facebook_pixel Press "Enter" to skip to content

Looking to start your TV writing journey?

Posts tagged as “Pitching”

The Paper Team 200th Episode Special (PT200)

Alex and Nick celebrate the two-hundredth episode of Paper Team with a livestream event featuring several of our past guests, including TV writers, producers, and showrunners from a wide array of shows.

In this first-of-its-kind live and interactive special, we cover all major TV writing topics, from building a competitive TV portfolio and managing industry relationships, to being a useful writer on staff, balancing character with story in scripts, strategies for virtual writers’ rooms, spec scripts, pilot scripts, formats, and so much more.

NOTE: This is the direct audio recording from our Twitch livestream with minimal editing. Occasional bumps are to be expected since we were live, plus hosting while handling the technical side of the event.

Content

Reflections on our first episode, the first Paper Team mentorship, being in L.A. for the industry, and building a TV writing portfolio (00:00:30)
Balancing character with story/structure, and managing industry relationships (00:54:00)
Being a useful writer on staff, and how to approach blue-skying (01:57:00)
Reflections on our second episode, declaring a TV major, evolution of episode formats, and future of the medium (02:36:00)

Links

Alex’s Twitch channel
Video version of our 200th episode special livestream
Moving to Los Angeles (and Things We Wish We Knew) (PT01)
Comedy v. Drama: Declare Your TV Major (PT02)
Paper Team Mentorship I – “Mid-Death Crisis” Overview (PT128)
Paul Chang on Twitter
Alex Switzky on Twitter
Alison Tafel on Twitter
Julia Yorks on Twitter
Jordan VanDina on Twitter
Tamara Becher-Wilkinson on Twitter
Mike Scully on Twitter
J. Holtham on Twitter
Jimmy Nguyen on Twitter
Hilliard Guess on Twitter
Franki Butler on Twitter
Caroline Levich on Twitter
Evelyn Yves on Twitter
Logan Kriete on Twitter

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex@TVCalling
Nick@_njwatson
For any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

2020 Paper Team Mentorship I – “The Pirate King” Overview (PT190)

Alex and Nick begin the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship with winner and mentee Ben Warner, with his new drama pilot THE PIRATE KING.

Step one of the process: a basic overview of the series and pilot, with premise, characters, themes, and arcs.

We hear for the first time Ben’s pitch and share our thoughts live.

The 2020 mentorship begins…

Content

About the 2020 Paper Team Mentorship and mentee Ben (00:49)
“The Pirate King” – Basic series overview (05:54)
Discussion of the basic series overview (11:44)

Links

“The Pirate King” basic series overview document

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex@TVCalling
Nick@_njwatson
For any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]

TV Staffing vs. TV Selling (PT182)

Alex and Nick look at the latest debate about TV staffing versus TV selling, and discuss pros and cons of each. Is it a false dichotomy or should you prioritize one over the other? The Paper Team weighs in.

Content

1 – Why “TV Staffing versus TV Selling”? (00:26)
2 – Appeal and Advantages of TV Staffing (18:07)
3 – Appeal and Advantages of TV Selling (35:22)

Links

Terri Kopp’s Twitter thread on “to staff or not to staff”
TV Writing Incubators and the Evolution of Access (PT125)

If you enjoy Paper Team, please consider supporting us on Patreon at paperteam.co/patreon! :)

Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex@TVCalling
Nick@_njwatson
For any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: [email protected]