Of these five shows, two — Whitney and Are You There Chelsea? — did not find their audiences and were cancelled. The other three tended to break ground in the world of sitcom writing in regard to the subject matter and portrayal of young women in society. The content resonated to viewers, so much so that Lena Dunham (Girls) has been said to be the voice of her generation, with Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) following close behind as the quintessential example of the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” meme. It seems the individuals who developed these shows at the networks also had a hunch that there would be something within the seasonal arc and characters’ traits that would appeal to their audiences. Each show was given an opportunity to find its audience and New Girl, Two Broke Girls, and Girls did just that — in fact, they found sizeable success.
These women came up at the same time as the network execs (as many folks making decisions at networks are within the late twenties to early forties age range). Whitney Cummings wrote for Chelsea Handler’s talk show, so there was the factor that they were working alongside each other also, paralleling their similar energies and grabbing the opportunities to move forward. Cummings is also the creator of Two Broke Girls. In all cases, there was a gut feeling amongst the creators and the execs to go forward with this type of programming.
Also know that there are groups of creative individuals that complement each other and go on to create media content like this all the time. Think Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Between the two of them, we could put together a fairly long list of projects they have touched in some way or another, whether they worked on the content directly or not. They also contributed to the reason why the women creators were able to flourish in 2011–12 as both Fey and Poehler broke ground for contemporary female writers with their many years on Saturday Night Live and their own sitcoms 30 Rock (2006–2013) and Parks and Recreation (2009–present). You can see how they have played off one another throughout their years of creating, and the impact that has had on programming.
COPYING GENRE TRAITS
In the case of the new female-driven comedies, the shows in discussion generally held on to the basic traits seen in most sitcoms since the beginning of television time. Traits such as comedic beats including stinging one-liners, limited locations (usually a home and work set), a group of friends to add various storylines (and all of those friends have issues), and struggles of some sort for the female lead(s). These struggles revolve around work (the title Two Broke Girls says it all), and romance. Ultimately, as a result of going through all of the experiences they go through, the groups of friends become closer, or experience jealousy and deception, joy and fear, sexual experiences, etc. All of these traits remain in tact with this new wave of shows. So what’s new?
In most cases, these shows push the limit for the females who inhabit these female-centric worlds. They go beyond where many female characters have gone in the past. One can say that Sex and the City (1998–2004) could be identified as the quintessential text for these sitcoms. That show led the way for these women to talk frankly about sex, drink without judgment, and make choices about their careers without male leads and male dominance. These women are completely free to do what they want to do and to talk as men have talked within sitcoms (and other TV shows and movies and books) for years. They are independent women who are exploring their lives without restraint from men, parental units, or society. The result is that we see some raw footage (especially within Girls) of sexual and ethical situations. They have pushed the envelope for women writers, creators, and actresses for the future. The next generation of women writers need to study their voices and understand the risks they’ve taken.
These women did away with compliant women characters and brought that female bravado out into the open. It worked for these shows, and this trend broke new ground for female writers for the future. There is power in taking risks, in choosing right. Studying these patterns and trends assists you and your ultimate project and brand.
TWO WAYS TO GO
When patterns and trends appear, as in this case, pay attention to them. In regard to the twin movie examples, it’s a good indication that if you have a script that is similar in energy to the two that have just been produced, then it would be good for you to place that script on a shelf for awhile. The idea has been done. The audience tires of similar themes fairly quickly. It does not mean that you would not be able to sell that script at some time in the future, just not right now.
In regard to the television marketplace (and this follows for publishing also), when a trend appears on the scene, there is usually a rapid acquisition period where “knock-off” projects are sought out. This is mostly because folks who put the TV seasons together do not know anything (remember what Mr. Goldman said — “Nobody knows anything”). So they look for additional projects in the same vein for a short time after the success of the original content takes place. This is when it is up to you to decide if you want to go along with the trend or hold out and submit your new original idea.
OR, you may find a way to write an authentic version of the trending subject matter. That is, you find a way to put your own mark on the same genre. This is possible to do. It is what we have been talking about throughout this book. If you choose to do this, then take the traits of the genre and build upon them, make them your own — choose wisely what you want to include or not. You may find yourself riding on top of a creative wave and able to sell your idea on the coattails of the current trend. This usually lasts for a very small window — maybe two or three months, no more than six months, so act quickly.
If not, wait until that trend rides itself out. Then introduce your ideas. You could start the next trend.
TOOLKIT SANDBOX
Real Reality Tv, Some Questions, and a Fun Lunch
CASE STUDY: Why Reality TV has been all the rage
Here is an example of how trends happen, and it is a trend in TV that everyone knows and is perhaps a little too familiar with — Reality TV.
When producers Mark Burnett and Charlie Parsons pitched the idea of Survivor (2000–present) to the networks, development folks weren’t entirely sure that a show about 10 to 12 individuals stranded on an island and forced to “survive” within a competition scenario would be something the American public would like to see. After all, there were only one or two reality shows on the entire TV schedule at that point, and those mostly exposed the inside world of cops and wanted men.
It wasn’t until an assistant working in the development department at CBS recognized that his generation would probably find this concept to be of interest did the “big wigs” at the network take notice. That assistant’s age was approximately 23 in 2000, which meant that he was 15 in 1992.
Why is this assistant’s age important? Because it meant that he was probably a fan of the first few years of MTV’s The Real World (1992–present). To him, “seven strangers living in a house...” (as the intro voice over began for every episode of one of the most favorite reality shows of all time) seemed like a great idea, as the series had enjoyed great success for many seasons at that point. He knew that his 15-year-old self enjoyed the format and that his peers did the same. And he was right. This is one scenario that clearly outlines how generations can influence trends in media. The Reality TV craze can be said to have started (the second round anyway, there was a first round in 1973 with PBS’ An American Family, which was presented as a pure documentary), with the arrival of Survivor in 2000. Audiences were ready to watch a group of strangers not only live together, but compete against one another, in extreme circumstances.
There is another element that played into this successful trend and that is that in the year 2000, most Americans had been living in peaceful non-threatening decades of peacetime. A year later came the terrorist acts of September 11, and the energy of the world shifted. Light comedy seemed almost tasteless. Everyone toughened up. Competition became ordinary within normal life and being on alert was someth
ing everyone now found themselves doing — not unlike the folks on the island or in the many teenaged households of Real World. This trend is a combination of generational shifts and historical events shared by a group of people. There is no doubt why Reality TV, with all of its intense dog-eat-dog scrapping and fighting, has been popular for well over a decade now.
There are many different sub-genres within the Reality TV genre, and it will never completely be absent within the television landscape — however, it has peaked. This trend continues to morph and find a way to put a spin on already existing formulas. What’s next for Reality TV? That’s up to you to figure out. Study what an entire generation of viewers have already seen and create something above and beyond that content.
QUESTIONING WITH THE WRITER’S ADVANTAGE
With all of the twin movies that have appeared in the last few decades, is there one scenario where you think the lesser favorite is better than the one that is loved by most? Why?
When twin movies appear on the scene, do you usually see both of them to compare and contrast? Do you care that two movies are made regarding the same subject matter?
Are you aware of the many trends that appear in the book world, on TV, and within the film world? What is one of your favorite recent trends?
Do you have a favorite author or showrunner/producer you emulate? Why?
Have you ever thought that a favorite author or showrunner/producer jumped the shark with any of their work? Why?
Do you intend to follow a trend? Why?
Do you intend to introduce your new version of a genre? Why?
EXERCISE
My favorite writer
Identify your favorite author, director, or producer and make a list of all of the questions you would ask them and the topics you would like to discuss with them if you were granted a two-hour meeting. Make good choices here. Remember, the hypothetical answers would give you insight into why you are writing your material the way you are.
CHAPTER 11
CHECKLISTING YOUR AUTHENTIC MATERIAL
You’re almost there. Chapters 5 through 10 have guided you through the elements that are part of your Genre Toolkit. Your completed Genre Toolkit includes your quintessential text, the traits of the genre, an understanding of the history of the genre, along with an understanding of patterns and trends within the marketplace. You are about to move to the next level — defending your work. You are now armed with information you need to produce an authentic text. Remember that an authentic text goes beyond the original elements of a genre to produce a new and improved version of that genre. You are pretty much armed with the information you need. You got this!
CHECKING AND CHECKING AGAIN
We’ve arrived at the point where you’ll need to cross your “t”s and dot your “i”s. Here are your checklists within the Genre Toolkit. Utilize these checklists to ensure that you have addressed all elements needed to complete your path to your authentic text. You don’t want to fall short when you begin to pitch your project.
Right now. Do this now. Sit down and make these lists and check them twice for each project you are intending to take out into the marketplace.
THE WRITER’S ADVANTAGE CHECKLIST
YOUR QUINTESSENTIAL TEXT
Identify the texts that have appeared historically within your genre that best represent your genre and the type of text you’re writing. List why you find these texts to be important to your material. (In most cases this should be limited to one or two texts, however there may be more — up until five — due to the type of project you may be working on.)
THE quintessential text (QT) is:And here’s why:
Here are some additional texts that are close in range to my quintessential text and why they have been necessary to study:
QT #2:Why:
QT #3Why:
QT #4Why:
QT #5Why:
TRAITS TO MAINTAIN
What traits are inherent to your genre and what has been working throughout most of the successful texts in said genre?
List 10 to 15 common traits:
TRAITS TO DELETE
What traits have fallen away within the genre due to shifts in audience popularity, generational shifts, and traits that have played themselves out?
List 10 to 15 deleted traits:
TRAITS UNIQUE TO YOUR TEXT
What traits have you identified that are lacking in the existing way that the genre has repeatedly and/or recently been depicted? What is your version of an authentic text in this genre going to add or delete that will produce your authentic text within this genre?
List 5 to 10 unique traits:
NOTES ON INFORMATION FOUND REGARDING THE TRAITS IN YOUR GENRE:
Use this space to make a note of any thoughts about the traits of your genre.
IDENTIFY THE MASS PRODUCTION HISTORY OF YOUR GENRE:
Has your genre found an audience decade after decade, generation after generation?
Make a list of popular texts within your genre. These texts should scream out “romantic comedy” or “buddy movie” or “psychological horror,” etc., meaning you should begin to see a pattern among this list of texts within your genre that have proved themselves over the years.
List 5 to 10 popular texts:
NOTES ON INFORMATION FOUND REGARDING THE HISTORY OF YOUR GENRE:
Use this space to make a note of any thoughts about the history of your genre.
HAVE THE TEXTS WITHIN YOUR GENRE EXPERIENCED MASS ACCEPTANCE OR CULT HONOR?
This is another way of identifying why certain texts succeed or fail within their marketplaces.
List 5 to 10 wildly popular texts and then list 5 to 10 cult texts within your genre:
POPULAR
CULT
NOTES ON INFORMATION FOUND REGARDING THE MASS OR CULT ACCEPTANCE OF YOUR GENRE:
Use this space to make a note of any thoughts about the mass or cult acceptance of your genre.
IDENTIFY THE PATTERNS OF YOUR GENRE
Have there been similar movies, series, books, web series produced around the same time regarding your genre? List why you think this may have happened.
List similar texts and why — at lease 5 examples:
Similar texts —Why:
Similar texts —Why:
Similar texts —Why:
Similar texts —Why:
Similar texts —Why:
IDENTIFY THE TRENDS OF YOUR GENRE
Has there been a recent (within the last 3 to 5 years) trend that has occurred within your genre?
Name the trend, give examples of the texts that fulfilled the trend and why. At least 5 examples.
Trend —Texts:
Why:
Trend —Texts:
Why:
Trend —Texts:
Why:
Trend —Texts:
Why:
Trend —Texts:
Why:
NOTES ON INFORMATION FOUND REGARDING THE PATTERNS OR TRENDS OF YOUR GENRE:
Use this space to make a note of any thoughts about the patterns or trends of your genre.
YOUR CHECKLIST IS NOW COMPLETED
Now is the time to gather the information and process the next step. That step is the path that you’ll take in either writing your authentic text, revising your authentic text, and/or pitching your authentic text.
You’ll see that the information you have researched that appears within these lists will benefit you when it is time to defend your work. We will examine that step in the next chapter.
WHAT WOULD AN AUTHENTIC VERSION OF YOUR TEXT LOOK LIKE WITHIN YOUR GENRE? (THE ANSWER IS YOUR WORK)
You’ve now completed your research of your genre and by doing so, you’ve identified the specifics of your idea. You should be at a point where you are able to discuss your genre from an authentic writer�
��s advantage.
The combination of your fanaticism for the genre and an enthusiasm to bring to the table new, fresh elements to present a better version of said genre will result in your achieving positive response to your idea.
Additionally, due to the above research you’ve conducted, you’re now aware of what has been done in the past and those elements you wish to avoid and those you wish to retain, along with new elements you wish to introduce into the mix that are unique to your version of the genre.
DON’T HESITATE, OWN THIS INFORMATION WITH CONFIDENCE
If you are having difficulty with this aspect of prepping your work, that’s normal. Many writers utilize this information during their conceptualization, development, and writing/re-writing of their material — and that’s all fine — however, now that you’ll be looking at moving your work out into the world, there’s a natural tendency toward wanting to be shy. No need for shyness. Own this work you’ve done, be confident. You’ll find that you are heavily armed with information about your project at this point. This knowledge will separate you from your competition. It will also help you understand where you will fit into the marketplace.
The Writer's Advantage Page 12