Visit from ICLA Grad

ICLA grad Liz Tigelaar, a producer-writer on ABC's hit show "Brothers and Sisters," gave a rollicking talk at the final "writing for series tv" class at the Pendleton Center Wednesday night. Liz attended the ICLA program in 1997 and since then has had an amazingly successful career as a tv writer. Prior to "Brothers and Sisters," she was a producer-writer on such tv shows as "What About Brian?" and "American Dreams." She has also written for "Dirty, Sexy, Money," "Kyle XY," and "Dawson's Creek."

Liz has great enthusiasm for her work but is also quite honest, funny, and self-effacing about the trials and tribulations of a tv writer and the ins and outs of working in television. Her primary advice - keep writing and don't mind when you write badly. It WILL get better with practice, experience and editing. She also suggested that when someone gives you notes on your script to really listen, despite the instinct to explain away "what you really meant." She also shared and laughed at many of the experiences she's had over the years - including the instinct to "explain away" what she really meant in any given script.

Liz will be teaching a one-credit class for us in the fall or spring semesters of 2008-2009. Look for more on that soon. And also look here for many more talks by upcoming grads and non-grad professionals working in the industry.