viii WRITING THE TV DRAMA SERIES / PAMELA DOUGLAS
Ready, Set, Go!
35
Summary Points
36
What’s New?
36SPOTLIGHT ON DRAMEDY 37GUEST SPEAKER: DAVID ISAACS 40
(
M*A*S*H
,
Cheers
,
Frasier
,
Mad Men)
Chapter Two
HOW SHOWS GET ON TV AND THE TV SEASON 45
Chart: Traditional Two-Year Development and Productionof a New Show
46
Year One
48
April: Create Your Proposal
48
(1) Write a TV Format
49
(2) Write a Pilot
51
(3) Write a “Backdoor Pilot”
52
(4) Create a Presentation Reel
53
(5) Attach a “Package”
54
(6) Get a Web Following
54
May: The Production Company
55
June: The Studio
58
July and August: The Network
59
Chart: New Series Development at One Network
60
September to November: The Pilot Script
61
December and January: The Greenlight
64
February to April: Pilot Season
65
May: Pick-Ups
66
•Fullseason
67
•Shortorder
67
•Midseason
67
•Backupscripts
68
Year Two
68
June: Stafng
68
July and August: Write Like Crazy
69
Chart: Sample Character Arcs for a Season
71
September and October: The Debut
72
November through March: Completing the Season
73