Netflix + Stage 32 Present: How to Write Drama Scripts for Streaming Television
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Webinar hosted by: Leila Cohan (Emmy-nominated writer/producer)
(Emmy-nominated writer) BRIDGERTON, THE FIRST WIVES CLUB, THE PERFECT COUPLE
Leila Cohan is an Emmy-nominated television and feature writer, currently serving as Co-Executive Producer on Netflix’s THE PERFECT COUPLE. Previously, she’s written for SPECIAL (WB/Netflix), BRIDGERTON (Shondaland/Netflix), THE FIRST WIVES CLUB (Paramount/BET Plus), SANTA CLARITA DIET (Netflix), TELENOVELA (NBC), and AWKWARD (MTV). She’s developed pilots for Paramount, Hello Sunshine, The CW, YouTube Red, and the last days of ABC Family, as well as features for Lionsgate and Picture Start. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
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. These global webcasts have been seen by hundreds of thousands of creatives worldwide with a 100% satisfaction rate!
In our fifth webinar in this exclusive "Creating Television Content for a Global Marketplace" series, we are going to give you the ins and outs on how you can effectively write drama scripts for streaming television.
We are in the Great Content Gold Rush of drama television
Over 550 original shows aired in 2021 alone and that number is expected to almost double in 2022. Streamers such as Netflix have committed to spending $19 billion in original content this year. The rush for dramatic television shows is on. Are you ready for it?
With the success of shows such as Lupin, Squid Game and Bridgerton there is no doubt that streamers are on the hunt for dramatic global stories. These shows drop us into worlds that are new, foreign and exciting for viewers around the globe to watch, yet they all have universal themes we can relate to. The secret to this success is a solid understanding of how to write effective dramatic television...and be able to sustain it for seasons to come.
Stage 32 and Netflix are going to teach you how.
To help you understand the nuances of drama television is Stage 32 Educator Leila Cohan who is an Emmy-nominated television and feature writer, currently serving as Co-Executive Producer on Netflix’s THE PERFECT COUPLE. Previously, she’s written for SPECIAL (WB/Netflix), BRIDGERTON (Shondaland/Netflix), THE FIRST WIVES CLUB (Paramount/BET Plus), SANTA CLARITA DIET (Netflix), TELENOVELA (NBC), and AWKWARD (MTV). She’s developed pilots for Paramount, Hello Sunshine, The CW, YouTube Red, and the last days of ABC Family, as well as features for Lionsgate and Picture Start.
In an exciting FREE webcast Leila will go into more detail on choosing a drama series concept, core elements of your drama pilot, planning your drama series for season one and beyond, plus she'll go over an exercise to turn an idea into a pilot and a series so you can get the practice of what it's like breaking drama television. You do not want to miss this!
To see the full webinar overview, see below. Some of the case studies Leila is going to go over in the webinar are:
- BREAKING BAD
- LUPIN
- SCANDAL
- KILLING EVE
- YELLOWJACKETS
- MAD MEN
- ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
- BRIDGERTON
- THE WIRE
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.
What You'll Learn
SECTION 1: THE PILOT
What Should You Write?
- The Four Main Types of Drama Series
- Realistic (Friday Night Lights)
- Mystery (Big Little Lies)
- Procedural (Law & Order)
- Supernatural/Superhero (Stranger Things)
- Subtypes
- Family drama (Parenthood)
- Period drama (Bridgerton)
- Apocalyptic drama (Squid Game)
- How to get Inspiration
- Other work
- Your life
- The importance of living your life
- Limited v. Ongoing Series
- How to know what serves your idea the best
- Fosse/Verdon v. Smash
About Your Pilot
- Drama Pilots: the Basics
- Formatting
- Length
- Substance
- What Does You Pilot Need to DO?
- Set up characters
- Set up world
- Introduce series engines
- Where in this story are you picking up? Why are you starting the series NOW?
- Network v. streaming structure
- Examples: Scandal, Lupin, Breaking Bad
- Characters
- What makes a great character? (Examples: Killing Eve, Yellowjackets)
- What makes a great ensemble? (Examples: Mad Men, Orange Is The New Black)
- How to create three-dimensional characters
- World
- What makes an exciting world? (Examples: Bridgerton, The Wire)
- How much detail do you need?
- Plotting
- Pacing your episode
- Pacing your season
- What makes a compelling drama series?
SECTION 2: YOUR SERIES
Developing Your Pilot into a Series
- What does your pilot set up?
- What is owed?
- Eating your big clams first – don’t hold out on stuff for too long
Season Arcs
- What are you saying in this season
- How does it affect each character?
- How to tie character arcs together to make a cohesive whole
Series Arcs
- How to envision future seasons before you’ve written season one
- What’s your endgame?
Introducing new characters, stakes, and storylines
- How to keep the audience invested
- How to keep true to what the core of your show is, even as circumstances change
SECTION 3: INTERACTIVE
In this section, we will work together to turn an idea into a pilot and series. Leila will provide a world and a few characters. From that, together we’ll work to fill out the ensemble, come up with a story for the pilot, and arc out the season.
Q&A with Leila
Want to see the other webcasts in this exclusive Stage 32 + Netflix Creating Television Content for a Global Marketplace series?
Click here: TV Pitch Documents with Chris Mack
Click here: TV Pitch Documents with Chris Mack - Closed Caption
Click here: TV Story Structure with Anna Henry
Click here: Writing Scripts to Budget with Jeanette B. Milio
Click here: Writing Hit Sci-Fi Scripts for Streaming Television with Mickey Fisher
Click here: Writing Hit Comedy Scripts for Streaming Television with Vijal Pital
Click here: Writing Hit Drama for Streaming Television with Leila Cohan
About Your Instructor
Leila Cohan (Emmy-nominated writer/producer)
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Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Ugo Cavallo Good, here are the basics, what's next? ;) Great webinar -
Maren Keitel Very inspiring :-) -
Halil Ferzan Kirici This page telling me that I've already purchase it but I do not have it in "my education". -
Cameron Broadhurst A very good overview of types, writing strategies and business aspects. -
Cristian Marin Help! This webinar won't show up in my purchases or despite this page telling me that I've already purchase it...
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Cindy Smith 5 stars. So comprehensive, with information that is current and applicable right away. Thanks you! -
Tina A.Wake HI, I am just wondering if you will also send the link to this webinar (Netflix + Stage 32 Present: How to Write Drama Scripts for Streaming Television (Monday, Apr 25 - 10:00 AM PDT) I am filming every day for the rest of April until 11pm so will miss the initial zoom link....thank you Tina :)
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