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Posts tagged as “Structure”

TV Pilot 301: Scope, Beginnings, and Ends (PT184)

Alex and Nick talk about the big picture of your TV pilot script and its scope, from what the first episode should capture, to what it can leave out.

What defines the scope of your TV pilot? What are ways of deciding when the pilot should start and when it should end? How do you tell a satisfying episodic story while also setting up a longer-tail series? What are common mistakes people make when deciding on the scope of their pilot story? Why shouldn’t you “save it for later”?

The Paper Team hones in…

Content

1 – TV pilot scope and common mistakes (00:29)
2 – TV pilot beginnings and ends (28:58)

Links

TV Pilot 101 (PT30)
TV Pilot 201: Keeping the Reader Interested (PT84)
TV Formula 101: Building an Engine For Your Show (PT117)
Act Breaks (PT15)
Weaving Storylines: A/B/C Stories (PT53)
Teasers & Cold Opens (PT61)
Analyzing Great TV Pilots: Case Studies of Alias, Community, Homicide, The O.C., Scrubs and 3rd Rock from the Sun (PT54)

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]

Showrunning Daybreak ft. Aron Eli Coleite (PT159)

Alex and Nick invite Aron Eli Coleite, executive producer, co-creator, and showrunner of Netflix’s Daybreak, to learn all about his writing process and running (or curating) the post-apocalyptic dramedy.

From staffing a writers’ room and breaking character stories, to communicating a creative vision and producing the show, we take a deep dive into what goes into creating a series from the inside.

PT159 Aron Eli Coleite

Content

1 – Beginnings and becoming a showrunner (00:01:09)
2 – Staffing Daybreak: reading samples, assembling the right staff, showrunner meetings, and creating opportunities (00:20:16)
3 – The Daybreak writers’ room and writing process: blue-skying, breaking episodes, structure, and character arcs (00:37:26)
4 – Production of Daybreak: department heads and casting (01:05:37)
Final advice, resources, and next week on (01:17:09)

Links

Daybreak on Netflix
“The Only Podcast Left” – Daybreak scripted podcast on Spotify
Aron Eli Coleite on Twitter
Aron Eli Coleite on Instagram

Resource

“Understanding Comics” – Scott McCloud

This episode brought to you by Roadmap Writers
Use the code PAPERTEAM to get $15 OFF your Roadmap Writers Program

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]

The Paper Team 150th Episode Special (PT150)

Alex and Nick mark one hundred and fifty episodes of Paper Team with an incredible celebration all about your favorite moments from the podcast and new advice from past guests.

Which favorite episodes and iconic moments have our listeners and guests chosen? How are writers staying at the top of their craft? What are the records Paper Team has shattered over a hundred and fifty episodes?

We also feature updates and fresh insight from several of our TV writer friends, including: Liz Alper, Chris Monfette, Michelle Badillo, Caroline Levich, Gretchen Enders, and Ning Zhou.

The Paper Team raises a glass…

Content

1 – Favorite moments chosen by our listeners, our guests, and ourselves (00:00:44)
2 – Updates and new advice from past guests ft. Liz Alper, Chris Monfette, Michelle Badillo, Caroline Levich, Gretchen Enders, and Ning Zhou (01:33:07)
3 – Looking back at three years of Paper Team and special thanks (02:01:46)

Links

Breaking in as a TV Writer Later in Life ft. J. Holtham (PT92)
TV Staffing 101 (PT101)
International TV Writing Models ft. Des Doyle (PT122)
Building Your Career as a TV Writer ft. LaToya Morgan (PT111)
Comedy v. Drama II: Blurred Lines (PT143)
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your TV Scripts (PT148)
Rewriting Your TV Script (PT90)
Disney ABC Writing Program ft. Kristi Shuton (PT130)
CBS Writers Mentoring Program ft. Jeanne Mau (PT131)
NBC Writers on the Verge ft. Karen Horne (PT132)
Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop ft. Rebecca Windsor (PT133)
Fox Writers Lab ft. Moira Griffin (PT137)
VR Storytelling ft. Michael Masukawa (PT102)
Paper Team Mentorship I – “Mid-Death Crisis” Overview (PT128)
Paper Team Mentorship II – “Mid-Death Crisis” Beat Sheet (PT134)
Paper Team Mentorship III – “Mid-Death Crisis” Outline (PT138)
Paper Team Mentorship IV – Staffing Update With Paul (PT147)
Paper Team Mentorship Patreon updates
TV Writing Programs and Fellowships ft. Andy Mathieson, Jenny Deiker Restivo and Thomas Reyes (PT85)
Performing In and Out of the Writers’ Room ft. Charla Lauriston (PT141)
Meetings 101: Generals and TV Staffing (PT62)
Putting Yourself Out There (PT75)
TV Formula 101: Building an Engine For Your Show (PT117)
Finding Stability as a Nascent TV Writer ft. Julia Yorks (PT120)
An Evening in the Writers’ Room (PT100)
Finding Content for Digital TV ft. Hillary Levi (PT112)
Networking 101: How to Talk With People in Hollywood (PT05)
Networking 201: Cold Contact, Queries and Etiquette (PT121)
Writing Samples and Preparing for TV Staffing ft. Liz Alper & Kai Wu (PT119)
Writing Heroes and Breaking Genres ft. Tamara Becher-Wilkinson (PT144)
Directing TV Comedy ft. Alethea Jones (PT118)
Staying Productive During Hiatus (PT126)
Comics and TV Writing: How to Bring the Page to Screen – Paper Team Live at WonderCon 2019 (PT129)
TV Writing Incubators and the Evolution of Access (PT125)
TV Writing for Comedy & Drama ft. Michelle Badillo & Caroline Levich (PT115)
Writing and Pitching Across Formats ft. Gretchen Enders (PT124)
Earning Your Way Into the Writers’ Room ft. Ning Zhou (PT135)
Liz Alper’s #WGASolidaritychallenge grid

If you enjoyed this episode and others, 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]