Script Notes by Chad Gervich - Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Wanna Sell Your Spec Pilot?...
Posted by Chad

Hey, everyone--

If you missed it a few months ago...

I'm teaching another "Writing the TV Pilot" seminar in Los Angeles this month, and I hope you can all make it!

Spec pilots are selling like hot cakes these days... Matthew Weiner's Mad Men on AMC was a spec pilot... and so was Sons of Tucson, FOX's new midseason comedy. Yours could be next!

This is a great class for anyone working on a spec pilot or thinking of writing a spec pilot... or even if you want to be a producer, agent, or executive developing pilots at networks, studios, or production companies.

We'll also have a special guest... Stacy Traub, creator of ABC's Notes from the Underbelly, who's also written and produced for Spin City, Happy Family, Kitchen Confidential, Suddenly Susan, and HBO's upcoming Washingtonienne. (Last time we had Lesley Wake-Webster, who has written and produced for Kitchen Confidential, What I Like About You, Ruby & the Rockets, and That '80's Show.)

Here's the scoop... hope to see you there!

Writing the TV Pilot: Create & Sell Your Own Series

Now that E.R., My Name Is Earl, The Sopranos, and Friends are off the air, networks are looking for the next great new show. And with so many cable networks actively seeking original programming, the time has never been better to develop and pitch your own series idea. This seminar will show you how to develop and write a pilot, detail what to include in a proposal, and discuss the elements of the perfect pitch.

In this seminar, you will learn:

Which types of shows the networks are looking for
Where to pitch and who to pitch to
How to write a synopsis that captures producers' attention
How to create compelling characters
How to generate ideas for a season's worth of episodes
What to include in your pitch -- and what to leave out
How to write a saleable pilot

WHEN Monday, June 15, 7-10 pm
WHERE Beverly Hills Bar Assoc., 300 S. Beverly Dr., 2nd Fl., Beverly Hills, CA 90212
FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE or call 212-547-7890

PRICE
$65 ($50 for )

And here for your viewing pleasure is a preview scene from FOX's upcoming half-hour comedy, Sons of Tucson, which was bought as a spec script written by Princeton college buddies Greg Bratman and Tommy Dewey...

Sons of Tucson

Classes Seminars Workshops | Events Activities and Things To Do | Writing TV

Tuesday, June 02, 2009 8:38:06 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Monday, June 01, 2009

PITCH WORKSHOP: Erica's Feedback
Posted by Chad

Hey, guys—

Wanted to respond to Erica’s Pitch Workshop Submission from a few weeks ago… sorry this is a little late, Erica!

Here’s Erica’s logline and synopsis:

LOGLINE:
“When the romantically inept son of Dracula travels to New York to find a powerful amulet, he finds he must learn the art of seduction to coax it from a sexually frustrated woman cursed by its dark magic.”

SYNOPSIS:
“Dracula’s son Dragos has come to New York to escape arch-vampire hunter Adam Van Helsing…and find a powerful amulet, the Eye of Khamsa. It’s the only thing that can protect him from the incantation Van Helsing has already used to destroy his father. But Reinfeld has given the amulet to his daughter, Rachel, a sexually frustrated virgin who doesn't realize her spectacularly doomed romances are caused by the amulet's dark magic.

“While Dragos might have his father’s strength and good looks, he lacks his debonair charm. Unable to talk to girls, he relies on his powers to get by. But when his powers fail to control Rachel, he finds he must learn the art of seduction to get the amulet back…slowly falling in love in the process. But after his parents tragic romance, he fears only the worse will come of it.”

First of all, Erica, thank you so much for submitting. As you know, it is SOLID, INARGUABLE FACT that the greatest show in television history (and possibly mankind’s greatest artistic achievement EVER) is “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” so you’re already playing in territory I love. I also love the fusion of horror/fantasy with comedy… and you’re clearly using the vampire mythos to comment on the difficulties of love and dating, which I love. Joss Whedon would be proud.

Secondly, kudos to Matt Star for his dead-on and lengthy feedback to your original logline post. I don’t know Matt personally, but someone should give him a job in development. And since he already commented on your original logline, I’m gonna comment on your revised logline and synopsis. So here we go…

DRAGOS FEELS TOO REACTIVE. In other words, he’s not proactive, or in active pursuit of anything… he’s simply responsive. He “escapes” to New York, and while sure, he’s in search of the Eye of Khamsa, his real motivation is just to “survive” and be “protected.”

I think you need to make Dragos genuinely PRO-active: he wants to destroy Adam Van Helsing, and the only way to do that is with the magic amulet. Or he needs to sleep with a virgin (Rachel) to get immortality, and he needs the magic amulet to help him seduce her. It’s much easier to invest in and root for pro-active characters, and right now he feels a bit too reactive.

THE MYTHOLOGY SEEMS MUDDY. You’re obviously playing with the traditional vampire mythos here, which is great, but there are a few points which are confusing to me…

• What, exactly, are Dragos’s powers? For instance, you say he’s “unable to talk to girls, [so] he relies on his powers to get by”—and then, a moment later, you his “his powers fail to control Rachel,” suggesting he’s able to control OTHER girls. So which is it?... Do his powers usually allow him to control women, in which case he IS able to talk to girls (and if he’s not able to talk to them—so what? I’d much rather be able to control people magically then have to work at talking to them)? Or is Dragos a nerdy, anti-social vampire whose powers have nothing to with talking to girls, in which case Rachel is no different than anyone else (except he falls in love with her)?

(On a similar note, why does Dragos need to seduce Rachel at all to get the amulet? If he’s a vampire with magical powers, and she’s human, can’t he simply fly into her room and TAKE the amulet? Or attack her? Or bust open her safe with his super-strength? Or turn into fog and sneak into her hiding place?)

• I love that Dragos must seduce Rachel in order to retrieve the amulet, but what does the amulet actually DO? On one hand, it seems to give Dragos strength and power (yet you also say he has Dracula’s strength, so I’m not sure what more he needs). On the other hand, the amulet is responsible for ruining all of Rachel’s relationships. This seems contradictory to me. It seems like the amulet needs to have a very specific power… like boosting sexual/romantic prowess. So Dragos needs it to become as “manly” and strong as possible… and when Rachel gets a hold of it, it turns her from a geeky bookwork into a sexual dynamo.

• Who were Dragos’s parents, and why was their relationship tragic enough to make him afraid of romance? (Is his mom Mina or Lucy? A new character?)

• Lastly, and this may sound silly or obvious—but why does Adam want to destroy Dragos? Sure, Adam is a Van Helsing and Dragos is the son of Dracula… but this story lives in a world where vampires can be likeable and good… and frankly, Dragos doesn’t seem very threatening. He’s an anti-social dork who can’t talk to girls and then falls in love… is he really dangerous enough that he warrants being killed? Or—is Adam “evil,” so obsessed with killing vampires that he can’t distinguish the good ones? I think this relationship needs to be clarified and articulated.

Anyway, having said all that… I still love this—and I can’t wait to see it on the big screen, shot with a $100 million budget!

For the rest of you, if you have loglines you'd like to workshop as party of the Script Notes Pitch Workshop, please feel free to post them in comments here, or simply email them to me at WDScriptNotes@FWPubs.com.

In the mean time, coming up... we have many more reader questions, pitch submissions, book reviews, and much more! Don't go anywhere!

SCRIPT NOTES PITCH WORKSHOP

Monday, June 01, 2009 1:28:22 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Saturday, May 30, 2009

A Letter from WGA President Patric Verone...
Posted by Chad

Hey, folks--

Hot off the press, here's a letter from WGA president Patric Verone... thought you might find it interesting...

May 29, 2009

To My Fellow Members,

It’s been a while since I’ve reported to you about the progress of Writers Guild organizing efforts and the many successes we’ve had in the past two years. Organizing writers who work without a WGA contract is one of the key ways we strengthen the Guild and protect the standards we have all struggled so long and hard to achieve.

Our first priority in organizing is always to defend our core jurisdiction: network and cable dramas, sitcoms (including network primetime animated sitcoms), longform television, talk shows, variety shows, game shows, and live-action features. Beginning with our current contract, our jurisdiction now also includes original and derivative content in New Media. Our second priority is the expansion of our jurisdiction to areas where we currently lack coverage or where non-signatory companies have been operating, including reality television, non-primetime and feature animation, and non-fiction.

With those priorities in mind, here is a recap of our recent efforts:

CABLE TELEVISION

In cable we have focused on Comedy Central because it employs a large number of writers. Working closely with writers on Comedy Central’s main shows, we undertook a strategy of escalating actions, culminating in a short work stoppage. One show at a time, we organized WGA coverage for:

The Sarah Silverman Program
Mind of Mencia
The Showbiz Show with David Spade
American Body Shop
Root of All Evil
Chocolate News
Reno 911!
Michael & Michael Have Issues
Secret Girlfriends
The Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy
The Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget
The Untitled Jeff Dunham Project
Tosh.0
Eddie Portnoy, Boy Producer
Ghosts/Aliens

We continue to build on a positive relationship with the network and recently signed an overall deal covering all future Comedy Central roasts. We hope to achieve a more comprehensive overall deal and are currently engaged in efforts to cover all dramatic and comedy-variety shows produced by Comedy Central.

Elsewhere in cable we have organized and made deals for dramatic programs, quiz and audience participation shows, non-dramatic, and documentary shows. In all these cases, the role of the writers in providing information and assistance, and their willingness to refuse work if necessary were keys to success. Thanks to their efforts we now cover:

Tyler Perry’s House of Payne for TBS
Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns for TBS
The Cheech and Chong Roast for TBS
Match Game for TBS
The Singing Bee for CMT
Secrets of the Founding Fathers for the History Channel
Spontaneous Human Combustion for the Discovery Channel
The Tunguska Event for the Discovery Channel
Animal Armageddon for Animal Planet

NETWORK TELEVISION

Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?

Last year we signed a WGA deal for this primetime hit game show. Recently we also negotiated a deal to cover the syndicated version of the show.

Sit Down, Shut Up

We assisted the writers of this Sony primetime animated series in a work stoppage aimed at getting WGA coverage. To resolve the dispute, the company offered each of the writers six-figure “blind pilot” deals covered by the WGA and standard WGA terms for their work on the series, although the series (now canceled) nominally remained under an IATSE contract.

The Osbournes: Loud and Dangerous

Despite overwhelming coverage of the network primetime writing work force, writers have still had to struggle for WGA contracts on occasion. One of the essential ways members can protect Guild benefits is by refusing to work for non-signatory companies. Working Rule 8 states: “No member shall accept employment with, nor option or sell literary material to, any person, firm or corporation who is not signatory to the applicable MBAs.” This rule is designed to ensure that the only way entertainment companies can have access to Guild talent is through a Guild deal.

We invoked Working Rule 8 on the Osbournes program after the production company, FremantleMedia, refused to negotiate a fair deal. Guild members heeded the call and refused to write for this non-guild show, which would have been the first non-WGA comedy-variety show in primetime broadcast TV. To date, only one episode has aired, to extremely poor reviews and bad ratings. The remaining episodes may well never be aired. We believe that the failure of this show is a direct result of the company not being able to use Guild writers

NEW MEDIA

The Guild organized and made deals with 26 companies that have become signatory to the WGA MBA for the express purpose of producing New Media content. Web programming produced by these companies includes:

Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
Woke Up Dead
In the Motherhood
1,000 Days
Wainy Days
Back on Topps
Web Therapy

We have also signed contracts for Internet content from New Media production companies Machinima.com and Science + Fiction.

VIDEOGAMES

We have signed 44 interactive agreements to provide WGA members with pension and health benefits for their work on videogames. Our most recent deals are for Battle CMT and Project 9.

FEATURE FILMS

In the past 18 months we made deals to cover several high-profile feature films, including Into the Wild and Frozen River. Since the beginning of last year, we have made deals to cover 15 low-budget films:

Assisting Venus
The Blue Tooth Virgin
Bob’s New Suit
Children of Invention
Exporting Raymond
Father vs. Son
Herpes Boy
The Red Queen
The Scenesters
Strictly Sexual
The Two Bobs
The Undying
Women in Trouble

FOREIGN PRODUCED PROJECTS

In the area of foreign-produced projects employing WGA members, we have secured WGA deals for Noah’s Ark (an animated feature), The 99 and Bommi & Friends (animated TV series), and Poirot (a live-action series).

REALITY TELEVISION

In reality television, we have pressured the networks and production companies through strikes at America’s Next Top Model and the FremantleMedia game show Temptation. In both cases writers walked off their jobs to protest the companies’ refusal to negotiate WGA coverage.

We pressured the entire reality industry through public exposure of the serious labor law violations by reality television production companies. We conducted a focused exposure of the most important production company, FremantleMedia, the producers of American Idol, with the “American Idol Truth Tour.”

As awareness of the abuses against workers in reality TV grows so does the number of workers willing to take action. Last month a group of FremantleMedia workers independently filed a multimillion-dollar class-action lawsuit against the company for its violations of California’s wage and hour laws. Two lawsuits brought by writers against Next Entertainment and Rocket Science Entertainment are in the process of settling for $4.5 million dollars.

ORGANIZING THE FUTURE

Defending and expanding our jurisdiction do not take place in a vacuum. The gains won as a result of our 100-day strike have helped change the environment in which we undertake our organizing efforts, and as this report reflects, we are making steady progress getting companies to agree to WGA coverage of their projects.

The Organizing and Jurisdiction Department has primary staff responsibility for external organizing, but every department of the Guild has participated in and deserves credit for our organizing successes. None of it, however, would have been possible without the support and sacrifices of you, our members. I would like to personally thank all the brave, committed, and hard working writers who helped with these efforts. Because of you we are all stronger and better off.

The organizing struggle is far from over and there is much important work left to be done. I know the Guild can count on your support and assistance in this crucial effort.

Best,

Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW

Industry Updates | Reality TV | Screenwriting (Film) | Writing TV

Saturday, May 30, 2009 2:01:50 AM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Friday, May 29, 2009

READER QUESTION: Will There Be A Pitchfest in New York?
Posted by Chad

Hey, folks--

Wanted to respond to Rosetta's Great American Pitchfest question from a couple days ago...

"When will an event like this [or at least similar to it] be available in the New York City region?... I learned about this coming event a little too late to plan to attend and would like to know about such future PitchFests."

Well, Rosetta, I talked to Signe Olynyk, the head of Pitchfest, who says that while they eventually hope to do a NYC Pitchfest, it's not on the radar quite yet. The event started in Canada, where they did two Pitchfests just before the Banff TV Festival and another in Vancouver, in association with the Film and Television Expo of Western Canada, but these were much smaller than the LA incarnation. While a New York version would be great, it would likely be much smaller-- both in professionals and attendance-- and they'd probably have to fly in many execs from California.

Having said, that GOOD NEWS!... Here are two well-respected New York events that DO have pitching opportunities, so check 'em out... they may be just what you're looking for!...

The New York Television Festival - September 21-26, 2009

Pitch Your Hit: Women-in-Film's Two-Day Workshop - June 9 & June 15, 2009

Good luck! And here's last year's pilot winner of the New York TV Festival's People's Choice Award, Teachers...

Friday, May 29, 2009 12:29:09 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Networking Group of the Week: HWAS (Hollywood Writers' Office Assistant Social)
Posted by Chad

Hey, all--

Just wanted to introduce you to a great new networking group... the Hollywood Writers' Office Assistant Social (HWAS).

This is an outstanding group geared toward working writers assistants, TV writers, aspiring writers, and anyone who works in a TV production office.

They not only hold periodic events like mixers, parties, and Q&A's, but they also have an excellent blog, which includes really informative interviews with writers, writers assistants, etc. This week's interview is with Christian Trokey, a story editor on FOX's Prison Break.

Anyway, it's a relatively young group, but they've already done some impressive work and proven themselves a great resource for working insiders and aspirants alike-- so check 'em out, and maybe I'll see you at the next party!

For more information, click HERE!

Books Tools Resources | Career Advice | Events Activities and Things To Do | Writing TV

Thursday, May 28, 2009 7:19:42 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

A Quick Post re: Pitchfest
Posted by Chad

Hey, guys--

I've gotten some emails and questions about Pitchfest, so just wanted to respond real fast...

1) Rosetta-- I'm not sure if/when Pitchfest itself is coming to New York... lemme sniff around a bit. I'll also try to round up some info on some other pitch festivals, or similar events, and get it up here. Bear with me... I'll try to get it up in the next few days.

2) Just to clarify-- Pitchfest is free... AND costs money. Basically, the first day of classes and panels is free... but the second day, when you actually get to pitch, costs money... and there are different levels of payment depending on what you want.

Hope that helps, and Rosetta-- I'll try and get your info up here shortly!

Chad

Classes Seminars Workshops | Events Activities and Things To Do | Pitching | Reader Questions

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 8:36:13 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Monday, May 25, 2009

Sell Your Movie or TV Show... and Say Hello... at Pitchfest!
Posted by Chad

Hey, everyone--

Just wanted to invite you all to next month's annual Great American PitchFest, where I'll be speaking and doing pitch and project consultations.

For those of you who haven't been to PitchFest, it's a two-day festival where writers, producers, directors, and other filmmakers can take classes, network, and pitch their ideas to actual agents, execs, producers, and representatives from studios, networks, and production companies.

Previous participants have sold scripts, gotten jobs, and signed with representation... and last year's festival sold out!

Most importantly... I'll be speaking there at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 13... participating on "Making It Reel," a panel of reality producers including Tim Crescenti (I Survived a Japanese Game Show) and Donna Michelle Anderson (Big Brother, Queer Eye for the Straight Girl).

I'll also be doing pitch and project consultations that afternoon, and signing copies of Small Screen, Big Picture at the Writers Store booth.

Anyway, it should be a valuable, productive, and informative weekend, and I'd love to see you all there!

For more information, take a look at the attached schedule and check out the website at www.pitchfest.com, or...

Just fill out the attached sign-up form and send it in to the address or fax number on the sheet!

Here's all the information...

WHAT:   GREAT AMERICAN PITCHFEST

WHEN:   Saturday, June 13th; 9am-6pm (Free Classes Day & Tradeshow)
             Sunday, June 14th; 10am-6pm (PitchFest Day)

WHERE: Burbank Marriott Convention Center
             2500 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505

OTHER SPEAKERS/PANELISTS INCLUDE: great writers like Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), Pete Briggs (Hellboy), Joe Forte (Firewall), Simon Kinberg (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Michael Hauge, Blake Snyder, and many more!

And you'll also have the opportunity to pitch to execs, agents, and representatives from Dimension Films (Bad Santa, Grindhouse, Soul Men), Disney's Gunn Films (Race to Witch Mountain, Freaky Friday, The Haunted Mansion), Principato Young (Reno 911), BenderSpink (The Ruins, The Ring), Morgan Creek (Young Guns, Major League, Georgia Rule, Ace Ventura) and management companies or agencies like Untitled (Zachary Quinto, Elizabeth Banks) and Abrams Artists.

Here's the sign-up form...

Pitchfest Registration Form (2009).pdf (263.59 KB)

And here's a schedule of the weekend's events...

PitchFestSchedule2009.pdf (57.65 KB)

Hope to see you all there!

Chad

Classes Seminars Workshops | Conferences and Festivals | Events Activities and Things To Do | Pitching | Screenwriting (Film) | Writing TV

Monday, May 25, 2009 7:04:46 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Friday, May 22, 2009

READER QUESTION/GUEST PERSPECTIVE: How Do I Break Into Children's Animated TV?
Posted by Chad

Hey, folks--

A few weeks ago, I was teaching a TV spec-writing class, and I recently received an email from a student asking if breaking into children's shows worked the same as breaking into primetime... did you still need specs, original material, etc.?

I've never worked in children's programming... so I asked my good friend Melody Fox, who has written and produced for Stuart Little, Teen Titans, Rugrats, and Dragon Tales (as well as adult shows like Flash Gordon, South Beach, and Skin).

Here's what she said...

"I started my career in animation and have a couple dozen credits. And yes, people usually write a spec animated script or two when breaking in. I only wrote one. Then after that, I used my writer's drafts of my produced eps as samples. Animation writers will often have a sitcom spec too, (or a Simpsons or Family Guy, which are animated sitcoms) and the showrunners will read that as well. I had a comedy feature.

"In my experience, getting in is all about contacts. Many animation writers don't have agents. You get work through contacts and referrals, and recommendations. But the good news is, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN AGENT, you can make inquiry calls on your own and no one would think it odd or unprofessional. After a while, you get work off your reputation. There are a couple lit agencies that specialize in animated & children's.

"Most animated shows do not have staffs. Disney and Nickelodeon sometimes have small staffs, like three people. Most work is freelance. If you do a freelance ep for a show that has an order of 26 and they like your work, they will come back to you with more assignments. They want writers who can deliver.

"The showrunner who hires the writers in animation is called the Story Editor. The story editor may also be a producer on the show, but not necessarily. Production in animation has to do with the boards that are drawn, etc. and have specialized producers.

"If the student is in L.A. I highly recommend he/she take the UCLA Extension animation writing class. Not only will there great instruction, there are always guest speakers and that's how the writer can start making contacts. I took the class when I already had several credits and it was still useful and one of the guest speakers hired me to do 2 freelance eps. At least 3 other people in the class went on to get assignments, so the peers in the class are also great professional contacts.

"There's a book written by animation veteran Jeffrey Scott called How to Write for Animation. it's on Amazon and also at Bookstar on Ventura Blvd. (in Los Angeles). I haven't read it myself, but he has a huge number of animation credits.

"Also, [most of] this info only applies to children's TV animation. Feature animation is a whole different ball game, and more artist-driven. Also, [this info] does not apply to animated sitcoms (Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, etc.) Those are sitcoms that just happen to be animated. They are WGA and have writing staffs and writers rooms and are staffed like primetime shows.

"One more thing... I hope I didn't make it sound EASY to get into. It's professional TV writing and it's very competitive. It's enormously fun, so of course it's going to be competitive.

"Here's the downside... it does not pay anything close to what live-action union shows pay. There's no residuals. It's either non-union or covered by the animators union called The Screen Cartoonists Guild -- if it's a guild show then you CAN earn medical insurance."

Animation | Books Tools Resources | Career Advice | Guest Perspectives | Reader Questions

Friday, May 22, 2009 9:47:13 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

CW 2009-2010 Schedule
Posted by Chad

Hey, guys--

Here's the new schedule from the CW, and the final broadcast upfront of the year...

CW 2009-2010 schedule

Industry Updates

Thursday, May 21, 2009 4:58:55 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

Comments [1]

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

CBS's 2009-2010 Schedule!
Posted by Chad

Here ya go... new shows and old... from The Hollywood Reporter...

CBS 2009-2010 TV Schedule

Industry Updates

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 3:53:38 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)

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