How to get your pilot out there...

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  • #16
    Re: How to get your pilot out there...

    Originally posted by Zodraz View Post
    Actually, EXTANT was sold to CBS-- and only after Fisher signed with WME (because of the contest) and then got Spielberg's Amblin TV attached as a producer.



    Nic Pizzolatto worked on Season 1 of The Killing.
    Sorry, my mistake. Mickey was on scriptchat Sunday night-- great guy. I thought he saiid he signed with Brooklyn first, then WME, then to Speilberg. Whatever the order it seems to have happened quickly.

    He's been a writer in New York for twenty years, so his craft is clearly well defined... It's an inspiring story, but he worked hard to get there.

    Right, i wasn't sure about Pizzolatto.
    "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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    • #17
      Re: How to get your pilot out there...

      Originally posted by Zodraz View Post
      For what? Staffing season?

      I suppose there are a few showrunners that might hire someone based off of just a feature spec or a play, but >95% of them will want to read an original pilot.
      I guess I'm asking for any opportunity really. A conideration. So it's best to write a pilot-- i can do that. Thanks for the help.
      "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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      • #18
        Re: How to get your pilot out there...

        Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
        Sorry, my mistake. Mickey was on scriptchat Sunday night-- great guy. I thought he saiid he signed with Brooklyn first, then WME, then to Speilberg. Whatever the order it seems to have happened quickly.
        That sounds right-- I was just trying to make clear that the contest itself wasn't enough to get the network's attention.

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        • #19
          Re: How to get your pilot out there...

          My honest is "I don't know." HOWEVER....

          I'm doing the same thing, trying to get my pilot TV sitcom into the networks.

          I'm entering the contests at ABC, CBS, NBC, WB etc... AND hoping that
          gets the spec script and pilot INSIDE the networks.

          GRANTED, that may be a whole different department, not sure, if they would ever crossover into another department or not.

          I would hope so if they saw something they thought really had potential.
          Would like to hear from people in "the KNOW" not from people that are only guessing.

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          • #20
            Re: How to get your pilot out there...

            Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
            Sorry, my mistake. Mickey was on scriptchat Sunday night-- great guy. I thought he saiid he signed with Brooklyn first, then WME, then to Speilberg. Whatever the order it seems to have happened quickly.

            He's been a writer in New York for twenty years, so his craft is clearly well defined... It's an inspiring story, but he worked hard to get there.
            Yes, that. TrackingB got him noticed and signed by Brooklyn Weaver who then took it to WME, who got Speilberg attached, etc. And agreed, he's a super nice guy.

            http://www.scriptsandscribes.com/mickey-fisher/


            Originally posted by fouroneone View Post
            My honest is "I don't know." HOWEVER....

            I'm doing the same thing, trying to get my pilot TV sitcom into the networks.

            I'm entering the contests at ABC, CBS, NBC, WB etc... AND hoping that
            gets the spec script and pilot INSIDE the networks.

            GRANTED, that may be a whole different department, not sure, if they would ever crossover into another department or not.

            I would hope so if they saw something they thought really had potential.
            Would like to hear from people in "the KNOW" not from people that are only guessing.
            Original pilots from "unknowns" are super hard to get sold as pilots unless you have heavy weights like Brooklyn Weaver, WME and/or Steven Spielberg pushing it around town. You can definitely get representation using your pilot though and maybe getting some showrunner/network meetings that hopefully lead to a staffing job at some point or perhaps pitch meetings for your series/pilot. But sending out your pilot in hopes it lands on a network exec's desk who will turn it into a pilot, is unlikely.

            One example I'll use from someone in the "know" is Eoghan O'Donnell. He's repped by Ava Jamshidi at Industry. Eoghan signed with Ava after she read his pilot THE MESSENGERS. It didn't sell at the time (a few years ago), but it was a strong enough writing sample that he took lots of meetings and booked a job as a staff writer on TEEN WOLF (MTV). Ava kept pushing and eventually got interest in THE MESSENGERS at Amazon and CW. Eoghan ended up selling it to CW, where it was picked up and now airs Fridays at 9/8c.

            http://www.scriptsandscribes.com/ava-jamshidi/


            Originally posted by Zodraz View Post
            For what? Staffing season?

            I suppose there are a few showrunners that might hire someone based off of just a feature spec or a play, but >95% of them will want to read an original pilot.
            I was at the WGF TV writer symposium a couple weekends ago and Jill Solloway (creator/showrunner TRANSPARENT) said she once hired a writer, a playwright, based on a prestigious playwright award the writer had received. Jill said she called the writer up and they had a great conversation and she hired the playwright on the spot. Jill claims she never even read the actual play. Her point was, she hired the writer because she wanted to hire someone who stood out for exceptional work and someone she could sort of brag about hiring (an award winning playwright). Her advice was to write something so good (no matter what it is - screenplay, novel, play, etc.) that it attracts attention and accolades and showrunners will be impressed into hiring you. So... yeah. Take that for what it's worth I guess.

            .
            http://www.scriptsandscribes.com/

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            • #21
              Re: How to get your pilot out there...

              realphipps:

              I'm going to jump in here and respond based only on what you've written here. There is no simple and easy answer to your question(s). Just as the road to your goal is not simple and easy. You'll hate it, but here's the answer to your question.

              Is this the only thing you have written? If so, write the pilot, write out a proposal, then put it aside and start writing again. Start to study scripts and screenplays if you haven't already. Start to study the business and, if wanting to make it in Television, seriously consider moving to Los Angeles. Learn to network and, by that, I mean in a personal upfront manner. Online is nice, but it's no substitution for face to face and it's no competition for the people who are actually meeting up with people and forming friendships in the real world.

              Use the scripts you've been writing (including this one) to show your talent as specs. Use them to back up your networking and, hopefully, get them into the hands of legitimate agent (that word "legitimate" is important). Or a legitimate Manager (again, with the word "legitimate"). She will give you guidance and advice, constructive input to make your scripts something she can use. With those, she will try to get you meetings with the intent of getting you an assignment. With those, you'll gain your own legitimacy.

              Don't concentrate on trying to jump in at the top of the food chain; that's one of the biggest mistakes I see new writers make in trying to break in.

              Keep in mind that the TV world is not looking to buy one-hit-wonders (which are so rare as to be statistically non-existent), it is looking for writers who have dedicated themselves to careers. And, by that, writers who have gone through the grind and gained experience through assignments and staff work. THEN you'll pull this pilot out, with all the others you've put together, and start trying to sell it (after you rewrite it based on the experience you've had and what you've also learned).

              You mentioned competitions, but you've also nailed the problem. How do you know the people reading the submissions can do you any good. Most of them can't; most competitions serve themselves, not you. Entering competitions is a good way to get your work seen, but it has to be seen by the right people. Rare in competitions, very rare. Still, worth the effort of research.

              You'll also hear about the rare exceptions. Most of the time those exceptions ARE just stories, or their very existence proves how rare they are. Still, worth researching and learning from.

              But make no mistake, the hardest part of the road is ahead of you. You really have to be committed to hunkering down for the long journey while keeping an eye out for the opportunities.

              I know that it's not the answer you wanted to hear. But, believe it or not, it's actually the quick way to success.

              Keep writing.

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