INDUSTRY 101 EVENT SERIES

How do you get your start in "the business?" Do you work as an executive assistant? Do you strap on a walkie talkie and PA? Do you need to infiltrate a mailroom? 

Once you’ve been a staff writer, maybe even a story editor, what’s next? Maybe you're a screenwriter and you've heard your peers say, "yeah, I'm a writer, but what I really want to do is direct'' but you're like "no, I would just like to write, thank you." Lots of TV writers tell themselves they want to be showrunners, but what if that’s not you?  

There’s no one way, one career path, or linear road to take in a writing career, but much in the same way it helps to have an outline before you write a script, it helps to have a plan. 

This panel conversation will explore some of your options for “breaking into the biz” and some obstacles you might encounter along the way.

Cynthia Adarkwa

Cynthia Adarkwa is a Ghanaian American writer and producer. She earned a BFA in Dramatic Writing from the Savannah College of Art & Design, then went on to write for a number of shows including the CW’s Legacies, Hulu's Saint X and the upcoming series Emperor of Ocean Park for MGM+. Ultimately, Cynthia tells stories about Black women finding their place in the world.

Mike Gauyo

Mike Gauyo – born in Haiti and raised in Boston – graduated from The University of Massachusetts (Boston) with a degree in theatre. After college, he moved to LA to pursue a writing career, first landing in reality TV where he worked his way up from an assistant on shows like American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, The MTV Awards, and The Emmys to a producer on shows like GSN’s Common Knowledge and E!’s The Comment Section.

A few years later, Mike would make the jump to scripted television, writing on the first two seasons of the highly successful Netflix dramedy, Ginny & Georgia and the final season of the critically acclaimed MAX series, Insecure. Mike then went on to co-create, co-showrun, and executive producer ALLBLK’s original series, Send Help, and is also the founder of Black Boy Writes Media, a talent incubator for marginalized voices and home to the Black Boy Writes/Black Girl Writes Mentorship Initiative, which is a pipeline program for pre-WGA Black writers.

Jackie Penn

Forced to fend for herself at an early age, Jackie Penn found comfort in either reading or watching TV. After several years as a Spanish teacher, Jackie left teaching to pursue a career as a TV writer. Now an LA-based drama writer, Jackie’s writing focuses primarily on diverse female-driven stories that explore friendship, found family, identity, and love. She was an assistant on several shows including SIREN and GINNY & GEORGIA before her first staff writing job on TURNER & HOOCH for Disney+. She was most recently a story editor on the CW’s 4400 and a WGA Strike Captain. She was selected for Coverfly's 2023 Next List and is currently a member of the Rideback Rise Circle cohort.

Andre J. Ferguson

Andre J. Ferguson was raised in the inner city of Jamaica Queens New York, with a father who served as a NYPD narcotics detective and a mother who was a NYC public school art teacher.

Later he moved to Los Angeles where he began writing screenplays and submitted his spec script to showrunner Courtney Kemp, which led him to being hired as a staff writer for the hit series Power. Andre is currently a producer on the hit Starz series Power Book: II Ghost.

Heather Daughtry

Heather Daughtry's career has been characterized by impactful contributions and a dedication to cultivating strategic marketing, programming and partnerships. In her previous role managing Sponsorships and Partnerships at Final Draft, Inc., Heather played a pivotal part in fostering mutually beneficial relationships and providing crucial sponsorship support to various screenwriting organizations, film festivals, schools, and mentorship programs. Notably, her efforts have been dedicated to amplifying the voices of underrepresented writers, reflecting her passion for inclusivity and diversity within the industry. Heather currently serves as Chief of Programming for Black Boy Writes/Black Girl Writes Mentorship Program founded by Mike Gauyo. 

With nearly ten years in the industry, Heather has refined her skills drawing from her versatile and adaptable background in both studio and agency settings, providing a deep understanding of the ever-changing entertainment landscape. Beyond her work, she passionately pursues the arts, particularly acting and music, demonstrating a multifaceted expertise and unwavering dedication to excellence, collaboration, and advocacy. Born and raised in South Los Angeles, Heather graduated from California State University Long Beach where she earned her degree in Communication with an emphasis in Performance Studies and a minor in Music.