Dr. Robin J. Hayes is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated author and filmmaker who was a writer and co-executive producer on the Netflix/Fremantle pirate adventure series SANDOKAN. Robin also contributed to Hulu’s CHILD STAR by Demi Lovato (starring Drew Barrymore and JoJo Siwa), Netflix’s Emmy-winning sports documentary MOUNTAIN QUEEN, and PBS’s heart-wrenching LOS HERMANOS/THE BROTHERS. Before writing the history book LOVE FOR LIBERATION, she wrote, produced, and directed the acclaimed documentary BLACK AND CUBA, which streams on Tubi. Raised in Brooklyn and now living in Venice, Robin describes her creative voice as “ravishing, relentless, and ratchet.” In all her work, love is the message.
How She Landed Her First Opportunity
“I was accepted into The WIF/Black LIst Episodic Lab. As I was pretty brand new to the industry, the lab taught me a lot about TV writing, working with reps, and the difference between writing for a staffing sample and writing an original pilot of a series that I wanted to showrun.”
The Turning Point
“When I turned in my first pages for an outline on a series. I could not believe it!”
A Game-Changing Piece of Advice
“The patience required to build a career is years-long. Many years-long. When I first came in and heard people describe the time they would go between jobs or how long they were trying to break in, I’m sorry to say I was a bit disdainful. I couldn’t believe it would take someone years to build the community and access necessary to work regularly. I was dead wrong. When they say it’s a “relationship business,” it’s not just about knowing powerful people. It’s about participating in the community and showing that you’re here to play the long game.”
What Made a Difference
”I retained a Script Anatomy script consultation and that was everything to my first pilot. Notes from a working writer who was culturally informed and invested in my success really helped. Specifically, learning about how structure and act breaks can drive audience’s investment in characters.”
Daily Habits
“I measure my writing progress in time rather than pages. So if I commit to spending 1 hour or however long, if I fulfill that, I consider myself successful. I find focusing on time spent rather than word or page output is more realistic and manageable.”
Pushing Through Resistance
“I was taught that being an artist means creating art, witnessing art, and communing with artists. If I'm struggling with creating, I switch to the other two categories. I’ll phone a friend or mentor, literally go outside to touch grass (or sand or sea), surf, or museum marathon at the Getty, LACMA, or The Broad.”
What Inspires Her
“POSE. I write about worlds and characters that are tremendously significant to my Black, Latinx, women, and LGBTQ+ communities. That show taught me that work by us and for us could be sophisticated, authentic, and properly resourced. Given that the series grew from Ryan Murphy's desire to adapt the documentary PARIS IS BURNING, I was inspired by the fact that our decades' long dreams to produce certain projects are worth fighting for.”
📍 Connect with Robin:
Instagram: @robinjhayes
Substack: drrobinjhayes.substack.com
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