WRITING THE PILOT SYLLABUS

This 9 week writing lab will help you find and decide on an original idea, develop that idea into an outline, and guide you as you write the teleplay. Learn about story structure, scene structure, scene description, dialogue and everything in between, finishing the class with the first draft of a  completed teleplay. The lab not only contains seminars to the entire class, with ample time for Q and A’s, but it also consists of one on one sessions with Todd where he will give you constructive notes and share his thoughts on your story, outline and script pages. These sessions will mirror the experience you would have working with a showrunner on a pilot and allow you the opportunity to be mentored by a kind, thoughtful professional. A must experience for any level of writer looking to harness their talent into a strong pilot/writing sample that will help further their career. 

Saturday Oct 12th - Dec. 14th 2024

10:30am-12:30pm

SYLLABUS

WEEK ONE - THE IDEA


INTRODUCTIONS 

Todd’s Story

Your Story

THE IDEA

Pre-existing? What is it?

Still Searching? How do you find it?

Commerce versus Art 


IS IT A TV SERIES? 

What does that mean?

Does it matter? 


YOUR PERSONAL CONNECTION  

What it means to you

Passion, passion and more passion 

The Story That Won’t Go Away


CHARACTERS

Who are they?

Be specific

Details Matter


BEATING IT OUT

Moments

Scenes

Structure

Index Cards


TO DO: Submit Your Idea or Several Ideas in three sentences or less

TO READ: Outline for Soar & Outline for Cat Scratch Fever


WEEK TWO - ONE ON ONES TO DISCUSS IDEAS


ZOOM MEETINGS WITH TODD 

Schedule at your convenience via email

Discuss Your Idea/s

Discuss Your Story

Ask him anything


TO DO: Character Sheets


WEEK THREE - THE OUTLINE


DISCUSSION ABOUT OUTLINES YOU READ 

What did you like?

What did you not like? 

Was it clear?

What was the tone?

 

STRUCTURE

Teaser

Push Off 

Four Acts?


SHAPE OF A SCENE

The Nut

The Judo

Beginning, Middle and End

Unpredictability


THE WRITING

Language Counts

Clarity

Flow

Tone


DO YOU NEED? 

A map is helpful

Beat Sheet as alternative

Index Cards are fine


WEEK FOUR - WRITE YOUR OUTLINE


CHECK IN WITH TODD IF YOU’D LIKE

Schedule a zoom meeting 

Any questions or thoughts

Share your struggles and victories

He’s here for you


TO DO: Submit your outline


WEEK FIVE - ONE ON ONES TO DISCUSS OUTLINE


RECEIVE NOTES FROM TODD

Schedule a zoom meeting

Be prepared for constructive criticism

Be prepared to make adjustments

TO DO: Submit outlines to Todd and classmates


WEEK SIX - THE TELEPLAY


DISCUSS CLASS OUTLINES

How to give constructive thoughts in the writer’s room

Put your ego aside

Open your mind and heart

It can always be better


WHAT MAKES A GREAT SCRIPT

The story

The dialogue

Scene description

Your voice


DIALOGUE

Conversational

Naturalistic

Listen and record others

Use funky punctuation and grammar if need be


SCENE DESCRIPTION

Words and language convey tone

Economy matters

No more than three or four lines


YOUR VOICE

Make it fun to read

Only you can write this


THE LOOK OF THE PAGE

Easy reading tips

Character names begin with different letters

Resist the checkerboard


FINAL DRAFT TUTORIAL

If needed 


TO DO: Begin writing your script (and have fun!)

TO READ: Teleplays for Soar & Cat Scratch Fever


WEEK SEVEN - WRITE YOUR TELEPLAY


CHECK IN WITH TODD IF YOU’D LIKE

Share pages for feedback via email

Schedule a zoom meeting at your convenience

Receive his thoughts

Ask questions

Talk about the whatever you want to talk about


WEEK EIGHT - KEEP ON WRITING


CHECK IN WITH TODD IF YOU’D LIKE

Share pages for feedback via email

Schedule a zoom meeting at your convenience

Receive his thoughts

Ask questions

Talk about the whatever you want to talk about


TO DO: Submit your pages via email to Todd and rest of class


WEEK NINE - DISCUSS YOUR TELEPLAYS & KEEP WRITING


THE ROUNDTABLE IN A WRITER’S ROOM

Thoughts on scripts

Compassion and kindness

Keep your mind open


REWRITE IDEAS
What if?


ONE ON ONES WITH TODD DURING WEEK

Schedule Your Zoom

Hear directly from him


WEEK TEN - NOW WHAT?


WHEN IS IT FINISHED?

The polish

Tweaking forever

No more


USE YOUR PEERS

Writer groups

Feedback is gold


DEVELOPING THE SERIES

The treatment

The pitch

Seasons 2, 3, and 4


REPRESENTATION

Managers vs. agents