Summary
10 Spots Available! ONLY 1 Spot left!
Write your television series pilot episode in 10 weeks while being mentored directly by multi Emmy nominated TV showrunner Todd Slavkin.
Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details
Flexible Learning: if you cannot attend any of the sessions live don't worry - you will be sent the links to the recordings of each session within 48 hours of the live session and you will have direct access to Todd on email to ask him any questions about your project, craft or career so you can keep up at your own pace and schedule.
If you are ready to write your TV series pilot episode under the mentorship of one of the best showrunners working in TV then this exclusive Stage 32 screenwriting lab is for you.
Over the course of this 10 week writing lab, you will develop your series idea into a professional pilot episode outline and then you will actually write your pilot episode.
Guiding you on your writing journey is multi Emmy nominated television writer and showrunner Todd Slavkin. Todd will teach you about about story structure, scene structure, scene description, dialogue and everything in between and you will walk away from his lab with the first draft of your completed teleplay for your pilot episode.
Todd is a showrunner/writer/director with over 35 years of experience in both film and television. Working with his writing/producing partner Darren Swimmer, Todd has worked in all different kinds of genres and has been involved with many popular television shows, including SMALLVILLE, SHADOWHUNTERS (winner of 2017 GLAAD media award for outstanding drama series, 2018 People’s Choice Award for Best Show & Most Bingeworthy Show, 2019 People’s Choice Award Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Show) and most recently THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY, for which he has been nominated for four Emmys (2022 & 2023 Outstanding Young Teen Series and Outstanding Writing for a Young Teen Program). He has written pilots for ABC, NBC, FOX, SYFY, FREEFORM and The CW, where he developed and was co-showrunner of MELROSE PLACE 2.0. Other television credits include NO ORDINARY FAMILY, ALPHAS, DEFIANCE, DOMINION and GUILT. He began his career in features, penning DARK REFLECTION and CONTROL, starring Ray Liotta, Willem Dafoe and Michelle Rodriguez.
You will work with Todd and your fellow writers in a virtual class setting, with ample time for Q&A’s, and you will also have 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 your pilot and allow you the opportunity to be mentored by a top professional to get your script written.
This lab is a must experience for any level of writer looking to harness your talent into a strong TV pilot/writing sample that will help further your career.
Praise For Todd's Teaching
"Todd's experience and expertise shine through. If you've ever wanted to be a showrunner on a TV series then learn all you can from him." -- Rahime B.
"I never realized how much fell on the showrunner before working with Todd. He's a fantastic educator!" - Meg L.
What You'll Learn
Week One- The Idea
- Introductions
- Todd’s Story
- Your Story
- The Idea
- Do You Have An Idea Now? What is it?
- Still Searching? How Do You Find It?
- Commerce Ideas Versus Art
- Is it a TV series?
- What Does That Mean?
- Why 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
Assignment: 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 One Meetings With Todd To Discuss Your Idea(s)
- ZOOM MEETINGS WITH TODD
- Schedule at your convenience via email
- Discuss Your Idea(s)
- Discuss Your Story
- Ask Todd Anything
Assignment: Write Character Sheets
Week Three- The Outline
- DISCUSS THE OUTLINES TO SOAR & CAT SCRATCH FEVER
- What Did You Like?
- What Did You Not Like?
- Were They Clear?
- What Was The Tone Of Each?
- 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
- WHAT DO YOU NEED BEFORE YOU START?
- A Pilot Roadmap Is Helpful
- Beat Sheet Can Be An Alternative
- Index Cards Also Work
Assignment: Write Your Outline (2 weeks)
Week Four - Continue To Write Your Outline
- CHECK IN WITH TODD
- Can Schedule A Zoom Meeting
- Ask Any Questions
- Share Your Struggles And Victories
- Todd Ihere for you
Assignment: Submit Your Outline To Todd
Week Five - One On One Meetings To Discuss Outline
- RECEIVE NOTES DIRECTLY FROM TODD
- You Will Have A Zoom Meeting With Todd
- Be Prepared For Constructive Criticism
- Be prepared to make adjustments
Assignment: Submit Revised Outline 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
- The Work Can Always Be Better
- OVERVIEW OF WHAT MAKES A GREAT SCRIPT
- The Story
- The Dialogue
- Scene Description
- Finding 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 (For Those Who Need It)
Assignment: Begin Writing Your Script... And Have Fun! (3 Weeks)
To Read: Teleplays for Soar & Cat Scratch Fever
Week Seven - Continue To Write Your Teleplay
- CHECK IN WITH TODD
- Share Pages For Feedback Via Email
- Schedule A Zoom Meeting With Todd At Your Convenience
- Receive Todd's Thoughts
- Ask Todd Any Question
Assignment: Continue Writing
Week Eight - Continue To Write Your Teleplay
- CHECK IN WITH TODD
- Share Pages For Feedback Via Email
- Schedule A Zoom Meeting With Todd At Your Convenience
- Receive Todd's Thoughts
- Ask Todd Any Questions
Assignment: Submit Your Pages Via Email To Todd And Rest Of Class
Week Nine- Discuss Your Teleplays & Keep Writing Y
- THE ROUNDTABLE IN A WRITER’S ROOM
- Thoughts On Scripts
- Compassion And Kindness In The Room
- Keep Your Mind Open
- DISCUSS REWRITE IDEAS
- What if?
Assignment: Have Another One On One Meeting With Todd During The Upcoming Week
- Schedule Your Zoom
- Hear Directly About Your Script From Todd
Week Ten - What To Do When Your Pilot Script Is Finished
- HOW TO POLISH
- Tweaking Forever - When To Stop
- USE YOUR PEERS
- Writer Groups
- Feedback Is Gold
- DEVELOPING THE SERIES
- The treatment
- THE PITCH
- Seasons 2, 3, and 4
- REPRESENTATION
- Managers vs. agents
WHAT TO EXPECT:
PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 lab will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis. The opportunity to work this closely and for this long with an executive and an expert in the field is an incredibly unique and valuable opportunity. If you are interested, please book quickly. Once the spots are gone, they’re gone for good.
- This lab is designed for beginner, intermediate and advanced writers interested in writing a TV series pilot script.
- By the end of this 10-week lab, you will have a TV series pilot script vetted by a professional in the industry.
- This is an in-depth, practical, and detailed lab with one-on-one time with the instructor and significantly more content than a standard 90-minute webinar.
- You will be held accountable to take the lessons from each week and move your work forward.
- Plus, to stay motivated and inspired, you will have access to a private, dedicated Stage 32 Lounge where you can communicate with your fellow classmates throughout the length of the lab.
- **Todd will be available to you on email during the 12 sessions to answer any questions you have about your craft, career or project.**
Payment plans are available - please contact edu@stage32.com for more information
Who Should Attend
All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to write their TV series pilot script.
All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to add a marketable TV series pilot script to their portfolio.
All levels of screenwriters (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn the craft of TV pilot script writing from a top showrunner who has ben nominated for multiple Emmy awards in recent years.
Producers who want to better understand the TV pilot genre and what represents a marketable TV series pilot script.
Actors who want to take control of their careers by writing a TV series pilot script.
Executive
Todd Slavkin is a seasoned showrunner and producer with over three decades of experience in television. He has worked alongside his longtime friend and writing partner, Darren Swimmer, to create some of the most beloved shows across various genres. Todd's impressive portfolio includes being a driving force behind iconic series like SMALLVILLE and SHADOWHUNTERS, which won multiple awards including the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series and several People’s Choice Awards. Most recently, Todd has been recognized for his work on THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY, earning four Emmy nominations.
Throughout his career, Todd has developed pilots for major networks including ABC, NBC, FOX, SYFY, FREEFORM, and The CW. He was the co-showrunner for MELROSE PLACE 2.0 and contributed to a variety of other successful series such as NO ORDINARY FAMILY, ALPHAS, DEFIANCE, DOMINION, and GUILT. Todd's extensive experience in showrunning and producing has made him a respected figure in the industry, known for his ability to craft engaging stories and develop compelling characters.
He began his career in feature films, writing DARK REFLECTION and CONTROL, starring Ray Liotta, Willem Dafoe and Michelle Rodriguez.
Schedule
Saturday, January 18th, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, January 25th, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, February 1st, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, February 8th, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, February 15th, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, February 22nd, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, March 1st, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, March 8th, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, March 15th 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Saturday, March 22nd, 10:30am-12:30pm PT
Testimonials
Praise For Todd's Teaching
"Todd's experience and expertise shine through. If you've ever wanted to be a showrunner on a TV series then learn all you can from him." -- Rahime B.
"I never realized how much fell on the showrunner before working with Todd. He's a fantastic educator!" - Meg L.