Max Beaudry on Writing for Children’s TV and Film
Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Max Beaudry joins The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast to talk about writing for children’s television, finding his way into animation, and developing a script.
Max describes the internship that introduced him to animation writers, what changes when you write for preschool audiences, and why reading scripts matters. He also walks through how a television episode moves from an idea to a premise, outline, and script. It’s a conversation for writers curious about children’s media and the work that happens in a writers’ room.
Watch the full Max Beaudry interview, listen on Apple Podcasts, or listen on Spotify.
Three ideas to take into your writing
- Read in the format you want to write. Max recommends studying scripts in your chosen genre to see how they work. Listen at 13:49.
- Think about what the audience can see. A screenplay has to convey things a novel can tell us through a character’s thoughts. Consider how action can carry that information. Listen at 13:57.
- Expect feedback to be part of the work. Max describes revision and notes as an everyday part of television writing. Other writers can help you keep that process in perspective. Listen at 32:22.
Our notes from the conversation. Follow the timestamps to hear each point in context.
Inside the conversation
- 0:54: From a childhood love of stories to screenwriting
- 3:49: The Nickelodeon internship that opened a door
- 7:35: Writing for different age groups
- 18:09: Learning from the language of screenplays
- 18:54: How an episode moves from idea to script
Visit Max Beaudry’s website to learn about his latest work
More conversations for writers
Hear Lois Lowry on The Giver and her writing life, browse our podcast interviews, or explore the Educational Library.
Ready to work on your own story? Visit Storyrise’s free writing studio. Join our newsletter for upcoming guests and writing resources.
From the conversation: reading screenplays
At 18:29, Max explains why he reads scripts: “That’s why I think it’s just really important to read screenplays in general, just because you can see how do people use language to make you feel something.”
Excerpt from the episode captions, with punctuation added for readability.