JaneEspenson.com

Now you know, Gentle Readers, that I much prefer to talk about writing tricks — I mean “techniques”– than to give advice about how to get into the business, since I really don’t consider myself an expert on that. However, I just found out about a writers’ program at NBC called Writers On The Verge. The official link to the program can be found
here

My understanding is that this program is specifically intended for writers who are inches away from breaking into the business. Here’s what one of the program organizers told me about what they’re offering:

Basically, it’s our crack at a fellowship. It’s more like the WB or CBS Fellowship than ABC in the sense that it’s only 10 weeks and I can’t afford to pay them for their troubles. Another difference between ours and theirs is that WOTV is two nights a week. Tuesday night is solely dedicated to a writing workshop and Thursday [to a] speaker series and personal development exercises. They [the participants] write a spec to get in, and in the program write a new spec and start an original. It’s really fast paced because we want them ready for staffing.

Though we’re the newest fellowship, we’ve had a good amount of success so far with 5 of the 8 fellows from last year staffed and all 8 represented. The other three writers have moved up the food chain in some way as well (script coordinator with a freelance, etc…). In fact, NBC just bought a comedy pilot from a team that was in the program last year — so that’s our most exciting news to date.

Wow. I’ll say — that’s a pretty amazing track record for a fairly new program. And it’s also another good place to use those specs for existing shows, which are otherwise increasingly devalued.

May might seem like it’s a long way off, but this program clearly sets a high standard and you’re going to want all of that time to get a spec into the kind of shape it’s going to require. If I were you, I’d start working. So let’s hear some typing noises! Good luck!

Lunch: BBQ chicken and those amazing spicy fries at Ribs USA.

Friend-of-the-Blog Jeff Greenstein comments on the last entry. He says: I always pick out a special font for each show and put it (fairly) big on the title page. I’m looking at his most recent pilot script and it’s true. However, his own name appears below the title in 12-point Courier. This seems to me to be a fine compromise — the script looks unique without looking over-puffed.

Jeff also points out the importance of making it clear that a script is, in fact, a pilot (as opposed to a spec feature or a spec episode of an existing show). He does this with the simple subtitle (without quotation marks) “a pilot,” while I do it by listing the name of the episode (with quotation marks) as “Pilot.” They’re both perfectly fine options.

EVEN MORE ON ENTITLEMENT:

I had just completed this post when I got another email from an experienced writer. Friend-of-the-blog Mark Verheiden checks in on the other side! …the first studio script I submitted, I did a title page where I put the title (that’s it) in 16 pt type. The executive practically hurled it in my face. […] I don’t do that anymore.

Fascinating, no? I’m not sure what to advocate anymore! I suggest that this choice should probably be dictated by your own personality and values, and perhaps even the tenor of the script — free-wheeling comedy might allow for looser rules than a restrained drama. If anyone else weighs in, I’ll let you know!

So last week I took a break from my never-ending stay up here in Vancouver with the Battlestar TV movie, to go back home just long enough to attend the Emmy award ceremony. And it was wonderful. Oh, I know the hosting was terrible and the show was long, but there’s something so lovely for me about being out in that audience full of all the people who entertained me when I was growing up — Betty White! Tommy Smothers!

And afterwards, there’s the Governor’s Ball, in which the star power is even more dense and they give you a map of where everyone is seated, so if you want, you can go watch John Hodgman eating his appetizer or Howie Mandel apologizing to everyone.

I didn’t actually see him apologizing. I’m just assuming.

I met Stephen Colbert, who was just as charming as you could ever want. He’s a sci-fi fan! I sort of knew that from interviews, but it was darn cool to hear him say it. I also saw Betty White locked in intense conversation with Phylicia Rashad out by the limo pick-up area. What was that about? And I ran into our own Katee Sackhoff and Grace Park in the ladies’ room, where they both looked beautiful despite fluorescent lighting. All in all, a wonderful night. Did I tell you met Stephen Colbert? I got to hold one of his writers’ Emmys. Hefty little lady. (The Emmy, not the writer.) Plus, I met Stephen Colbert. If my typing fingers could dance…

But the best part of the night was part of the acceptance speech of Jay Roach, who won for directing Recount. I’m paraphrasing, but the good bit went something like:

…and Danny Strong, who wrote a great script that really inspired us all to do this…

That’s significant not just because Danny is one of my dearest friends. It also has a lesson for all of us about our own writing. The truth is, I gently counseled Danny against writing the Recount script. There were too many obstacles — the real life events he wanted to chronicle were so recent. Everyone knows the ending. The tone is tricky. But, primarily, I was concerned because there’s really only one place to take such a project: HBO. If they don’t want it, there aren’t a lot of second options. And I had no sense that there was a lot of enthusiasm gathering out there for a movie about the 2000 Florida recount.

Here’s what I didn’t take into account. Just as a forest fire makes its own wind, Danny’s script made its own enthusiasm. Jay Roach said as much — the script fueled the project.

Does that mean that you should drop that spec pilot and instead write a movie about the financial bailout plan? Heck no! Do all the practical things first, but when you’ve got your specs in a line and you’re taking aim at your dream project, don’t let others’ opinions keep you from doing something that you just know you can deliver. Danny ignored me and as a result he wrote the Best Made For Television Film of the year. Go Danny, and congratulations!

Lunch: leftover squash agnolotti with extra parmesian cheese from the Italian restaurant right across the street from my hotel room

I haven’t been to the mail bag for a while, Gentle Readers, for a number of reasons that have to do mostly with the mail bag’s contents dwelling variously in my home, my office, my backpack, my hotel room, etc. The letter I’m looking at now, from Gentle Reader Rich, originated in Montreal. From there it went to Beverly Hills and then finally made its way to me here in Vancouver.

Rich is asking about choosing a show for which to write a spec script. He is toying with the idea of writing a novelty spec — an episode of a show like Buffy that is long off the air. The problem, Rich, is that most agents and most shows these days want to read original material — spec pilots or scripts for short films. Even plays. The primary place for which you’ll need scripts for shows that already exist is for the ABC/Disney writing fellowship, and it only accepts scripts for shows currently on the air. So I’m afraid you’d have a tough time finding a reader for your vintage spec.

I recommend you write a fellowship-ready spec if you’re at all interested in the program. You mention that you like House but are concerned about your lack of medical knowledge. You might find that this isn’t the obstacle that you think it is. You don’t need an M.D. to find out everything you need to know about one specific disorder. You might want to start by watching some episodes of those shows that follow real patients with hard-to-diagnose diseases. I’m talking about Diagnosis: Unknown or Mystery Diagnosis. Don’t lift the exact story from one of their episodes, but these shows are wonderful for suggesting starting places and possible misleads.

There are other good shows to consider as well. I would think that Mad Men would be a fun choice. Since you only have to please the ABC/Disney readers — not create a script that will be usable industry-wide — you can be much more idiosyncratic with your choice of show.

Then, after you’ve got that done, you should really dive into the world of original material. Be bold, don’t make a generic cop show or family show. And don’t hold back, hoarding your favorite story until you’re in the position to sell it for a thrillion bucks. Put it all out there.

You’re reaching for a big prize, use a big reaching thing.

Lunch: mac and cheese from craft services, served piping hot on set. Yum!

Hello all. Apologies for my absence. I was in Vancouver for the Battlestar Galactica wrap party, and have been very hard at work since then on continuing Battlestar work — to the extent that it makes one question the definition of “wrap party.” I haven’t had time to come up with blogable topics, but I do continue to read the mail. So this is a brief dip into the mail bag.

Thanks to Gentle Reader Kori in West Hollywood, who writes in praise of Battlestar both in the general and the particular. Thank you, Kori!

And congratulations to Gentle Reader Ernie of New Jersey, who is having success with his spec pilot! Good work, Ernie, and thank you!

And a huge thank you to Pat in England, whom I met years ago at a Buffy convention in London, and who now sends me the coolest bit of Ringo memorabilia in tribute to my recent Ringo near-encounter. Wow — that’s fantastic. Thank you so much, Pat!

Lunch: a huge submarine sandwich with three kinds of hard-to-identify meat. And two cookies.

« Older Entries

Newer Entries »