Hollywood Breakthrough: Matt Weiner (Mad Men)
The Wrap has a feature called “Hollywood Breakthrough,” where people who work in the entertainment industry describe how they got their big break. At present, there are five featured screenwriters, perfect for a five-part series, one per day this week.
Today’s featured writer is Matthew Weiner, creator of the hit AMC TV series “Mad Men.” Here is an excerpt:
I had been researching this advertising idea for two years. Every night I would pay someone — I would dictate to them, and they would do research. And I would stay after work and work on this advertising thing. And in between the big second and third seasons of “Becker,” when I realized that I had a hiatus, three months where I knew that I still had a job, I just pulled the trigger.
I hired a writer’s assistant because I was so exhausted, and also I felt it was like having a personal trainer. I realized that I would work because I was paying that person $11 an hour to be there. And I knocked the show out pretty quickly. And that was the script that later became “Mad Men.”
It had been brewing for, I’m not kidding, for three years, I’d been taking notes and been thinking about it and doing research. I just did it and I gave it to my agents, and they didn’t pay any attention to it.
“I gave it to my agents, and they didn’t pay any attention to it.” Classic. To learn how Weiner broke through with “Mad Men,” go here. And here is the trailer for season 3: