Watchmen, with Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson

Austin Film Festival's On Story

This week on On Story, AFF moderator Harrison Glaser speaks with Watchmen showrunner Damon Lindelof and writer Cord Jefferson about the collaborative process of adapting the beloved comic book and writing the series' Emmy Award-winning episode. Watchmen, a critically and commercially celebrated limited series, tells the story of racially motivated violence and vigilantism in the world of Alan Moore’s graphic novel by the same name.

Damon Lindelof is a WGA, PGA, and Emmy award-winning writer who has created some of television’s most iconic shows, including Lost and The Leftovers. A master of smart, character-driven science fiction, Lindelof shares his perspective on breaking story and building mythology.

Cord Jefferson began his writing career as a journalist. Since transitioning to television, he has worked on some of the medium’s most formative shows in recent years: Master of None, The Good Place, Succession, and Watchmen. His debut feature, American Fiction, won the Audience Award at the 30th annual Austin Film Festival. Cord discusses bringing his own perspective to well-known material and honing in on character motivation.

Watchmen clips courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.