Just got through a stack of scripts for a fellowship I'm judging. All of these writers are already in the WGA - these are mid-level TV writers, not amateurs. (But they're also all looking for jobs, so it's not like they're currently successful writers.)
A high percentage of scripts started with some version of this:
Voice over by protagonist, talking about their past.
Flashbacks to earlier scenes.
This continuing for at least a third of the script before the story remotely starts.
In my opinion, if you're going to do a premise pilot, figure out a way to do it without doing any of those things. First off, you're asking people to start out by reading what your show isn't - unless it's Wonder Years, which is a nostalgic look back at childhood, the first ten minutes of your show is not representative of what's to come.
Figure out a way to start the story of the pilot off right off the bat, and whatever backstory you think is necessary (and I bet it's a lot less than people think), sprinkle that in extremely artfully.
A high percentage of scripts started with some version of this:
Voice over by protagonist, talking about their past.
Flashbacks to earlier scenes.
This continuing for at least a third of the script before the story remotely starts.
In my opinion, if you're going to do a premise pilot, figure out a way to do it without doing any of those things. First off, you're asking people to start out by reading what your show isn't - unless it's Wonder Years, which is a nostalgic look back at childhood, the first ten minutes of your show is not representative of what's to come.
Figure out a way to start the story of the pilot off right off the bat, and whatever backstory you think is necessary (and I bet it's a lot less than people think), sprinkle that in extremely artfully.
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