Role
Showrunner’s Assistant
A Showrunner’s Assistant provides dedicated administrative and information support to the Showrunner across writing, production, post, studio communication, and scheduling. They manage calendars, calls, scripts, notes, meetings, contacts, travel, follow-ups, confidential materials, and competing priorities so the Showrunner can move efficiently among creative and managerial responsibilities.
The assistant is close to sensitive decisions but does not automatically hold writing, producing, or approval authority.
Showrunner’s Assistant connects a defined craft or decision area to the wider production plan. A strong brief clarifies authority, deliverables, schedule, safety expectations, and the handoffs this role owns.
Responsibilities
- Manage a complex calendar, meetings, calls, travel, and changing priorities.
- Prepare and organize scripts, notes, links, contacts, and briefing material.
- Track follow-ups and route communication among room, production, post, and executives.
- Protect confidential story, personnel, business, and performer information.
Tools
- Calendars, email, messaging, and video meetings
- Script and document systems
- Contact and follow-up trackers
- Secure file and review platforms
Documents
- Daily schedule
- Meeting brief
- Script and notes packet
- Follow-up list
Skills
- Executive support
- Discretion
- Prioritization
- Entertainment workflow awareness
Career path
- Showrunner’s Assistants often come from agency desks, production offices, writers’ rooms, executive support, or assistant programs and may move into varied creative or producing paths.
Work environment
- The job is fast-paced, confidential, and tied to the Showrunner’s schedule across offices, rooms, sets, edit reviews, and calls.
Common questions
What is the main responsibility of a Showrunner’s Assistant?
A Showrunner’s Assistant provides dedicated administrative and information support to the Showrunner across writing, production, post, studio communication, and scheduling. They manage calendars, calls, scripts, notes, meetings, contacts, travel, follow-ups, confidential materials, and competing priorities so the Showrunner can move efficiently among creative and managerial responsibilities.
What does a Showrunner’s Assistant do day to day?
Day to day, Showrunner’s Assistant work commonly includes Manage a complex calendar, meetings, calls, travel, and changing priorities., Prepare and organize scripts, notes, links, contacts, and briefing material., and Track follow-ups and route communication among room, production, post, and executives.. The exact balance changes with the production schedule, crew size, and the point at which the role joins the project.
What skills matter most for a Showrunner’s Assistant?
The most useful skills are Executive support, Discretion, Prioritization, and Entertainment workflow awareness. Together, they help the role make dependable decisions, communicate a clear handoff, and respond to notes or changing conditions.
Which tools and documents does a Showrunner’s Assistant use?
Common tools include Calendars, email, messaging, and video meetings, Script and document systems, Contact and follow-up trackers, and Secure file and review platforms. The role also relies on Daily schedule, Meeting brief, Script and notes packet, and Follow-up list so decisions, approvals, continuity, and delivery requirements remain traceable.
How does someone build experience for a Showrunner’s Assistant?
Showrunner’s Assistants often come from agency desks, production offices, writers’ rooms, executive support, or assistant programs and may move into varied creative or producing paths.
How does a Showrunner’s Assistant vary by production?
The scope changes with format, budget, location, crew structure, and the production's technical method. The job is fast-paced, confidential, and tied to the Showrunner’s schedule across offices, rooms, sets, edit reviews, and calls.
Related entries
Sources
- Television Credits Manual — Writers Guild of America West
- Code of Credits — Producers Guild of America
- Summary of episodic television Directors’ creative rights — Directors Guild of America