Advanced Writing for TV
(COMM.562)
Spring 2012
Professor John Douglass
MGC 322
OH Tuesday 2:00 – 4:00 Wednesday & Friday 9:30 – 11:30
Office Number: (202) 885‑2055
Email: jdougla@american.edu
INTRODUCTION:
Often overlooked by wanna be writers, the television industry employs and supports more writers than the feature film business. There is a special skill and talent for writing the hit sitcoms like “Two and Half Men,” “30 Rock,” “Big Bang Theory,” “The Office”, “Parks and Recreation,” “etc. or dramas like “Law and Order,” “NCIS,” or “CSI” week after week.
The purpose of this course is to offer you the opportunity to spend one semester developing two “spec” teleplays for your portfolio. It’s an opportunity to explore dramatic structure, scene development, characterization and the television producing and writing industry. And, for those of you who take on comedy, an opportunity to learn one of the most important ways to communicate, through humor.
The course will emphasize writing comedy for half hour shows during the first part of the semester and dramatic hour shows during the latter part. If you prefer, you may do a second comedy spec for the second part of the semester. You should focus on the top rated series that you enjoy, currently on air during Prime Time. Writing for episodic television may not be your ultimate goal; however, anyone wishing to become a professional writer might benefit from having one or two spec scripts in their portfolio as well as a screenplay in a longer form.
Traditionally, television writing has been a difficult area of the industry to break into. This class was developed in a partnership with the Warner Brothers Writers Workshop ( HYPERLINK “http://www2.warnerbros.com/writersworkshop/” http://www2.warnerbros.com/writersworkshop/) with an eye toward producing writers ready for the Television industry in Los Angeles. The outline of this class will follow a course outline adapted from their 10-week writing workshops. As a graduate of the class, you may reference this version of their workshop on your resume.
TABLE WRITING:
This class will operate, as much as possible, like a studio writing staff. You will pitch ideas, develop stories, write and revise your teleplay in collaboration with the other students in the class. I expect you to be active, supportive, critical and most of all vocal in the class. I hope you will feel comfortable about speaking freely and suggest we don thick skins and leave political correctness concerns at the door. In my experience, free flowing thought and creativity needs no constraints. Good taste and sensitivity for your audience should always be a consideration when making your creative decisions about what you include and what you discard in the final drafts of your scripts.
COLLABORATION:
Collaborative writing is an important learning experience of this class. You will be expected to form a writing partnership in this class for the first assignment. You may do the second assignment on your own. Writing partnerships are common in the LA industry since partnerships often allow for a more creative approach to writing as well as a way of dealing with other aspects of the process in which writer are involved. Television writing is a collaborative process and your participation in the development of your classmates’ scripts is as essential a skill as developing your own writing. I want you to work to support each other with critiques and brain-storming, assist in scene reading and, to the extent it’s possible, keep up-to-date on what your classmates are writing.
KEEPING ABREAST OF THE INDUSTRY:
I expect you to regularly watch “your” show and, as much as possible, watch the shows for which other students are writing so that your contributions can be pertinent to the ongoing projects. I will send you articles about developments in the industry from time to time and if you have access to Variety, The New York Times, LA Times or other industry news, I hope you will keep up to date with the challenges facing the business and also share this with your fellow students in the class
OFFICE HOURS & PARTICIPATION OUTSIDE OF CLASS:
My regular office hours are noted above. In theory, two hours a week are devoted to you and your needs. I hope each of you will feel free to drop in to pitch and spitball ideas. Pitches, outlines and acts that are incomplete or not up to your, my, or the classes’ expectation by class-time should be re-presented during office hours.
Many of you will be working on episodes for the same shows. You should make every effort to meet outside of class with students writing for the same show to discuss character and story line of the ongoing series as well as share each other’s work and bounce ideas around. Taking ideas, jokes and criticism from each other is not only acceptable, but encouraged. I have set up a discussion board in Blackboard for you to use so that you can access each other’s work.
TOPICS COVERED:
Lectures and class discussion will cover the following:
- TV 101: writing and producing for prime time TV
- Pitching
- Story and structure
- Character development, story arcs, second act complications
- From story to teleplay
- Show procedures, production impact on the script, and script impact on production, attitude, and direction.
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS:
Please post your work to the digital drop box in Blackboard and also by direct email to me, or bring adequate copies of your assignments to class so that it can be “performed” by other students in the class. There is a copying facility in the arcade of shops between the Sports Center and Mary Graydon. There are also copy machines in the basement of the library. Copying takes time, so please allow for this before the beginning of class.
GRADING:
Criteria:
In this class, I will be grading assignments based on your growth and ability to demonstrate a facility in the following areas:
Characterization being able to write to the characters for your show, demonstrating an understanding of the central characterization, motivation and relationships with other characters through dialogue and actions
Dialogue write characters’ speech patterns, rhythms, word selections, and sense of humor appropriate to the show characters
Show structure being able to write a script that is appropriate for a given show, that reflects the patters and rhythms of the show and that follows appropriate scene and act structure. Also, being able to write within the given confines of a show including set and production value constraints
Critical abilities demonstrating your understanding of the above not only through your own writing but as a critical member and contributor to the works of others in the class as demonstrated by the notes you give your writing colleagues.
Good professional writing suggests a high quality and consistency in the finished product. Grading will reflect the extent you set high standards for your writing and achieve or even exceed them.
Assignments will be graded as follows:
Assignment
Short Sitcom Outline
Complete Sitcom Outline
1st Draft of Sitcom Script
2nd Draft of Sitcom Script
Short Dramatic Outline
Complete Dramatic Outline
1st Draft of Dramatic Script
2nd Draft of Dramatic Script
Participation
Grade
5%
10%
20%
10%
5%
10%
20%
10%
10%
Your final grade will be on the quality of the assignments you complete. Work not completed by the end of the semester will be graded on its merits. I do not like to give “incompletes” except in exceptional cases.
TEXT:
Cook, Martie. Write to TV. Burlington, MA 2007 Focal Press
ISBN 13: 978-0-240-80876-5
Scripts from shows you are writing.
Script City HYPERLINK “http://www.scriptcity.net/” http://www.scriptcity.net/
PDF versions: HYPERLINK “http://www.scriptcity.com/index.php?p=page&page_id=pdf_scripts” http://www.scriptcity.com/index.php?p=page&page_id=pdf_scripts
Also Recommended:
Smith, Evan S. Writing Television Sitcoms. New York, 1999 Perigee
ISBN 0-399-52533-5
Perret, Gene. Comedy Writing, Step by Step. Hollywood, 1982 Samuel French
ISBN 0-573-60605-6
(Perret analyzes comedy without being overly dry and analytical. Easy to read, fun to do the exercises.)
Wolf, Jurgen. Successful Script Writing, New York, 1990 Writers Digest Books
Lindheim & Blum. Inside Television Producing, New York, 1991 Butterworth; Focal Press
Alley, Robert. Murphy Brown: Anatomy of a Sitcom New York, 1990 Bantam, Dell, Doubleday; Delta Books
Scripts from past shows are available in the Media Center. You are encouraged to read them.
You should follow the weekly ratings and reviews in the newspaper, usually on Thursday in the Washington Post, and as much as possible keep up to date with current news that has impact on the television industry.
ACADEMIC CODE:
Standards of academic conduct are set forth in the University’s Academic Integrity Code. By registering, you have acknowledged your awareness of the Academic Integrity Code, and are obliged to become familiar with your rights and responsibilities as defined by the code. Violations of the Academic Integrity Code will not be treated lightly, and disciplinary action will be taken should such violations occur. If you have questions about the academic violations described in the Code in general or as they relate to particular requirements for this course, please see me. If you prefer, you may take your questions to Associate Dean, Rose Ann Robertson.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
In the event of a declared pandemic (influenza or other communicable disease), American University will implement a plan for meeting the needs of all members of the university community. Should the university be required to close for a period of time, we are committed to ensuring that all aspects of our educational programs will be delivered to our students. These may include altering and extending the duration of the traditional term schedule to complete essential instruction in the traditional format and/or use of distance instructional methods. Specific strategies will vary from class to class, depending on the format of the course and the timing of the emergency. Faculty will communicate class-specific information to students via AU e-mail and Blackboard, while students must inform their faculty immediately of any absence due to illness. Students are responsible for checking their AU e-mail regularly and keeping themselves informed of emergencies. In the event of a declared pandemic or other emergency, students should refer to the AU Web site ( HYPERLINK “http://www.american.edu/” \t “_blank” www. prepared. american.edu ) and the AU information line at (202) 885-1100 for general university-wide information, as well as contact their faculty and/or respective dean’s office for course and school/ college-specific information. CLASS SCHEDULE, ASSIGNMENTS AND READINGS:
Class 1: 1/20/12 TV 1012: writing and producing for prime time TV; Pitching
Assignment: For Class 2, be prepared to pitch 5-6 story ideas for on-going TV shows. Pitches should be a paragraph telling the beginning, middle and end with a couple characteristic beats. In class, we will agree on one story idea which will be expanded into a short outline (one +/- page per act): the beats of the piece, not the detail, the skeleton. You might want to lay them out on index cards.
Read: write to tv PART I, Chapters 1-5 (pp 1-54) and PART VIII Chapter 17, PART XII< Chapter 27 (pp 265-267).
Cheers, “Power Play” and answer study questions
Research: At Library or on line, review TV Guide plots for your show(s) for prior season or more. Make a “Bible.” Some shows have their bibles on line and you can just print it out. This assignment may be done cooperatively in groups.
Watch: TV. If possible tape the show or shows you are preparing pitches for. Outline the story. This outline will provide you with a guide for structuring your own story.
Order Script: Go on line and order script from the show you plan to pitch. If not sure, you can wait unitl you have decided on the show since you can draft your script without it, but this will help enormously when you prepare your final draft. If several of you are doing the same show, try to order different scripts and share.
Class 2: 1/27/12
Pitch 5-6 story ideas for on-going TV shows. The beats of the piece, not the detail, the skeleton. This will be a verbal presentation. Email me the pitch paragraph of the selected show.
Assignment: Develop story into an outline 3-5 pages in length due Class # 3. Beat out scene outline for the show for which you will be writing.
Read: write to tv PART II, Chapters 6-7 (pp 55-81) and PART VIII Chapter 17.
.
Class 3: 2/03//12
Beat out stories: Structure and Characterization.
Write complete scene-by-scene, act-by-act story outline due class # 4.
Read: write to tv PART VI, Chapter 15 (pp 161-170).
Class 4: 2/10/12
Discuss Story Outlines.
Assignment: Write Act I (first 20+/- pages). Due class # 5.
Read: write to tv PART VII, Chapter 16 (pp 171-176).
Class 5: 2/17/12
Discuss Story Outlines
Assignment: Write Act II (last 20 +/- pages). Due class # 6.
Class 6: 2/24/12
Assignment: Punch up your ½ hour screenplay, do revisions as necessary and turn in first rewrite Class # 7. This is your 1st Draft.
Be prepared to pitch 3 – 5 ideas for a new hour-long TV drama or original pilot class # 8.
Read: write to tv PART III & PART IV, Chapter 9 – 13 (pp 91-141).
Bring one (extra) copy of your first complete 1st draft to class. This will be read by one of your classmates.
Read, critique and send notes to classmate (with a copy to me) on the script you read for this week.
Class 7: 3/02/12
Table reading of scripts.
Read, critique and send notes to classmate (with a copy to me) on the script you read for this week.
Class 8: 3/09/12
Pitch story ideas for on-going TV drama. This will be a verbal presentation. Email me the pitch paragraph of the selected show. If you haven’t already, order script for hour-long drama from Script City (or wherever).
Assignment: Develop story into an outline due Class # 9. Beat out scene outline for the show for which you will be writing, scene-by-scene, act-by-act. Do character outlines of your main characters. Read: write to tv: Finish the book if you feel like it.
Spring Break
Class 9: 3/23/12
Discuss Story Outlines.
Assignment: Write Act I (first 15+/- pages). Due class # 10.
Class 10: 3/30/12
Table reading of scripts
Assignment: Write Act II (up through half-hour break – next 15+/- pages). Due class # 11.
Class 11: 4/06/12
Table reading of scripts
Assignment: Write Act III (up to about page 45 +/-). Due class # 12.
Class 12: 4/13/12
Table reading of scripts
Assignment: Write Act IV. Due class # 13.
Assignment: Punch up your hour screenplay, do revisions as necessary and turn in first rewrite Class # 13. This is your 1st Draft. Bring one copy of your first complete draft to class next week with a note of how you plan to alter it in the next draft. This will be read by one of your classmates.
Read, critique and send notes to classmate on the script you read for this week.
Class 13: 4/20/12
Table reading of second screenplays.
Assignment: Polish ½ hour screenplay.
Class 14: 4/27/12
Table Readings.
Assignment: Polish hour screenplay
Final Exam Week Class: 5/04/12
All scripts due by.
Possible Table readings
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