"Voted Most Like Dexter"

As said earlier in this blog I dropped the bombshell that a writer of Dexter was coming to talk to my TV/Radio Broadcasting and Programing Management course. Last Friday, Tim Slotsman "voted most like Dexter" by his fellow writers) came and dropped dimes of important knowledge on my class.

Slotsman earned a master's in speech communication before heading to Hollywood. Before writing for shows such as Roseanne and Smallville, Slotsman started as a production assistant and writer's assitant.

"You start out being the whipping boy of every assignment," Slotsman said. "You have to know how to adapt."

Slotsman also offered some insight on how the actual production of shows goes.

"Once a company purchases rights for an idea, a producer usually hires writers he knows and trusts. After a pilot is made, it is either picked up or cancelled."

Slotsman has been part of Dexter since the idea was brought up. He is one of six writers of the show and shares writing duties for main plots of the season, as well as two entire episodes.

"The six of us sit down and start 'spitballing' ideas," Slotsman said. "After we make a timeline for for each character, we start making actual scripts.

Slotsman is part of the Writer's Guild of America, which plans to go on strike on November 1st. This would put a halt on any scripts and will inevitably put a halt to many television shows as well as films.

"Studios made $2 billion on DVD sales and internet sales last year. As of now writers are not seeing a dime of that money."

Hopefully Slotsman and his fellow writers can get a share of that so I can keep watching my favorite serial killer.