While
the nuts and bolts of formatting a pilot script for television are essentially
the
same
as that of a feature film, there are some key differences between the two
mediums.
Feature film writing is all about telling a story that can be contained within
the
confines of a three-act, two-hour film, but television is about finding ways to
expand
the story and characters to grow and change over multiple hours and (if
you’re
lucky) seasons. Many TV writers get their start working on established
shows,
and understanding the professional format of a television series is essential:
adaptability
is perhaps the most important skill for a television writer to have, as a
TV
series is an ever-evolving narrative medium (especially in the streaming age)
that
requires
a writer to change along with the narrative goals within the series.
This
guide will be divided into the following sections:
1.
Formatting
2.
Page Count
3.
Audience
4.
Type of Series
5.
Present Tense and Scene Direction
6.
Proofreading
7.
Show Bible
8.
Final Note
1. Formatting:
All
scripts should be written in Courier 12 pt font. This standardized font size
allows executives to estimate the length of the pilot based on the length of
the script. It is no exaggeration to say that 99% of studio executives will NOT
read a spec script that is written in a different font. Screenplay formatting
is actually very complex, but there are many guides online that have all the
information needed, including margin sizes, how to use slug lines, and all the
other minutiae that goes into a properly-formatted pilot script. Serious
writers would do well to invest in Final Draft, a screenwriting software that
automatically formats your story correctly. A free alternative with almost all
of the same features, Celtx, can be downloaded online. We also recommend
Highland, which is an open-platform screenwriting software created by John
August. Labeling the acts is the one fundamental difference between formatting
a TV pilot versus a feature script. Just as reading a feature script should be
as close as possible to the experience of watching the finished film, a TV
pilot should give the reader the same dynamic experience of watching the show.
For this reason, every act of the show, including the teaser/cold open and
button (if applicable), should be centered, underlined and capitalized. At the
end of an act, the same rule is applied - the beginning of Act One should start
with ACT ONE and end with END OF ACT ONE. This creates a series
of small cliffhangers within your script, timed just as the commercial or act
breaks in a broadcast would be, so the reader knows how exciting every beat of
the script is. As a general rule, 4-5 acts plus a teaser is standard for an
hour-long series, while 3 acts suffices in a half-hour. Most comedies also
include a tag at the end of each episode. Tags can take several forms, but most
often, play off of a continuing story line from the series, call back to a joke
from within the episode, or complete a joke that was established in the cold
open. Tags are no more than three pages long, and play after the episode's
formal act structure ends. With the advent of streaming (and therefore, no or
limited commercial breaks) formalized act breaks may be less prominent in pilot
scripts, but we still recommend including them in your pilot.
2. Page Count
This
is not a hard and fast rule, but rather a helpful guideline to keep in mind.
Industry executives and producers use a simple rule of thumb when reading a
pilot script: 1 page equals 1 minute of screen time (this is where the standardized
font size and margins come in). Unlike feature films, which can have varying
page counts, the page count for television scripts is strict, and must be
adhered to. Even if writing for a miniseries or limited series, all television
pilot episodes must fall into one of two categories: the one-hour drama, or the
half-hour comedy. Page counts are essential to networks and executives because
of that all-important advertising space, something that must be accounted for
when writing for television, even for streaming. The industry standard for the
page count of a one hour-drama is between 45 and 75 pages. For half-hour
comedies, this count needs to be between 22 and 45 pages. Webseries can vary
widely in length, though usually shorter than a typical half hour. If your
webseries pilot is longer than a typical half-hour show, you should upload it
as an hour-long pilot. There is one formatting note that differs in
multi-camera comedies from single-camera comedies: the dialogue is
double-spaced throughout the script. Because of this, multi-camera comedies are
between 52 and 58 pages in length. The basic rule of a minute of screen
time per page is still very much in play, the high and low ends of each page
count are reflective of the aims of the series: a half-hour comedy on a major
network needs to allow more time for commercials than one on a premium cable
station, and the same rule applies to one-hour shows. This still applies to
multi-camera comedies intended for streaming services: while there may not be
proper commercial breaks, the formatting of double-spaced dialogue remains the
same.
3. Audience
The
spectrum of distribution possibilities for a TV series presents a unique
challenge to the writer in considering their audience. Understanding what type
of channel a series is best suited for is imperative in fine-tuning its content
and structure. Premium Cable and Streaming (HBO, Showtime, Neflix, Hulu):
These networks offer the most freedom in terms of format and content, but also
attract the biggest talent and prestige projects. Premium cable networks and
streaming platforms allow graphic content, so if a series is skewing towards
more adult themes and content, it will probably be best suited for the premium
cable arena - shows like Game of Thrones, Billions, and Narcos are a
great example of this. Many premium cable networks do not include commercials
nor do most streaming platforms; so pilot scripts for a network like HBO or
Netflix can have a higher page count than those on basic cable or broadcast.
However, these pilot scripts still need to adhere to the standard act
structure. Basic Cable (AMC, FX, The History Channel):
Basic cable networks have come to prominence in the last decade by developing
original content like Mad Men, American Horror
Story, and Breaking Bad that includes adult themes but doesn't go
quite as far as that of premium cable content. With most television viewers
subscribing to basic cable, the viewer base for these series is nearly as
prominent as that of basic cable, but still has more freedom because of the pay
restriction placed on these networks. Broadcast: (NBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, CW):
Traditional broadcast series still reach the largest base of television
viewers, and therefore, garner the most prominent advertisers. As a whole,
graphic sexual and violent content aren't present in broadcast series, though
there's no hard line between broadcast and basic cable - TV is an ever-evolving
medium.
4. Type of Series
Understanding
which type of network and audience a TV series is best-suited for goes hand in
hand with deciding its format, and choosing the category a given series falls
into is just as important as choosing the appropriate audience. There are four
basic types of series: One-Hour Drama, Serialized (This Is Us, The
Americans) or Procedural (NCIS, The Blacklist): There are two
distinct types within the one-hour format - the procedural, and the serialized
drama. Procedurals follow a blueprint each week, and often deal in a "case
of the week" format that allows viewers to drop in even if an episode or
episodes are missed. Archetypal characters are often used within the one-hour
format, so that any viewer can watch any episode of the show and have a general
idea of what the series is about. Serialized dramas don't follow a blueprint
each week, and rely on viewers watching every episode, as their plot lines and
character arcs progress each week. Both procedurals and serialized dramas can
use elements from each other, but the former is mostly reserved for broadcast
or basic cable, and the latter often finds a home on basic or premium cable.
Procedurals are better suited for syndication as well, and if successful,
provide networks with a strong potential for continued viewership. Half-Hour
Comedy or Sitcom: The half-hour format
is usually reserved for more comedic series, including the sitcom. These series
follow a three act structure, often including a teaser (also called a
"cold open") and a tag at the end. Single Camera Format (Brooklyn
Nine-Nine, Atlanta): Single camera shows are shot more like feature films,
giving them a more cinematic look. Each shot is set up and filmed, as opposed
to multiple cameras capturing a scene from many angles. Single camera shows
don't require as many fixed sets as multi-camera sets, and offer more
versatility within shot selection and the overall look of the show. However,
the single camera format is also much more time-consuming to shoot, and
therefore more costly, which can mean more pressure from a network to excel.
Multi-Camera Format (Mom, Will &
Grace): Shows that use multiple cameras often shoot in front of a studio
audience, and are dependent on a few key sets in which most of the action takes
place. Actors perform a scene, and it is captured from multiple angles, which
provides more of a traditional sitcom look. Multi-camera shows often include a
laugh track, and can be shot for a lower budget because of the economy found in
shooting a scene from multiple angles, and the coverage it provides for actors.
These shows can be made quickly as well, and follow a formula within their joke
set-ups. Some feel that the multi-camera format limits actors because of its
rigid set-up for actors and directors, but many series still perform well
within this format. Limited Series/Miniseries:
(Twin Peaks: The Return, The Night Manager) – The terms “limited series”
and “miniseries” are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are small
differences between them. Both are reserved almost exclusively for dramas, but
include a clear timeline of when the series will end. Limited series last
longer, usually between 6 and 12 episodes, while a miniseries is typically 4-6
episodes, sometimes broadcast in blocks of two to create more of an event for
the viewer. Either choice is a great option for writers who want to write an
idea that needs more time to develop than a feature film, but couldn't see the
idea as something to motivate multiple seasons of television. In rare cases, a
limited series will get picked up for a second season, but typically the series
reboots in a way that is atypical for TV – take the second or third seasons of
American Horror Story or Big Little Lies, for instance. However, as streaming
platforms continue evolving, the definitions of a “dramatic one-hour comedy”
and a “funny half-hour drama” continue changing as well. Some examples of this
would be BARRY, TRANSPARENT, and ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK. While traditional
rules for episode content should be kept in mind, as the way we watch
television evolves, so too do the kinds of shows that can be presented within a
given format.
5. Present Tense and Screen
Direction
Pilot
scripts should always be written in present tense. “He leans through the
doorway and nods to her” rather than “He leaned through the doorway and nodded
to her”. The scene direction should always keep the reader in the moment.
Speaking of scene direction: a savvy writer will always find a way to make the
scene direction dynamic. An unbroken 8-line block of prose to start each scene
is boring to look at and can be a slog to get through. Pilot scripts are not
books; they are meant to mimic the feeling of watching an episode. If something
exciting is happening, it should be written in an exciting way to try to
suggest how intense the scene will be once filmed. There is no hard and fast
rule here, but large chunks of no-frills scene direction are extremely scarce in
professional pilot scripts. Characters and locations requiring extensive
description should be fleshed out in the Show Bible (see below) to make best
use of the pilot script’s pages.
6. Proofreading
A
simple spell check is not sufficient for proofreading a pilot script, although
it is a good place to start. The issue is that many writers will simply use the
wrong words while spelling them correctly, such as “collage” vs. “college” and
the old standbys “your/you’re” and “their/there/they’re”. Spelling errors,
missing or incorrect words and poor punctuation can devalue an writer’s script
before it even has a chance to grab a reader’s attention. A harrowing death
scene loses its intensity in a heartbeat with poor spelling or a misplaced
exclamation point. More generally, it’s hard for an executive to bet big on a
spec script that would get a C+ from a high school English teacher. In addition
to a spell check, submitting writers should have a friend, family member or
colleague with some experience in editing look over their work and ensure that
everything is perfect. The writer themselves knows what the script is trying to
say and has the potential to gloss over mistakes in a proofread because they
are already familiar with the flow of the words. Getting an outsider to take a
critical eye to the writer’s work before the cash investment for a read is made
is strongly recommended.
7. Show Bible
In
addition to a pilot episode, many TV writers also choose to write a
"bible" or guide for their overall series when first presenting the
show. The show bible is an invaluable asset that allows writers to explore
larger themes, character arcs, and season-long dramatic events that may not be
initially apparent in the pilot. An outstanding show bible includes sections
that explain the logline for the series as a whole, the aims of the series as a
whole over its first season and entire run, an idea of budget and central
locations for the show, a detailed exploration of the themes, larger character
directions (these are brief character biographies), and short summaries for
later episodes/plot developments. For higher-concept series like The
Strain, a show bible can include concept art, or a lookbook. Most show
bibles don't exceed 5 pages, as the writer should still be able to convey the
more complicated concepts within the show in a concise, informative way. Many
writers find that including a show bible in their submission allows them more
freedom to create an engrossing pilot script, especially when writing a
serialized show in which each episode will be equally important.
8. Final Note
Remember
that TV pilot scripts serve two functions: they introduce the reader to the
world of the show, but they also must work as a stand-alone piece of
entertainment. Make sure that your submitted pilot is fun to read and watch
even if the pilot doesn’t get picked up to series. It is very possible to
create a bad pilot from a great series concept, and it’s a trap many writers
fall into because their focus is entirely on the goals of the entire series,
rather than the impact of the pilot episode.
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