job at gameshow

April 19, 2007 6:40 AM

I have a ridiculously specific dream job.

Lately I've been thinking that I should at least make an effort to try and do a job that I don't hate. While I was thinking this, I figured why not reach for the stars? So, with that in mind:

I would like to be a question writer for a gameshow. Unfortunately, I have not the slightest clue about how to go about trying to do that. Does anyone have any insight?

posted by josher71 to work & money (15 comments total)

Have you tried contacting the writing staff at any existing game shows?
posted by cortex at 6:44 AM on April 19, 2007

I know you're shooting for the stars here, but have you deliberately excluded the idea of being a question writer for board games, online games, and the like? Or working to develop your own game?
posted by hermitosis at 6:44 AM on April 19, 2007

I'd probably start working my social network to find people who worked for endemol or other game show production companies. Track down the producers, make friends with them, and show them your writing samples...
posted by jenkinsEar at 6:49 AM on April 19, 2007

Hermitosis, I have not excluded those at all. I just would have the same question.

Cortex, not yet, but today.

jenkinsEar, I had even heard of endemol, thanks.
posted by josher71 at 6:54 AM on April 19, 2007

Making friends with the productions is a bit extreme and pretty unlikely, just send query letters to the quiz shows. They all employ freelance question writers (at least in the UK) and will point you in the right direction.
posted by ninebelow at 7:22 AM on April 19, 2007

When I lived in LA, I was a test contestant for a game show that was in development. The production company asked me at a later point, once the show was picked up, if I wanted to come on full-time as a production assistant. If I had taken it, that would have been a gig that could lead to question writing , but I really think that is one of the very few ways it can be done. You have to be there, get your foot in the door, and really get to know the game show business at all the angles.

Your other, more ambitious and risky option, is to create your own show, shoot a "mock" episode or two and pitch it to various production companies. You could say that what you are really interested in doing is writing and development.
posted by mrmojoflying at 7:23 AM on April 19, 2007

One way to bulk up your resume might be to have some questions accepted by the National Academic Quiz Tournaments. They even pay.
posted by blueshammer at 7:26 AM on April 19, 2007

What mrmojoflying said -- try doing that on a small scale, such as a game show for your local public-access station, using contestants from your town.
posted by davidmsc at 7:32 AM on April 19, 2007

Separate to the great suggestions above.. I'm imagining it's not actually a single full-time job. I mean, there's only so many shows and so many questions. I'm guessing even the people who write questions for Trivial Pursuit aren't at it full-time.

I'd imagine it's a job that rests in tandem with other responsibilities, such as assisting production on the show or being in charge of adjudication, etc.
posted by wackybrit at 7:55 AM on April 19, 2007

I saw a documentary about trivial pursuit and how a couple/few guys started writing questions on napkins, borrowed a bunch of money from friends )made them investors), made the game and made zillions.
posted by imaswinger at 8:32 AM on April 19, 2007

I saw a documentary about trivial pursuit and how a couple/few guys started writing questions on napkins, borrowed a bunch of money from friends )made them investors), made the game and made zillions.

Don't get me started on this. They were friends of my uncle. (St.Catharines/Thorold/Brock U.) They even asked him to particpate as well as loan money, but my grandparents discouraged him... "vat, vhy vould you put money into a stupid game"....

Sigh.
posted by jkaczor at 9:08 AM on April 19, 2007

A guy I know was a question writer for Ben Stein's show on Comedy Central back in the day (Win Ben Stein's Money). I'll see if I can find out how he got into that job, but he's a comedy writer and this was just one of many jobs as he's moved up in the biz. He also interned for South Park, so I think you may just have to get in the industry somehow and work at it. Being a writer and being there seem like the two first steps in this scenario.
posted by shinynewnick at 10:10 AM on April 19, 2007

A guy I went to elementary school with was in California writing for "Chain Reaction" on the Game Show Network. He had previously written his own wold puzzles, worked his way up to Puzzle Magazine, had a few gigs in Boston, and is now a writer for Buena Vista productions.

So I think another way to do it is to self-produce content (online is probably the best way to do this) and see if that can translate into a job. Also, I think he was an English major in college.
posted by landedjentry at 10:33 AM on April 19, 2007

*word
posted by landedjentry at 10:34 AM on April 19, 2007

My company was asked to make questions for a game show. Or at least, a treasure hunt for a game show. Why? Because, among other things, we make puzzle games. How do we hire people? Two ways. Firstly, we put out an ad for puzzle designers and ask them to submit puzzle ideas. If we like them, we get them on board as freelancers, and if they work out really well and we need extra permanent resource, we might get them full time. Alternatively we look at people who already design puzzles (there is a community of them online) and contact them directly.

There's not an awful lot of demand for puzzle creators. My advice is to make a bunch for fun, put them online, spread the word around. If they're good, they'll get noticed, and things will go on from there. But it could take time.
posted by adrianhon at 4:47 PM on April 19, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]