Development is more than taste. It’s a skill.

Advanced story training for aspiring TV and film executives.

A green laurel wreath surrounds a neon outline of three business professionals with a large pair of hands supporting them. At the bottom, there is a green circle with the text "The Professional Pen" written inside.

Better notes. Better collaboration. Better stories.

The Executive Training Program (ETP) at The Professional Pen trains aspiring development executives
to think and operate like true story partners.

Participants - we call them Changemakers - learn how to evaluate material, understand the writer’s process, and guide projects with clarity and intention — not confusion or ego.

By bridging creative and executive perspectives, ETP leads to:

  • More effective collaboration with writers

  • Shorter, smoother development timelines

  • Stronger, more inclusive storytelling

  • Content that resonates with diverse audiences and sells

“This is one of the most insightful and generous training programs I’ve ever participated in. The level of behind-the-scenes access, real-world application, and executive-level insight is unmatched — the kind of knowledge aspiring creatives and execs rarely receive, let alone in such a passionate, accessible format. Shannan is a phenomenal instructor, and the team is incredibly giving with their time, feedback, and wisdom. You can feel how deeply they care about your growth. This is a top-caliber program that not only sharpens your eye to executive function but also elevates your sense of what’s possible.”

- Dionne, Cohort I

7 weeks of virtual sessions

Live, instructor-led sessions focused on real-world development skills, shaped by a former TV executive and working screenwriter who understands both sides of the desk.

Speaking the Writers' Language
​Giving Notes

Learn TPP’s proven note-giving method that prioritizes the writer's growth. Develop clarity, objectivity, and structure in your feedback style, so you can advocate for the script without rewriting it yourself.

WEEK 4

WEEK 1

Welcome to the Industry
The Basics of Being an Executive

Start with a foundational understanding of the development pipeline. Learn the hierarchy of roles,  where executives fit into the creative process, and what it really takes to build a career in development.

Practice What You Preach 
The First 15

We’ll introduce  TPP’s development rubric as a tool to break down the first 15 pages of any script that lands on your desk. Learn how to evaluate a script and articulate your perspective like a professional exec. You’ll apply these tools to two real submissions to sharpen your instincts and communication skills.

WEEK 5

WEEK 2

A Day in the Life of an Exec
​Executive Panel

Meet real working execs across film and television. Hear what their days really look like, what they look for in talent and story, and how they climbed the ladder. This session offers context to shape your executive identity and questions for the rest of the program.

WEEK 6

Executive Coaching
Notes on Your Notes


​Step into the writer’s seat and receive professional feedback on your First 15 analyses. Strengthen your communication skills and learn how to revise feedback with clarity and care—because great execs know how to support great writers.

Film School Fast Track
Story Structure

Learn to identify the key beats of 2-act, 3-act, and 5-act structures across film and TV. Strengthen your story intuition so you can speak the writer’s language and evaluate scripts with confidence.​

WEEK 3

WEEK 7

The Finale
Wrap Up + Career Strategy

Submit your revised notes following the coaching session. Reflect on your growth and begin strategizing your next steps. Each Changemaker will receive a 1:1 coaching call with Shannan E. Johnson, CEO + Head Consultant at TPP, to map out a personalized career plan moving forward.

PAST EXECUTIVE PANELISTS

WHO ARE THE IDEAL CANDIDATES

The Executive Training Program is built for rising and transitioning leaders ready to shape the future of storytelling. Ideal candidates include:

  • Aspiring Creative Execs and Producers: Individuals pursuing roles in scripted TV or film who want hands-on, real-world training in development.

  • Early-Career Insiders: Readers, assistants, coordinators, or junior execs looking to sharpen their story instincts and move up the ladder.

  • Industry Switchers: Mid-to-senior level professionals from adjacent or unrelated industries making a strategic pivot into entertainment—especially those with transferable leadership or storytelling experience.

  • Inclusive Leaders: Change agents committed to building a more diverse and representative Hollywood.

  • Growth-Minded Changemakers: Professionals eager to fast-track their careers, make smart development decisions, and build authentic relationships with writers.

FROM THEORY TO EXECUTION

A firsthand look at how ETP produces confident, capable development Changemakers.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your application, including your résumé and a short development exercise based on assigned case study scripts. All qualified applicants will receive an invitation to register for the program.

This process is designed to assess how you think about story, not how perfectly you format notes.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Registration opens: April 13th
Registration closes: May 11th

REGISTRATION FEES

$699

*Third-party pay later options available

PROGRAM DATES

7 Weeks of Virtual Sessions

June 3rd - July 15th

Wednesdays, 5p - 7p PT

“As someone who went to college, Shannan is a much better teacher than any professor I've had! It was very clear in her teaching that she genuinely cared about the subject and us students. She made class both entertaining and educational. I really appreciate the boost of confidence she and the class have given me.”

— Casie, Cohort II

FOR LESS THAN $100/week, you'll

  • Go from script reader to trusted creative exec — with the professional-grade tools to prove it.

  • Master screenplay structure with a graduate-level lens.

  • Learn to give actionable notes that support, not silence, a writer’s voice.

  • Understand the real responsibilities of a development exec — and what it takes to get there.

For the price of one industry mixer and a few lattes,

you’ll join a space for aspiring creative execs that literally doesn’t exist anywhere else - built by a former exec who's been on both sides.

FOR JUST $699

ARE YOU READY TO CHANGE THE HOLLYWOOD LANDSCAPE AS A CREATIVE EXEC?

Sign up to stay up to date on our Changemakers Program

OUR ChANGEMAKERS

you’ve got questions. we’ve got answers.

Browse our FAQs — or chat 1:1 with a Story Expert to get your questions answered.