Colleen McGuinness

Colleen McGuinness is an American director, screenwriter, and producer who has worked as a writer and producer on shows including 30 Rock, Life & Beth, and Ramy. After joining 30 Rock in 2011, she shared in its Primetime Emmy nomination for best comedy series in 2013 as well as in its 65th and 66th WGA Awards nominations and 2014 PGA Awards nomination.[1] McGuinness directed the 2024 short film Loser[2] which has been adapted into a feature film with the same name[3] and is produced by Radio Silence, Dan Lawler, and Michael Sherman[4]. The film is in post-production as of summer 2026.

Early life and education

McGuinness, who is half-Korean and half-Irish,[5] was born in Killeen, Texas, and was raised on Long Island in Islip, New York.[6] McGuinness was a tennis champion in high school.[7]

At Harvard University, McGuinness studied directing with Professor Marcus Stern[8] and directed productions of A Doll's House and Guys and Dolls while also producing a version of Hamlet.[8] The production of Guys and Dolls that McGuinness directed was the first undergraduate co-ed production at the Hasty Pudding Theater in over 10 years.[9] Upon graduating, McGuinness was awarded the Louise Donovan award for directing.[10]

Career

McGuinness began her career at Castle Rock Entertainment and later became a development assistant at New Line Cinema.[5] While at New Line, McGuinness wrote and directed her first short film, For Mature Audiences Only.[11]

After Darren Starr saw her short film, he hired McGuinness for her first series writing job on Miss Match, starring Alicia Silverstone.[5] Since then, McGuinness has written on shows including Mercy, 30 Rock, About a Boy, Friends from College, Forever, Ramy, Stargirl, and Life & Beth, where she was also an executive producer.[12] She joined the staff of 30 Rock in 2011, which ultimately led her to share in the series' Emmy, WGA, and PGA nominations.[1]

In 2013, when Tina Fey started her new production company Little Stranger Productions, her company's first sale was an untitled comedy to be written by McGuinness and executive-produced by Fey and by former 30 Rock showrunner Robert Carlock.[13] In 2014, McGuinness developed a script with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for Fox.[14][15]

In 2016, together with Game of Thrones executive producer Carolyn Strauss, McGuinness worked with HBO to develop a comedy series based on the novel Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld.[16]

McGuinness later wrote, produced, and directed the 2024 short film Loser, which has played in over 25 film festivals, including the Oscar-qualifying Hamptons International Film Festival[4] and the Palm Springs International ShortFest.[4] Loser won multiple awards, including "Best International Short", "Best Director" (Colleen McGuinness), and "Best Performance in a Lead Role" (Angourie Rice) at the Oxford International Film Festival,[17] "Best Short" and "Best Screenplay" (Colleen McGuinness) at the LA Indie Film Festival,[18] "Best Film" and "Best Actress" (Angourie Rice) at DOC LA,[19] "International: Best Film" at the Canberra Short Film Festival,[20] "Best Short Film" at the Byron Bay International Film Festival,[21] "Best Short Drama" at the New Hampshire Film Festival,[22] and the "Audience Award" at the Charlotte Film Festival.[23]

McGuinness is currently in post-production on the feature film Loser, produced by Radio Silence.[3][4]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Years Title Writer Director Producer Notes
2002 For Mature Audiences Only Yes Yes Executive Short film
2024 Loser Yes Yes Yes Short film
TBA Loser † Yes Yes Yes Feature film; post-production

Television

Years Title Writer Executive
producer		 Notes
2003 Miss Match Yes (1) No
2004 North Shore Yes (1) No
2009–2010 Mercy Yes (3) No
2011 Love Bites Yes (2) Co-producer
2011–2013 30 Rock Yes (2) Producer
2014 About a Boy Yes (1) Supervising
2017 Friends from College Yes (1) Co-executive
2018 Forever Yes (1) Consulting
2020 Ramy Yes (1) Co-executive
2020–2022 Stargirl Yes (2) Co-executive
2022 Life & Beth Yes (2) Yes
2026 Furious Yes (1) Co-executive

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Project Result Ref.
2013 65th Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy Series 30 Rock Nominated [24]
66th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated
2014 66th Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy Series Nominated
25th Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy Nominated
2024 Arizona Underground Film Festival Best Narrative Short Loser Won [25]
Byron Bay International Film Festival Best Short Film Won [26]
Canberra Short Film Festival Best Film Won [27]
Charlotte Film Festival Audience Award Won [28]
DOC LA Best Film Won [29]
New Hampshire Film Festival Best Short Drama Won [30]
LA Indie Film Festival Best Short Won [18]
Best Screenplay Won
Oxford International Film Festival Best Director Won [31]
Best International Short Won

References

  1. 1 2 30 Rock (TV Series 2006–2013) - Awards - IMDb. Retrieved 2025-01-31 – via www.imdb.com.
  2. ↑ McGuinness, Colleen (2024-06-19), Loser (Short, Drama), Ada Bland, Andrew Block, Vera Briseño, retrieved 2025-01-31
  3. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (2024-12-13). "Angourie Rice, Finn Bennett, Ella Purnell & Lukas Gage In Talks For Radio Silence Thriller Production 'Loser'". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Grobar, Matt (2024-10-31). "Julia Fox Boards Thriller 'Loser' From Colleen McGuinness & Radio Silence". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  5. 1 2 3 Sara Lynne Wright. "Colleen McGuinness '99 (Comedy Writer-Producer, About a Boy, 30 Rock)". HARVARDWOOD.
  6. ↑ Libby Coleman (11 December 2015). "Taking on TV Comedy from the Outside In". OZY Media. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  7. ↑ Harris, Dana (30 June 2004). "New Line serves laffer". Variety. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  8. 1 2 "The College Try". Harvard.edu. Harvard Alumni.
  9. ↑ "Bringing Broadway to the Pudding | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  10. ↑ "Office of the Arts Awards Performers | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  11. ↑ "For Mature Audiences Only". imdb.com.
  12. ↑ "Colleen McGuinness IMDB". imdb.com.
  13. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2013-08-14). "NBC Nabs Comedy Produced By '30 Rock's Tina Fey & Robert Carlock". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  14. ↑ Weinstein, Shelli (2014-10-28). "Fox Orders Comedy Script Produced by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck". Variety. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  15. ↑ Kenneally, Tim (2014-10-28). "Fox Orders Comedy Script From Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and '30 Rock' Alum Colleen McGuinness". TheWrap. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  16. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2016-06-22). "HBO Developing Curtis Sittenfeld's Novel 'Prep' As Comedy Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  17. ↑ "Official Selection Award Winners 2024". Oxford International Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  18. 1 2 "AWARDS". LA Film Festivals. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  19. ↑ "DOC LA Awards 2024". imdb.com.
  20. ↑ "2024 WINNERS". CBR Short Film Fest. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  21. ↑ Rick (2024-10-30). "Byron Bay International Film Festival announces award winners". The Official ByronBay.com Guide. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  22. ↑ Klink, Ryan (2024-10-22). "The 22nd Annual New Hampshire Film Festival Announces Award Recipients". New Hampshire Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
  23. ↑ "Charlotte Film Festival".
  24. ↑ 30 Rock (TV Series 2006–2013) - Awards - IMDb. Retrieved 2025-01-31 – via www.imdb.com.
  25. ↑ "Arizona Underground Film Festival". 28 September 2021.
  26. ↑ "Byron Bay International Film Festival Winners". 30 October 2024.
  27. ↑ "Canberra Short Film Festival".
  28. ↑ "Charlotte Film Festival". Facebook.
  29. ↑ "DOC LA Awards 2024". imdb.com.
  30. ↑ "New Hampshire Film Festival". 22 October 2024.
  31. ↑ "Official Selection Award Winners 2024". Oxford International Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
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