TCFF Insider Series: Inside the Writers Room

Join us for this insightful panel discussion with industry experts!

Insider Series: The Writers Room (Episodics)

Step inside the creative engine of episodic storytelling. The Writers Room explores the collaborative process behind TV and limited series—where ideas are broken, characters are built, and stories come to life.

Join panelists Wenonah Wilms, Troy Kelly, and Matt Young as they share firsthand insights into what really happens in a writers room—from pitching and structuring episodes to navigating creative dynamics and industry realities.

Moderated by Marisa Coughlan, this conversation will pull back the curtain on the art and craft of episodic writing.

See all bios below.

When and Where:

Thursday, May 14, 2026

Twin Cities Film Fest, 5315 West 16th Street, St Louis Park, MN 55416 (new location)

Schedule:

6:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Doors open and networking

7:00 - 8:00 pm - Panel discussion, followed by a short Q&A

8:00 - 8:30 pm - Continued networking

Tickets:

Early Bird - $20 (on sale through May 1)

Regular & At the Door - $30 (May 1 - May 14)

Complimentary beverages included.

Space is limited; buy early to guarantee a seat.

Members receive 25% off tickets, including early bird. (Not a TCFF member? Click here to learn more)

Plenty of free parking in the nearby ramps!

Wenonah Wilms

Wenonah Wilms is a 2018 Academy Nicholl Fellow for her script HORSEHEAD GIRLS which also won the Austin Film Festival's Drama prize and a McKnight fellowship the same year. She wrote on the Emmy Nominated, fourth season of TRUE DETECTIVE for HBO which garnered a Writers Guild Award nomination and most recently a writer on Season 4 of DARK WINDS on AMC and Netflix. Wenonah has worked in series development with Netflix, Amazon, Paramount and Starz. She is active in the Minnesota film community both as a writer and mentor. Wenonah is a lifelong resident of Minneapolis and is of both Ojibwe and Dakota descent. She is a member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, located in Northern Wisconsin.

Troy Kelly

Troy Kelly is a TV drama writer, most recently writing and producing on the 22-episode second season of FOUND (NBC/Peacock). He is a 2023 alumnus of the Warner Bros. Television Writers Workshop and has also served as a television writing advisor for the Sundance Institute. Before becoming a TV writer, Troy earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and practiced as a forensic psychologist, specializing in violent offenders, psychopaths, and false and coerced confessions. He is also a certified psychological autopsy investigator, a certified hostage negotiator, and holds a special diploma in investigative psychology and offender profiling. He currently has projects in development with Michael Eisner's Tornante Company and Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner's Hazy Mills Productions, exploring the intersection of psychology, crime, and high-stakes dramatic storytelling.

Matt Young

Matt Young is a writer and producer whose credits include KUNG FU (the CW) and BLINDSPOT (NBC). An alum of both the Sundance Episodic Story Lab and the Warner Bros. Television Writers Workshop, Matt has also written feature scripts for Netflix, Warner Bros./Stage 13, MarVista Entertainment, the Germany-based Rat Pack Filmproduktion, and he was a guest writer on Season Two of the Alan Tudyk/Nathan Fillion-produced SyFy comedy show CON MAN. In addition to screenwriting, he regularly creates content for (and plays) Dungeons & Dragons and other roleplaying games, and plays both jazz and old-time music.

Marissa Coughlan

Actress/writer/director Marisa Coughlan began her career starring in a string of cult favorites. Whether sparring with Helen Mirren in Teaching Mrs. Tingle, or James Spader on Boston Legal, she has enjoyed playing opposite some of the best in the business. Coughlan is best known for her turn as Ursula in Broken Lizard’s cult classic Super Troopers, and its subsequent sequel. More recently, Coughlan wrote, produced and starred in her feature film, Blue Eyed Girl. She also wrapped production on the third Super Troopers installment, reprising the role of Ursula. As a writer, Coughlan enjoys both comedy and drama, with a preference for converging the two. She’s been quite prolific, with TV projects in development at ABC, FOX, The CW, Sony and Warner Bros. Coughlan graduated magna cum laude from USC with a degree in French and Theater. In 2016, Coughlan moved back to her native Minneapolis with her husband and four children.

🎬 About TCFF: The Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF) is a nonprofit arts organization in Minneapolis, dedicated to showcasing independent cinema from Minnesota and beyond. Each October, the 10-day festival features documentaries, narrative features, and shorts, both in-person and online, highlighting studio films and local talent while connecting filmmakers with audiences and industry professionals. TCFF also offers educational panels, a red carpet, filmmaker/celebrity guests, a lounge for mingling, sponsor activations, and more! Beyond the festival, year-round programs include educational initiatives, mentorship opportunities, and networking events. Committed to storytelling that inspires and fosters community, TCFF celebrates film’s power to provoke thought and spark conversation. Learn more at twincitiesfilmfest.org or become a member to access year-round perks!