As we enter the top of a new year, I'm on a mission to renew my pilot samples. And since procrastination is part of my process, this also becomes the time when I watch the most TV and read the most screenplays. But all this is done with a purpose. I want to figure out what makes a TV pilot great. The reason I do all this digging is that I want to emulate those elements as I prepare my TV pilots. Today, we're going to answer that question. We'll look at a few examples and dig into the world of TV writing in general. Let's dive in. How Can You Tell If A TV Pilot is Great?The easy answer here is the writing. There's something that just pops of the page when you read great writing. It's an ease with which you absorb that story. The same goes when you watch it. Maybe the visuals pull you in or the pace of the editing. But at the end of the day, it's the writing that makes everything click. While comedy and drama differ in tone, some key ingredients contribute to exceptional writing in both:Compelling Characters: We need to care about the people on screen. Pilots introduce central characters with clear goals, desires, and flaws. These characters should grapple with interesting challenges that make us root for them.Intriguing Premise: What's the core conflict or situation driving the show? A pilot should establish a strong central premise that sparks curiosity and...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Friday, 12 April, 2024