Question regarding Series.

[Bartholomew]

If I'm writing scripts for a series, how many of those scripts should I have finished before I start submitting?

[Plot Device]

Hey, Bart, I didn't know you were into writing scripts. :)

If you're talking about Network TV (cable or broadcast) my understanding is that it's MIGHTY hard for an unproved newbie to break into series TV--either to become a staff writer for established series, or to launch a brand new series of their own creation. That's because (so I am told) the money in TV is a lot tighter than in films, and the profit margins a lot slimmer, and the after-market more limited. So the networks are not willing to take chances on unproved writers.

But if you're talking about webisodes for a internet series, that's still a wide open and uncharted frontier where newbies can do almost anything they want --and it's also (quite sadly) a frontier with little money in it at the present time (although that can certainly change one day--when is anybody's guess).

If you're talking broadcast/cable, you really really need to know somebody. And even then, the purse strings are held tightly shut by the guys who actually have the authority to give a greenlight. If you have something truly awesome, then the answer will be only a super-slim "maybe." And even then, they might simply buy the idea from you, and then shut you out after they've bought you out. Consider what happened to Richard Hatch --the guy who played the original Captain Apollo back in the 1970's--after over ten years of trying trying trying trying to sell a revamping of Battlestar Galactica to broadcast TV--the Sci-Fi Channel finally bit, and said "We'll do it, but not with YOU, Mr. Hatch." And so they bought him out, and then tossed him out on his ear.

They want you to prove yourself in other arenas first. Indie films. Film festivals. B-grade flicks. Stuff like that.

[Bartholomew]

Hey, Bart, I didn't know you were into writing scripts. :)

If you're talking about Network TV (cable or broadcast) my understanding is that it's MIGHTY hard for an unproved newbie to break into series TV--either to become a staff writer for established series, or to launch a brand new series of their own creation. That's because (so I am told) the money in TV is a lot tighter than in films, and the profit margins a lot slimmer, and the after-market more limited. So the networks are not willing to take chances on unproved writers.

But if you're talking about webisodes for a internet series, that's still a wide open and uncharted frontier where newbies can do almost anything they want --and it's also (quite sadly) a frontier with little money in it at the present time (although that can certainly change one day--when is anybody's guess).

If you're talking broadcast/cable, you really really need to know somebody. And even then, the purse strings are held tightly shut by the guys who actually have the authority to give a greenlight. If you have something truly awesome, then the answer will be only a super-slim "maybe." And even then, they might simply buy the idea from you, and then shut you out after they've bought you out. Consider what happened to Richard Hatch --the guy who played the original Captain Apollo back in the 1970's--after over ten years of trying trying trying trying to sell a revamping of Battlestar Galactica to broadcast TV--the Sci-Fi Channel finally bit, and said "We'll do it, but not with YOU, Mr. Hatch." And so they bought him out, and then tossed him out on his ear.

They want you to prove yourself in other arenas first. Indie films. Film festivals. B-grade flicks. Stuff like that.

Figured it'd be kinda like that. It's OK. I'm cool with sitting on a pile of scripts until I get something else out there.

I've had a few people tell me dialogue is my strong point; this seemed a natural thing to try.

Any guidance about where total script-newbies go to get their names out their is appreciated.

[dpaterso]

If I'm writing scripts for a series, how many of those scripts should I have finished before I start submitting?
Are you writing for an existing series?

Answer, one -- your writing sample, to submit to the producers.

Or creating a new/proposed series?

Answer, one -- the pilot episode. Plus mini-synopses of at least half-a-dozen episodes.

To find previous threads that have asked questions about TV pilots, select Search this Forum and search for keywords TV pilot

One notable thread that should show up: Writing a TV series pilot (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24936)

-Derek

[Bartholomew]

Are you writing for an existing series?

Answer, one -- your writing sample, to submit to the producers.

Or creating a new/proposed series?

Answer, one -- the pilot episode. Plus mini-synopses of at least half-a-dozen episodes.

To find previous threads that have asked questions about TV pilots, select Search this Forum and search for keywords TV pilot

One notable thread that should show up: Writing a TV series pilot (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24936)

-Derek

What in the name of the nine frigid hells is a TV Pilot? TV's don't have cockpits. O.o

[ALLWritety]

a pilot is a new idea/show. Thats all. Everything in this business likes to have a fancy name!!
Kev

[zeprosnepsid]

I thought you needed a pilot and a bible....

[NikeeGoddess]

you need a pilot to guide you in your deepest darkest hour
you need a bible to pray that after admitting that you don't know what a tv pilot is that someone will take you seriously

[Mac H.]

Apparently the security guys at LAX don't understand either.

Director Mike Figgis (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001214/) was going through security at LAX when he was asked the reason for his visit. "I'm here to shoot a pilot," was his response. ... The director of Leaving Las Vegas (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0113627/), Timecode (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0220100/) and Internal Affairs (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0099850/) was then detained for about five hours until immigration officials could get online and figure out that, yep, "pilot" has more than one meaning.

Good thing the immigration officers didn't ask him about his body of work. Figgis' answer might have been "I recently made a huge bomb (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0331468/)."
Ref:


http://www.cinematical.com/2007/05/29/director-mike-figgis-detained-for-threatening-to-shoot-a-pilot/




Mac

(PS: Yes, I know it's a bit of an urban myth. eg:

http://people.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1310902.php/Director_Mike_Figgis_detained_Shoot_a_Pilot_taken_ literally

But it makes a good anecdote ...)

[Willowmound]

That's friggin' funny.

[javili]

A pilot is the script for the first show of a proposed series.

My understanding is that if you want to write for a certain show who don't do a script for that show. Instead you show them a script for another show. This is contrary to common sense that I believe it to be true.