theOffice Announces its New Location in Santa Monica
Unofficial “Screenwriters Den” Boasts Numerous Alumni of Award-Winning Feature Films & TV Projects
Santa Monica, CA—September 17, 2018–theOffice, a quiet communal workspace, re-opened its doors in Santa Monica on Monday, September 10 after briefly closing and relocating from its original home in Brentwood. Located on the ground floor of a new building, the space boasts a larger room than the original, with 30 workstations spaced throughout, featuring ergonomic Herman Miller chairs, free-floating desks, lounge seating, a communal table, standing desks and bartop seating. theOffice is known for its quiet, distraction-free environment (phone calls and conversations are only permitted outside). The new location also features free Wi-Fi, lockers for overnight storage, a new sound-proof lounge for lunch and quiet conversation and free, onsite parking.
“When we lost our original lease, I thought we were done,” says screenwriter-owner Aleks Horvat, “But this space has exceeded our expectations. Its a beautiful building on a quiet street with coffee and eateries within walking distance. We’re dubbing it theOffice 2.0.”
theOffice not only holds the title for being one of the first co-working spaces of its kind but also continues to be the creative home for many of the leading scriptwriters working in Hollywood today. A perpetually in-demand workspace with a membership roster that is often waitlisted, non-members can purchase day passes for $39 and newcomers can try it for one-week free when space is available.
Celebrity success stories include actress and author Brooke Shields, who wrote the first words of her book on postpartum depression at theOffice. Charter members include Shields’ husband, TV writer Chris Henchy, screenwriter/director Joss Whedon (writer/director of Marvel’s “The Avengers” and creator of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), screenwriters Blake Herron (“The Bourne Identity”), Jim Uhls (“Fight Club”), and Marc Hyman (“Showdogs,”).
Other notable alumni include J.J. Abrams, Chris Weitz. Jennifer Grey and husband Clark Gregg (actor/writer, “What Lies Beneath,” writer/director of Choke), Gigi Levangie (writer of Stepmom and The Starter Wife), Mark Cullen, screenwriter “Cop Out”, David Scarpa, screenwriter “All The Money in the World,” starring Christopher Plummer and Michelle Williams, Victoria Strouse, screenwriter “Finding Dory” and Noah Oppenheim, screenwriter of “Jackie” and “The Maze Runner”.
I had the opportunity to speak directly with Aleks Horvat, one of the owners and original founders of theOFFICE.
Is your clientele only screenwriter’s?
Aleks Horvat. theOFFICE provides a clean, comfortable, quiet space for novelists, journalist’s screenwriter’s, and students who might be studying for the Bar Exam. It has a library vibe.
How did you come up with the idea to create a special environment for writer’s?
Aleks Horvat. Being a writer myself, I enjoy creating alone, but with people. The vibe and energy is great like any communal space, but it is also clean, quiet, and without distractions. theOFFICE was the first space like it in the country. We opened our doors in 2004.
What are some of theOFFICE’s special features?
Aleks Horvat. We took every effort to make the space ergonomic and comfortable. For those who prefer to work with their laptops on their knees, we chose classic sofa and lounge chair seating from Herman Miller. We provide Vari-Desks for writer’s who like to stand while writing. We have BarTop seats with comfy swivel seats for writer’s who like window view, and of course standard desk height tables.
What would you say to someone thinking of becoming a member?
Aleks Horvat. The proof is in the pudding. We’re a friendly place, kind of like the sitcom “Cheers“. We know everybody’s name, and want to make our members feel this is a second home. Give it a try. We offer one week free when space allows. CALL FIRST 310-917-4455. Writing isn’t a 9-5 job, so theOFFICE is available 24/7.
When asked to encapsulate the vibe of theOffice, business partner and general manager Wade Gasque says, “There’s definitely some kind of magic in the room. We’ve had members with us for over 13 years. They come here to quickly drop into the zone and get the work done. Everyone is feeding off everyone else’s energy. There really is no other place like it.”
For more information please visit www.theofficeonline.com.
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