Episode 9: Nicole Ranadive

Home Town: Berkeley, CA

Current Town: Valley Village, CA

What are you working on now?: Currently chasing a couple books to potentially develop into a series and/or feature, developing an original The Ring-esque pilot about a haunted high school play, and trying my best to stay on this side of sane through these last 5 years. Oh and still trying to staff after being off through the pandemic. The hustle never ends.

Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as a writer or as a person: Well I didn’t realize I was a writer until I moved here to LA. I did always know I wanted to be in the industry as I’ve loved TV and movies my whole life, just didn’t know in what capacity. But once I started working, I realized quickly that I was a creator. I wanted to be the one to dream up the world and the characters and the story. So I tried writing a script and it was hard, and that script was bad, but I had found my thing and there was no turning back.

If you could change one thing about television, what would it be?: Make it more accessible again. There are too many different platforms we need to independently pay for now. Cable, plus premium, plus streaming outlets. It gets pretty expensive pretty fast if you’re trying to keep up with it all. I love the options, just not the cost barrier for anyone who can’t afford to enjoy.

Who are or were your television heroes?: As in characters? It started with Velma Dinkley from SCOOBY DOO, then I discovered CHARLIE'S ANGELS in syndication and I wanted to be Kelly Garrett. Dana Scully. Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley (they’re movie heroines, I know, but still). And honestly, combined they make a pretty accurate reflection of who I like to aspire to be. Smart, glamorous, crafty, determined, heroic, problem solving, bad-ass.

What kind of television excites you?: Any kind of horror. I specifically love everything Mike Flanagan has been doing – THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE/BLY MANOR/MIDNIGHT MASS. I love and miss monster of the week shows like X-FILES & BUFFY. Horror with a sense of humor. I, of course, love love female forward and female led content. But anything that can surprise me really. As a constant consumer and creator, it feels like that’s harder to do since our job is anticipating story, but when it happens and you get drawn in, I love it.

Can you talk about what the writers room for 24 was like to have to stretch a full day into a season?: I’ll tell you, it wasn’t easy. Try to imagine, we created 24 episodes of TV a season. That’s unheard of anymore. And before I was on staff, I was the Script Coordinator – a support staff job that is basically keeper of every draft of every script, and part of my job was tracking character and story, so it was a beast but it was amazing training. Making a real time story over one full day was tricky, but we gave ourselves goalposts throughout the season and tried to build to those big events. Unfortunately that many episodes ate up a lot of story pretty fast so we were guilty of repeating ourselves once or twice just to keep the train moving, but since it was all intertwined, one thread pulled could unravel the whole thing if we weren’t careful and there was never enough time for that, so we had to be meticulous.

What advice do you have for TV writers just starting out?: I didn’t realize how brutal this business would be as a writer. I thought the job everyone was after was actor or director, writer won’t be as competitive. Ha. And it’s been tough, very up and down. But I truly can’t imagine doing anything else. Advice I’d say, and this is really hard and I still struggle with it, but try not to compare yourself or your journey to anyone else. It’s so easy to look around and see others doing what looks like “better” or they’re farther along than you or seemingly more successful. But your journey is your journey and what’s meant for you will be yours. This business ain’t a meritocracy, meaning it’s rarely fair or balanced. It’s built on relationships, luck and timing, perseverance, and somewhere in there is also talent.

Any Plugs?: Nothing I can really plug right now except maybe a meta plug for this blog? You’re already here, but come back and read this blog again next week! And support Horror. Go see horror movies and watch horror shows so we can keep making more of them.

Nicole is a genre screen and TV writer. She started her career as an Assistant and Script Coordinator before landing her first Staff Writing job at 24. She’s also written for DAWSON'S CREEK, HAWAII 5-0, and THE LIBRARIANS. She thinks you have it in you and she just wants you to be happy.