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Posts tagged as “Structure”

TV Pilot 201: Keeping the Reader Interested (PT84)

Alex and Nick discuss how to be proactive in the way you write your TV pilot script, and how to keep the reader interested.

Why are loglines and titles so important? How can you connect your script to your personal story? How do you set things up in a pilot? What are ways of counteracting reader fatigue?

Plus, we take a look at the recent revelations about Amazon Prime Video’s internal numbers.

The Paper Team turns the page…

SHOWNOTES

Content

Paper Scraps: Amazon Prime Video viewership (00:37)
1 – Meta: Elements around your TV pilot (07:20)
2 – Script: Translating your TV pilot to the page (26:11)
Takeaways and Resources (45:49)

Links

“TV Pilot 101” (PT30)
“Amazon’s internal numbers on Prime Video, revealed” – Reuters
“TV Characters 101” (PT46)
“Analyzing Great TV Characters” (PT72)
“TV World-Building 101” (PT44)
“Tone in TV Writing” (PT60)
“Act Breaks” (PT15)
“Teasers & Cold Opens” (PT61)
“Analyzing Great TV Pilots” (PT54)
“Weaving Storylines: A/B/C Stories” (PT53)
“Macro Storytelling: Writing Character and Story Arcs in TV” (PT68)
“Writing Themes and Values in TV” (PT36)

Resources

“The Pilot Script Checklist” – Splitsider

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

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

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

TV Spec Script 201: Starting Your Research (PT79)

Alex and Nick discuss how to start researching your TV spec script and the show you selected.

Which episodes and scripts should you watch and read to prepare? Where should your spec script fit within a show? How do you research the structure, characters and stories? What should you look for in scripts of the show you want to spec?

Plus, we answer more voicemails.

The Paper Team does some reverse-engineering…

SHOWNOTES

Content

Paper Scraps: Spec script headers (01:11)
1 – Preparing the research (03:51)
2 – Researching the show on a macro level: structure, character, story and theme (13:40)
3 – Researching the show on a micro and macro level: prose, formatting and added sources (34:31)
Takeaways and Resources (43:10)

Links

Send a voicemail to TV Calling & Paper Team
Roadmap Writers
“TV Spec Script 101” (PT34)
“When should your TV spec script be placed?” – TV Calling
“Weaving Storylines: A/B/C Stories” (PT53)
“Act Breaks” (PT15)

Resources

WGF Library
KCRW’s “The Business”
WGAW’s “3rd & Fairfax”
Barry Katz’s “Industry Standard”

This episode brought to you by:

&

Tracking Board’s Launch Pad Writing Competitions

Use code PAPERTEAM to get $15 OFF when you enter a Launch Pad Competition

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

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

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

TV Script Formatting (PT73)

Alex and Nick go over how formatting works in TV scripts and the various pre-draft documents you’ll be writing on TV shows.

What are the formatting and structural differences in writing a TV screenplay as opposed to a feature? How do half-hours and one-hours differ in their acts and page count? Which documents will you be writing before going to draft on a TV episode? What are important formatting elements to know and common mistakes to avoid?

Plus, we answer questions about genre and screenwriting software you should be using.

The Paper Team adjusts their margins…

SHOWNOTES

Content

Paper Scraps: TV format versus TV genre, and screenwriting software you should be using (00:52)
1 – Differences in formats: TV and feature, one-hour and half-hour, network and cable, multi-cam and single-cam (10:56)
2 – Story areas, treatments, and outlines: documents to write before going to draft and annotating revisions (18:10)
3 – Formatting on the page and common mistakes (26:02)
Takeaways and Resources (56:35)

Links

“Comedy v. Drama: Declare Your TV Major” (PT02)
Final Draft
Fade In
WriterDuet
Highland
Celtx
Movie Magic Screenwriter
Scrivener
“Being a TV Script Coordinator” (PT21)
Scenechronize
Movie Magic Budgeting

Resources

“The Hollywood Standard” – Christopher Riley

This episode brought to you by Tracking Board’s Launch Pad Writing Competitions

Use code PAPERTEAM to get $15 OFF when you enter a Launch Pad Competition

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

If you enjoyed this episode (and others), please consider leaving us an iTunes review at paperteam.co/itunes! :)

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