Television

At the end
of your excellent discussion on the usage of script versus screenplay, you
make a comparison between one page of a screenplay and one page from a TV drama.
Format-wise, they may be similar, but as the mediums are different (television
for all its visual acumen is very much a dialogue based medium compared to
film) would this not be apparent in the writing on these same pages under comparison?

–Bob Cousins

In certain cases, yes. A script for "Law and Order" is almost entirely
dialogue in the second half, when the court case kicks in. "The West Wing" is
all talking, all the time. If you looked at any one page from these scripts,
you might be able to guess that it’s a TV show.

But a page from "Alias" or "Angel" or "Smallville" looks
and feels exactly like a feature. With the exception of act
breaks, the flow
of words on the page is no different than a 120 page screenplay.

That’s one reason why I would highly recommend any budding screenwriter try
writing an episode of their favorite one-hour drama. It’s a great exercise
in getting comfortable with the challenges of the format. In fact, the very
first script I ever "wrote" was an episode of "Star Trek: The
Next Generation," which I literally transcribed from tape. (I was 19 at
the time. The episode was "Galaxy’s Child," teleplay by Marice Hurley,
story by Thomas Kortozian.) For the cost of a few hours, I learned a lot about
scene length and story pacing, and it got me over my fear of screenplays.

I would like to write for a certain television show. I have studied
all the episodes throughout the years, watched the characters evolve, and
I have
written my own episodes in my spare time for practice. How would I get ahold
of the production company to find out about working for them? My school doesn’t
have the resources to help so I need to do it on my own. What is the best way
to approach the producers?

–Nils Taylor

Although it does happen occasionally, usually a writer is not hired for a
show based on a script he wrote for that specific series. That is, someone
is not hired for THE PRACTICE based on an spec script for THE PRACTICE. Instead,
he might get hired based on a sample episode of THE WEST WING, SIX FEET UNDER,
or another one-hour drama.

Which is weird on the face of it. Why wouldn’t David E. Kelley want to read
a writer exploring the characters and plotlines he created? There are a few
reasons.

First is the possibility of lawsuits. If the spec episode you wrote ends up
resembling a later episode of the series, the producers don’t want to be liable.
Even with signed releases, a lot of producers use this as a reason not to read
submissions of their own show. My assistant, Dana, used to work on SMALLVILLE,
which categorically refused to read any sample SMALLVILLE’s for just this reason.

Second, a producer for THE BERNIE MAC SHOW is going to be comparing your sample
episode to the dozens he’s read or written himself. He may have all sorts of
criteria for quality that aren’t readily apparent to someone outside the show:
how the kids are used, how often Bernie should talk to camera, et cetera. You
would be going in at a disadvantage relative to another writer with a sample
episode of a similar-but-different show, like GREG THE BUNNY or MY WIFE AND
KIDS.

So what are your sample scripts good for? Well, they could help you get a
job on another show you like. They could help you get a television agent or
manager, who will happily read scripts from any show. They could also give
you lots of good experience, since people write what they like better than
what they hate.

Most television shows choose their staffs during the aptly-named "staffing
season," generally late April through the end of May. If you’re good on
the phone, it’s worth calling the production company during that time and finding
out what scripts the producers are reading for staffing, so you’ll know if
you’re in the right ballpark. But almost no network show will take submissions
from an unrepresented writer, so finding an agent and/or manager will need
to be your first step. In previous columns, you can read a lot of discussion
on that.

I want to know how hard it is for an unknown writer to get a television show
idea produced.

–Matthew Pizana

Almost impossible.

"Almost" is the key word here, because it could potentially happen
if you were to partner up with a more experienced producer who would have the
connections and clout to get the financing (i.e studio) and the distribution
(i.e. network) to get the show made and aired.

Or, you could do it all by yourself.

Friends of mine who were not directly in the film/TV business had a very good
idea for an unusual spin on the sitcom format. Knowing that words alone wouldn’t
be able to convince someone to make the show, they went out and assembled a
cast, a crew, and shot a sample episode of the show by themselves. It turned
out fantastic. I took the finished tape around to a lot of different TV people,
and my friends got many meetings from interested buyers.

But in the end, no one bought it, and my friends were out a lot of money.

I tell you this cautionary tale not to discourage you — hard work is often
rewarded, and handsomely. But even the best ideas are very difficult to pull
off.