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Is Netflix’s original programming strategy a game-changer?

Is Netflix’s original programming strategy a game-changer?

By now you’ve probably heard the news: Netflix has decided to enter the original programming world. Not only that, but the king of online movie distribution is doing it through a $100-million deal, scoring House of Cards (one of the most sought-out cable pilots) with a 2-season/24-episode order.
Boom.

It’s certainly impressive, and pretty much unheard of, but why can this move be considered a game-changer?

First, the fact that Netflix is doing original programming is, by itself, a major decision, and dare I say a major shake-up in the peaceful realm of the television industry.
An outside entity getting on TV’s turf by pulling the rug out from their feet? They’re a distribution outlet, not a content developer. Surely this is tantamount to iTunes making shows of their own, right?
Well the truth is that we’ve now moved beyond all of that.
Do you remember The Outer Limits‘ opening credits? “We control the horizontal and the vertical.”
I could write a thousand pages describing how “the Internet” or “YouTube” or “the writers’ strike” changed the way “television” is “made,” but the bottom line is that the standard TV business model is slowly eroding away. We’re now angling towards an endless array of verticals and horizontals. The latest example being Comcast buying up NBC/Universal. The “input” and “output” tubes are starting to fuse themselves together into an endless loop.
Scary, huh?
So we have Netflix, which controls 61% of movie streaming and is literally getting a dedicated button on your remote control, who is now moving beyond its distribution model to become a content creator–nay, a premium content creator and provider.
I’d say that’s one major step towards the future of television.

Now there’s also the problem of the content itself. Netflix went with House of Cards; in other words, this is a very high-profile cable drama.
The message is clear: You don’t have to be HBO to provide epic premium content.
It’s not only about making original content, it’s about making original premium content that can rival cable.
Is cable really in competition with online distribution outlets?
That’s still up to debate, although Netflix clearly thinks so.
“But they don’t have development executive” you say. Well that may be true, but I’m still waiting to see Netflix’s exec pyramid to validate that statement. They’ll probably create a dedicated department in the next few weeks.
Regardless, seeing as this is their first original venture, and the way they acquired the project, I’m willing to bet that they’re more than willing to give some artistic freedom.
After all, we’re not talking about a project by unknowns here. House of Cards is a respected foreign property drama and has established auspices (Fincher/Spacey). Plus we have MRC, which has a decent track record, but more importantly everything to prove. It’s probable that they’ll be the ones more involved in the creative process.
And will House of Cards be eligible for an Emmy?

Finally, we have the deal itself. A two-season order is nowadays virtually unheard of.
As Nellie Andreeva pointed out in her article:

AMC went straight to series on The Walking Dead but with a modest six-episode order. Rome and Fox’s CGI extravaganza Terra Nova started off with 13-episode orders. Starz, which has been going straight-to-series with its dramas, ordered 10 episodes of Camelot and 8 of Boss.

Although still unknown, the distribution model of these 24 episodes will probably be by itself somewhat of a revolution (at least for that type of content).
Will it be VOD-only? Will DVDs be mailed out? How about the marketing campaign?
Everything needs to be defined. Or rather redefined, since this is after all a TV series we’re talking about.
Change is afoot.
The fact that Netflix spent $100 million to acquire the project is them basically thumbing their nose at cable.
Had AMC or HBO acquired the project, it certainly would have kept its appeal, but beyond its artistic value, the fact that Netflix is developing it is much more alluring.
House of Cards is now a big fish in a small pond–which is about to get enormous.

Of course, at the end of the day (or rather months to come), all of this might end up being a catastrophic failure. Nobody watches the show and millions have been spent for nothing.
I personally believe though that it’s going to work out on all fronts.
And if anything, this will at least usher in a new era; that of premium original content not originating from the standard black box, but from an entirely different mode of distribution.
Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains to be seen.

One final question remains: Will House of Cards be eligible for an Emmy?

Script Coverage: A Brief Reference Guide

Upon my many back-and-forth with various companies the last few months, I was at one point sent by a film production company a script coverage reference guide with various script coverage tips (and a broad template).
Obviously, this is in no way as extensive as, say, the ICM Coverage Guide, and it’s certainly no replacement to other resources like The Bitter Script Reader. This is merely a loose reference guide on how to write script coverage.

I personally found the following tips interesting, not necessarily because of their usefulness (debatable, since it’s for film scripts instead of TV script coverage), but because of the way it breaks down the coverage process down to its finest points. A lot of elements need to be taken into account when one analyzes a script. And if you use it from the other vantage point, it becomes a great list of things to keep an eye for when (re)writing. So, here’s how to do script coverage:

You will find this summary especially useful as a quick reference guide when writing your coverages. The main points of each coverage component are outlined here to jog your memory.

I. The art of reading
Look for:
1. The main points of the plot
2. The main and supporting characters
3. Aspects of the work pertaining to the purpose of your coverage
4. Visual value

II. The submission and script details
A. Copy info directly from the work itself when possible
B. Use “N/A” when information is not available

III. Writing a logline
Write a one‐sentence summary of the script.
Please note that this needs to be informative and is NOT a marketing tagline.

IV. Writing the synopsis
A. Stick to the main plot
B. Write as much as you can from memory
C. Capture some of the mood or tone of the work
D. Use evocative words (use a thesaurus)
E. Simplify
F. Show the work in its best light

V. Address comments to:
A. Concept
1. How original it is
2. Whether it’s high concept or a soft story
B. Premise/theme
1. Strength
2. Universality
C. Plot
1. Predictability
2. Obstacles, complications, reversals, twists
3. Believability
4. Subplots, if any
5. The hook, if any
6. Continuity
D. Main and supporting characters
1. Background
2. Range of emotion and expression
3. Motivation
4. Fatal and other flaws
5. Evolution
6. Consistent development
7. Rooting interest
8. The spice of life: variety of characters
9. The proof of the premise: the right hero for the story
10. In general, what kind of talent would be appropriate
E. Dialogue
1. Reveals character traits
2. Reveals essential information
3. Flows or flounders
4. Is over‐ or underwritten
5. Sounds like people talking
a. Is appropriate for the various characters
b. Is appropriate for the time period and culture
F. The stakes
1. What is at stake?
2. How crucial is it?
3. How dangerous is it?
G. Structure
1. Use of back story or ghost (a beginning that is really the middle)
2. Proper setup of main character and conflict in the beginning
3. A middle that smoothly follows character development and pursuit of the goal
4. An ending that resolves the conflict presented in the beginning
H. Pace
1. Fast, slow, or varied
2. Appropriate for the tone and theme of the piece
I. The writing itself
1. Mastery of the craft
2. Individual style
3. Concept and execution
J. Audience
1. Age
2. Sex
3. Race / Culture
K. Does the work succeed in its objectives?
1. Realization of the premise
2. Evokes the intended emotional response
L. Comparisons
1. Refer to genre
2. Refer to similar films if appropriate
M. Overall reaction
1. Mention anything unique about the work
2. Is it a good blueprint for a movie?
N. Check that you have considered all of the following and include where relevant:
1. Characterization
2. Dialogue
3. Story line/plot
4. Setting/production value
5. Structure
6. Theme/concept
7. Writing ability
8. Budget
9. Recommend, consider, pass

VI. Editing
A. Organize your thoughts
B. Be clear and concise
1. Cut out unnecessary phrases
2. Beware of redundancies
3. Use verbs instead of nouns to express action
4. Use verbs in the active voice instead of the passive
5. Keep subject, verb, and object close to each other
6. Express one thought per sentence or clause
C. Refer back to the project itself as necessary for accuracy
D. Check spelling, punctuation, and grammar
E. Use running heads
F. Keep a copy of each of your coverages.

What the World Cup can teach you about television writing

What the World Cup can teach you about television writing

As the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is about to close, you might come to realize that association “soccer” football is closer to the world of television writing than you realize. You don’t have to be a fan, or even care about football to appreciate a few valuable lessons that can be applied to TV writers.
Let’s start off with the most obvious.

Be in shape to play the game

For the same reason you don’t see overweight people running around the field, you won’t see a professional TV writer who is ignorant of act breaks, A/B/C stories, character arcs, script formatting and grammar.
Learn, write, and learn again.
You don’t need to be a master at everything, but at least be aware of the rules before playing.

You don’t have to be big to become big

I’m a firm believer that, even if you’re an unknown, at the end of the day everyone has their shot.
Take a cue from underdogs like Uruguay, Ghana and, yes, the U.S., whose teams managed to defeat and even outlast most of the favorites. Finalist Spain was even beaten in the group stage by Switzerland!
It’s not because people don’t see you right now as important that you won’t be in the near future. You can aim high.
Trust yourself and your writing.

Be ready

Upsets and surprises can happen anytime, whether on the field or in real life. Hollywood is an unpredictable place (except for the weekly superhero movie), so when opportunity comes knocking, you better have your awesome specs ready. In football, the offense must be at all times prepared to receive the ball, and score. Do the same.

Don’t be cocky

You’ve heard the adage, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Well even if you’re halfway there, you still need to make the next step. Translation: even if the writing job you’re given isn’t what you’ve dreamed of, think twice before saying no. You can be sure someone else is ready to tackle you and take that job in your place, and you might regret it. If you drop the ball, you will lose it.

Passion is key

Being a soccer player in America is kind of like being a television writer. It’s a full-time gig, you’re underpaid compared to other writers/athletes at the same level, and no one outside your profession takes you seriously.
So why do you really want to become a TV writer?
Ironically, the U.S. team went far because of their gusto. You could feel from their game that they were playing because they loved the sport, they loved their teammates, and they loved to give a hundred percent of themselves for it all.
On the other hand, spoiled Italian and French players were “playing” as if it was a burden. The passion was gone.
Please, don’t be that guy.
Find a way to remind yourself daily of why you want to be a TV writer.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

If this World Cup showed us anything, it is that favorites may not be as amazing as previously thought. Brazil, Italy, Argentina, Portugal, England, how many of them ended up disappointing their fans – and the people who bet on them.
Instead of going all-in by supporting your one script, you need to have a wide variety of specs ready to show. You might have a favorite, and that’s okay, but don’t let it deter you from writing other spec scripts from other genres and formats.
You came here to write, prove it.

It’s a team sport before all

Perhaps the greatest comparison between television and football is that both are based on team play. Everyone is working together to attain a common goal (literally). You will be surrounded by teammates, so play ball (figuratively). Pass it around, trust your comrades, and respect the process. No matter how great, rarely can a single player save the whole team. Case in point this year with Messi and Ronaldo.
If you put faith in other people, the ball will come back around (in a good way).
With that said…

Take the shot

Don’t expect that everyone will constantly be holding your hand (or foot for that matter). If you’re lucky, you might be guided along the way by kind writer souls (aka mentors), but when everything is in alignment, you need to score. There can be so many passes between the players before someone needs to step up. Sometimes, it is good to take the initiative.

Know that people will blame the coach

There will come a time where you will be an exec, and perhaps even a show-runner.
The sad truth is that, like in football, the main guy who gets blamed for all the problems is the coach (you). Yes, we just said it was a team sport, but still. Whether with the audience (“that episode was sh*t!”), with the VP (“that episode was expensive!”), or with your players (“fire him or I quit!”), when something goes wrong, you will be at fault.
Nine times out of ten, you will need to accept this and move on. The one time you might pull a Fabio Capello, and get your contract renewed, even if all has failed.

The game is sometimes unfair

Like with Suarez’s handball which prevented Ghana from moving on, you might be surprised at some of the tactics used by some to move ahead, as well as the shows being made compared to those that aren’t. This is no reason to be bitter at other people’s success. Embrace this opportunity to prove once more your originality.

Never lose hope

Even if you think you’re outplayed and you may get eliminated, never despair. The best example this tournament is undoubtedly Landon Donovan’s last-minute goal. This example actually can be extrapolated to the entire performance of the U.S. team. Indeed, in every game they seemed to be both outmatched and losing (1-0 for England, 2-0 for Slovenia, 1-0 for Ghana), but every time, the team was able to overcome their apparent inferiority and actually transform a downside into an upside. The team was reacting instead of suffering.
When you are down, get out of this vicious circle and realize that you can get back up.
This brings me to my next point.

If at first you don’t succeed, try again

We’ve had our fair share of incredible matches with the German team, but the semi-final where Spain defeated them was for most non-aficionados a bore. Why? Not a lot of goals means no action, right?
The truth is that during the whole 90 minutes of play, both teams were probing each other’s defense, trying to find holes, and exploiting them to score.
It might not have been spectacular for outside viewers, but it is very effective.
In the TV world, this can be compared to ideas being pitched.
You might not be able to get them through the first few times, but the more you try, the greater your chances are at having a few of them heard, and perhaps getting made. It takes some work, and a lot of patience, but with such fierce competition on the other side, you can’t expect to score on your first try.

Believe in yourself.
Write the future.
Score.