The advent of cheap technology and internet distribution has made it easier to get into the television industry.It takes a lot of hard work to get noticed.
Step 1: Come up with a great idea.
It was an idea.An idea like "what if a documentary crew filmed a small paper company and a chemistry teacher started cooking meth" could be a simple one.There is a show called "Breaking Bad."The core of your show is what will set it apart and help it sell.A lot of what ifs are generated by mixing and matching shows.SNL is mixed into the workplace humor of The Office or Cheers.The Wire is a mix of political thrillers and crime shows.Think of shows you like and emulate-- what are their ideas?
Step 2: You can choose the genre and format for the show.
It's one of the most important decisions you'll make, as it affects everything that comes after.Is it a comedy, medical drama, or reality TV show?Each episode is a self-contained story, and there are a few options.Some crime shows and murder mysteries are also half-hour shows.The story of the one before it is the basis of each episode.These shows tend to tell season-long stories and lead to a big conclusion, like Breaking Bad, which is made up of many smaller, self-contained stories.This is similar to Saturday Night Live and Key & Peele.
Step 3: Your characters are developed.
Give each character a description.Good characters have flaws and strengths, so try to capture what makes them unique.They are round because they have a different personality than the angry gardener or the loving mother.What do the characters want?The character is afraid of something.Each character's actions are driven by this.Reality shows need to tell the story of the characters.What makes your subjects interesting?The audience would like to hear their story.
Step 4: Write the treatment for the show.
Treatments are the beginning of a show.Should they make it themselves, they are used to showing a development executive exactly what to expect from the show.There are a few things you need to develop a treatment.Mad Men promises the world of advertising agencies as well as the slipping sanity of Don Draper.This is a recap of the show.Based on the "what if" premise, it's the hook.A hotshot lawyer is forced to make a crazy new group of friends when his fake law degree forces him back to community college in Community's logline.The show idea is written up in a single page.What is the general focus of each episode?In 3-4 sentences, how can you capture the essence of the show?The progression of the first season should be outlined if this is a serial show.Write 1-2 sentences about each main character, focusing on their personality and goals more than their looks.Plots that will make up the bulk of your show are outlined in a short paragraph about the first 4-5 episodes you want to show.
Step 5: There should be some content around your idea.
Showing someone the show in progress is the best way to sell your show.It is easy to get pieces of your show on the web and in people's hands thanks to the cheap equipment these days.Your show will affect the type of material you develop.It never hurts to have a script, and this is the most conventional and successful approach to making your own show, especially hour-long shows and dramas.Making your show yourself is the best way to get attention.It is easy to shoot and share short episodes of your characters with the world.Broad City and Workaholics both got picked up.These are like test shots for your show.It could be storyboards and drawings for an animated show, or an interview for a talk show.
Step 6: Understand how to write a script.
Each page takes up about one minute of screen time.This format is the industry standard, and deviating from it will end up in the trash.The best way to avoid this is to use script software.You need to make act breaks or where the commercials are in a television script.You need to read and study TV script to learn these conventions.There are many examples of formatted script online, such as this lesson written in the form of a screenplay.
Step 7: If you can, read as many screenplays in your genre as possible.
You can check out the show's script online.If you want to write a script, you need to understand the art of the script.Take notes as you read.It's important to read screenplays in this business.Without actors, cameras, or music, you can't be funny, dramatic, thrilling, and engaging.Take notes of what works, what doesn't, and how the writer builds the world of the episode on the page.
Step 8: Understand what a good pilot needs.
The first episode of a TV series is notoriously difficult to write well.Why?You need a short page count to do many things at once.The viewer needs to know enough about the characters to want to follow them.The first time you see a character, show them their basic personality.The "rules" of the show are more important than just the setting.What are the main concerns for the characters?What are the types of events that happen?The exploration of your "what if" premise is what this is about.The pilot episode has to be a good one.It's important to give people an idea of what they'll see.The show later became famous for its farcical, interlocking plot structure and the fact that it sets up the characters and shows the world.
Step 9: Use the TV act structure to outline your plot.
TV shows have a very rigid structure.These little breaks are convenient because most TV comes with commercials.Think of an act as a collection of scenes that tell a small story.When the commercials end, you have the progression of the story, ending in a big moment, change, or climax that makes the viewer want to keep watching.This scene is common on sitcoms and helps you plug your show into the formula.It can affect the plot or be a joke.Law & Order has a scene where the dead body is found.There are 5 acts in hour-long shows and 3 in half-hour shows.Each act should be self-contained because it has a beginning problem, a series of complications that prevent the characters from solving the problem and a resolution.Act 1 introduces a problem and the characters try to fix it.The characters are in a bigger mess in Act 2, if they fail, they make another attempt, or there is a new problem because of the old one.The characters will either crash back down to earth or fix the mess they got into in Act 3.The audience is brought back around by your last act.You have to convince the audience that they should come back next week.The promise of next week's adventure is usually what happens in dramas.The funniest episodes end where it started.Your characters are ready for next week's hijinks and don't change much.The status quo is back.The small scene before or after the credits is known as the stinger.It is usually to continue a joke, show a little resolution, or hint at what will happen next.
Step 10: Your first draft needs to be read at a table.
Get some friends together and give out copies of your script, then have them read it out as if they were actors.You can narrate, but don't play any of the characters.Take notes on what sounds natural and what doesn't.Ask your guests what they thought about the script, how they liked it, and if they would watch the show.Hearing your script out loud is the best way to find mistakes you might have missed while reading.
Step 11: Write, write.
Take a few days away from the script and look at it again.There are thousands of scripts competing for attention, so you need your script to be as polished as it can be.There are some things to look out for.A mistake on the first page is a sign that someone is going to throw the whole thing away.Calculating.The plot should be moved forward by every single scene.The show starts to drag if it is not.The entire scene should not start in one place.If the scene is too slow, your characters need to change.There is a dialog.Do your characters sound natural?You need to put the image of a character in your readers' mind with just dialog, so each character needs to talk in a unique, natural way.You show character through speech.
Step 12: Make sure you shorten your script as much as you can.
It's a good idea to cut away unnecessary exposition, scene descriptions, and character traits.It needs to go if it doesn't matter to the plot.The director will decide everything from an actor's looks to the color of the walls.You want the script to move quickly, so that the reader is swept up in the story and characters.It's always better if you cut away anything that isn't essential.The shows need to be between 45 and 70 pages.Between 25 and 37 pages are the half-hour programs.
Step 13: You can shoot the show yourself.
If you've never had a Hollywood job before, the best way to get attention is to demand it.It's difficult to get someone to read your script, but if you can get a few thousand views on your video people will start to notice.You don't have to shoot the whole show.You can post clips that people vote up and down on sites like Amazon Studios.The show was written and shot on a small budget and sent to executives at FX.They liked what they saw and bought the show.Almost anyone can get a show on Public Access, and they often have equipment and training options available as well.
Step 14: Industry representatives and resources are available.
You can shop for agents and producers who are open for submissions.The best way to do this is through the trades.These sites talk about development deals, who is shopping for shows, and agents currently on the market.When you see a show like yours or a writer/producer, make a note of their agency and their partners.Send out query letters if you want to meet them.The Blacklist allows agents to search for manuscripts that match their interests and you can also post your idea on the site.You should always research "success stories" by checking out the projects online to see if the show actually got made.
Step 15: To approach companies that make shows like yours, create a list of them.
Send a letter to the groups that are making shows like yours.The names and emails of executives and workers in the "Development" department can be found on their websites.Tailoring your search to specific people that would be interested in your script will increase your odds of making a show.If you wanted to pitch a monster show to NBC, you would send it to SyFy.The producers of The Sopranos should not receive reality TV shows.The studio is making a pitch to the right people.
Step 16: Don't stop working in the film/TV industry.
A lot of people make TV shows without starting at the bottom.You might take off if you produce your own show.The majority of TV creators started as production assistants.This is the best way to meet people who will help you out later on and learn how TV is constructed.If you have enough pilots script on hand, you should be able to work on it at any time.You never know when an idea will be taken, when someone will like you but want a different story, or if someone wants to see more of your work.The people who get shows keep working and writing.