The Eleven Laws of Showrunning
What if the secret to killer social media content lies in the world of TV showrunning? Javier Grillo-Marxuach’s "The Eleven Laws of Showrunning" offers profound insights that can transform how we create and manage content on social media. These principles, rooted in leadership and creativity, provide a blueprint for producing engaging and consistent content that captures and retains audience attention.
The document is 25 pages long, but it is well worth reading. Here is a quick summary:
Here’s a summary of each law:
It’s All About You, Stop Making It All About You: Recognize that while the show reflects your vision, the team’s contribution is crucial. Inspire and involve them rather than ruling by fear.
Know Your Show and Tell Everyone What It Is: Clearly define and communicate the show’s tone, story, and characters. Consistent messaging ensures everyone is aligned.
Always Describe a Path to Success: Provide clear directives so your team knows what is expected. Clear goals reduce stress and foster creativity.
Make Decisions Early and Often: Prompt decision-making allows the team to execute effectively. Avoiding decisions leads to inefficiency and frustration.
Do Not Demand a Final Product at the Idea Stage: Understand that initial pitches and outlines are rough drafts. Give your team the space to develop ideas.
Write and Rewrite Quickly: Timely scripts are essential for the production process. Fast writing and rewriting help maintain the show’s momentum.
Track Multiple Targets Efficiently by Delegating Responsibility: Utilize your writers as extensions of your vision. Delegate tasks to manage the numerous aspects of production.
Resist the Siren Call of the “Sexy Glamorous Jobs”: Focus on the essential storytelling work in the writers' room rather than being distracted by the allure of other departments.
Expect Your Staff to Perform at Varying Levels of Competence: Recognize and mentor your team according to their experience and abilities. Constructive feedback helps them grow.
Deliver Good and Bad News Early and Often: Transparency builds trust and ensures everyone is prepared. Control the narrative by being upfront about issues.
Share Credit for Success to a Fault: Acknowledge the contributions of your team. Generosity with credit fosters loyalty and morale.
Adapting TV showrunning laws to our social media approach can make a big difference. Javier Grillo-Marxuach’s "The Eleven Laws of Showrunning" help us stay focused, creative, and efficient. Let’s embrace these principles to create social media content that captivates our audience and strengthens our brand.
