Meet Martin Olson

We recently connected with Martin Olson and have shared our conversation below.

Martin, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I’m a comedy writer. I’ve had a writing agent in Hollywood and worked for Walt Disney Studios etc. since the ’80’s. As a young boy I would play with puppets acting out various ridiculous characters. This was a natural way to transform insanity into becoming a writer.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
WHAT’S YOU’RE CURRENT JOB?

Presently (Spring 2024) I’m a comedy writer/songwriter for Walt Disney Studios, on staff for their animated series “Phineas and Ferb.” I originally wrote on that series in 2006 when it began, and was on staff until the series ended in 2015.

A year ago (2023) I got a call to be on staff for the reboot, which might go for another 2-5 years? This time my writer-songwriter daughter Olivia Olson was also hired on staff as my writing partner. So far it’s been a very fun, creative job, working with old friends I’ve known since the 80’s.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIALTY IN YOUR FIELD?

Yeah! Since early in my writing career writing for comedians, I became known for writing more off-beat, surreal comedy. This niche was a good one since it gave me the opportunity to write for “crazier” comedians and for less mainstream TV shows. Luckily I never focused on making money for some reason, which was fortunate, since writers don’t make much dough! But it’s been steady work! And it was lucky that I became a TV songwriter, which has turned out to be a lucrative, long-lasting gig.

HOW DO YOU JUGGLE YOUR WORK LIFE WQITH YOUR HOME LIFE?

It was fortunate that my wife, son, and daughter are all very creative and have been my co-writers throughout my career. So I’ve had a relatively happy and fun family life and professional life. Kay, Casey and Olivia always helped me come up with story ideas, gags and even songs through the years.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SIDE PROJECTS YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

I also write books, comic books and video games, and have played piano for live comedy shows since 1978 when I started working in comedy clubs.

Now I play piano for Ron Lynch’s Tomorrow Show, a comedian showcase in Hollywood, for The Abed Hour, an eccentric talk show for the Rob Schrab Network, for the annual awards show The Channies every year, and for a new live comedy show my daughter and I put on every Halloween at the Philosophical Research Society in Hollywood.

I have a new comedy book out published by Feral House Books called “Encyclopaedia of Hell 2: The Conquest of Heaven,” about a crew of incompetent demons who manage to invade Heaven and take over the universe. Hopefully I will finish two more books, one co-written with my son, before I croak. Wish me luck!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I teach writing for a couple wks each year for Rocaberti Writers Retreat, which takes place in medieval castles in France, Italy and Spain. The advice I usually give beginning writers is how I survived through the years in the writing game:

–Get a side job at might while you write during the day. You’ll have to write many spec scripts for no money in order to get an agent and get hired. So for me, getting night or weekend jobs was crucial to getting my specs work done.

–Since it worked for me, I’d recommend writing specs in each category, a fiction or non-fiction book (if that’s your thing), a dramatic one hour pilot about some subject that interests you, a couple of half hour original comedy pilots adapted from short stories you like, and a couple treatments for video games, if that’s also your thing, two treatments for film scripts (3-6 pgs) and two treatments for TV series, same length. (Since your specs will never get made, you don’t need to option the short stories you adapt, just give full credit on your title page).

–From these specs, distill a short, witty, dynamic logline describing the story or series idea. There are many article online explaining way to do this effectively. Use these loglines to create a “pitch deck”, or a pdf presentation with MANY IMAGES to use as the basis of your pitch to an agent, and eventually to studio or network development execs.

–These specs/pitch decks are your tools for getting a writing agent. As you are starting to realize, this is a lot of prep work done for free. That’s why my first suggestion is get a p/t job to pay the rent while you set up your writing career.

–If you’re unable to get an agent after many valiant attempts, join writers groups, take writing classes, make friends with anyone who works for a studio, and network online and in person in as many ways you can figure out. If you do this, it’s very likely that you will eventually find a way in to submit material to a TV show, a film producer, a game company or a publisher.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
DO YOU HAVE WRITING PARTNERS?

Yes, it’s been the most important thing for me. Although my family have helped me come up with ideas continually throufgh the years, I found a like-minded writing partner many years ago. She and I wrote many spec script together, and it made the process fun. Two heads are better than one for sure.

You can approach an agent with a writing partner, and if you come across as a dynamic, friendly, hard-working, savvy duo, this may help you get an agent. It worked for me.

You can also have a pool of writing partners, a different one for each project. Whatever works for you.

Contact Info:

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