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Posts tagged as “Scripts”

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What is the difference between a “spec script” and a “spec pilot”?
Ten specs writing rules (and why you should care)

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Crazy picks

Interesting new TV deals were made today (isn’t MIPTV great?) :

De Niro (yes) will co-exec with Jane Rosenthal up to three pilots inked in a deal between CBS and Tribeca. The deal basically guarantees that at least one of the three scripts will be made into an actual series pilot.
The first of the three shows will be penned by The Departed’s Oscar-winning writer William Monahan and will be set in New York.
If picked up, the show would probably premiere next season on CBS.

As for more sorta-tech-savier TV show news:

NBC will be making the “first ever green-screen drama developed for prime time”, the drama being none other than a “new take” on Jason and the Argonauts.
Just to see how original this “Jason” idea is, DreamWorks (who is now in bed with Universal) has also a project named “The Argonauts”, while Zak Penn (probably the guy that is going to write The Avengers movie) is also writing and producing his own version of the tale for 20th Century Fox.
Oh, and what about Sanctuary? Isn’t that a prime time green-screen drama?

Speaking of computer tech, you might have heard of a webseries named “MoCap, LLC” which is basically a mockumentary look at a fake small MoCap (short for motion-capture) studio. The show was shopped around by Worldwide Biggies and Spike TV has just ordered from them six half-hour episodes, scheduled to premiere sometime around January.

From webseries to TV series: is that a leap that will grow more and more common?

I’m also unsure about CNN’s move to make a D.L. Hughley-hosted news show (à la Daily Show/Colbert Report).
Are they just trying to get some young viewers back or what?

World-change is the new black

Looks like the current crisis is giving some execs development ideas.
2009 will be all around world-changing and/or cataclysmic events. In movies (with a lot of remakes/adaptations such as TDTESS, Blindness, World War Z) and especially on TV.
Indeed, in the last few days 3 new shows have been ordered and they seem to be quite timely, to say the least.

First up, The Return, by Greg Berlanti (creator of Everwood and Eli Stone) and René Echevarria (creator of The 4400), which, as the name may or may not imply, will delve into the “return” of aliens on Earth and the effects it has on the world.

Second, we have Flash Forward. No, this is not a Lost spin-off, although it will most likely be televised right after the Island-show. David S. Goyer (writer of the Blade trilogy as well as Batman Begins and TDK’s story) and Brannon Braga (creator of Star Trek Enterprise) co-wrote the script based on Robert J. Sawyer’s novel. The show will tell the story of the world blacking out for two minutes as they are collectively having a horrifying vision of what is coming in 20 years (Paris Hilton President?) due to scientific experiments gone terribly wrong. Braga and Goyer tried to take the show to HBO, which liked the concept but passed on it. Then there was this bidding war between ABC and FOX where the former won.

Last but not least we have Americatown. And guess what, the show will revolve around the exodus of the American populace around the world 20-25 years from now when a terrible financial crisis plunges the U.S. into decline. The writer behind this is Bradford Winters with lots of big names behind, like Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy.

Two other TV news:

Huge congrats to Jane for finally getting her own show (picked up last week – 11 hours including the 2h pilot – for a July premiere)!


There’s also a set date for “The U.S. of Tara” premiere: Jan. 18.
Mark your calendars.

I, for one, am looking forward to next year’s shows.

Which one is Piggy?

Folks, I’m sorry to tell you (but not really to do) that Monday I’ll be leaving you for the Big Apple (and for 2 weeks).
How sad (or awesome for me) is that?

So much to do and so little time!

I need to print out my short scripts because I have a little meeting with Tisch next Friday.
And I haven’t bought yet my suitcase.
Dammit.

Anyway, beyond my awesomely not particularly interesting life I was fortunately able to watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report because me love me some Comedy Central late-night show.
I especially loved this little segment that was on last night:


The mixture of an MSNBC implosion coupled with not-so-subtle innuendoes in a Cenac/Bee/Stewart sketch is just…priceless?