Showrunner Sessions is our ongoing event series where we go one-on-one with a showrunner (or showrunning team) to find out, “What exactly does a showrunner do?” Find out what they look for in a writing staff, the lessons they’ve learned on the job, and their approaches to running the writers’ room.
For this session, we learn from Carlton Cuse, the co-creator and showrunner of AppleTV+ limited series Five Days at Memorial. The seasoned showrunner of series such as Locke & Key, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Bates Motel, and LOST shares his approach to the job, from how he staffs his rooms and what skills he’s had to cultivate to how he adapts real-life events for television. Moderated by fellow showrunner Shawn Ryan (S.W.A.T., The Shield).
Panel starts at 5:00pm Pacific time.
After signing up, you’ll receive information on how to access the Zoom panel.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at events@wgfoundation.org.
About the Panelist
Working variously as a creator, writer, producer and director, Carlton Cuse is one of the most successful and well-regarded showrunners in television. He is best known for LOST, for which he served as writer, showrunner and Executive Producer with Damon Lindelof for all six seasons of the Emmy winning show.
Most recently, Carlton Cuse developed, wrote, and directed the critically acclaimed AppleTV+ show, FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL, in partnership with Academy Award winner John Ridley. In addition, Cuse was a developer, writer, director, and co-showrunner alongside Meredith Averill for all three seasons of the global hit, LOCKE & KEY for Netflix.
Cuse is also the co-creator of TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN, Amazon Prime's most watched series to date and served as showrunner, writer, director and Executive Producer for the first two seasons.
His other television credits include: BATES MOTEL (A&E), THE STRAIN (FX), COLONY (USA), NASH BRIDGES (CBS), MARTIAL LAW (CBS), and THE ADVENTURES OF BRISCO COUNTY, JR. (FOX).
Cuse has won two Emmys and received ten Emmy Nominations for his work.
Among his other honors, Cuse has won a Writer’s Guild Award, Peabody Award, Golden Globe Producers Guild Award, three AFI Awards, The Jules Verne Award, four Saturn Awards, The Saturn Legacy Award, the Variety Creative Leadership Award and the People’s Choice Award, and he was named to Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.