Danger in the Game When the Stakes are High
Hello people!
Well, I read through a few books about writing for TV and that whole process last year.
I took lots and lots of notes and I wanna share them with you. So here ya go!
General Knowledge: the Industry
+shows like My Show, which are dependent on a multi-episode story arc, will suck in syndication, but usually kickass in DVD sales, online views, downloads and foreign sales
+typically, networks want ideas - not pilots (a spec pilot is a complete pilot episode of an original TV show)
+repeat the mantra: never give up
+1000s of ideas/specs get narrowed down to 100-130 --> 20-30 --> 4-8 --> 2-4 --> 1 hit (chances are basically less than 1 in 1000)
+work on the "premise" - one sentence identifying conflict and lasting power
+DO NOT overdress - wear business-casual - lest you upstage those around you
+DO NOT underdress - BUSINESS-CASUAL - don't look like a slob
+get business cards that have your phone number, email address, your website (if you have one) and any social networks on which you are prominent - make sure they look professional!
+NEVER make negative comments
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Scriptwriting
+there are four acts: Act One (~20 pages), Act Two (~15 pages), Act Three (~15 pages), Act Four (~10 pages)
+the time between acts is where commercial breaks are scheduled - try to have a decent hook at the end of each act that will keep the audience watching when the show returns from commercials
+consider the main character's tragedy and how they overcome it when writing your spec
+10 major elements to think about when analyzing your concept and script:
[1] main character(s)
[2] the lead character's tragedy and a little info about them
[3] in one sentence, what's their motivation?
[4] what's the plot of the pilot in one sentence?
[5] what's their outer motivation (to stop, to protect, to encourage, etc.)? (ex.: a spy preventing terrorism's outer motivation is to stop - to stop the terrorists that threaten people's safety)
[6] what's the conflict?
[7] what's the character arc for the main character(s)?
[8] what is the purpose of the main character, and what makes him/her unique?
[9] name some popular antecedents (antecedents for My Show would be 24 and Splinter Cell, two well-known series that have been fairly huge hits in their resepective industries)
[10] pinpoint what excites you about your show and express that excitement - if you don't care about it, why should anyone else?
+only use 4 of those 10 major elements when pitching - whichever are your strongest (mine would be 1, 5, 6 and 10)
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Treatments/Bibles
+six elements: one page series overview, one page description of all MAJOR characters, four-five page overview of pilot, extended character description, one page setting/franchise description, pilot treatment
+write similar to how I format my LJ posts - spaces between paragraphs
+treatments need to have action, excitement, drama!
+ALWAYS write in the present tense
+include and play up the important/obligatory scenes that are necessary to follow the plot of the pilot episode
+skim the background
+determine what kind of lead you have (My Show is a single-lead - serialized event drama with a male lead)
+determine what "your voice" is - this will be, basically, the attitude of your show (My Show's voice: "there are bad people who do bad things, sometimes for no reason, and there are good people who, either publicly or in secret, protect us from the bad guys" --> admittedly, that's kind of a shitty voice, I wrote it two years ago, lol)
+make the intro of your bible relatable and interesting - this will explain the basis of your show in reality, what makes it interesting, what makes it something people will want to watch
+write a fascinating but simple logline - this states what your show is about (My Show's logline: "a covert agent with a sense of humor and a crack team of highly-trained specialists work for a clandestine division of the government known as [redacted], preventing terrorism worldwide")
+make the logline smooth, almost undetectable within the intro
+your pilot should entice, but also show potential for future episodes/seasons
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Pitching (to an Agent/Agency and to Networks)
+mention any major writing achievements in your past that relate to this project (ex.: you're pitching a spy show, in the past, you wrote a spy story that won a national award, that should be mentioned) - DO NOT take this as an opportunity to highlight every award or contest you've ever won, ONLY things that are relevant to the project you're pitching - keep it SIMPLE
+don't illustrate every detail in a long pitch, and include "at the end of Act One," "at the end of Act Two," etc.
+DO NOT focus on the story when pitching - this is about the characters and the concept (the idea of the show, NOT the story of the pilot - so, the concept of My Show is a spy neutralizing terrorism)
+a 10 second pitch is NOT a logline
+following the "60 second pitch," ask if they'll read your spec script
+DO NOT go over 60 seconds for the 60 second pitch (60SP) - no exceptions!
+end with the logline in a 60SP
+if the buyer asks about the ending, TELL THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW - don't be coy!
+DO NOT tell the entire story, just enough to entice
+use notes on cards with numbers and large print, but do not read the entire pitch
+for in-person pitch sessions that are scheduled (i.e.: not a 60 second pitch or 10 second pitch) briefly state: how long you've been writing, relevant background info, contests you won, who you know, what you want to achieve
+acknowledge that you're grateful for their time
+for phone pitches: ask if it's a convenient time to chat, state who you are, where you came from, how you found this agent, say your logline first - if they say they are interested, continue to tell them about the show, if they say they're not interested, don't go on, thank them for their time and hang up
+state how your show fits into the current schedule of what's on TV (maybe your show will fill the gap left by a cancelled show, or compliments an already-running [and successful] show well)
+following a phone pitch, ask, "do you have any questions about my story, or would you like me to send you my spec?"
+if they ask questions, KEEP IT BRIEF with 10 second answers - don't give them more than they need!
+DO NOT attempt to go through alternate channels - unless you "know someone who knows someone," you NEED to get an agent - networks and even talent agencies will not accept anything sent to them without representation
+finding an agent can be incredibly difficult, just make sure that your pitch is strong
+for pitch meetings, memorize the pitch (if possible) - bring cue cards if needed
+don't use character names - that's too much to keep track of - instead, use job titles (boss, spy, techie, etc.)
+illustrate major scenes ("beats") of the story and characters in 3-5 minutes
+there are FOUR KEY PARTS to pitching in person: a brilliant intro of yourself to establish credit, a strong hook for your show, showing an understanding of your target audience, a realistic assessment of your show's market potential
+say that your script is ABOUT something - use WHAT IFs (ex.: there are plenty of shows about the CIA and the FBI, but WHAT IF a top secret agency existed that no one knew about? How would they function, what kinds of missions would they have?)
+start with, "I think the best way to tell you about my story is to tell you how I came up with this idea..." - this approach makes it relatable, personal and, therefore, instantly more interesting
+"I think the best way to tell you about my story is to tell you how I came up with this idea...I used to collect baseball cards with my dad when I was little. It was our favorite thing to do and just about all we bonded over. There was one card that my dad always wanted but could never find, and I wanted to get it for him. So my idea is this: a young boy discovers that a millionaire is auctioning off this card, and the boy plans to travel cross-country to get this card for his father, who is in the hospital, sick. Along the way, the boy meets a drifter who wants to steal the card and sell it for money, another millionaire hoping to buy the card, etc. That's the idea for 'The Summer of Daryl Loggins.'" - this is just a brief example of how your pitch should go - this pitch does NOT include a logline, BE SURE THAT YOURS DOES
+DO NOT say that the show will be a hit, or why it will be popular - frankly, you don't know if it will be a hit or not
+if they're sold on the project, DO NOT keep going - shut up! (you've got them already, don't make them change their minds)
+DO NOT LIE TO FLATTER - never, EVER lie - you WILL get caught
+you should always have at least two other ideas to pitch, incase your original idea is shot down (ex.: a spy drama, a comedy about a man who pretends to be married to get extra benefits from work, a cop procedural)
+send follow-up emails after meetings, such as: "thanks for meeting with me, it was a pleasure"
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Making the Deal
+be flexible, it's all about sealing the deal
+prime networks for pitching dramas: TNT, FOX
+create an air-time flow chart, plotting shows that are similar to yours, including the following factors: networks, air days, air time
+do NOT demand a "created by" credit for your first show - it BREAKS deals all the time
+create a treatment or "bible" for your show - this is an overview of the series, character descriptions, an overview of the pilot, etc.
+the preferable deal to make is called a "pay-or-play" - this means that you get paid whether the show gets picked up or not (they're basically paying for your idea)
+the other option for a deal is an if-come, which I believe hinges on getting the show green-lighted - it tends to screw the creator, but it's better than no deal at all, and it's what a lot of studios go for
+a good, NEW writer is more likely to get "script commitment" rather than "blind script" - this is when the studio/whoever likes your writing, but don't know what they want you to work on yet, so you wait to be assigned to a show
+the lowest fee YOU can earn for your show as a WRITER, by WGA union standards, is $47,622
+writers are often offered a different title than "created by," ranging from "producer" to "co-executive producer"
+the flow of titles, from top to bottom: exec producer --> co-exec producer --> supervising producer --> producer --> co-producer --> exec story editor --> story editor --> staff writer
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Working with the Studio
+"backend" - studio starts with 100 participation points and divies them up (honestly, I don't know what the fuck this means and I didn't understand it when I was reading it, but it seemed important, so I scribbled it down)
+say that you will be exclusive to "this project"
+a "story call" is a conference call about the pilot with the studio execs
+to "outline beat-by-beat" is to illustrate every scene in roughly 12-13 pages
+(I'm assuming the following is which process the studio picks to move forward) full pilot is the best option, studios tend to be uneasy about money, "cast-contingent" is when a network wants a cast first before moving forward
+"sides" are dialogue pages selected by the writer/creator of the show for actors to use when auditioning
+the writer is involved in EVERYTHING
+producers' sessions are when actors audition in front of "the big guys" (execs, producers, etc.) and the writer
+to get comfortable with a script and the other people working on the show with you, suggest a "pre-table" at your house with food and wine before the official table read
+a sad fact of working with a studio: you will ALWAYS be rewriting your script - be prepared for that
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The Production Process
+there is a six week preproduction, several days of production (you MUST make day - don't work overtime, no one wants that), postproduction is the final rewrite, which happens when there are five weeks to air
+in postproduction or "post": visit the title house (credits), effects house (visuals), write ten short paragraph-length episode ideas to turn in with the pilot, which can also include character descriptions, backstory and any other important info
+focus group testing and final edits are a key part of the production process
+you will be attached to your show, but DO NOT be devastated if you don't get green-lighted, especially with your first idea - it happens to everyone, even the most successful, and it will be okay
+"network upfront presentations" in New York are parties to promote the show
+going by the traditional calendar, shooting starts mid-July
+in the first 13 eps or so, focus on showing the characters and what the show is about (this way, people who tune in on the 7th or 8th episode won't be too lost and can catch up easily)
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WHEW. That's it! Those are all the notes I have. Hope these are helpful to you guys!
Love y'all - Mira/Doc/Kat *meow*