his commitment and his bruised confidence.  I wanted to watch all his stories.  It made me feel like I could be a part of the process.  If he wanted to tell a good story – I want to watch a good story.   I look forward to the next television show written by Kyle Killen with anticipation.   Thanks for a great story.
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