TV staffing season

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  • #16
    Hold on there, pardner

    Elephant,

    Slow down. Take your time finding the right agent and at the same time, write more. Write a lot more. And save your primo contact for when you're really ready for the high stress job.

    A well-known screenwriter told a story in Austin about how he had a (former) friend who bugged him about getting a TV job with a well-known producer. So, Mr. Famous Screenwriter got his Former Friend in and I think they gave him one script to write. Later, Mr. Famous was behind two of the show's producers and they were talking about how bad Former Friend was. When the show was staffing for the next year, FF wasn't hired. So he called Famous Screenwriter and wanted him to get him hired back. Famous told him no. He said he opened the door for Former but it was up to Former to stay in on his own. Famous wasn't willing to call in favors for someone who was going to hurt his reputation and your friend might not be either. Is it worth the risk?

    Susan

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    • #17
      Re: Hold on there, pardner

      Susan,

      I appreciate what you're saying about not rushing in and using my contact wisely--but it's my contact who suggested I get a staff position.

      I am more than confident in my ability to handle a staff job, or any writing job for that matter. Whether I get a job or not is a different story--I realize that there's a lot of factors in this business.

      But I'm ready for this to happen.

      Elephant

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      • #18
        Re: staffing season

        Jeff, Thanks for your response. You were right; I spoke with him today. I was panicking

        ybrown

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        • #19
          Re: staffing season

          Elephant:

          Your confidence is admirable. It takes a certain amount to break into a very competitive industry. That said... When you end up with your first staff job, I would try to, um, contain it a bit. A certain amount of humility is an absolute essential in surviving a writer's room. Writing talent is a small part of the game -- getting along with the other writers is a much bigger one.

          Take it from someone who's been chewed up and spit out by the best grumpy old bastards in the business.

          Jeff

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          • #20
            Re: staffing season

            Jeff,

            I didn't mean to come across as cocky or over-confident. It's just that I realize nobody on this board knows anything about me. I think most would assume I am new to the game, and am rushing things. But the truth is I've been fighing for a break for years now. I was just trying to let everybody who responded (and I appreciate everyone) know that they can give me the hard-core professional advice and skip any beginner advice.

            Sorry if I came across wrong.

            Ele...

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            • #21
              Re: staffing season

              elephant1978 - Okay, here's the hard-core professional advice. Actually Jeff and Steve have already been giving it to you, but I'll try to answer your original question of what is staffing season.

              Pilot Season â€" January to April
              This is the time when scripts go out to actors. The pilots are cast, shot, and edited. They will then be presented at Upfronts in May.

              Staffing Season â€" March to June
              In March, maybe as early as February, your agents start submitting your scripts to network and studio executives. They are not submitting to showrunners due to the fact the pilots may not yet have showrunners.

              Once early May comes around, hopefully you have had some good meetings at the networks and studios. However, if you have not had any meetings there, youâ€TMll still be okay. Shows the have been on the air will start taking meetings with writers. Some pilots will take preemptive meetings to get ahead of the competition.

              Mid May, the networks announce their Fall line-ups. That when the â€crazy†happens. Your script will be sent everywhere there is a potential spot for you. You will start going on meetings with showrunners. After a great meeting, youâ€TMll get offered a job.

              By the end of June, most shows will be fully staffed.

              Here is one more thing that I will probably post on the Writing for TV board as well. The breakdown of the writerâ€TMs room:

              Executive Producer / Showrunner
              Executive Producer
              Co-Executive Producer
              Supervising Producer
              Producer
              Co-Producer
              Executive Story Editor
              Story Editor
              Staff Writer â€" Entry level. Roughy $3,200 to $2,800 a week salary and you DO NOT get paid for writing scripts.

              Script Coordinator
              Writerâ€TMs Assitant

              A position that I left out in the hierarchy is Consulting Producer. That position is usually an Executive Producer level writer who no longer handles the day-to-day, but may still have some input in the direction or writing of the show. They could also be put on the show to help out by the studio or network.

              The Executive Producer / Showrunner and Executive Producer are two different positions. To find out what a Showrunner does check out www.wga.org/WrittenBy/1997/0297/wells.html

              This is how I understand it to work. If anyone else wants to add, please feel free

              By the way, don't think getting a writer's assistant job is going to be any easier. In some cases it's even harder because agents don't track writerâ€TMs assistant jobs. So it is more word of mouth and who you know.

              Ybrown - This is my first staffing season and first literary agency (I've had talent agencies before). If I called my agents and they we not returning my calls, they would no longer be representing me. It's the busiest time of the year. That's when you should be talking to your agents the most. It's staffing season. I talk to at least one of my agents once a day. Sometime it's a few times a day. A few days ago, I got a call from two at once and then 10 minutes later I got a call from another one.

              They, your agents, need to keep you informed on what's going on. With that said, unless I ask specifically about something, I'm told about stuff as it materializes. You should have a little talk with your agent, once they return your call, and let them know how much in the loop you want to be kept on things.

              Here are two places to go for information to better inform yourself and your questions to your agent. www.thefutoncritic.com and http://www.thehollywoodreporter.com/hollywoodreporter/cinexpo/index.jsp

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              • #22
                steve/staffing season

                hit the agents in mid June after staffing is over. They're very reluctant to take on new clients now because they're trying to get their existing clients jobs. If you get an agent in June/July you'll be in the running for mid-season staffing.
                Thanks for that line, Steve. I was just going to ask about how the mid-season process goes. It just makes more rewrites possible knowing I can wait until I'm absolutely ready.

                Ros

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                • #23
                  Re: staffing season

                  YeahWrite,

                  Thank you! That's exactly what I needed--a flat out explanation of the process. I owe you big time.

                  Ele...

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