Writing a Network Pitch and Pilot that Sells
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Webinar hosted by: Anna Henry, TV Executive (Educator)
(Worked with CBS, ABC, Amazon, Starz, Sony, 20th Television)
Anna began her career as a development executive at Nickelodeon, working on the development and production of animated television series, pilots and features, including the cult hit “Invader Zim.” She crossed over to prime-time television working at CBS and ABC in drama development and programming, and freelanced as a creative consultant for a number of production companies. She is currently Director of Development at Andrea Simon Entertainment, a boutique literary management and production company representing writers and directors. Her clients have worked on shows at virtually every broadcast and major cable television network, and have set up projects at Sony, 20th Television, EOne, Starz, Amazon, OddLot Entertainment, Corus, and others. She enjoys having a close collaboration with writers in refining scripts, expanding their range of material, and finding the best home for each project. Anna is a graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
THIS WEBINAR HAS A 100% SATISFACTION RATING!
Network TV is dead, right? All good shows are on cable and streaming!
Not so fast! Network TV is alive and well, as demonstrated by the critical success and healthy ratings of shows such as 9-1-1, Black-Ish, Brooklyn Nine Nine, The Resident, New Amsterdam, as well as powerhouse veterans such as Grey's Anatomy, Law and Order, The Simpsons and NCIS.
Broadcast networks are increasingly having to compete for top talent and ideas in a crowded marketplace. While landing a series order from ABC or FOX is no easy feat, the networks’ deep coffers mean they can buy and develop a high volume of shows, season after season. Producers of course enjoy the prestige of developing ideas for HBO or Amazon, but they are equally eager to find the next network hit, which can yield huge financial dividends with multiple season orders.
What’s more, agents and managers judge prospective clients based on their original pilot scripts, and the right network pilot can demonstrate to a potential representative that you are ready to staff and ready to sell. As a manager, I always recommend writers have at least two or three finished scripts ready to go, and a mix of cable and network samples increases the number of producers and executives who may be interested in your work.
In this webinar, you will learn about the brands and programming models of broadcast networks, how to know what ideas they will find appealing, what you need to include in your network pitch, and the do’s and don’ts of writing your network spec pilot.
What You'll Learn
- Broadcast network audiences – who watches and why
- Developing with a programming perspective – network identities and needs, competitive development
- The broadcast network development cycle – from pitch to Upfronts
- Genres of network shows
- Network content restrictions
- Structure of a network pitch – why you why now, logline, world building, characters we want to invite into our living room, a story engine that can sustain 100 episodes, season arcs, themes, tone & style
- Packaging and IP – attracting showrunners, producers, and talent, and the value of an underlying property
- Writing your spec pilot –
- Comedy, drama and dramedy
- Length and act breaks
- Setting up characters and multiple plotlines
- Likable vs. relatable characters
- Ensemble vs. star
- From teaser to final act – how to avoid a failure to launch
- Showing and telling
- Exposition and narration
- Rules of the universe
- Research!
- Budget considerations
- Setting and tax incentives
- Diversity
- Q&A with Anna
About Your Instructor
Anna Henry, TV Executive (Educator)
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Reviews Average Rating: 5 out of 5
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Karen Mueller Bryson Great presenter. She provided a wealth of information. -
Roberto Dragonne I really liked this webinar. -
Angela Uzun Great Webinar and Ms. Henry really shines as a very knowledgeable and caring professional
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