Katie Gruel
Since arriving in LA from Oklahoma, Katie Gruel has killed four people, and she shows every chance of killing again. In her pilots.
Growing up in suburbia, she knew that the drama wouldn’t come to her. She’d have to make some herself. So armed with a BFA in Playwriting from the University of Oklahoma, she drove to LA, where she knew no one. Her way into the industry was via a string of assistant jobs.
It started with two film internships at Red Wagon Entertainment and Maguire Entertainment (Tobey Maguire). She then assisted a lit agent at William Morris, a TV buyer at CBS Studios, where she was part of the development of The Good Wife and the 90210 reboot. Then she assisted a producer at Simon West Productions. With a random stint along the way as a hand model in the movie The Mechanic (who put her hand dangerously close to a garbage disposal).
The break came when she started assisting the Showrunner of TNT’s crime series, Perception. During that time, her Shameless spec won her a semi-final slot in the Disney/ABC Writing Program and Top 5% for the Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop. By Season Two, she’d risen to a Writers’ Assistant, and then by Season Three, she became Staff Writer. That was three years ago. She has since written on Dominion and Channel Zero (both SyFy), and Shades of Blue (NBC).
Katie is represented by The Shuman Company and ICM Partners.
Testimonials
The Script Anatomy process is amazing. I really feel like I can write any script from here on out using their process. I can see that this will help a writer once they get staffed too because it really breaks story in such an amazing way. I’m already in the next class writing the pilot. I’m excited to see a first draft! Great classes! Thanks!
The Televisionary Workshop is the HGH of TV Writing. Having taken many classes, none have prepared me so thoroughly for a first draft. The Script Anatomy tools helped me delve deep into the theme and tracking of my spec script, allowing me to get to a solid outline in a very short amount of time. The notes from my instructor were thorough and balanced, challenging me to be my best while remaining respectful of my ideas. For the first time in my writing career, the transition from outline to first draft was seamless. I can’t say enough great things.
The system at Script Anatomy for the Televisionary class is streamline, elegant, and rigorous. Each week we were met with assignments that deepened the understanding of our OWN stories.