Stephen Nolly
oldfactoryfilms.bsky.social
Stephen Nolly
@oldfactoryfilms.bsky.social
Bi-racial AAPI writ/dir, Mentorship Matters Fellow, RespectAbility/Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab fellow, Paramount mentorship and Warner Bros. Writers Workshop Finalist, NYU/Tisch. Horologist, lockpicker, ballroom dancer.
We are so grateful to all the writers that made our ANNUAL A-GAME DIM SUM such a success! Good food. Great stories. Hollywood take note: AANHPI writers have made a shot across the bao.
October 21, 2025 at 10:10 PM
We had an awesome lunch with Noah Evslin (NCIS: Hawai’i, Rescue: HI Surf) who shared his journey from starting live/tweeting while a producer on Grey’s (!!), to becoming a writer known for his specific brand. “Create kinetic energy” by writing new scripts! Keep writing great stories!
October 14, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Such an eye-opening talk about working in television with Marc Guggenheim (Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow). “The script that keeps getting you staffed is probably not the script that’s gonna sell.” Be bold! Tell stories that only YOU can tell. EPs want to see your VOICE!
October 8, 2025 at 12:44 AM
A-Game had an AMAZING lunch with Academy nominees Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (The Fighter, The Outpost, Air Bud) who keep knocking out hits ON SPEC. “Write parts that actors want to play.” Don’t just have things happen to them. If they make CHOICES — that’s compelling.
October 8, 2025 at 12:37 AM
A-Game spoke with Michelle Lee at APPLE, who shared with us how she brought PACHINKO to the screen! At APPLE, they are patrons for artists, and are looking for unique voices to tell the stories we didn’t realize we needed. (Like Ted Lasso!) Thank you, Michelle!
October 2, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Courtney and Diana from AGBO joined us for an A-Game lunch and gave us a peek behind the curtain! What do they look for? A CLEAN BUY-IN on the concept! Make your story easy for them to sell! Thank you, Courtney and Diana!!!
October 1, 2025 at 3:06 AM
A-Game had the tremendous privilege of lunching with @CaroleKirsch. She shared some amazing advice such as: If you want to be known as a certain type of writer, don’t just TELL people that’s what you want — SHOW them by WRITING the script! amzn.to/4mL8tod
September 30, 2025 at 6:38 PM
An awesomely funny and candid A-Game zoom with Steven White (Black-ish, Grown-ish) on how to get recognized for your talents, and how to navigate a comedy room. “Look for the holes!” - as a Staff Writer to help fulfill the needs of the Showrunner! Thank you, Steven! #WheresTheBeef
September 24, 2025 at 9:04 PM
There are some REALLY exciting things happening at HBO Max! Although IP is big right now, VOICE on the page will really get their attention! Thank you, Niki and Jennifer, for giving A-Game such amazing advice!
September 18, 2025 at 9:18 PM
SUCH an inspiring A-Game lunch with Showrunner Ben Watkins (Cross) about creating positive room culture, finding your way in outside the system, and selling your pitch in the room by INFECTING THEM WITH YOUR PURPOSE. Thank you, Ben!
September 15, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Just an AMAZING A-Game zoom with Hillary Levi, who shared with us how to leverage the power of your producer! Your producer and execs are your creative partners! “
They’re not saying “no” to ruin your scripts. Their entire goal is to get someone else to say YES!”
September 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
A MOST inspiring A-Game meeting with Akheya Andrada at Lord Miller for sharing what a writer can do to advance their career, OTHER than being great on the page: Be open to collaboration! These execs want to WORK with you! And also: provide a 1-page change sheet to show you’re listening!
September 8, 2025 at 1:14 AM
A HUGE thank you to Clayton Krueger at Scott Free Productions (Alien Earth, Blade Runner 2049) for showing how they champion the creator’s VOICE - that’s how they find the next emerging talent. Make the pitch COMPELLING! THANK you, Clayton
September 8, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Vivek Kolli shared some amazing strategy advice with us at A-Game! “Not only do you not want to chase trends, but also, look for the ‘White Space’. What are stories that aren’t being told that only YOU can tell.”
THANK YOU for sharing your wisdom with us, Vivek!
September 8, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Just a fantastically honest conversation with showrunner Niceole Levy about staffing, navigating race/passing/ethnic ambiguity, and the first ten pages: “If it’s the ONLY thing theyre going to read of yours, make sure they know what you’re GOOD at.” Thank you, Niceole!
September 8, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Such an affirming meeting with MRC (Poker Face, The Terminal List)!
They are big supporters of the CREATOR’S VOICE! They look at it as a long term investment in WHO they want to work with, rather than just a flashy idea. Advice: Now is not the time to write something down-the-middle!
September 1, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Had an AMAZING A-Game lunch with @vjboydwrites showrunner of “THE MADNESS”, who gave some great career and writing advice. “Don’t submit the script you think they want. Send them the script to at is the most YOU. That’s who they’re looking to meet.”
August 29, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Hannah Baker at Proximity Media (Ryan Coogler: Sinners, Ironheart, Eyes of Wakanda) spoke to us about investing in PEOPLE and how the SCRIPT is really the commodity that shines over pitches when it comes to showing off the world you want to sell. Tell your stories!
August 15, 2025 at 8:37 PM
A-Game had lunch with #legendsoftomorrow EP Ray Utarnachitt! Ray emphasized the importance of building your tribe of fellow writers. “You already know the person who will get you your next job.” Find your people!
August 14, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Grateful to get tacos and maths with these crazy bastards at the Pre-WGA mentoring program!
August 12, 2025 at 10:39 PM
It’s harder than ever to tell our stories, and the bar is higher now more than ever. The one way we can break through: make sure your work on the page is impossible to ignore. Everyone wants to sell good writing. Thank you Jeni Mulein for such an amazing zoom with A-Game!
August 12, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Taking a long lunch with Gersh’s new agent LYRA TAN as she talks about how she sells writers in this market. Some great advice on how to navigate this tine in the industry: “Find the doors that are open and walk through them” Thank you, Lyra!
August 7, 2025 at 2:18 AM
uch an incredibly inspiring meeting with Andrew T Wang at JuVee Productions (Viola Davis’ Co). He talked about finding a way in for our culturally specific stories, and that he wants to protect stories from the development process that “takes something cool and makes it boring.”
August 4, 2025 at 11:51 PM
ust a really inspiring and candid meeting with Alissa Bachner at Tomorrow Studios (Snowpiercer, One Piece) She gave an inside look on what she looks for as a buyer AND a seller, and reminded us that the best way to tell our culturally specific stories is to make them so compelling they can’t say no!
August 1, 2025 at 9:28 PM
An AMAZING A-Game zoom with @mikeroyce.bsky.social of #EverybodyLovesRaymond fame! Hot tip of the day: “Be enthusiastic in the meeting about the show you want to write on!”
July 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM