Kids WB!’s David Wiebe started out as an assistant.

Wiebe arrived in Hollywood in 1998, and after a year and a half of short-term jobs “trying to find out what I really wanted to do,” landed an assistant’s position at Nickelodeon. “When I first got hired I was told ‘we need you to be an assistant for at least 1_ years,’ I wanted to get the job so I said ‘yes I’ll do that.’ They said ‘no you won’t, in six months you’ll want a promotion – in about three months I wanted a promotion.”

Gal credits Ross with being a “phenomenal mentor” who showed him the ropes at Disney and promoted him into his first development position. “I just found myself more and more drawn to animation development,” he said, explaining his career path. “It was at a time when Disney TV Animation was starting to produce more a lot more content for Disney Channel. Because I knew the channel so well, they bought me in as their manager of creative affairs to develop projects and oversee production of pilots. I was there until this incredible opportunity came along at Nickelodeon.”

“Peter had a strong eye for the kind of material we're interested in, and he was eloquent in his opinions on what makes something good,” said Coleman, Nickelodeon’s vp of animation development and production, in explaining his reasons for ‘stealing’ Gal from Disney and making him his director of development. “It’s an important quality in a development executive to be able to put your finger on elements that will give a project strong potential. He also had a good reputation in general from other people who worked with him. We had a couple of good meetings, and that was actually more important than any specific shows he'd worked on.”

Learning how to be a development executive is another story. “I wasn’t even an animation fan,” Adult Swim’s Weidenfeld confesses. “Michael Ouweleen said ‘you’ll figure it out when you get down here – It’ll be like editing a magazine,’ which is what I’m good at and like to do.

“It’s very much a Ted Turner thing: here’s a rope, go hang yourself,” he continues. “I had this job and no real guidance. I thought I’d respond to pitches like when you’re editor and people send you stories. What most of our creators respond to, and what I think I'm good at comes from having editing experience and working with writers. I was a writer and editor, that’s what I care about. When it comes to the visual stuff, I care about timing – comedy is all about timing.”

Ouweleen’s recommends that the aspiring development exec watch animation, read scripts and write up his or her thoughts about the material, all practice for the craft of giving notes to the show’s creators. “When Khaki Jones [CN’s vp of original series] reads my Harvey Birdman scripts she hardly gave any notes, but the ones she did were such a help.

“The development person is like a really good editor that helps a writer,” he added, echoing Weidenfeld. “It doesn't mean the editor is cutting or changing things. The editor is asking questions – ‘did you intend for this or that?’ The way to get good and have a shot at getting into development is to look at things and comment on what’s good and what’s weak. The goal is to always improve things by your having read it.”

Meredith Metz, Disney TV Animation’s svp of creative affairs, offers time-honored advice — start at the bottom and work your way up. “Any entry level position in the field you aspire to is the best way to get in the door. You learn via osmosis, by nuance, by being around. You see artwork people are excited about, you hear about writers or have access to internal scripts that you wouldn’t have if you were on the outside, material you may not necessarily be responsible for, but you’re reading it to have an opinion and engage in that division, I think it’s very helpful.

“Even if you’re a secretary, a runner, a p.a. or somebody in S&P [standards and practices] – that foot in door in the area you want to work in is crucial. Ultimately and hopefully cream rises to the top as people see you’re very passionate about the kids’ business and you have a gut instinct that works for the company.” Metz is speaking from firsthand knowledge — the two executive directors of creative affairs under her (one of whom started in S&P) rose through the ranks to their current positions.

Coleman’s advice to the aspiring exec is similar: hone your skills and get your foot in the door: “It’s not enough to be a fan or enthusiastic about animation – you have to demonstrate what you can contribute, whether it’s story skills or a strong eye for design.

“How do you do it? Work on a production in any capacity you can. I started as an assistant, almost everybody I know started as an assistant, either in development or on the current series side.”