Priyanka Mattoo Author Archive
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Priyanka Mattoo

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Priyanka Mattoo is a Los Angeles–based writer and filmmaker whose memoir, Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones, will be out from Knopf this summer. She was formerly a talent agent at UTA and WME.

  1. advice
    How to Be a (Good) Boss in HollywoodThe outdated playbook is best left behind, and now’s your opportunity to create a better one.
  2. advice
    How to Get Through the WGA Strike As an Aspiring WriterIt might feel hopeless now, but there is a place for you in this industry — one that’ll be more sustainable after a deal is reached.
  3. advice
    What’s the Best Way to Find a Mentor in Hollywood During Lockdown?Some of the most helpful people in this business are those who have just gotten a foot in the door and are holding it open for you as well.
  4. advice
    How Do I Stay Creatively Motivated When the World Is Ending?Stuck at home due to the coronavirus and feeling pressured to write your big masterpiece? Here’s some advice.
  5. money
    How Do I Survive in Hollywood on an Assistant’s Salary?It’s not so easy if you aren’t one of the rich kids.
  6. advice
    What 4 Showrunners Look for When Staffing a Writers RoomMike Schur, Nahnatchka Khan, Liz Flahive, and Carly Mensch offer some helpful advice.
  7. hollywood
    What’s the Difference Between an Agent and a Manager?As the WGA-ATA dispute continues, let’s break down these two similar but separate gigs.
  8. advice
    Fighting the Scourge of the ‘30 Under 30’ ListThe big things you want are entirely unrelated to when the world decides it wants to notice you.
  9. oscar diaries
    What It’s Like to Go to the Oscars With a Nominee (Who Wins!)100 hours of parties, back facials, screaming babies, and, finally, the Oscar.
  10. advice
    Will Having a Baby Slow Down My Career?Women in the business should be asking for (and getting) everything right now.
  11. advice
    A Pep Talk for the Hopeless Aspiring Comedy Writer“There are no prizes for carving out the quickest path to acting or writing.”
  12. advice
    How Do I Amicably Break Up With My Writing Partner?Breakups can be rough — even professional ones.
  13. advice
    How Do I Deal With Harassment at My New TV Writing Job?“These bullies are very much a type in Hollywood that I’ve seen many times over.”
  14. How Do I Get My Web Series Noticed by the Right People?It’s so discouraging to feel like you keep sending your work out into a void, isn’t it?
  15. The Business of Being a Young Woman in the BusinessIs it possible to be successful and maintain morals in this industry when you feel like “the bad guys” are winning?
  16. A Grab-Bag of Advice and Insider Comedy Business Information Listen to “Priyanka Mattoo” on Spreaker. As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name […]
  17. The Pilot Script ChecklistA checklist to follow before sending your pilot script out into the world of show business.
  18. Elif Batuman’s ‘The Possessed’ Finds Absurdity and Sadness in Grad School 2016 was a very, very bad year no matter how you slice it. In tough times, comedy is often a form of escape that people turn to when they […]
  19. How Do You Stay Motivated When Your Friends Are Finding Success and You […] As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV […]
  20. Being a Well-Rounded Person Is More Important to Working in Comedy Than […] As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV […]
  21. How Does One Become an Agent? As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV […]
  22. comedy
    How Do You Know If Your Comedy Script Is Good?If you’ve only shown your friends your script, how do you know if it’s really funny?
  23. How Do You Network in the Comedy World? As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV […]
  24. How Does One Get a Job as a Writer’s Assistant? As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV […]
  25. Do You Have to Move to New York or LA to Make It in Comedy? As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV […]
  26. How Exactly Does Someone Pitch a TV Show?Feel like you’re stuck in an industry vacuum? Here are the ingredients to a good pitch.
  27. What the Hell Does a Producer Actually Do?“Producer” encompasses such a variety of tasks, but hopefully this gives you an idea of what the people who throw the word around are actually doing.
  28. How to Network in the Comedy WorldAs a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV production […]
  29. What Comedy PaysAfter my last column on getting a book optioned, it has become clear that many readers who want to go into comedy aren’t sure what it pays, […]
  30. advice
    How Does a Book Get Optioned and Become a Movie?As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV production […]
  31. Do Film School Grads Have an Advantage Entering the Industry?As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV production […]
  32. How Does One Become a Successful Comedic Actor?As a former comedy agent at UTA and WME, Priyanka represented numerous big-name writers and performers before leaving to start a TV production […]
  33. How Does an Aspiring TV Writer Get Discovered by an Agent?So you want to be a TV writer but you’ve written pilot scripts that haven’t really gone anywhere. Here’s how to get an agent’s attention.