We are thrilled to welcome Lindsey Robertson, Florida, from our Alpha Psi Chapter to the podcast! Lindsey earned her degree in telecommunications from the University of Florida and currently works in Scripted Comedy Development at Warner Bros. In today’s episode, we’ll follow her journey from her time in Tri Delta to landing an internship in Los Angeles and building her career in entertainment. Plus, don’t miss her solid advice and wisdom for breaking into the entertainment industry (or any industry).
Lindsey dives into what scripted comedy development actually means and shares some behind-the-scenes stories—complete with a few *wink wink* big Hollywood names. But don’t worry, we won’t name-drop too much (“Ted Lasso,” ... “Abbott Elementary,” ... “Running Point”), as we want you to actually enjoy the episode, not just make a watchlist!
Lindsey also shares how Tri Delta helped her grow—learning to connect with new people, building confidence and gaining a skillset that turned out to be the perfect warm-up for life in the entertainment world.
She talks about her path, involving herself in a little bit of everything creative, from acting to scriptwriting and, yes, maybe even a book in the works—but don’t hold her to that just yet. If you love TV and storytelling or just want to hear about how a driven and determined Tri Delta made her way from Arizona to Florida to Los Angeles, you’re in the right place!
[Lindsey Robertson Transcript]
This transcript was created using automated technologies and may contain errors. Welcome back to our Let's Talk Tri Delta podcast. I'm Mindy Tucker, Tri Delta’s CEO
and your host for today's podcast. I want to say hello to all of our returning
listeners. So many of you are here from or enjoying the podcast interviews we're
doing. And welcome welcome to those who are brand new. This might be your first
time joining us. We're happy to have you here. Have you ever wondered what it takes
to get your favorite TV shows on the air, the behind the scenes? Today, we're going
to talk a little bit about that. I'm so excited to welcome today's guest, Lindsey
Robertson from our Alpha side chapter at the University of Florida. She has a
Bachelor's of Telecommunication from a highly selective program. This is a television
track where they only allow about 30 students each semester. So it's gonna be really
cool to talk to her about that and all the work she's doing. She currently works
at Warner Brothers in scripted comedy development. This is gonna be so fun to talk
about. We'll get into what that means and what she's actually doing. I am a huge
watcher of television, so I can't wait to jump into this conversation today and
learn more from Lindsey. So thanks for being with us. Welcome, Lindsey. - Thank you
so much for having me. I'm so excited to talk all things TV and also how Tridelt
has brought me to where I am today. - Yeah, well, let's start with that. So you're
from Arizona, but you ended up going to the University of Florida. I'm curious how
you ended up from sort of one side of the country to the other. - Yeah, I did. It
is a random kind of thing. And when I was going to school at UF, everyone would
ask me that would be the first thing they asked to the point where some of my
Tridel sisters have what I said memorized, but My neighbor actually went to
University of Florida and she was a Tridel there as well So that's my interest in
it But I didn't really think I was gonna go there until I got in and then I
visited and I just absolutely fell in love with it And I had the best experience
ever Good. What drew you to Tri Delta at the University of Florida?
That's a big Greek system There's no there. I think the rush process there is
really great because there are so many great chapters. I think I just felt connected
to Tridel for a couple of reasons. One, of course, my neighbor going there and also
being from Arizona. That was one connection, but more so even kind of the people
that I was going through rush with and were there on preference night. I was
looking around and I had met some of them during the rush process and they are
people that I connected with so ultimately it was just kind of those connections I
formed and feeling like I could find somewhere that was my home being so far away
from home. I think that is always an interesting perspective on prephonite when you
look around and see oh these women that I've actually really enjoyed getting to know
this week are feeling the same thing as me we're in the same place on prephonite
that's such a great feeling that kind of reinforces maybe friendships you make but
also the choice that you're making so. Oh yeah absolutely I feel like you know one
of my best friends now her name is Jillian um she was in the same I guess it's
called group or tent as me during the recruitment process and she is going to be
one of my bridesmaids in my wedding and I was her maid of honor and she was one
of the first people I met and we both went try it all together so it was really
special. Yeah, lifelong friendship. I love it. Yeah. So you studied broadcast
journalism. What initially drew you? What was your interest? How did that come about?
What drew you to that major? Yeah, I have always been interested in entertainment
and TV. So when I got to UF, I had heard about the journalism school and I'd
heard it's really great. I at first wanted to be like a e -news host of sorts,
that was my goal. So I thought that starting in broadcast journalism would be a
great pipeline to do that. It turns out it really wasn't a fit for me because it
was very news centric. I was kind of on the road speaking to, you know,
farmers for like Florida oranges and talking to them about the pesticides they use.
But that's kind of where I started, but it also brought me to where I am today.
So I think it was valuable in that one. - Yeah. So let's talk about this LA thing.
You had an internship there. I think that was a game changer for you, but you also
got some interesting advice about just being in LA. So the internship before you
moved there, did you do it in leave or do you move there for the internship? - So
I interned after my junior year in college. - Okay, - Okay, that year, junior year,
I applied to probably a hundred plus internships in the entertainment industry. I
interviewed for two and then I got one which was with Discovery Communications at
TLC. I worked in the publicity department there and I spent my summer there and I
was very sad to leave LA and to leave my role even though I was excited to get
back for my senior year. So that kind of guaranteed for me that this is the
industry I want to be in. But after college, I was at home for about six months.
I didn't have a job. I was making no money. I'm sure my parents were a little
irritated with me. I ended up getting a job at Orange Theory and I saved a bunch
of money. And then I moved out to LA with no job because I got the advice that
you're not gonna really get a role in entertainment unless you live in LA, which
turned out to be true for me 'cause two weeks later after moving here, I got a
job. So that was very true and I think it's still true just because there's a lot
of talent already here in LA that wanna work in this industry. So even though it's
tough and you have to take a rest like ultimately it can definitely be worth it.
Yeah I had that same experience when I moved to you know everybody I wanted to
work in DC and everybody tells you you just need to be here just move here without
the job and then you've got proximity to people and relationships and you can you
know but it's so hard to do that when you don't have the job first it's hard to
make the move so good for you I love that you use orange theory I'm an orange
theory girl so I love that you. Oh, I love that. Or Steery Money to make the
move. And you started out at a talent agency, is that right? Yeah,
so I started out at a talent agency, which the one I worked at actually doesn't
exist anymore. It's called ICM Partners. Now it got bought by CAA,
which is a bigger talent agency. And that was a really good kind of first
experience. They call it the golden ticket of Hollywood or the grad school of
Hollywood because you kind of learn quickly how to work in this industry,
how fast -paced it is, and the agency's kind of like a wheel and you get access to
every single part of the industry, which is really cool and gives you a hands -on
experience. So everything kind of filters through there. So that was a really like
great first experience to get your foot in the door and just learn how the ropes
work. - So I know you've seen a lot of different parts of the industry from the
business side. And I also know that you had a concentration in theater and dance at
school and you do a bit of acting. So I'd love to hear about that. - Yeah, I am
definitely interested in all things creative. And that was a minor of sorts when I
was at UF. I think if you're a person who's interested in TV and film like me,
you're kind of interested in everything creative. So I'm interested in all aspects of
the business. And I started even when I was at Florida, kind of tapping into those
creative things and reading scripts. And I think that if you open up yourself to
that early on, and it's your interest, it's really fun to do. My focus right now
is definitely on my job and development at Warner Brothers. And also, I'm a writer.
I would say those are my main two things. But like I said, if you're interested in
a little bit, you're kind of interested in it all. Yeah, you have that creative
side too. Yeah. Yeah. So let's get into your current career. And I'm going to help
you with the caveat here that Lindsey is speaking as herself and not representing
Warner Brothers in this interview. So this is about her experience and what she's
what she's experiencing and seeing inside the industry. Let's talk about your current
job in script comedy development. What exactly do you do? What's that involve? Yeah,
so my department works with producers and writers and we are basically the precipice
of where a show starts. So either a writer or a production company will basically
bring an idea to us and then we get to sell it to different networks and then
that's how it gets on TV. So every day my department is kind of reading scripts
and giving feedback and I'm a small part of that and it's really cool because you
get to see shows from the very beginning to all the way on TV and our shows are
"Ted Lasso," "Appin Elementary," and our newest one, "Running Point." So it's cool
kind of seeing it from the very, very beginning to multiple seasons on TV.
- Yeah, I can't imagine having, now you've had like full circle on a couple of
these, like to know what it was like to see that "Ted Lasso" sort of concept from
the beginning and then see what it turned into must be really crazy. Yeah,
it's really cool because it's just an idea at the beginning. Sometimes we get a
fully written script, or sometimes it's just a pitch. And Ted Lasso was actually one
of the first shows that when I started at Warner Brothers, I remember on one of my
first days they were doing the table read, where all the actors sit around a table
and I got to watch that virtually. So that was really cool because at that time we
didn't really know what it was gonna turn into and what a huge hit it would be.
So kind of seeing that whole process is really cool. - Yeah, is there any favorite
like script or story pitch that stands out? Like, wow, that was just such a cool
thing to hear and be a part of or? - Yeah, for me, I think everything female
forward and female forward comedy is is something I personally enjoy. I feel like
anything Mindy Kaling touches connects with me because she has a very female -centric
voice and she also likes to include characters that are different. My sister Lexi
has Down syndrome and if you've seen her show, Never Have I Ever, she has a
character with Down syndrome in it. And I think that's really special to just kind
of show that perspective. But Running Point, our new show, is obviously about a
female -run basketball team. And I think that, for me, was a immediate connection.
And I think a lot of people like it, so that's really exciting, too. So I just
finished watching it. You did. Yes, I loved it. I loved Kate Hudson. I'm kind of
new in a CEO role as well. And so it was kind of interesting to sort of just
watch it from that parallel. and that she's making these phenomenal decisions but she
also still feels like she doesn't know what she's doing on a regular basis and I
love the humanity of that just the realness and the character but I think it's such
a fun show and a female lead and a female in leadership and what she runs into
and it's just it's really been fun to watch so it's exciting to know that you have
been a part of that and connected to that it's just been really fun so from the
From the viewer side, you get the feedback of, it's just been really fun to watch,
so. - Yeah, definitely. And I think that's the really cool part when you are part
of a show. And again, I'm a very small part and this wasn't actually a project I
touched in any way. But to kind of see that script come through and now with the
show on air, having everybody around you kind of tell you what their different
perspectives and how it resonated with them is like a really cool and special thing
to me. And I think seeing how it kind of connects with different people in
different ways is one of the coolest parts of my job. Yeah. So have you met any
actors or actresses who have left an impression on you? Yes, I have.
I feel like for me, there's one story that really specifically stands out. So it
was Brian Cranston, and it was early on working at Warner Brothers, and I met him,
and coincidentally, my grandfather also met him many, many years before on the set
of Breaking Bad. So, yeah, that was really special to me because we kind of shared
that connection, and he recently passed my grandfather. So, just to kind of have
that memory and that shared shared connection is special to me.
- That's really sweet. - Yeah. - So I know sometimes scripts come along,
ideas come along, but sometimes they never make it to TB. Sometimes it takes years.
What is it like to sort of see something and think it's amazing and then have to
watch it not happen or watch it take forever? That must be, I don't know, that
just must be an interesting experience to sort of watch what goes fast and what
goes slow. - Yeah, it's really tough, I think, because there are so many projects
and something I didn't realize before I worked in this department was just how much
content and how many shows there are that don't make it and they make it pretty
far down the line. It's tough. I think that if you get invested in a project or
you love a story and you don't see it kind of go all the way through it is
disappointing but ultimately like there is a chance it could come back at some point
or it's told in a different way so I think you just realize how much doesn't make
it which is way more common than what actually does make it on the screen. Yeah
that's interesting I bet there's a lot that just and it's like so random like it
probably it maybe there's something that would be a huge hit, but it's just timing
or whatever and it doesn't work and nobody ever sees it. That must be just such an
interesting perspective to have. Yeah, it's definitely timing and kind of like what
is needed and what people want to buy at the time. So that's definitely an aspect
of it. Yeah. So do you do any writing? I do on the side. So this is not tied to
Warner Brothers at all. Yeah. My bosses are aware of this I think like I kind of
touched on earlier if you're a person who's interested in TV and film you're kind
of interested in all the creative aspects so I do write and I write some of my
own comedy scripts and I'm also working on a book right now but don't hold me to
anything because we'll see what actually happens with that um like I said my focus
is really working in development at WB but Yeah, it's definitely like a side
interest of mine that I do when I have time. I love that. Well, I'm sure from you
on that Yeah So for young women out there that think they want to get into this
industry. What advice do you have for them? I Think that the first step is to not
be afraid to reach out to people and I feel like when I first heard that that's
such a blanket statement because it feels like you're kind of shooting into a void.
But the thing about the entertainment industry is that everything is connections.
A lot of the jobs that will open up, they're not even posted online. For example,
I just helped a tri -delt sister who was a few years younger than me get connected
with a talent agency here in LA, but she reached out to me and I was able to
connect her to someone else I know. And obviously, you know, that isn't a guarantee,
but I think that finding people in your network, whether they went to your school
or your high school or weren't tried out is really kind of the first key.
And then you just need one door to open. Like I said, with my internship, I had
two interviews and I got one. And then with my job, I interviewed at a few more
places, but you just need one job. So that's kind of just getting your foot in the
door and not being afraid to have a point of view and a perspective on what you
like about TV and why you feel you can contribute to whatever role it might be in
the industry. You know, I think we so often forget that TRIDELTA is this massive
network of of women and we don't rely on it enough and think about how we might,
you know, use it to find jobs and network and meet people who have connections.
I mean, it really is such a powerful network of women. So I love your, I love,
you've just given us sort of a testimonial for that, that you helped your, um, a
Treadelta sister get connected. Thank you for doing that. And, um, that's part of,
part of the experience part of her experience and your experience now. What has
tried to look like in your life today? I mean it's all my friends still and like
I said it was such a special part of my college experience and I think that if
you do come from somewhere pretty far and I had no friends when I got to Florida
so kind of getting plugged in really fast was a key but the crazy thing is you
know almost 10 years later since I started college I am still in contact with all
those people and I think that there's just this tie and this bond that will
hopefully never leave us some of my friends like I said are going to be in my
wedding which is coming up this year and I've been in their weddings I attend their
weddings which is kind of the season of life we're in right now but it really just
was like the core foundation for like what helped me feel at home at such a huge
university and they are still people that I feel are so close in my life today.
So that I just feel you can't really trade for anything. We can't.
Do you feel like you see parts of Tridelta showing up in like this stage of life
just in like life skills and career skills like how do you think it shaped you for
this time in your life? - Yeah, I think like I was kind of touching on before,
when you go to a big school and you're kind of overwhelmed with all these new
people you're interacting with, I think being in Tridel kind of helped me quickly
adapt to being open to meeting new people, talking to others,
and whether that's through kind of like the leadership decisions I held or any kind
of other events we did, you really learn how to connect with all different types of
people. So I think especially if you want to work in an industry like entertainment,
that is a super helpful skill set. And I think that that was kind of my warm up
for life and led me to be able to connect with people a lot easier than I have
when I was, you know, 18 years old. So it definitely see those skills,
that's still. - Yeah, I think so many of us can point to things like that that
we've done now. Like, wow, I heard somebody the other day say, "Recruitment was such
a great experience for me "because it forced me to learn "how to have conversations
with people "and now I can do that in my job. "And it's really important for my
job to be able to do that. "And so it really set me up, "like thinking about
recruitment as a career career school, like nobody makes that connection, but you do
get so much from the things that you go through inside of sorority. Yeah, 100%.
And a huge part of my job is having curious interest about other people like we
are storytellers, but I'm one person, a lot of the stories that come through our
doors at WB, I can't relate to it all. But I think it's being able to find that
connection with whoever the person might be, and understand why their story matters.
And I think early on in Trydall, kind of learning how to connect with others, even
if they're from a different place or they grew up a lot differently from you and
people outside of our organization too was such a helpful skill set. - Yeah, so what
is next for you? Do you think you're gonna stay in development? Are you, I know
you talked about the book, so I'm not gonna hold you that but yeah I know you
have things going on on the side but what do you what do you think it looks like
for you in the future yeah I think that I'm a creative person and I want to stay
in entertainment I think you know there's been times where I've thought about could
I do anything else and it's a long road in entertainment I'll be a transparent like
you'll see a lot of your friends and other industries maybe get it a lot sooner,
but for me, I'm willing to kind of be in that role and be okay with it because I
love this industry so much and I love storytelling. So whether that is through
development or maybe going and working at a production company or writing my own
show, which is very hard to do now, I think that I just want to stay in This
area in some capacity because it truly is what I love so much and I love telling
stories I love being a part of other people's stories And I love seeing things be
created from the start and to see them on TV is just the craziest thing ever
Yeah, well, how can people follow you your career and your journey and see what
you're doing what you're up to So my Instagram was definitely personal, but I am a
huge LinkedIn person and that's probably the best way to reach me. I would say that
I do post a lot on there as far as just updates and kind of what's going on. So
I'd say that's probably my main platform. Maybe that will change in the future, but
for now, that's the best place. - Okay, all right. Well, this was so fun and
interesting to learn about what you're up to and the cool projects that you've been
involved in. And for me, just the connection I have to the things that you've
worked on is really, really interesting to hear the behind the scenes and how it
works. And so thank you for joining us today. - Yeah, thank you. And it's people
like you kind of being connected to the stories that make the job so cool. And
like I said, I'm a very small part of it, but just seeing it from the beginning
and then now how it impacts someone like you is really special. Thank you.
To our listeners out there, as you can see, we have Tri Deltas all over doing really
cool things. You never know where you're going to find one or run across one. And
so I hope you're enjoying connecting with women in the Tri Delta network wherever you
are. A reminder to pay your Tri Delta dues if you're an alumna. It has the
organization going and strong and So I would remind everybody out there to go to
tridelta .org /dues -an -benefits. Check out the different levels where you can engage
with Tri Delta. We hope you'll like, subscribe, and rate our podcast. We love those
five -star ratings, even though there's three stars in our presence. Thanks for
joining us today, everybody, and until next time, Delta Love.
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