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Television Development

Page 36

by Bob Levy


  pilot season

  the period from February through April when broadcast network pilots are cast and shot.

  POD

  a non-writing EP and/or production company with a “POD” deal (short for producer overhead or overall deal) at a TV studio; pronounced like “pod” in “peapod.”

  pre-notes

  a call or meeting in which people on the same team preview their notes with each other and agree on which notes to deliver so the group delivers a unified, consistent set of notes.

  procedural

  1. a traditional category of one-hour drama series that includes cop shows, medical shows, legal shows and PI (private investigator) shows.

  2. a kind of show that emphasizes the process of how characters do a complicated job or task; e.g., CSI: Crime Scene Investigation was a police/science procedural and Breaking Bad incorporated elements of a criminal procedural.

  production company

  a company owned and operated by a producer that develops and produces TV series.

  programming executives

  a network’s management personnel who work in development, current or program scheduling.

  put pilot

  a pilot with a guaranteed network production commitment upon initial purchase (pronounced like “put the cake in the oven”).

  rooting interest

  a wishful feeling a viewer or reader has that a specific outcome befalls a character or story.

  serialized storytelling

  stories told over the course of multiple episodes or multiple seasons.

  series drive

  a storytelling device that assigns a goal to a lead character that will take the character many seasons, or potentially an entire series, to achieve.

  spec pilot script

  a pilot script a writer writes without any network commitment, sometimes written on the speculation that a network may want to buy it, but often written simply as a sample of a writer’s abilities; often known simply as a “spec pilot” (though technically a true “spec pilot” refers to a produced pilot a studio produces without a network commitment that the studio believes it can sell to a network, which is rare but does occasionally occur).

  stakes

  what’s at risk for a character if he doesn’t get what he wants or doesn’t achieve his goal.

  story area

  a short prose document describing the beginning, middle and end of a pilot story for network approval before the writer is commenced to write the more detailed pilot story outline or pilot script.

  story engine

  the mechanism at the heart of a series concept that generates many new stories and episodes such as a franchise or series drive.

  straight-to-series

  a network commitment in which the network buys a piece of development and orders it straight to series rather than developing a pilot script or pilot episode.

  table read

  a read-through of the pilot script by the cast (typically dressed in civilian clothes) to allow producers, director, network and studio executives to hear the entire episode performed in sequence by the actual actors for the first time before production of the pilot or first episode begins.

  take

  a preliminary idea to translate a creative thing into another form or version; e.g., a writer pitches a take on how she would turn a book into a TV series or an actor discusses his take on bringing a character to life on film.

  test

  a final audition for a pilot or series lead role held first at the studio to narrow the short list of actors in contention and then at the network to decide which actor is cast in the role.

  test deal

  a contract an actor signs before a studio or network test that includes the actor’s fees per episode should he or she get the part.

  upfronts

  presentations made by networks announcing their new programming slates and/or schedules to advertisers and entertainment media in New York City each spring; considered the end of the broadcast network development cycle.

  world

  the setting and time period of a series.

  Zeitgeist

  from the German meaning “ghost of the time” or “spirit of the age”; the deepest social and cultural undercurrents of a society at a given moment in time.

  Acknowledgments

  When David Craig, Clinical Assistant Professor at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, invited me to co-teach a course on visual storytelling with him in 2013, he asked me to cover TV development. I was excited to teach my first college class and told him I’d be happy to do it. “There isn’t a textbook on TV development we can assign, though,” David warned. “The book doesn’t exist.” When I expressed my surprise, he said, half-kiddingly, “You should write it.” The thought always stuck in my mind.

  David has continued to be a teacher, mentor and friend, and I’m extraordinarily grateful for everything he’s done to help me not only begin my teaching career, but to realize this book. It would not exist without his help.

  Neil Landau, Assistant Dean, Dean’s Special Programs and Co-Director of the MFA graduate screenwriting program at UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film and Television, introduced me to Focal Press, and has generously continued to serve as an advisor and friend, and I’m grateful for his support.

  Also at UCLA, Barbara Boyle, Denise Mann and Glenn Williamson have been supporters, and I greatly appreciate their guidance and encouragement. Much of the material in this book is based on courses I’ve taught at UCLA and Cal State, Northridge. At CSUN, I owe a debt of gratitude to Robert Gustafson, Jon Stahl and Ted Frank (to whom I owe a lifetime of thanks).

  Anita Elberse, Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, generously shared her time with me to expand upon her case study of the development of House of Cards, and I’m grateful for her expertise.

  Many entertainment professionals welcomed me into their offices or shared their experience and wisdom by phone or email as I researched this book. I’m enormously grateful to all of them: Glenn Adilman, Lijah Barasz, Kateland Brown, Karey Burke, Helga Bryndis Ernudottir, Bruce Evans, Jason Feuerstein, Jane Francis, Lesli Linka Glatter, Vera Herbert, Gaye Hirsch, Gregg Hurwitz, David Janollari, Marlene King, Jonell Lennon, Warren Littlefield, Kristin Lowe, Leslie Morgenstein, Michelle Nader, Robert Palm, Julie Pernworth, Julie Plec, Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, Susan Rovner, Thom Sherman, Jay Sures, Reed Van Dyk and Graham Yost.

  My cousins Judy and Lee Shulman offered early and consistent encouragement of this endeavor, and I’m deeply appreciative of their love and support.

  The chapter in this book on pitching was adapted from a paper I wrote and a lecture I gave to students of UNIJAPAN in Tokyo. I’m grateful to Satoshi Kiyota and Taiga Kato of UNIJAPAN for that opportunity.

  Brenna Galvin worked diligently as a contributing researcher and proofreader, and I thank her for her eagle eye.

  Simon Jacobs and John Makowski are my editors at Focal Press, and I can’t express enough thanks for the opportunity they’ve given me and for their guidance and patience.

  Lastly, I’m enormously appreciative to all the colleagues, collaborators, and creative partners I’ve had in television in Hollywood during the past 25 years. Most of what is in this book I learned from them.

  Index

  $#*! My Dad Says 8

  20th Television see Twentieth Century Fox Television 24 158

  “A” (Pretty Little Liars) 149, 181, 223, 229

  A&E 115

  A&E Studios 33

  ABC 7, 12, 18, 33, 57–58, 102, 107, 114, 116–117, 122, 187, 219, 232, 242

  ABC Family 113–114, 227–228, 235

  ABC Studios 18, 33, 58, 283

  Abrams, J.J. 21, 198

  actors 2, 6–9, 21, 23, 26, 37, 41–49, 52–53, 56, 60, 63, 71, 104,118, 121,144–145, 152, 192–194, 196–197, 201–204, 206, 210, 213–215, 219, 233, 238, 246, 250, 269

  Adventures of Ozzie and Ha
rriet 83

  agents 2, 11, 21, 25–26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 40–43, 46–47, 60–63, 66, 100, 102–104, 108, 110–113, 121, 128, 153, 158, 185, 191–205, 208, 210–211, 215–218, 239–241, 246–253, 260–261, 263, 266–269, 280, 282–284

  Alison (Pretty Little Liars) see DiLaurentis, Alison

  Alloy Entertainment 101, 105, 221–225, 227, 230

  Ally McBeal 70

  Amazing Race, The 261

  Amazon 12, 18, 83, 114, 119–120, 122, 211, 252, 277, 279–280, 283

  AMC 12, 15, 40, 114, 118, 122, 126–127

  American Beauty 137

  American Horror Story 71

  Amos ‘n’ Andy 116

  Andi Mack 125

  Andy Griffith Show, The 69

  Animal Kingdom 128

  Aniston, Jennifer 215

  Anonymous Content 204

  anti-heroes 83–84, 173

  Apple 2, 18, 114, 119, 122, 280, 282

  Archibald, Nate (Gossip Girl) 146

  areas 102–105, 107–112, 194, 213

  areas, story see story areas

  Aria (Pretty Little Liars) see Montgomery, Aria

  Armageddon 261

  Arnaz, Desi 277

  Arrow 114

  Atlanta 70

  auspices 29, 207, 210

  Awkward 267–268

  Back in the Game 107

  backend 32–33, 195–196, 260

  Ball, Lucille 277

  Band of Brothers 71

  Barasz, Lijah 266

  Baretta 81

  Bass, Chuck (Gossip Girl) 142, 154

  Bates Motel 115

  BBC America 115, 118, 122, 204

  Bean, Sean 154

  Bellisario, Troian 231, 233–234

  Benson, Ashley 232–234

  Berlanti, Greg 25, 208, 261

  Beverly Hills 90210 76

  Beverly Hills Cop 261

  Bewitched 69

  Big Bang Theory, The 69

  Big Little Lies 273

  bites 226

  Black Mirror 71, 139

  Black-ish 78

  Blacklist, The 82

  Blair (Gossip Girl) see Waldorf, Blair

  blind script deals 217–218

  Blink 268

  Blum, Jason 261

  Bochco, Steven 81

  Bold Type, The 114, 266

  Bolton, Ramsey (Game of Thrones) 87

  Bosch 83, 283

  Braun, Lloyd 102, 106, 242

  Breakdown Service 42, 44

  Breaking Bad 40, 80, 82, 84, 86, 96–97, 133–136, 147–152, 154–156, 171, 174, 178–181, 275

  Brooklyn Nine-Nine 18

  Brown, Kateland 264–266, 270

  Bruckheimer, Jerry 25, 261

  Buffy the Vampire Slayer 93, 155

  Bull 20, 283

  Burke, Karey 7, 57, 187

  Bush, Sophia 219

  business affairs executives 32, 37, 47, 120, 196, 258

  Byron (Pretty Little Liars) see Montgomery, Byron

  C.K., Louis 70

  CAA (Creative Artists Agency) 193, 204, 256, 266

  cable: basic 12–14, 27, 39, 59–61, 82, 113–114, 117–118, 121, 123, 126, 130, 189, 228, 240, 279–281, 284; premium 12, 68, 76, 118–119, 121, 123, 130, 189, 206–207, 240, 279, 281, 284

  Carnegie Hall 59

  Carr, Rachel (Gossip Girl) 154

  Cast Away 102, 242

  casting concept calls 42, 44

  casting directors 41–45, 47–49, 52, 63

  casting executives 41–42, 44, 47–49, 218

  CBS 8, 12, 20, 21, 92, 94, 115–119, 122, 209, 258, 270

  CBS All-Access 115, 119, 122, 277

  CBS Corp. 261

  CBS Television studios 107

  Chase, David 173

  Chicago P.D. 75

  Chopra, Priyanka 219

  Clarke, Emily (Revenge) 98

  Clegane, Sandor (Game of Thrones) 96

  Clooney, George 74

  closed-ended storytelling 77

  Cold Case 261

  comedies 35, 38, 43, 53, 62, 67–74, 78, 83, 94, 122, 125, 147, 163, 170, 176, 203, 240; multi-camera 53, 68–70, 72, 123, 277; single-camera 53, 68–69, 72

  Comcast 18

  cop shows 73–79, 81–83, 85–86, 92–96, 98, 128, 155–158

  Cosby Show, The 69

  cost-plus 212

  Counterpart 15

  Crane, David see Kaufman, Marta & Crane, David

  Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 107

  creators 22–23, 25, 32, 40, 58, 99–100, 116, 121, 193, 195–196, 204, 208, 211–212, 259, 261–262, 277–278, 280, 284

  Criminal Minds 261

  CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 86, 155, 157, 261

  current executives 13–14, 17, 22–23, 99, 194, 218, 258–259, 275

  CW, the 12, 107, 113–115, 116–118, 123, 184, 225–227, 230, 235, 268

  Dallas (1978-91) 76

  Dallas (2012-14) 128

  Daniels, Susanne 260

  Dawson’s Creek 76

  DC Comics 283

  DeGeneres, Ellen 211

  demographics 55, 88, 123–126, 188

  Desperate Housewives 156, 222, 226

  development: assistants 29, 128, 238, 247–254, 257–258, 261, 263, 270; executives 1, 2, 6–8, 11, 13–15, 17–18, 20–21, 23–26, 28–31, 34–35, 37–41, 43, 45–49, 52–53, 55–58, 60–63, 66–68, 83, 91, 95, 99, 101–104, 107–112, 120–122, 124–131, 137, 139–142, 145, 147, 150–151, 153–154, 156–161, 168–170, 176, 178, 180–181, 184–189, 194–203, 210–211, 213–214, 218–219, 221, 224, 226–228, 230, 233, 235–236, 238–244, 246–254, 257–261, 265, 267–268, 270, 275–277, 280, 282, 284; professionals 24–26, 29–30, 43, 59, 64–68, 73–74, 78–79, 81–83, 88, 93–95, 97, 101, 103–104, 106–109, 124, 127–128, 130, 164, 168–170, 179, 181, 185, 188, 199, 237–244, 247–248, 250–252, 260, 262, 272, 274–275, 279–285; retreats 61–62, 102–104, 107, 274

  Dexter 82

  Dharma and Greg 240

  Dick Van Dyke Show, The 69

  DiLaurentis, Alison (Pretty Little Liars) 36, 99, 181, 223, 225, 228–229, 234

  directors 1, 2, 7–10, 19–21, 26, 32, 37, 41, 43, 46–49, 52–54, 59, 104, 109, 121, 185, 192–193, 196–197, 201–202, 204, 206, 210–212, 214–215, 219, 231–232, 238, 246, 250, 269, 275, 277

  Directors Guild of America (DGA) 54

  Disney 11, 18, 57–58, 115, 124, 173, 279, 283

  Disney+ 115, 120, 122

  Disney Channel 114, 119, 121–123, 125–126

  Dobkin, David 211

  doctor shows see medical shows

  Dr. Ken 211

  Dr. Kildare 76

  Dragnet 70, 81, 98

  dramas 35, 38, 53, 62, 67–68, 70–77, 82, 91, 93–94, 96, 110, 122–123, 126–128, 147, 163, 170, 203, 268, 277, 283–284

  dramedies 70, 72, 107, 123, 179, 268

  Dunham, Lena 120, 241, 245, 262, 273

  Eastwick 232

  Eastwood, Clint 173

  Ella (Pretty Little Liars) see Montgomery, Ella

  Emily (Pretty Little Liars) see Fields, Emily

  Empire 96

  Endeavor 193, 261

  Endeavor Content 204

  ER 76, 156

  Everwood 262

  Facebook 2, 18, 280

  Facebook Watch 114, 120

  Fake Empire 109

  Famous in Love 265

  Fargo 8, 71, 187

  Farrow, Mia 76

  Father Knows Best 69, 83

  FCC (Federal Communications Commission) 117

  Fields, Emily (Pretty Little Liars) 36, 142, 148, 228, 231–232, 234

  Financial Interest and Syndication Rules (“fin syn rules”) 18

  First Wives Club 283

  first-look deals 217–219, 224

  Fitz, Ezra (Pretty Little Liars) 149–150, 233, 235

  Flashdance 261

  Flesh and Bone 72

  formats 65–72, 76, 81, 93, 95, 101, 115, 120, 122–123, 125–126, 128, 151, 209, 211, 277–278


  Fox (network) 12, 18, 76, 114, 116–118, 122, 268

  Fox 21 72, 189

  franchises 87, 91–98

  Francis, Jane 189

  Freeform 58, 114, 118, 122, 124, 227

  Friday Night Lights 96, 127

  Friday, Detective Joe (Dragnet) 98

  Friends 16–17, 69, 146, 215

  Fring, Gus (Breaking Bad) 154–155

  Fukunaga, Cary Joji 273

  FX 12, 40, 71–72, 115, 118, 122, 127, 244

  Game of Thrones 84–85, 87, 96–97, 101, 154, 240, 283

  Geller, Ross (Friends) 146

  generals 104, 109, 227, 259

  genres 65–67, 72–78, 81–83, 86, 91–93, 95, 97, 100–101, 103, 106, 127–128, 156, 269, 276, 283, 284

  genre shows 78

  Gerardis, Vince 283

  Gersh 193, 268

  Gilligan, Vince 86, 133, 136, 154–155, 172–173, 175–176, 178–180

  Gilligan’s Island 69

  Gilmore Girls 238

  Girls 240, 246

  Glatter, Lesli Linka 232–234, 238

  goals 79–80, 85, 97–98, 135–137, 138–141, 150–152, 170, 173–179, 181–182

  Godfather, The 82

  Goldbergs, The 78

  Good Doctor, The 75, 283

  Good Fight, The 75

  Good Wife, The 95

  Gordon, Mark 25, 261

  Gosling, Ryan 144

  Gossip Girl 1, 2, 76–77, 105–106, 109, 114, 142, 146, 154, 221–222, 240, 275

  Grant, Lou (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant) 94

  Green Eggs and Ham 211

  Green, Rachel (Friends) 146

  Grey’s Anatomy 74, 156, 242, 261

  Guide Dogs of America 107

  Hale, Lucy 230–231, 233–235

  Halt and Catch Fire 284

  handles 142–43

  Handmaid’s Tale, The 8, 21, 187, 262, 284

  Hanks, Tom 102

  Hanna (Pretty Little Liars) see Marin, Hanna

  Harding, Ian (Pretty Little Liars) 233

  HarperCollins 224

  Hart, Kevin 145

  Hastings, Melissa (Pretty Little Liars) 143

  Hastings, Spencer (Pretty Little Liars) 142–144, 148, 228, 231, 234

  Hawaii-Five-O (1967-80) 81

  Herbert, Vera 267–268

  High Maintenance 120, 277

  Hill Street Blues 81–82, 95

  Hirsch, Gaye 184

 

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