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5 Years of A TV Calling

5 Years of A TV Calling

Half a decade. Yes.
Today is A TV Calling‘s fifth birthday.

I could give you meaningless statistics.
I could give you a “best of” of the last few years’ posts.
Instead, I’m going back to the very roots of this site. A blog. A personal one. About stories of my journey into the television industry.

A TV Calling was created five years ago to chronicle my trials and tribulations, as one man trying to break into the world of TV writing. Nothing really original.

Television has always been a core part of my life. Perhaps even the most important medium to have impacted me.
It’s always been my purpose to become a TV writer. My calling. Hence the name of this site. (Don’t be confused by that TV with a phone in its hand.)

When it came to this very site, I’m the first one to admit: I wasn’t always on top of it.
I may not have been able to constantly update, but, like everything else in life, these are mainly valleys among peaks.

It’s almost been three years since I moved to Los Angeles.
I’ve previously lived in Paris and New York, so I think I knew big cities. But LA is a whole other beast.
You learn to become part of it. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

It’s only when you enter the lion’s den, once you’ve stepped into the industry, that you realize how big the pond is. And you’re one fish.

This year, the TV writing fellowships have received about 2,000+ applicants.
With only 4-8 spots per program, it’s only a 0.5% chance of getting in. There’s a 99.5% chance that nothing will happen.
It’s statistically improbable that an applicant gets in.
So, why bother?

In times like these, I think back to only a few years ago, when I entered another lottery.
A lottery for an American green card. Similar odds. Unlikely winner.
And here I am. With a green card.

The true realization of “trying to break in” is not that it’s a race. It’s not even that it’s a marathon.
Hell, there’s no finish line.
The fact is that breaking into this industry is a journey. It’s a process.

You can “get it”, but it’s not until you’re living these words that you truly understand.
Live and learn.

500 posts later, what has been accomplished here?
Perhaps not much. Perhaps a great deal.

I could try to quantify my own failures and successes. But what will I be overlooking, or downplaying?

If anything needs to be said, it is this:
During your journey to writerdom, you may feel like you’re treading water.
Take a step back.
Don’t be overwhelmed. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be distressed.
Yes, it’s easier said than done. But I’ve done it, and so can you.

All of this talk can seem pedantic to some. Hey, it’s a blog. Get used to it.

On this site, I’ve tried to write, condense, and post some of my thoughts, process, and life.
It was cathartic for me, and hopefully helpful to some.

And here we are. After half a decade.

Today, all I can say is this: thank you.
Thank you for your support.
Thank you for your readership.
Thank you for being you.

These years, truly, could not have happened without you. Visitors, readers, writers.
Give yourself a high-five. You deserve it.

I’ll conclude this post by a quote, from one of the first posts I wrote on this blog, five years ago:

Why am I rambling on about all this now?
Well, it is intended to point out what purpose this blog will hopefully achieve. That is, to help other struggling writers out there in their daily, and not-so-daily problems. I hope my trial and errors […] will help show that nothing is impossible when you pour your heart and soul into it.

May this journey continue.
Here’s to another five years of A TV Calling!

Write on.

7 Screenwriting lessons from Farscape

7 Screenwriting lessons from Farscape

A key part of writing for television is watching television. And learning from it.
Screenwriting lessons from tackles series past and present, analyzing them through the prism of screenwriting.

I’ve been on a sci-fi binge recently, so I decided to rewatch one of the greatest (and perhaps underrated) science-fiction series of all time: Rockne S. O’Bannon’s awesome Farscape.
It’s fun, it’s dark, it’s light, it’s amazing. Both serialized and stand-alone, the show has revolutionized, in more ways than one, the genre it was set in.
Almost ten years have past since it ended, but the legacy lives on.

[I’ll be talking about the show as a whole, so I highly recommend you watch the whole show before reading this post — it’s worth it.]


Lesson 1: Serialization and stand-alone stories are not mutually exclusive

Perhaps one of the most controversial lessons to take away from Farscape is this one.
The first season’s first half is considered by many to be the worst. As always, the writers were still figuring out the characters, so it makes sense.
Until perhaps its third season, Farscape wasn’t overtly serialized, but it still kept small amounts of mythology spread throughout. In other words, it was always giving viewers information (big or small), even during seemingly stand-alone episodes.
You could say that anything about alien characters’ pasts is de facto mythological, but I’m here talking about factual hints or stories enhancing the season-long narrative.
The first season built up Crais and introduced Scorpius. The second season developed the relationships and continued the characters’ individual journeys.
You still need to have episodes accessible to new viewers, at first, but keep creating the launchpads for your bigger, upcoming stories.

Lesson 2: Entertain!

As much as we like to think we’re providing humanity with the greatest of cultural gifts, television is still, first and foremost, an entertainment medium.
Science-fiction can be a super-serious drama, but it can (and should) be entertaining.
Think back to Farscape‘s craziest, greatest hours of TV. Chances are it’s something you can’t imagine other sci-fi show to do. Hell, they even did a cartoon episode! Obviously, this may not be something you want to incorporate in your show, but playfulness should be.
Crichton also offers countless opportunities to entertain the viewers. He’s an odd duck thrown into a world he has no understanding of. You don’t have to create an Abed-like character that drops references left and right. Making someone you can relate with, and also someone fun, can be achieved other ways.
Don’t be dull. Be joyful.

Lesson 3: Never reset a psychological wound

As Farscape viewers will remember, Scorpius tortures Crichton in “Nerve” (1×18).
It’s shocking, disturbing, and, more importantly, impactful.
The show doesn’t pull that kind of story for cheap thrills or just raise stakes.
Long after the episode is over, the psychological toll is still present. Embedded forever into John Chrichton’s psyche.
Instead of forgetting about it the next episode, the show used this pivotal episode as a fundamental shift in Crichton’s persona. From then on, he’s unhinged, borderline crazy. Our perception is completely changed, and so is he.
In fact, this aspect of Crichton becomes a defining value of his character.
No one forgets the “Crackers Don’t Matter” episode (2×04) which introduces us to the lovely Harvey (the Faux/Mind Scorpius in John’s head). This is a very different approach from all sci-fi shows that came before Farscape. Just take a look at Star Trek TNG‘s very own “Chain of Command, Part II“. Picard is physically and psychologically tortured by Cardassians. The next episode, it’s a whole tabula rasa. A reset.
You can check an example of “Crazy Crichton” in this clip from “I Do, I Think” (2×12). You won’t see a Starfleet captain behaving like that (well…maybe Sisko).
Psychological scars last as much as physical ones, if not longer. It’s much harder to “fix” the mind than a flesh wound.
TV shows often forget that. You shouldn’t.

Lesson 4: Characters, not (stereo)types

Too many science-fiction shows reduce their characters, and alien races, into stereotypes.
I’m a big fan of Star Trek, but the early series tended to summarize each race with a particular characteristic. Klingons = warrior, Vulcans = logical, Ferrengi = greedy. Yes, those traits became three-dimensional as the franchise progressed (especially through DS9). But you could still see them written across their foreheads.
Going back to Farscape, you may summarize Rygel as “that puppet that farts helium”, but that is a huge disservice to the character. Even a few minutes into Farscape, you instantly know that he has more depth than other, actual human characters from other shows.
All Farscape characters have specific needs, and wants:
Ka D’Argo wants his son, Jothee, back. John Crichton wants to go home. Aeryn Sun wants to know where she belongs. Rygel wants to become the Dominar he once was. And Zhaan wants to reunite with Eiffel 65.
A show’s strength depends on the strength of the people. Even in a story-based world, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of “real” characters over archetypes.

Lesson 5: Embrace relationships

One of the most damaging running plotlines a TV show can do is a “will they, won’t they.”
This isn’t Moonlighting anymore. And such a thread has been done to, well, death. At this point, the horse getting beaten is merely the remnants of a disheveled carcass. Gross.
The point here is, Farscape avoided that trap.
Relationships are inherently dramatic. Sexual tensions are not (anymore).
Crichton and Aeryn Sun “get together” pretty early on in the series. In fact, the show is usually at its best when they are together.
It’s very hard to sustain any kind of tension between two leads, especially over several seasons. The audience wants to see some progression, and you can’t maintain a constant status quo. The two people are attracted to each other, and spend a ton of time together. There’s no real reason to keep them apart.
One of Farscape‘s ballsiest move is, without a doubt, the cloning of John Crichton.
As a refresher, Crichton in “Thanks For Sharing” (3×07) gets doubled. One stays on Moya with D’Argo, the other ends up on Talyn with Aeryn.
The show ends up having its cake, and eating it too. In other words, it does both sides of the coin at the same time.
One Crichton ends up with Aeryn, but then he dies. The lonely Crichton on Moya is reunited with his love, but she has grieved for her loss, and has moved on.
It’s genuinely heart-wrenching. And it works. By killing one of the Crichton after he got together with Aeryn, you still have both a tragic “shipper” ending, and a stomach punch when she comes back, alone. You come back to a “will they, won’t they” plotline, but the reset makes it more powerful and interesting than ever.

Lesson 6: Accept the genre

Farscape was one of the last great space-operas on TV.
Science-fiction will always be a metaphor of the present by way of the future (at least mostly). Beyond that, it’s escapism. As much as I love Battlestar Galatica, the “grounded” and “serious” aspect of the series is completely different from the legitimately fun vibe of Farscape. It is a trend right now that fiction needs to be “dark” and “gritty,” which does make Farscape the last successful sci-fi show of its kind (at least for now).
Most of the BSG drama could be put on, say, a modern-day military ship, and it’d pretty much be the same plot. Tough luck doing that with Farscape.
If you only glance at it, it’s “a bunch of puppets”. Yeah, and Buffy‘s vampires are “a bunch of guys in weird makeup”.
The truth is, the show is more than that. It’s inventive, and it’s alien. A rare sight on TV nowadays.
Why am I going on a mini-tirade over this? Because the show was at its peak when it embraced wholeheartedly its genre roots. There are tons of sci-fi tropes out there, but it doesn’t mean you can’t play with them.
Farscape is genuine about the way it uses them.
In “A Human Reaction” (1×16), Crichton seemingly returns to Earth through a wormhole. Unsurprisingly, it’s all an illusion (created by aliens). The illusion is destroyed when he tries to go to the ladies restroom (since he has no memories of ever being there in the real world). In a later episode, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (2×15), the same scenario seems to be happening (or at least Crichton thinks it is). He doesn’t think twice about it, and goes straight to the ladies’ room to test the theory.
Farscape understands that you probably have an encyclopedic knowledge of all things science-fiction, and it plays with your expectations. Aliens don’t speak English, so the show creates “translator microbes”.
It embraced the genre it was in, and subverted it.

Lesson 7: Get on with the story

Don’t tread water (or space). Farscape wasn’t afraid of big changes when they needed to be done.
When it happened, it feelt earned. Characters don’t always emerge unscathed. And they die when it makes sense. Crais sacrifices himself and Talyn at the end of Season 3 because there is no other way out of this mess. The title of the double-parter is, in fact, “Into the Lion’s Den”. With a name like that, you can’t expect to get out the same way you got in.
Earlier in that same season, the show’s usual format somewhat changed when the two Crichton separated. Even-numbered episodes are spent with the Talyn crew, and odd-numbered ones with the Moya people. The paradigm has shifted, which creates a more dynamic way of telling the “same old” stories. For all intents and purposes, the formula is relatively similar to what it’s always been. But it’s fresh. And the story has evolved.
Another, greater example, is the middle of Season 4. The entire crew gets to Earth. For real. The show stops playing game with one of its most crucial plotlines, and the biggest one for Crichton’s evolution.
It’s crazy to think that something so big, something most people take for granted as a “series-ender”, is in fact done midway through Season 4.
You don’t need a major twist every episode (see Lesson 1), but you still need a continuous story with real stakes.

What to take from the show

Be audacious, and bodacious, with your story and your characters. Don’t be afraid to make bold moves that will have a resonance within your show, and with your viewers. Make an impact. And have fun while doing it.

Drama Spec Script 2013 – What is hot and what is not

Drama Spec Script 2013 – What is hot and what is not


UPDATED:
A brand new 2019 list has been posted.
Click here to access it.

Like every year, it is now time to review which TV shows are good to spec, and which are not.
Dedicated posts will be made respectively for the best comedies (half-hour) and the best dramas (one-hour).
As the title says, this post is all about the dramas.
In addition, you’ll also find (when available) a script for the corresponding show.
Canceled or dead shows have been removed since last season’s spec list.

NOTE:
Given Warner Bros’ new rules for their fellowship, I have indicated with an asterisk (*) series that they will not accept specs for (mainly first-season shows).

Let’s do another quick recap of how the list works:
The shows are divided into five categories regarding their appeal to readers and how well they are known/read:
– Over-specced (shows that have passed their prime, try to avoid doing them)
– Mainstream (shows that have matured enough that they have become on-the-nose speccers–and a lot of people are speccing them)
– Wild Cards (soon, everyone will spec those, maybe you can get a head start)
– Outsiders (specs that will get you out from the pack)
– Gamblers (risky shows that could pay off, or bomb)

There is also a grade regarding the show’s longevity in relation to its speccability.
Meaning, how long can you keep your spec script fresh without having to throw it in the trash?
To do this, we will use the greatest grading system on Earth; stars:
★★★★★ – Excellent
★★★★★ – Very Good
★★★★★ – Average
★★★★★ – Fair
★★★★★ – Poor

And here we go.

Over-Specced

Re-tool your spec if you have one, but you probably shouldn’t bother beginning a new one for these shows.

Bones/Castle (FOX/ABC)
Type: Light police procedural
They’re not the most popular choices for specs, however the length of the shows calls for a category reassessment.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – They may continue for decades on end (doubtful), but there are so many mystery twists one can handle.

Breaking Bad (AMC)
Type: Serialized character/family drama
Shoulda gone with it when it was not almost over.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Everything breaks loose this season.

Burn Notice (USA)
Type: Light action procedural
Tic-toc…
Longevity: ★★★★★ – …the final season is coming up.

CSI/Criminal Minds (CBS)
Type: Police procedurals
Lol.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It’ll outlast all of us probably.

Dexter (Sho)
Type: Serialized crime drama
After eight years, it’s tough to keep this one fresh.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Season 8 is (finally?) the final season.

Glee (FOX)
Type: Light serialized high-school dramedy
Glee was one of the hotest specs when it first premiere, and although the heat has died down a lot, the overflood of specs cries out for originality.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It’s difficult to keep up to date with the show when the relationships are like musical chairs.

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Type: Medical procedural
The last of the medical mohicans.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – No.

Mad Men (AMC)
Type: Serialized historical drama
For the longest time, Mad Men was the top-dog when it came to fancy drama specs. No longer worth it.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Probably only has another season left in it.

The Mentalist (CBS)
Type: Police procedural
The momentum has shifted for this 5-year old show.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – There won’t be massive changes in the show, but who’s to say when your case will be done.

True Blood (HBO)
Type: Serialized fantasy drama
By this point, the show has become too repetitive.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – With Alan Ball gone, who the hell knows how many seasons will keep stagnating.

The Walking Dead (AMC)
Type: Ensemble/horror drama
Probably the most shocking displacement this season, The Walking Dead has been a very hot spec since the first episode aired. And that was three season ago. Crafting a brand-new Walking spec may prove, well, unoriginal. Time to make room for fresh blood.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – The recent changes in the show proved that it is finally starting to follow the comics a little bit more. In other words, massive cast changes ahead.

Mainstream

The current and new widespread shows in town that are getting read.

Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Type: Serialized historical drama
Who doesn’t love those eyes?
Longevity: ★★★★★ – New faces, but still going strong.

Game of Thrones (HBO) *
Type: Serialized fantasy drama
This is one tough show to spec. Either you’re rehashing the books (not really original), or you go out of the story too much.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Difficult to predict, unless you’ve read the books.

Grimm (NBC)
Type: Fantasy procedural
The little show that could. One of the only genre shows still on network TV (let alone NBC), Grimm has been slowly working its way up.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It’s one of NBC’s most solid shows, surprising considering it’s on Friday

The Good Wife (CBS)
Type: Legal procedural
The lack of running storylines this past year has allowed for a renewed focus on “cases of the week.”
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Constantly on the bubble.

Hart of Dixie (The CW)
Type: Serialized medical/family drama
Not that specced, but new enough that storylines can be told.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Careful with the soapy aspect.

Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)
Type: Police/Action procedural
There are two go-to action procedural specs. This is number one.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Insert story, add action.

Homeland (Sho)
Type: Serialized thriller
Clearly in its prime. The show has now become the spec front-runner, now that both Mad Men and Breaking Bad are leaving us.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Watch out with Brody’s future. You never know what season 3 will be like.

Justified (FX)
Type: Police procedural
Another hot police spec, with a more dramatic twist than the rest. Definitely a fan-fave.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Keep up the good work.

NCIS:LA (CBS)
Type: Police/Action procedural
There are two go-to action procedural specs. This is number two.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It’s a spin-off on CBS. What could possibly go wrong?

Nikita (The CW)
Type: Action/spy procedural
Like most of the network’s series, Nikita is not that widely specced, which is ironic considering it’s…
Longevity: ★★★★★ – …one of CW’s only watched show.

Once Upon A Time (ABC)
Type: Fantasy family drama
The show has succesfully reinvented at least twice over, with the third time coming up this fall.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Dwindling in the ratings, but a spin-off on the way.

Parenthood (NBC)
Type: Serialized family drama
The classic family drama spec.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – NBC isn’t giving up so “soon.”

Person of Interest (CBS)
Type: Crime procedural
Yet another CBS procedural, although this one has a twist to it. And successful enough to actually be a one of the most specced shows around.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It’s still a procedural.

Revenge (ABC)
Type: Serialized family drama
Creative shift in the second season meant a different storyline.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – How long can they sustain these character arcs?

Scandal (ABC)
Type: Serialized political drama
Shonda Rhimes’ latest shows pulled the rare feat of increasing viewership during its second season run. The phenomenon is growing by the day.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – If Rhimes’ previous shows are any indication, ABC is going to keep this one up for a while. Careful with the serialization though.

Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Type: Serialized ensemble drama
Critical darling that, like its brother in arms (Justified), is fairly popular.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Can you keep up?

Suits (USA)
Type: Light legal procedural
Suits is the unsung hero of USA, and a fast-rising spec choice.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – When has USA canceled anything that went beyond a first season?

The Vampire Diaries (The CW)
Type: Serialized fantasy drama
Replace True Blood with The Vampire Diaries. Boom.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – So. Many. Changes.

White Collar (USA)
Type: Light crime procedural
Hey, look, USA has another popular spec choice. And also underrated.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – So many twists and turns, it’s very hard to follow. Or not.

Wild Cards

Not quite fully widespread but will get there given the chance.

American Horror Story (FX) *
Type: Serialized horror
One of the hardest shows to spec as storylines constantly change.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – New theme every year, but an FX success.

The Americans (FX) *
Type: Serialized thriller
If you love period shows with a more political bend, this might be the jackpot.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It’s serialized.

Arrow/Beauty & The Beast (The CW) *
Type: Action/Fantasy procedural
Chances are you can dust off that old Smallville spec.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Why would CW cancel anything?

Elementary (CBS)*
Type: Police procedural
The new procedural kid on the CBS block.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – CBS’ biggest hit isn’t going anywhere.

The Following (FOX) *
Type: Serialized police procedural
Kevin Bacon is on TV!
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Who knows how long FOX will keep this “limited series.”

Nashville (ABC) *
Type: Musical/Family drama
Well-received, stars Connie Britton, and contains music. What’s not to love?
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Despite a strong open, it ended up spending much of its season as a bubble show. Fortunately, it’s still considered a success for ABC.

Revolution (NBC) *
Type: Serialized post-apocalyptic family drama
Its very, very slow mythology reveals may be a good thing for your spec.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – NBC has a hit?


Outsiders

The shows (mostly cable) you may be tempted to take a risk on, getting you on top of the reading pile. Beyond that, it depends on the willingness of the reader and his/her knowledge of the show. Who knows, maybe the showrunner is into less popular shows and will value your risk-taking.

Bates Motel (A&E) *
Type: Serialized family drama/horror
Who knew a Psycho prequel could be a decent show?
Longevity: ★★★★★ – A&E may wanna keep one of its most popular series.

Being Human (Syfy)
Type: Serialized fantasy drama
Take a look at its UK counterpart for some inspiration.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It’s Syfy, so who knows how long the show has.

House of Cards (Netflix) *
Type: Serialized political thriller
Pretty tough to spec for Kevin Spacey (and a serialized political drama), but you can always try it out.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Netflix’s major production may not last past a second season.

The Killing (AMC)
Type: Serialized police drama
The cop drama without a pay-off may actually be a good spec choice.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Back from the dead. But for how long?

Royal Pains (USA)
Type: Light medical drama
Another USA show that could work very well on spec.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It got the rare double-renewal last September.

Gamblers

For one reason or another, these are much riskier specs to do right now. You have been warned.

Chicago Fire (NBC) *
Type: Serialized drama
It’s not Rescue Me, but it’s…
Longevity: ★★★★★ – …another (!) NBC success.

Covert Affairs (USA)
Type: Action procedural
4th USA show on this list. You better believe it.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Not the most well-known USA show, and often on the bubble.

Dallas/Major Crimes (TNT) *
Type: Serialized family drama
Two different shows on the same network. They’re not that well-seen (and therefore read) however.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – Could be difficult to create new spec stories for old concepts.

Defiance (Syfy) *
Type: Science-fiction procedural
Syfy has a sci-fi show? Shocker. Great mythology and the small-town procedural aspect, although annoying as a viewer, may work great for a spec.
Longevity: ★★★★★ – It just got renewed.

Forty-seven shows are listed this time around. As always, a few things can be noted.

First off, nearly half of the listed shows are brand-new ones from this past season. Although network dramas came back in force last year, the aging cable dramas have left their spots to brand new forays, including Netflix and A&E. In other words, the network’s turf is still slowly being eaten away by new territories.
With a few surprise hits, NBC is back on the board with 3 shows, while CBS continues to be the classic procedural king. The big shocker in the list is FOX’s near-absence (save for a dwindling musical and a limited series). USA meanwhile is gaining momentum with 4 dramas on the list, over-taking, of all networks, HBO.

Serialization is slowly starting to take a step back with procedurals back at the forefront of this year. The increasing popularity of speccing serialized shows from the get-go (e.g. Walking Dead or Homeland) has put a strain on the type (there are only so many popular series of the kind).
First and second-season series continue to be fairly popular. It looks like fresh is still considered the best for most people.

This leads to a continuing question from last year: Are people aiming for “throwable specs” that barely last a full seasons? The focus being still on original pilots. Only time will tell.

Show your voice, write original, and make your choice.

Click here for the Comedy Spec Script list.