I don’t think there’s any question that Saturday Night Live (SNL) is one of the most prominent and successful comedy shows in the history of television. The show has been on the air for more than 60 years now, and it continues to thrive in an era of dwindling TV budgets and limited viewing options. If you’re a comedy writer or producer who has always dreamt of being part of this prestigious show, then this blog post is for you.
The Writers’ Room
SNL is always looking for new writers. The best part about this is that even if you’re not a professional writer, you can submit a script and get a chance to prove yourself. It’s as simple as that. The catch is that the show has gotten so legendary that it can be difficult for creators to find the right tone for their script. That’s where you come in. When you’re writing for the show, you’ll get a chance to pitch your ideas to an executive producer who will ultimately decide whether or not to bring your script to life.
When you enter the writers’ room for the first time, you’ll see walls covered in scripts and pitches. These are not your ordinary office walls, either—the writers’ room is actually a whole other level of the building, with its own security guard and access restricted to only the most promising and most requested writers. It’s an awesome opportunity for any aspiring comedy writer. You’ll get to work with some of the greatest comedic minds in the industry, and if the scripts sound good, you could be on your way to the big time.
How to Get a Writing Job At SNL
With so many established writers working on the show, it’s not always easy for someone new to break in. Typically, you’ll need to have some kind of agent or manager to get the job. Even then, it can be tough. There are various other factors as well that could influence whether or not you’re given an opportunity to write for SNL. For instance, are you a woman? What is your ethnic background? All of these questions and more factor into whether or not you’ll get a shot at the job. It’s not fair, but it’s the reality.
On the plus side, even if you don’t get the gig, you’ll still be able to use what you learned from it to get other writing gigs. Just because SNL isn’t a writing opportunity that you were looking for doesn’t mean that it’s not an opportunity at all. For every writer who meets with rejection because he or she doesn’t fit the role that a show wants to explore, there are dozens more who never would’ve gotten a chance in the first place had it not been for SNL.
So, to sum up, if you want to write for Saturday Night Live, then write. Write early and write often. Pitch your ideas and don’t be afraid to try again. Most importantly, have fun. You’re writing for a comedy show, so have some fun with it. And when you do, I guarantee that you’ll be happy that you did. Thanks for reading! I hope this article helped you in some way.