Scavuzzo, Stenholm and the Energy Behind "Fission"

Joey Scavuzzo & Scott Stenholm - talented producers, screenwriters, co-scribes of the edgy historic episodic "Fission"... and together winners of Filmmatic's Season 8 Pitch Now screenwriting competition. Some great Q&A with these writers-to-watch...

1)  How long have you been writing?

JOEY: In a professional capacity, for about 17 years. Around 2009, I sprinted from a career in Finance/Consulting in Chicago and pivoted to an equally lucrative career in independent improv comedy… where I almost immediately also started writing sketches. But creative writing has been ever-present in my life.

My first memory of “Hey… this is fun and could actually be a thing I wanna do until I die.” was around 7th grade or… 206 years ago. I won an essay contest hosted by our local American Legion Post. I forget what the essay’s prompt was, probably something patriotic as hell, but what I distinctly remember was how proud my stoic Korean War Vet grandpa was in the back of the room when I read my piece. His delight, as his Cool Filter King dangled from his mouth, opened my eyes to the impact story telling could have.

2)  What screenwriting training have you received?

JOEY: I don’t have formal screenwriting training. I did study at The Second City’s Conservatory in Chicago, where I learned the fundamentals of scenic story structure, clear stakes and motivated, three-dimensional characters. Albeit through a comedic lens, but all that absolutely applies in dramatic writing, as well.

Frankly, the most impactful thing for me has been reading produced scripts. The first I ever read was AIRPLANE!. I just found it online one day. Seeing how other writers structure dialogue, creatively use description lines, and employ elements like parentheticals has been immeasurably helpful. As I work through my own projects, I’m constantly referring to other writers’ work to see how they do certain things. So to me… training isn’t past tense. It’s perpetual.

As was the case being a writers’ assistant on The Good Wife. I can’t explain how fortunate I was to have that as my first experience in a TV writers’ room. The kindness and talent of that staff was remarkable. Being in that room was like getting paid to get my MBA and MFA in TV simultaneously.

Lastly, the lesson I probably think about most often came from a YouTube video I saw where Matt Stone and Trey Parker spoke at NYU’s Tisch. They explain the “But… Therefore…” plotting device used in the South Park writer’s room. Every writer should watch that video.

3)  What writing habits work for of you?  Do you write in short or long shifts, at scheduled times?

JOEY: This is something I think about a lot. Meaning… sometimes I don’t think I write enough. Other times I need to force myself to close the laptop and step away because I don’t think I’ve blinked or peed for 7 hours. Which means, neither has Diane… my dog. We both need to get out.

When I write, I typically work in long shifts. That’s a function of a couple things. One: I feel confident when I have a firm handle on the story, characters and/or research and I wanna ride that dragon as long as possible. Two: I don’t know where this comes from, but I get this physiological discomfort when I feel I’m not ending a writing session in a good place. How do I define that? No clue. Subjective every time. But this usually means I’ll write until I feel I’m ending in a strong spot. Which could be hours.

Of course, I’ll jot thoughts down from time to time in my Notes app or open the laptop and scribble something I want to memorialize. But long shifts, at night, when the world has gone quiet, tends to be the norm for me. Recently, I’ve been actively trying to normalize my working hours.

4)  Do you take on any other roles in the industry, and how do they influence your writing & project choices?

JOEY:
 Most certainly. I learned early that if I want to make a career of writing for TV, or any medium for that matter, I need to come at it from as many angles as possible. Banking on a script selling, much less going into production, is a great way to get my car repossessed. And also put myself in an emotional hell hole. Which only negatively impacts literally everything else I’m trying to do.

I’ve been a set PA, Post PA, Writers PA, Writers Assistant, writer/producer on a docseries, writer/producer on podcasts and I’ve also just said yes to work that seems fun and interesting. I collabed with narrative artist/director Hebru Brantley in a mini-room for a feature script and did some copywriting for an immersive art installation he created a few years back. Those experiences were both a total privilege and majorly rewarding creatively.

All this has a threefold benefit – I’m flexing different creative muscles, learning the business from practice and not just theory and am organically exposed to new folks who diversify my creative thinking and industry network.

So, saying yes to work opportunities I otherwise wouldn’t have provides stability in my life, which allows me to do my best writing and be strategic in what I spend my time on.

How has this influenced my project choices? Like I mentioned, early on my goal was to write something that would sell. While I’m proud of that work, it’s ultimately coming from a place of desperation. So today I truly try to only work on projects that authentically excite me. Like FISSION. Which is the brainchild of EP Scott Stenholm. So enough out of me…

5)  Our judges loved your episodic historic drama "Fission", how would you describe the project to our readers?

SCOTT: I genuinely appreciate that, thank you. FISSION is a limited series drama based on actual events. Of course the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remain the only mass casualty events involving nuclear weapons since their invention in 1945.

However, between 1956 and 1983, there were six separate incidents involving nuclear weapons that nearly ended in global catastrophe. FISSION is the first scripted project about each of these declassified events and the small number of people who saved us all.

6)   How did you devise the premise behind the "Fission" series?  

SCOTT: Just over 15 years ago, while working on Real Time with Bill Maher, I spent the better part of an afternoon with former President Jimmy Carter prior to his appearance on the show. During some downtime, I asked him about an incident that occurred in the waning months of his presidency in which the U.S. came within a mere six minutes of launching a full scale nuclear attack against the Soviet Union. He graciously shared with me his insights and concerns regarding that day as well as the ongoing, existential threat posed by nuclear armament.

Years later, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and given the renewed Cold War between NATO and Russia, I began to research and inquire if there have been other incidents similar to the one I discussed with President Carter. There have been dozens; the six I chose for this series being the most perilous.

7).  Do you have any key collaborators or advisors attached to this project, given its technical nature?

SCOTT: We are in official collaboration with The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists which was co-founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein and a group of scientists from the Manhattan Project. The organization is best known for its annual Doomsday Clock.

Our technical advisor is the Bulletin’s CEO and president, Alexandra Bell. Alex served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Nuclear Affairs in the Obama Administration.

Our consulting producer is former Biden White House Communications Director, Ben LaBolt. Ben also served as deputy White House Press Secretary in the Obama Administration.

8)  What are you working on now?  What do you plan on writing in the near future?  

JOEY: Aside from getting FISSION across the finish line… I’m all over the map here. The projects I have run the gamut from an adult animated sitcom to a federal legal procedural to a gritty 60-minute premium drama. I clearly do not ascribe to the antiquated school of thought of “Are you a drama or comedy writer?” It’s 2026. A good story is a good story. Period.

At the forefront of my mind, at the moment, are stories about identity through the lens of addiction and recovery. It’s a deeply personal subject to me and that’s always a beautiful starting point.

SCOTT: At the moment, bringing FISSION to life is paramount. The people at the center of these stories are unsung heroes. We owe it to them and their families - several of whom we’ve come to know personally – to have these stories told in a manner that befits the gravity of these historic events that are unfortunately crucially relevant today. Last week The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the Doomsday Clock is now the closest it has ever been to the end of the world.

On that light note, I too am a bit all over the map. I am EP’ing a true crime drama series. I’m also developing a podcast about the role narrative storytelling in film a television can have in combating our growing mental health crises including isolation, loneliness, and anxiety. Something I strongly believe should be Hollywood’s pitch to the world to keep us around.

9)  Where would you like to be writing-wise, and industry career-wise, in 3 years?

JOEY: Showrunning a series that launches a production company which produces entertaining and socially and culturally important stories across all media: scripted, unscripted, podcasts, books and digital.

SCOTT: At the risk of being labeled a plagiarist, my answer is virtually identical to Joey’s.

10)  Any guidance for those about to write their first (historic) episodic series?  

JOEY: Be a journalist first. Cold call. Talk to people who know more than you. Research. But not at the expense of progress on the page. And I don’t recall where I heard it, but I love this quote: “Don’t let perfect get in the way of great.”

SCOTT: Again, I second all of that. From a creator’s standpoint, I cannot overstate the importance of partnering with a writer who is as passionate about the project as you are. Having a writer and producing partner like Joey has been invaluable from day one. Working alongside people who are dedicated, flexible, and thoughtful makes collaboration effortless. That they are also incredibly talented is an added bonus.

PROJECT WEBSITE: 
https://fissionseries.info

SCAVUZZO BIO

Joey is a writer, executive producer, showrunner, and creative executive whose career spans scripted television, docuseries, premium podcasts, and digital-first storytelling. His TV producing and writing credits include How to Become a Mob Boss (Netflix), The Good Fight (Paramount+), and The Good Wife (CBS), which the Writers Guild of America named one of the best written TV series of all time.

The 3rd of four boys from an Irish/Italian family, Joey’s late mother was a Catholic school principal and his father was a suburban-Chicago cop for 30 years. All his brothers were talented basketball players, but Joey grew up playing valve trombone and double fisting Hot Pockets. So a weight problem forced him to wear his grandpa’s hand-me-downs. From ages 11-17, Joey looked like a haggard POW.

STENHOLM BIO

Scott is an Emmy-nominated creator and executive producer whose work includes acclaimed original streaming series for HBO, Hulu, YouTube Originals, Participant Media, the BBC, NatGeo, The Springhill Company, The Jim Henson Company, Disney+ and as Lead Creative Producer for Amazon Studios.

The inspiration for his career began in his hometown of Hinsdale, a small Chicago suburb that served as a location for three major studio films during his childhood: A League of Their Own, Dennis the Menace, and Backdraft. Having been bullied as a child, Scott found solace, perspective, and inspiration in narrative film and television. He also maintains what some might consider an unhealthy obsession with the Chicago Cubs.

Congratulations once again to screenwriters Joey Scavuzzo & Scott Stenholm, our Season 8 Pitch Now Winners. All contact and script requests for our winners will be forwarded to their attention.