Doug Jung’s Hollywood path is a fairly well-worn one: Working an admin job in the field you want to be in as a writer, spec-ing shows on the side, making connections, getting repped, and getting paid. But lest we give you the impression that it’s an easy path, or one that everyone can succeed on, we are quick to point out his years of hard work developing skills and trying to get read, his obvious talent, and the dash of kismet that got his unread script out from under his agent’s desk. Read on for details…

Current project(s): I am the Executive Producer/Co-Creator of “Dark Blue” on TNT. We are filming our second season, tentatively set to premiere in early June. I am also in the middle of adapting a book called “The Last Duel,” which is based on true events in 14^th century France, as a film project for Paramount.

College & degree: I have a BA in Fine Arts from NYU’s Tisch School.

Internship: I had a very good internship at “Saturday Night Live.” I was a Production Assistant in their film unit, which does all of the out-of-studio content for the show, which at the time was “Toonces the Driving Cat,” in addition to the fake commercials.

First job in the entertainment industry: I worked for a director on a Savoy Pictures Studios movie, then became a Production Assistant at Amblin (when it was in the process of turning into DreamWorks.) From there, I worked as an executive assistant for Darryl Frank, a TV executive at DreamWorks Television (now President of DreamWorks Television).

Big break: When my feature film spec script, CONFIDENCE, was optioned by LionsGate and then ultimately was produced.

Eureka moment: I’d been working for years steadily and I took a job on a movie rewrite that I didn’t believe in, didn’t really like. I woke up every morning thinking about how NOT worth it it was. I realized at that point the long-term benefit of only doing things that you are passionate about, which is beyond monetary rewards.

Career path: While I was working for Darryl, I was writing TV specs. (Note: TV specs are samples scripts of current TV shows similar to the ones you want to work on in order to demonstrate your abilities.) I got an agent off of a TV spec and, from there, I started getting work in TV. I got some freelance episodes, and I worked very briefly on a miniseries called “Taken,” then on a drama originally for TNT (which aired elsewhere), ”Breaking News.” While doing that, I created the spec for CONFIDENCE. I sent it to my TV agent who promptly (literally) put it under his desk.

I had a general meeting with a producer who asked if I had any movie scripts. I sent him CONFIDENCE. After reading it, he contacted Brad Mendelsohn, then a film agent at the agency where I was repped for TV, to find out who repped me for movies. Brad stopped by my TV agent’s office and asked if I was his client and then asked him if I had a film script. My TV agent bent down and brought the script out from under the desk and handed it to Brad. Brad became my agent and then, when he left the agency, my manager. The man who read my script became one of the producers of CONFIDENCE.

Describe a typical work day in your current position: When I get to the office, which is on the Warner Bros. lot, I check in with the other writers to find out if anyone needs help with anything. Depending on what’s going on overall, either we gather in the writer’s room to work on story ideas, or I work on an outline or a script. After lunch, I tend to whatever is happening with other aspects of the show- casting issues, production issues, network or producer questions. It’s all about trying to keep everything above water.

Worst job (or day) in entertainment industry: I had written a pilot that I really, really loved and put a lot into and it was moving along with a lot of enthusiasm and then, at the one yard line, it wasn’t picked up. I remember being really crushed because I was so invested in it.

Best job (or day) in entertainment industry: Any day when I’m alone and I’m writing something and it’s working and there’s no hint of doubt about what I’m doing and at the end of the day, I know where I’m going tomorrow- then it’s just the greatest job in the world.

Best thing about your current job: Working with other creative people and also, in this world of TV, you see the whole process from idea to script to pre-production to shooting to editing. You don’t feel worry about whether it will see the light of day- it’s going to happen, it’s going to go from an idea you get to the finished episode being on TV.

Worst thing about your current job: It’s the most like a day job I’ve had since I had a day job. In other words, I have to be somewhere at a certain time. And it’s unrelenting. You have to constantly feed the machine.

Brush with greatness (can be a celebrity encounter or just being exposed to someone being brilliant at what they do): Working with Dustin Hoffman. That was good.

Secret of your success/advice to the newbie: I’ve never heard of any two people doing it the same way. You have to play to your strengths and be true to yourself. If you know what you’re good at and determine your own self worth, people will see that. But if you pretend to be something just because it’s in vogue or something otherwise you are not, people will see that, too. I couldn’t pretend to be a romantic comedy writer, for instance.

Next move: I’m in a fortunate position where I can wait and make things happen that are meaningful to me, as opposed to going for a “job.” This goes back to my earlier comment about if you’re doing something that you like and feel passionate about, people can sense that and the work is more fulfilling.

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Tags: Confidence, Dark Blue, Doug Jung, Producer, screenwriter, The Last Duel, TV Producer

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 9:45 pm and is filed under Industry Pro - film, Industry Pro - TV, producer, writer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.