Stage 32 Pitching Lab: Create Your Television Series Pitch Bible With A Top Producer and Former Executive at ABC, CBS, and Nickelodeon In This 6-Part Course
Other education that may be of interest to you:
How to Write Historical Fiction Television that Will Get You Noticed
"It was amazing, enlightening - completely. I learned soooo much - especially as a feature writer who's been asked to turn a feature script into a pilot!! Thank you soooooo much." -Kristin G. The market for historical dramas is hot. Shows like The Crown, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Giani Versace, The Great, Babylon Berlin, Call the Midwife and more are dominating with controversial plot lines and riveting characters. But to sell a historical drama, you first need to know the specifics of writing this specialized genre. You need to understand what type of intellectual property makes for a compelling story and then have the skills necessary to turn this historical piece into a modern, binge-worthy series that speaks to today's audiences. Industry veteran Anna Henry who has worked as a development executive and producer and has shepherded numerous projects through networks and streamers is here to show you how. Anna Henry is a Producer and Development Executive who has worked at CBS, ABC, Nickelodeon, and multiple production companies, as well as a manager at Andrea Simon Entertainment. Her clients have worked on shows such as THE DEUCE, POWER, IN CONTEMPT, TOMMY, VIDA, SEVEN SECONDS, HUNG, CHICAGO FIRE, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, THIS IS US, and THE FLASH, and have set up projects at AMC, Amazon, Starz, HBO, Sony, Fox, EOne, and more. Anna has projects currently in development around the world and is incredibly familiar with what goes into a great television pilot. Praise for Anna's Stage 32 webinar: "The webinar was fantastic. I am writing my first one hour drama pilot so this webinar was packed with the exact information that I will be immediately putting to use in my rewrite. The slides were clear, concise and informative. The speaker was excellent at conveying the information I needed." -Bobby C. "It was really great information. Anna was a terrific host, very knowledgeable and shared a lot of information and tips." -Marla H. "Comprehensive, insightful. Combined a lot of material I had heard snippets of on character, world dev, etc. but artfully stitched together in one presentation." -James F.
How to Write a Professional TV Pitch Document/Treatment - with Downloads
This was by far the best webinar on pitch documents that I have experienced. I've seen others where they give certain advice that she warned not to do! - Tiffany C. This is the age of peak TV and you have an incredible, original idea for a show! You have it all planned out: the setting, the characters, what the show will be about... maybe you've even written the pilot script. Now it's time to pitch! Perhaps you have a meeting with a manager or a producer, or someone is already interested in your idea and has asked you to send some "pages." Or you've signed up for a Stage 32 pitch session with the perfect exec who's looking for a show just like yours. You will learn how to write a professional pitch document that can serve as the outline for your in-person pitch to a manager, producer or studio executive, or be sent after your meeting - using the template and requirements the big agencies and studios use. You will also learn how to translate that into a shorter version for Stage 32 pitch sessions, contests, or just to be able to briefly pitch your idea as you're networking. PLUS! Anna will include these handouts for you to download: Stranger Things Pitch Document New Girl Pitch Document New Girl Short Pitch Document Example Lookbook Example This was my first Stage32 webinar, and it exceeded my expectations, both in terms of quality (and quantity) of information and overall value. Anna was personable, knowledgeable, and organized. The slide deck was helpful, and her overall presentation hit all the key topics. Anna and Stage3 2 delivered the goods. - John R. What a thoughtful, thorough and inspiring webinar. It's clear that Anna Henry put an enormous amount of work into this presentation. Not only was the content there, but the structure was also superb. I feel educated and inspired to go back to my own work and do better than what I thought was my best. What could possibly be better than that! Thank you Anna for your genius and your generosity. - Crispin L. See more testimonials below!
How to Nail the First Act of Your Television Pilot - With Pilot Downloads (Killing Eve, Atlanta, This is Us, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, One Day at a Time, The Expanse)
You’ve heard that the opening pages of your pilot script are the most important – hook your audience early and they’ll be invested in your show, fall short and producers, managers and executives might not even finish reading your script. At many companies, your script will be handed off to a member of the development team whose job is to just read the first act, then decide whether to pass or flag your script for further consideration. Having a great first act isn’t just a good way to get your pilot noticed; it might be the only way. When you watch a pilot, though, whether on Netflix, HBO or ABC, it can feel like every show is so different, it’s hard to see a pathway to success. Or even if you master one aspect of your opening act, somehow it can still feel like you’ve not done enough. In a TV pilot, that crucial first act is the most challenging because there is so much you have to do really well, really quickly: you have to introduce your characters, set up your world, and launch your story. What’s more, the first act sets your pilot on solid footing – nail this section and the rest of the pilot seems to develop and flow easily. Get stuck on how to start, and you might never finish writing the pilot that could launch your career. You’ve probably watched outstanding pilots where 10-15 minutes in you’re already making plans to binge the season. What do all those pilots have in common? What techniques do experienced show creators use to give them that early edge? And what exactly do producers, managers development execs and other professionals expect to see in a first act? We have the answers to those questions and much more. Anna Henry is a Producer and Development Executive who has worked at CBS, ABC, Nickelodeon, and multiple production companies, as well as a manager at Andrea Simon Entertainment. Her clients have worked on shows such as THE DEUCE, POWER, IN CONTEMPT, TOMMY, VIDA, SEVEN SECONDS, HUNG, CHICAGO FIRE, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, THIS IS US, and THE FLASH, and have set up projects at AMC, Amazon, Starz, HBO, Sony, Fox, EOne, ITV America, OddLot Entertainment, Corus, and others. Anna has projects currently in development around the world and is incredibly familiar with what goes into a great television pilot. Anna will analyze pilots more deeply so you can see the tools successful writers use to set their show on the right path from the start. She’ll discuss the ingredients of a pilot in general, including the basic structure, identifying the type or genre of your show, meta-themes, and crafting characters to serve as the audience's entry point. Anna will then delve into the key elements of a first act, as well as a great teaser or cold open, including using framing devices, and a strong out. She will go over tips to writing memorable character descriptions, using physical descriptions, elements of identity, and putting thought into how you name each character. She'll next focus on introduction scenes and using them to generate interest in your characters, using dialogue to establish their voices, and introducing relationships. A vital aspect of a pilot's first act is creating character moments, and Anna will go over effective examples of many different types of these moments, including meeting heroes, meeting villains, meeting supporting characters, establishing the right amount of backstory, and the benefits of having your characters argue. She will then discuss how to create exposition and communicate your world effectively, crafting a mystery and building the rules of your universe, as well as how to avoid overused crutches. Anna will then offer her take on implementing and incorporating tone and themes into the script and how to sneak them in subtly through details and character moments. She will finally lay out how to best use your first act to bring the audience into your story and world, where exactly your story should start, and how to launch your 'A' story and introduce your 'B' and 'C' stories. Examples will be used from one-hour and half-hour shows on network, cable and streaming platforms, PLUS! you will receive pilots for each after the class: THIS IS US - NBC ONE DAY AT A TIME - Netflix / Pop MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL - Amazon ATLANTA - FX KILLING EVE - AMC THE EXPANSE - Syfy / Amazon Praise for Anna's Stage 32 webinar: "The webinar was fantastic. I am writing my first one hour drama pilot so this webinar was packed with the exact information that I will be immediately putting to use in my rewrite. The slides were clear, concise and informative. The speaker was excellent at conveying the information I needed." -Bobby C. "It was really great information. Anna was a terrific host, very knowledgeable and shared a lot of information and tips." -Marla H. "Comprehensive, insightful. Combined a lot of material I had heard snippets of on character, world dev, etc. but artfully stitched together in one presentation." -James F. "It was amazing, enlightening - completely. I learned soooo much - especially as a feature writer who's been asked to turn a feature script into a pilot!! Thank you soooooo much." -Kristin G.
Create Your Pitch Bible with a World Class Executive
Learn to Create a Bulletproof Pitch Bible with A Top Producer & Development Executive (Clients Worked with Netflix, AMC, Amazon, Sony, HBO and more) "So informative on the structure of a pitch. What's needed and how to go about dealing with the things that will come up during a verbal pitch or simply in the relationship between those giving a pitch and those receiving one. Well organized Anna, thank you!" - Julia L. Before you can get anyone to consider your series, you need a pitch bible to grab executives’ attention and tell them exactly what you’re selling in just a few, visually impactful pages. But what should you include in your pitch? How do you organize your ideas? How detailed should you be? What exactly do executives look for in a pitch bible? This is where Stage 32 can help. In this Stage 32 exclusive lab hosted by a former network executive and A-List manager, you’ll turn your scripted television idea into a pitch bible that excites the reader through your unique voice while effectively conveying your show. You’ll get into the nitty-gritty of what networks are looking for, including your story engine, the world, the main characters, how detailed you should be, writing effective teasers, and crafting season arcs. Your host, Anna Henry, has over 20 years of development experience as an executive at ABC, CBS, and Nickelodeon. She’s also worked as a representative, helping her clients set up projects at ITV America, Sony, 20th Television, EOne, Starz, Amazon, OddLot Entertainment, Corus, and many others. Not only will Anna help you build your pitch bible from the ground up, you’ll even cover how to consolidate your pitch bible down to two pages so that you’re ready to submit to other executives through Stage 32. And Anna will provide sample pitch decks to study, in addition to sample loglines and episodes. By the end of six weeks, you’ll have a pitch bible, vetted by a world-class executive, a short pitch bible for submissions, a verbal pitch to help get you in the door, and ample handouts to continue learning from. With limited spaces available, grab your seat before missing out on this fantastic opportunity to work with Anna and kickstart your television career. Testimonials from Anna's previous Stage 32 Education: "This was by far the best webinar on pitch documents that I have experienced. I've seen others where they give certain advice that she warned not to do!" - Tiffany C. "So informative on the structure of a pitch. What's needed and how to go about dealing with the things that will come up during a verbal pitch or simply in the relationship between those giving a pitch and those receiving one. Well organized Anna, thank you!" - Julia L.
Write A Historical TV Pilot Script With An Industry Executive
Get one-on-one mentoring from an accomplished producer and favorite Stage 32 educator on writing your historical television pilot! Limited Class Size - Only 2 Spots Left! Historical shows are more popular than ever. From THE GREAT to CHERNOBYL to BABYLON BERLIN, these stories from yesterday are winning raves today from fans and critics alike. It’s never been a better time to write your own historical television pilot, and in this exclusive Stage 32 lab will help you do just that. Over eight sessions, you’ll study how to write a historical television pilot under the guidance of accomplished producer, Anna Henry. Throughout the class, you’ll study successful period shows depicting both real and fictional characters in historical settings, and cover crucial writing topics, such as: How to find the right story engine for your show Different approaches to historical subjects How to use source materials How to generate current appeal with yesterday’s stories Adding, altering, and conflating real people World-building Budget and production considerations Striving for authenticity over accuracy Challenges of writing exposition Avoiding anachronisms Common pilot problems And so much more Best of all, you’ll have time scheduled throughout the course to work one-on-one with Anna and ensure that your pilot has everything it needs and you walk away with an industry-vetted script to add to your portfolio. Anna is a producer and development executive who has set up projects at AMC, Amazon Prime, Starz, HBO, Sony, Fox, EOne, ITV America, and OddLot Entertainment, among others. She’s worked at CBS, ABC, Nickelodeon, and multiple production companies, as well as in management at Andrea Simon Entertainment where she worked with writers. Anna is also an instructor for Netflix & Stage 32 Creating Content for a Global Marketplace Program. Spots to work one-on-one with Anna in this unique opportunity are limited, guaranteeing you focused attention and the ability to network with your fellow writers. Don’t miss out on this incredible chance to develop your pilot with an industry veteran and leave with a fantastic historical pilot script. Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details TESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS STAGE 32 EDUCATION FROM ANNA: "Anna's webinar was fantastic. I am writing my first one hour drama pilot so this webinar was packed with the exact information that I will be immediately putting to use in my rewrite. The slides were clear, concise and informative. The speaker was excellent at conveying the information I needed." -Bobby C. "It was really great information. Anna was a terrific host, very knowledgeable and shared a lot of information and tips." -Marla H.
Netflix + Stage 32 Present: Television Pilot Story Structure
SEE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BELOW: Netflix and Stage 32 have partnered on an exclusive global education series in an effort to democratize the worldwide entertainment industry. Together, over the course of 5 webcasts Stage 32's world class educators will bring their knowledge of what it takes to write, develop and produce today's television for the Stage 32 and Netflix creator community. To kick things off, we are going to talking about television pilot story structure. Nailing your TV drama’s story structure—specifically your pilot—is no easy task. In the span of just 40-60 pages, you have to introduce your world, your characters, your central plot and conflict, and your inciting incident, all while keeping your pacing consistent, finding some resolution for that episode, and allowing your audience to want to watch more. This is a complicated, and delicate game and ultimately comes down to how you structure and map out your script before you start writing. No matter what genre you’re writing in, understanding how to structure your pilot is vital. Gaining a clear grasp on how successful drama pilots are arranged and the rules they all follow is a necessary step if you want to have a show that will get picked up and ultimately connect with an audience. Anna Henry is a Producer and Development Executive who has worked at CBS, ABC, Nickelodeon, as well as multiple production companies and in literary management. Her clients have worked on shows such as THE DEUCE, VINYL, SEVEN SECONDS, VIDA, CHICAGO FIRE, and THE FLASH, and have set up projects at Netflix, AMC, Amazon, Starz, HBO, Sony, EOne, Corus, and others. Anna will go in-depth on how to properly structure your drama TV series pilot and will use real past pilot scripts as examples as she breaks down, act by act, the elements necessary to turn your series pilot into stand-out script. Anna will go over the main types of one-hour pilots and will outline the elements for pilot development, including story engine, world, characters, themes and tone. She’ll discuss how to select and map your own template show as well as incorporating multiple plotlines. Anna will then delve into the function and elements of your pilot’s teaser and Acts 1 through 5, as well as your pilot launch, pilot climax, and series launch. She will finally lay out the most common structure problems that you should avoid. Don’t even think about starting to write your own drama pilot until you gain the tools Anna will provide. Examples will be used from notable past one-hour drama pilots on network, cable, and streaming platforms. PLUS! you will receive story maps/outlines broken down for each of these pilots: LUPIN (Netflix) SUCCESSION (HBO) THE EXPANSE (Syfy) THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL (Amazon) Note: You will receive the Zoom link to login by the morning of the webinar. If you are not yet a member of the Stage 32 community, we encourage you to join the community today at www.stage32.com, it is FREE! You will instantly connect with over 800,000 creatives and professionals in the entertainment industry from all over the world who use Stage 32 to network, find work, learn and develop their projects. YOU MUST HAVE A STAGE 32 PROFILE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO.
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