“Root for yourself. And root for those around you, too. Because success isn't a zero-sum game.”
MINDY KALING
MASTERCLASS PRESENTS
A MasterClass with
MINDY KALING
Actress, screenwriter, comic, showrunner, playwright, director and NY Times Best-Selling Author Mindy Kaling is an entertainment powerhouse. As Mindy has ascended to stardom, she’s built a reputation for breaking barriers and forging a path that wasn’t necessarily paved for her. Along the way, she has inspired others, especially women of color, by constantly asking the question, “Why not me?” It’s no wonder she was named to the Time “100 Most Influential People in the World” list.
Mindy first gained widespread recognition as Kelly Kapoor in the hit NBC sitcom, The Office, where she also served as director, executive producer and writer. Just 24 when she started on the series, she stood out as the solo female writer in a workplace dominated exclusively by white men. Still, she believed that she had a place in Hollywood even as she was constantly reminded that no one around her looked like her. As Mindy often said, she “worked her a-s off” to refine her craft and earned the distinction of penning more episodes of the show than any other writer. After signing an overall development deal with Universal, she further showcased her talents by creating, writing and starring in The Mindy Project, She continued to expand her career by launching her own production company, with the goal of telling stories about the inner lives of women of color. Mindy always makes sure her writer’s rooms are diverse, even if that means mentoring and training people up for the job. As a result, she has been instrumental in creating content that resonates with people who do not often see themselves on screen.
PROPOSED SHOOT PLAN
We are proposing several concepts for the class but there is some overlap here. We would like to film 2 days of our signature MasterClass 1:1 interview and see Mindy in action at work. That could be a combination of the following scenes: a production meeting, a pitch meeting, rehearsal and/or a writer’s room meeting.
CONCEPT 1
HOW TO GET AHEAD
Mindy always knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. Her career journey, marked by hard work and determination, resonates with many as she achieved success with little being handed to her. Throughout the class, we will showcase Mindy’s creative projects that illustrate her storied rise in Hollywood. As she rose from intern to writer to showrunner to the boss of her own company, Mindy gained invaluable career-driven life lessons that anyone can use in their own work life. She also overcame challenges along the way, like fearing she would be replaced or facing the stigma around being a diversity hire.
Lesson Summary
- Setting goals and asking for them
- Getting access to influential people that can help you
- Getting seen and heard – selling yourself
- Leading with vision and creativity
- Identifying and plussing your own best talents
- Mentoring and being mentored
- Developing confidence
- Building a team
- Collaborating with others
- Valuing diversity and inclusion
- Dealing with rejection
- Connecting with your team and empowering them
- Gaining Confidence through ambition, work ethic and attitude
CONCEPT 2
TELLING YOUR STORY
Writing, amongst many things, is Mindy's amazing superpower. She realized early on that she never saw a family like hers on television, and so she always had to write her own characters for the screen. She trumpets the importance of writing your own story. It’s a practice that doesn’t just help you write Hollywood screenplays, it forces you to think about who you are, what your strengths are and how to showcase them. Mindy herself had no precedent or role models in Hollywood so she crafted own narrative and leaned into the characters and stories she knew. She broke through the old boys club typical of the Hollywood writer’s room and created her own niche, effectively starting a ripple effect. In her class, Mindy can teach anyone how to bring their authentic self into their storytelling, whether it’s for a TV show, article, speech, or a brand. As an exercise, we’d love to film Mindy in her own writer’s room to see how she fosters an environment that values inclusive storytelling.
Lesson Summary
- Using your own unique experiences to write characters, humor and dialogue or a speech, pitch, essay, presentation or brand story. Mindy does it all.
- Embracing your individuality
- Using your own story to help define your values, your strengths and the person you want to be
- Why you should watch more than you write when you start
- Identifying personal experiences that make good stories
- Injecting humor into your writing whether it’s for a screenplay, memoir, blog, essay, script, speech or presentation
- Becoming more vulnerable and open
- Cultivating the courage to be honest with yourself
- Learning timing and delivery in both writing and speech
- Hooking your audience
- Developing a variety of perspectives on a situation, event, or person
- Embracing self-reflection and self-awareness
“Work hard! Know your sh*t! Show your sh*t!”
MINDY KALING
WELCOME TO THE LEARNING REVOLUTION
MasterClass is making the world’s greatest minds accessible to all, creating an unprecedented film library of advanced human knowledge. We are honored to invite you to join this select group of renowned instructors.