scriptwriting

what is a darling?

favorite characters or scenes

show bible

notes about your show

pushing

overwhelming the audience with info

pulling

giving small bits of info at a time

pope in the pool

formula for fear

1. the unknown

2. anticipation

3. revelation

4. repeat

how long should a query letter be?

3 paragraphs

what is a call to action?

requesting permission to send script

short pitch

30 seconds to 3 minutes

long pitch

30 minutes

copyright

protects original work

how long does an individual piece remain yours?

70 years after you die

how long does a corporate piece remain?

95 years after publication or 120 years after creation

public domain

anyone can use it

poor man’s copyright

put a copy of your script and mail it to yourself

work for hire

somebody pays you to do something for them

representation agreement

allows agent to act on behalf of client

&

they worked together

And

they did not work together

agent

handles legal issues, does not help you write

manager

guides your career, reads your work, sets up relationship with agent

historical fiction

imagined story within a historical context

Aristotle

all things have universal form

stories should have…

1. pity

2. fear

3. catharsis (resolution)

elements of a story

1. plot

2. characters

3. theme

4. dialogue

5. music

6. spectacle

tv season

22-26 episodes

length of a tv show’s life

5 years

turning points / milestones

marriages, hooking up, babies, deaths

staff writer (bottom)

entry level, may add to episode

story editor

pitch story ideas, write one episode a year

executive story editor

writing stories, script editing

co-producer

writing is primary job

producer

involves things other than writing

co-exec producer

screen this to EP

executive producer

show runner, writes show’s bible, budget

residuals

payment for material written years ago

stock characters

stereotypical characters

Jospeh Campbell

mythologist, hero’s journey

Sir Arthur Clarke

scifi, fantasy, satellite communication

why do we have rules?

for the best way to do things, to create order, shows you understand them

when is it ok to break the rules?

whenever it makes things better

breakable rules

page limit, act structure, no flashbacks, must have one antagonist, show don’t tell

unbreakable rules

format, grammar, character motivations, scenes advancing the story

treatment

document with all TV show details