Jeffrey Paul King on Elementary, Show-Running, and The Republic of Sarah
Explicit content warning
07/26/21 • 54 min
Jeffrey Paul King is the creator and showrunner of the CW’s The Republic of Sarah, and was a writer and producer for all seven seasons of the acclaimed TV series Elementary starring Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu.
What you will learn:
- How Jeffrey’s work on Elementary led to the creation of his show The Republic of Sarah. He also shares about the inspiration behind the original concept for The Republic of Sarah and the research it required. [0:00-8:22]
- What success means in the television industry, and the importance of understanding what creativity means to you. How the constraints placed on a series by a television network can be beneficial to the creative process. [8:22-16:37]
- Why writing pilot episodes can be especially difficult to write and shoot and how a particular, accelerated plot structure in a pilot can make for a successful start to a series, using The Republic of Sarah as an example. [16:37-21:37]
- How Jeffrey’s music and theater background evolved into him writing plays and eventually led him to UCLA to study screenwriting. How opportunities he had as an intern on beloved shows like Brothers and Sisters and Grey’s Anatomy blossomed into writing and producing opportunities on other shows, including Elementary. [21:37-30:08]
- Why Jeffrey chose to focus so specifically on showrunning in film school, why he is personally drawn to television vs. film, and why he values diversity in his writers’ room. [30:08-40:58]
- Advice Jeffrey would give to young people hoping to start a career in the entertainment industry, and the passion and determination it takes to become successful in this business. An anecdote about Shonda Rhimes that highlights the importance of being helpful in any way you can when first starting out in Hollywood. [40:58-46:59]
- Jeffrey’s perspective on the values of younger generations, and why he views their work ethic as different (not worse) than the work ethic of older generations. The charity work Jeffrey is involved in, and what the future holds for The Republic of Sarah. [46:49-54:30]
Resources:
Jeffrey Paul King is the creator and showrunner of the CW’s The Republic of Sarah, and was a writer and producer for all seven seasons of the acclaimed TV series Elementary starring Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu.
What you will learn:
- How Jeffrey’s work on Elementary led to the creation of his show The Republic of Sarah. He also shares about the inspiration behind the original concept for The Republic of Sarah and the research it required. [0:00-8:22]
- What success means in the television industry, and the importance of understanding what creativity means to you. How the constraints placed on a series by a television network can be beneficial to the creative process. [8:22-16:37]
- Why writing pilot episodes can be especially difficult to write and shoot and how a particular, accelerated plot structure in a pilot can make for a successful start to a series, using The Republic of Sarah as an example. [16:37-21:37]
- How Jeffrey’s music and theater background evolved into him writing plays and eventually led him to UCLA to study screenwriting. How opportunities he had as an intern on beloved shows like Brothers and Sisters and Grey’s Anatomy blossomed into writing and producing opportunities on other shows, including Elementary. [21:37-30:08]
- Why Jeffrey chose to focus so specifically on showrunning in film school, why he is personally drawn to television vs. film, and why he values diversity in his writers’ room. [30:08-40:58]
- Advice Jeffrey would give to young people hoping to start a career in the entertainment industry, and the passion and determination it takes to become successful in this business. An anecdote about Shonda Rhimes that highlights the importance of being helpful in any way you can when first starting out in Hollywood. [40:58-46:59]
- Jeffrey’s perspective on the values of younger generations, and why he views their work ethic as different (not worse) than the work ethic of older generations. The charity work Jeffrey is involved in, and what the future holds for The Republic of Sarah. [46:49-54:30]
Resources:
Previous Episode
Mark Pickerel on Screaming Trees, Recording with Nirvana, and I Have Visions
Singer, songwriter, and musician Mark Pickerel was a founding member of the Screaming Trees, a PNW band that shaped the course of grunge history in the 80s and 90s. After recording five studio albums with the Screaming Trees and recording with Nirvana as well, Mark started the bands Truly, The Dark Fantastic, and Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands, (now Pickerel and the Peyote 3). Mark has also collaborated with musical icons such as Brandi Carlile, Mark Lanegan, and Guns and Roses’ Duff McKagan over the years. Mark’s most recent album is I Have Visions.
What you will learn:
- Mark talks about his most recent album, I Have Visions, and reflects on his evolution from Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands to Pickerel and the Peyote 3. He also shares what it was like to perform live for the first time since the pandemic began. [0:00-10:25]
- How Mark and his fellow Screaming Trees band members grew to feel a lot of PNW pride during their popularity. What it was like forming his first band in high school and graduating with two records under his belt. [10:25-21:26]
- How his collaboration with Nirvana came about, and the catalyst that inspired Mark to shift his focus to writing and singing. [21:26-31:48]
- How Mark has grown to enjoy the song-writing process, the inspiration he found learning that there was an audience for his songs, and how he learned to lean into vulnerability. [31:48-39:55]
- Mark breaks down his creative process when writing songs, and describes the balance he strikes between letting inspiration flow and implementing technical structure to his music. What Dwight Yoakam taught Mark early in his songwriting career. [39:55-50:32]
- Mark recounts his impressive history of artistic collaboration, and how much of it was born from mutual interests and respect. He shares an amazing story about his first time recording with Brandi Carlile on her first album, and how he knew right away he was, “dealing with a talent of a different caliber.” [50:32-1:02:57]
- Why Mark chose to settle in Ellensburg, a small, a rural town in Central Washington about 90 miles from Seattle. Mark gives insight into the differences between Los Angeles and the PNW regarding songwriting and performing opportunities. Mark provides some upcoming show dates, describes his plans for future, and shares about his family life. [1:02:57-1:15:25]
Resources:
- Mark Pickerel’s: Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, Facebook
- Mark Pickerel and the Peyote 3 Bandcamp Page
Next Episode
Pickerel's Hair, JPK's Work Ethic, Love for Sir Paul, and Unleashing the Chong
Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from Bryan's interviews of Mark Pickerel and Jeffrey Paul King, review the new Paul McCartney/Rick Rubin documentary on Hulu (McCARTNEY 3, 2, 1), and preview next week's launch of Bryan's interview with Tommy Chong.
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