Nate Federman
@natefederman.bsky.social
TV writer currently on Big City Greens / Second normal thing / Jamband apologist
Pinned
When I worked on The Office, Greg Daniels had a list of questions he asked of every story. Some were show-specific (eg “Are we saying something truthful if exaggerated about office life?”), but many are applicable to any script. Here’s a little thread on them…
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
Stuffing waffles have become my signature Thanksgiving dish.
www.seriouseats.com/stuffing-waf...
HT: @chopaganda.bsky.social
www.seriouseats.com/stuffing-waf...
HT: @chopaganda.bsky.social
Stuffing Waffles Recipe
Cook your stuffing in a waffle iron to maximize its crispness.
www.seriouseats.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Stuffing waffles have become my signature Thanksgiving dish.
www.seriouseats.com/stuffing-waf...
HT: @chopaganda.bsky.social
www.seriouseats.com/stuffing-waf...
HT: @chopaganda.bsky.social
Name an unheralded profession you have immense respect for.
For me, it’s movers. Two thicc Russians came to my house to take out my broken washer and old dryer. They understood angles and the geometry of tight spaces like they were Euclid. Got them out in 15 minutes - would’ve taken me 15 years.
For me, it’s movers. Two thicc Russians came to my house to take out my broken washer and old dryer. They understood angles and the geometry of tight spaces like they were Euclid. Got them out in 15 minutes - would’ve taken me 15 years.
November 24, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Name an unheralded profession you have immense respect for.
For me, it’s movers. Two thicc Russians came to my house to take out my broken washer and old dryer. They understood angles and the geometry of tight spaces like they were Euclid. Got them out in 15 minutes - would’ve taken me 15 years.
For me, it’s movers. Two thicc Russians came to my house to take out my broken washer and old dryer. They understood angles and the geometry of tight spaces like they were Euclid. Got them out in 15 minutes - would’ve taken me 15 years.
This all makes perfect sense when you understand that the thing Musk wants most in this world (even more than white supremacy) is the one thing his gajillions of dollars can’t buy: the ability to make others laugh.
Everything about this might be the saddest thing I’ve ever seen
November 24, 2025 at 4:38 PM
This all makes perfect sense when you understand that the thing Musk wants most in this world (even more than white supremacy) is the one thing his gajillions of dollars can’t buy: the ability to make others laugh.
In addition to coaching my younger daughter’s AYSO team this season, I reffed 20+ games.
My biggest takeaway: youth sports would be infinitely better if parents were banned from attending games.
That, and that one kid on the green team is a real dick!
My biggest takeaway: youth sports would be infinitely better if parents were banned from attending games.
That, and that one kid on the green team is a real dick!
November 24, 2025 at 3:00 PM
In addition to coaching my younger daughter’s AYSO team this season, I reffed 20+ games.
My biggest takeaway: youth sports would be infinitely better if parents were banned from attending games.
That, and that one kid on the green team is a real dick!
My biggest takeaway: youth sports would be infinitely better if parents were banned from attending games.
That, and that one kid on the green team is a real dick!
I saw David Byrne at the Dolby Theatre (where the Oscars are held) and decided I’d try to combine my job (writing) with one of my biggest passions (live music) for this week’s #Scriptsky #Screenwriting thread. Sounds odd, but the elements that made Bryne’s show so incredible overlap with writing.
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November 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I saw David Byrne at the Dolby Theatre (where the Oscars are held) and decided I’d try to combine my job (writing) with one of my biggest passions (live music) for this week’s #Scriptsky #Screenwriting thread. Sounds odd, but the elements that made Bryne’s show so incredible overlap with writing.
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David Byrne just performed one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. A one of one. Thrilled to scratch that one off my bucket list, but now I’m retroactively mad at myself for never seeing him before.
November 22, 2025 at 7:16 AM
David Byrne just performed one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen. A one of one. Thrilled to scratch that one off my bucket list, but now I’m retroactively mad at myself for never seeing him before.
I didn’t buy the Bill Clinton rumor, but I just witnessed Trump swallow all of Mamdani.
Q: Just days ago you referred to Trump as a 'despot.' Will you retract?
MAMDANI: We're both very clear on our positions & what I really appreciate about the president is our meeting focused not on places of disagreement but shared purpose we have
TRUMP: I've been called much worse than a despot
MAMDANI: We're both very clear on our positions & what I really appreciate about the president is our meeting focused not on places of disagreement but shared purpose we have
TRUMP: I've been called much worse than a despot
November 21, 2025 at 9:44 PM
I didn’t buy the Bill Clinton rumor, but I just witnessed Trump swallow all of Mamdani.
Made a go-to dinner last night: chicken, mashed potatoes, and roasted broccoli. My 11 year old came back from soccer practice and complained that we have it too often. Then she saw I also made gravy and got very excited. The moral of the story is gravy makes everything better (even ungrateful kids).
November 19, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Made a go-to dinner last night: chicken, mashed potatoes, and roasted broccoli. My 11 year old came back from soccer practice and complained that we have it too often. Then she saw I also made gravy and got very excited. The moral of the story is gravy makes everything better (even ungrateful kids).
Big City Greens got an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children’s or Young Teen Animated series. The least disturbing news involving children and young teens you’re likely to read these days.
deadline.com/2025/11/chil...
deadline.com/2025/11/chil...
November 19, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Big City Greens got an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children’s or Young Teen Animated series. The least disturbing news involving children and young teens you’re likely to read these days.
deadline.com/2025/11/chil...
deadline.com/2025/11/chil...
Landman is, among other things, pro-oil propaganda paid for by the oil industry. And sadly, it’s working. I heard a very prominent podcaster discussing how - until he watched - he had no idea that solar energy had as big of a carbon footprint as oil.
www.reddit.com/r/television...
www.reddit.com/r/television...
From the television community on Reddit: Not Sure That This is Well Known, but Landman is Literally Oil Industry Propaganda Paid For by an Organization Created by a Partnership Amongst Nearly Every Oi...
Explore this post and more from the television community
www.reddit.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Landman is, among other things, pro-oil propaganda paid for by the oil industry. And sadly, it’s working. I heard a very prominent podcaster discussing how - until he watched - he had no idea that solar energy had as big of a carbon footprint as oil.
www.reddit.com/r/television...
www.reddit.com/r/television...
I recently read someone’s spec pilot and it left me a little confused. So when I was giving notes, I asked some clarifying questions. So here’s a thread on 3 QUESTIONS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER with your script/pitch.
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity
November 15, 2025 at 3:09 PM
I recently read someone’s spec pilot and it left me a little confused. So when I was giving notes, I asked some clarifying questions. So here’s a thread on 3 QUESTIONS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER with your script/pitch.
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity
My first TV job was a production assistant on Jimmy Kimmel Live. I only talked to Cleto a handful of times, but he could not have been nicer. This is a very sad loss. Cherish the time you have with friends and make stuff with them if you have the chance.
#Scriptsky
youtu.be/0xlVAr6JZ9A
#Scriptsky
youtu.be/0xlVAr6JZ9A
Jimmy Kimmel Remembers His Best Friend and Bandleader Cleto Escobedo III
YouTube video by Jimmy Kimmel Live
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 3:37 PM
My first TV job was a production assistant on Jimmy Kimmel Live. I only talked to Cleto a handful of times, but he could not have been nicer. This is a very sad loss. Cherish the time you have with friends and make stuff with them if you have the chance.
#Scriptsky
youtu.be/0xlVAr6JZ9A
#Scriptsky
youtu.be/0xlVAr6JZ9A
Feels like a good time to take a few days off of social media. Maybe a few years, we’ll see.
November 10, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Feels like a good time to take a few days off of social media. Maybe a few years, we’ll see.
Reposted by Nate Federman
You get staffed on a show. It’s a dream come true. The 1st week is so fun. And then deadlines and notes hit, and people get nasty. Every day is full of stress and difficult situations to navigate.
It’s happened to me a few times. SO HOW DO YOU SURVIVE A TOXIC ROOM?
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
It’s happened to me a few times. SO HOW DO YOU SURVIVE A TOXIC ROOM?
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
November 8, 2025 at 4:02 PM
You get staffed on a show. It’s a dream come true. The 1st week is so fun. And then deadlines and notes hit, and people get nasty. Every day is full of stress and difficult situations to navigate.
It’s happened to me a few times. SO HOW DO YOU SURVIVE A TOXIC ROOM?
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
It’s happened to me a few times. SO HOW DO YOU SURVIVE A TOXIC ROOM?
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
You get staffed on a show. It’s a dream come true. The 1st week is so fun. And then deadlines and notes hit, and people get nasty. Every day is full of stress and difficult situations to navigate.
It’s happened to me a few times. SO HOW DO YOU SURVIVE A TOXIC ROOM?
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
It’s happened to me a few times. SO HOW DO YOU SURVIVE A TOXIC ROOM?
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
November 8, 2025 at 4:02 PM
You get staffed on a show. It’s a dream come true. The 1st week is so fun. And then deadlines and notes hit, and people get nasty. Every day is full of stress and difficult situations to navigate.
It’s happened to me a few times. SO HOW DO YOU SURVIVE A TOXIC ROOM?
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
It’s happened to me a few times. SO HOW DO YOU SURVIVE A TOXIC ROOM?
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
Reposted by Nate Federman
Go Dodgers! but it’s fun to look at this photo as if Yamamoto’s smile is a scream and he is being eaten by his teammates
November 2, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Go Dodgers! but it’s fun to look at this photo as if Yamamoto’s smile is a scream and he is being eaten by his teammates
LA is just more fun when the Dodgers win. Love seeing my neighbors from all over the city all rally around this team.
November 2, 2025 at 4:34 AM
LA is just more fun when the Dodgers win. Love seeing my neighbors from all over the city all rally around this team.
Let’s talk SAVE THE CAT! (Supposedly) The Last Book On #Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need
Let me get this out of the way: I think Save the Cat! is a very good book for beginners and experienced writers alike. But I also have some serious qualms with it! I’ll explain both in this…
#Scriptsky 🧵1
Let me get this out of the way: I think Save the Cat! is a very good book for beginners and experienced writers alike. But I also have some serious qualms with it! I’ll explain both in this…
#Scriptsky 🧵1
November 1, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Let’s talk SAVE THE CAT! (Supposedly) The Last Book On #Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need
Let me get this out of the way: I think Save the Cat! is a very good book for beginners and experienced writers alike. But I also have some serious qualms with it! I’ll explain both in this…
#Scriptsky 🧵1
Let me get this out of the way: I think Save the Cat! is a very good book for beginners and experienced writers alike. But I also have some serious qualms with it! I’ll explain both in this…
#Scriptsky 🧵1
100% this. I might push back a little bit with my bosses on my show (when appropriate), but when it comes to other folks reading stuff I write on spec, nothing more than clarifying questions.
I have learned to take a notepad with me when I get notes. If I feel the urge to debate a note, I write instead. It’s helped me internalize that my role is to LISTEN. I don’t have to take any of the notes, so why look like an idiot by debating someone, telling them what their reaction REALLY was?
October 30, 2025 at 2:26 AM
100% this. I might push back a little bit with my bosses on my show (when appropriate), but when it comes to other folks reading stuff I write on spec, nothing more than clarifying questions.
An aspiring writer I’m friendly with asked me to read his spec pilot. I gave him my thoughts today, and left impressed by him. In my opinion, the script needs a ton of work! But rather than get upset or defensive, he was nothing but appreciative. That’s what impressed me!
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
October 30, 2025 at 2:06 AM
An aspiring writer I’m friendly with asked me to read his spec pilot. I gave him my thoughts today, and left impressed by him. In my opinion, the script needs a ton of work! But rather than get upset or defensive, he was nothing but appreciative. That’s what impressed me!
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting
The article is wild! Definitely worth a read. But even after reading it, I still can’t comprehend why a man would desire a partner devoid of their own thoughts, passions, and curiosities. Is it just rampant insecurity?
A writer tried dating alt-right men as an experiment to learn about them. There is so much going on here I don't even know where to start
www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/...
www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/...
October 29, 2025 at 4:11 PM
The article is wild! Definitely worth a read. But even after reading it, I still can’t comprehend why a man would desire a partner devoid of their own thoughts, passions, and curiosities. Is it just rampant insecurity?
The real treasure was the fruit trays we ate along the way.
October 28, 2025 at 6:57 AM
The real treasure was the fruit trays we ate along the way.
“I like pineapple!”
I like it when a baseball lasts so long the commentators start discussing their favorite fruits.
I like it when a baseball lasts so long the commentators start discussing their favorite fruits.
October 28, 2025 at 6:04 AM
“I like pineapple!”
I like it when a baseball lasts so long the commentators start discussing their favorite fruits.
I like it when a baseball lasts so long the commentators start discussing their favorite fruits.
My grandfather stormed the beaches of Normandy. Hero!
My father survived two years in a Vietcong POW camp. Hero!
I figured out how to get my dishwasher to drain when it was clogged. Even bigger hero!
My father survived two years in a Vietcong POW camp. Hero!
I figured out how to get my dishwasher to drain when it was clogged. Even bigger hero!
October 26, 2025 at 10:43 PM
My grandfather stormed the beaches of Normandy. Hero!
My father survived two years in a Vietcong POW camp. Hero!
I figured out how to get my dishwasher to drain when it was clogged. Even bigger hero!
My father survived two years in a Vietcong POW camp. Hero!
I figured out how to get my dishwasher to drain when it was clogged. Even bigger hero!
Let’s talk PUNCH-UPS.
Punching up a script is the process by which a script that’s working well gets funnier, tighter, and any remaining wrinkles get smoothed out.
I’ve been in hundreds of punch-ups and learned a few lessons along the way…
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Writingcommunity
Punching up a script is the process by which a script that’s working well gets funnier, tighter, and any remaining wrinkles get smoothed out.
I’ve been in hundreds of punch-ups and learned a few lessons along the way…
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Writingcommunity
October 25, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Let’s talk PUNCH-UPS.
Punching up a script is the process by which a script that’s working well gets funnier, tighter, and any remaining wrinkles get smoothed out.
I’ve been in hundreds of punch-ups and learned a few lessons along the way…
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Writingcommunity
Punching up a script is the process by which a script that’s working well gets funnier, tighter, and any remaining wrinkles get smoothed out.
I’ve been in hundreds of punch-ups and learned a few lessons along the way…
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Writingcommunity