Sometimes, no matter what you do, or have done, there is very little you can do to get what you and your hard work deserve.

If you are reading the trades (like you’re supposed to be) you’ll know that Dan Harmon, creator and showrunner of NBC’s show Community was unceremoniously let go. This happens; things change and people get fired for apparently no reason. The same happens with shows getting cancelled.

The good news is when a show gets cancelled they pick up another one to replace it. But I digress…I’m reposting a blog written by Dan Harmon regarding his firing. It’s another view from the inside of The Hollywood Television Machine. …readmore

Let’s say you get into an elevator, and there he is; the Executive you want to pitch your show to. You decide to go for it. You turn to him and…. wait a minute… what the hell are going to say? You’re not going to wing it are you? You have 30 seconds to impress this guy and you’re going to wing it?

The Elevator Pitch is an important tool in your sales arsenal and if used properly can do wonders for getting meetings booked with the people who can get your show made. But you must treat it like the fine tool that it is; a scalpel, not a machete. The words you use to craft the 30 second story must be chosen carefully and delivered precisely. …readmore

Wow.

I just watched four (4!!!!) outstanding demos for four different shows. They were incredible. What was so fantastic about them? I’ll tell ya…

Each demo covered four vital subjects: Characters, Settings, Stakes, and Stories, and showed me how they could sustain the subject matter (inclusive of the four points above) for a season or more. …readmore

They say, “If you love something set it free. If it comes back it’s yours forever.”

When it’s time to take your first show to market you’re going to feel a lot of things: pride at having finished what you started, ecstatic at the possibilities in front of you, and fear: fear of being rejected, or fear that someone will steal your idea, or the big one we’re going to discuss today, fear that you’ve worked long and hard on your show and complete strangers who “don’t get it” are going to want to change it. …readmore

Anyone gotta match?

I just read a pitch. It started with the logline; great. However, the logline said one thing, and then the pitch talked about another.

The logline was about a setting. The pitch was about a character.

When I spoke with the creator and told them the logline and the body of the pitch wasn’t congruent he said “But what’s written IS what the logline is about.” I said, “But that’s not what is being communicated in the body.” …readmore

Brevity.

I’m leaving on vacation in less than an hour, so what better topic to discuss than brevity.

Emails. Phone calls. One Sheets.

These all have one thing in common; they provide you with the opportunity to be loquacious; to use three words when two will do. …readmore