STORYWISE EBOOK: HOW TO WRITE A TV PILOT SCRIPT Contact Information Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc. www.jengrisanticonsultancy.com Phone: (323) 944-0962 E-mail: [email protected] Copyright 2014 Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc., All Rights Reserved Hello, my name is Jen Grisanti. I am a Story Consultant, Writing Instructor for NBC's Writers on the Verge, Blogger for The Huffington Post, and author of the books Story Line: Finding the Gold In Your Life Story, TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write A Script that Sells, and Change Your Story, Change Your Life: A Path To Success. In this workbook, I plan to tell you about a breaKthrough method that I discovered during my past 22 years of analyzing story. I believe that this method will help you to write a stronger TV pilot script. It all starts with a strong log line, the setup of a powerful trigger incident that pushes the central character into a dilemma and a clear goal that stems from the dilemma. I will go much deeper into this philosophy in a little bit. I created this workbook because I recognize that the pilot script is the hardest script to write out of any script out there. I want to help unmasK some of the mystery behind to the process of writing a strong pilot script. I want to give you the tools that will help you to succeed. First, I’d liKe to tell you a little about my bacKground. I started my career as an assistant to Aaron Spelling 22 years ago. Aaron was my mentor for the next 12 years as I climbed the ranKs and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc. covering all of Spelling’s shows including Beverly Hills, 90210; Melrose Place; and Charmed. Current Programming is the department that taKes over the shows once Development sells the pilots to series. During my climb, Aaron used to send me all the pilots to read and give notes on even though my department was Current Programming versus Development. I loved doing notes on both pilots and series because I loved understanding the whole process. In 2004, I was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount where I covered shows including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, The 4400 and Girlfriends. In January 2008, I launched Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to helping talented writers breaK into the industry. By drawing from my 12-year experience as a studio executive where I gave daily notes to executive producers/showrunners, I personally guide writers to shape their material, hone their pitches, and focus their careers. Since launching, I have worked with over 600 writers working in television, features and novels. I’ve helped over 50 of my writers to staff, 28 have sold pilots and four have gone to series. I do seminars, teleseminars and I have a podcast series called Storywise that gives the in depth story behind some of our top storytellers. It's on itunes and my website at: 2 www.jengrisanticonsultancy.com WRITING THE PILOT SCRIPT I am going to start by giving you a little more information about my philosophy, starting with the log line. I like to have writers start by writing what I refer to as a “Log line For Your Life.” This is a way to start identifying universal life moments and themes in your own life. I believe that your well is where your gold for your writing lies. With a log line you want to thinK set up of who, dilemma, action and goal. LOG LINE FOR YOUR LIFE To help you understand how to write log lines for your life, let’s dissect a log line from the movie, Pretty Woman: “A cutthroat businessman who wants to remain detached needs a date for some social engagements, and hires a beautiful prostitute he meets... only to fall in love.” This log line sets up the dilemma while maKing us feel empathy for the central character with the words, “A cutthroat businessman who wants to remain detached needs a date for some social engagements....” Then, it gives us the action that he taKes, “and hires a beautiful prostitute he meets....” The irony is the goal: “fall in love” is completely the opposite of what he set out to do. An external/internal log line for my life is, “When a work obsessed corporate executive is told that her contract is not being renewed, she is forced to turn her plan B into her plan A and discovers that her plan B was her plan A all along.” The set up of the central character is, “When a work obsessed corporate executive....” The dilemma is, “is told that her contract is not being renewed....” This is becoming a life experience for millions. The dilemma is prevalent. What do we do when our “moment,” which we’ve worKed for all of our life, ends? The action is represented with “She is forced to turn her plan B into her plan A.” Many of us can connect with the idea that life taKes a turn and we are forced to design a new plan. After this happens, many of us discover that the universe nudged us because it was our time. The goal is, “and discovers that her plan B was her plan A all along.” This utilizes irony as well. This is very universal. We can go back to our core and figure out what made us happy about doing our jobs in the first place. Then, we can design a new plan. 3 By writing theses types of log lines, you can find your truth. By finding your truth, you can write story from an authentic place. This will help you to identify your voice. WRITING A LOG LINE FOR YOUR SCRIPT Writing a log line is something that most writers do after they’ve written their script, but I encourage writers to write their log line before writing their script. Your log line is your story. It is your roadmap. It tells you where you are going and how you plan to get there. It also tells you if you are taking a wrong turn. If your log line doesn’t worK, more often than not, something about your story is not worKing. As discussed earlier, when you’re thinking of your log line, you want to think, “who, dilemma, action, and goal.” When describing your dilemma, draw a picture that maKes us feel empathy for your central character. Next, include the action that he or she taKes as a result of the dilemma and, finally, include your character’s goal. Very often, your central character’s goal at the end of the story winds up being the opposite of what it was at the start. This is where irony comes into play. Irony is a key part of a successful log line and, therefore, a key part of a successful story. EXAMPLES OF LOG LINES: BREAKING BAD LOG LINE – “When Walt, a high school chemistry teacher with a wife and a handicapped son, is given a diagnosis of terminal cancer, he turns to what he Knows best, chemistry, and decides to maKe and distribute meth in order to have something to leave his family.” WHO – A high school chemistry teacher with a wife and handicapped son DILEMMA – is given a diagnosis of terminal cancer ACTION – decides to maKe and distribute meth GOAL – in order to have something to leave his family. Series Dilemma – Walt (Bryan Cranston) is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. He has very little to leave his family if he dies because he is a chemistry professor. He comes up with the idea of dealing meth. The two sides of his dilemma are if he deals meth, he risKs getting caught and going to jail, but he will have the money to leave his wife and their handicapped son; second, if he doesn’t maKe the meth, he will have very little to leave his family, and he will die feeling like he didn’t provide for them. 4 MAD MEN LOG LINE – Donald Draper, a conflicted ad man in the 1960’s, must figure out how to Keep the secret that the picture he paints and the world he creates is not from an identity that is his own in order to remain at the top of his game. THE GOOD WIFE A betrayed housewife must pick up the pieces after her husband’s very public and political scandal lands him in jail, and she returns to the workforce to secure her family’s future. DILEMMA What is a dilemma? WiKipedia offers this definition, “A dilemma is a problem offering at least two solutions or possibilities, of which none are practically acceptable; one in this position has been traditionally described as ‘being on the horns of a dilemma,’ neither horn being comfortable; or ‘being between a rocK and a hard place,’ since both objects or metaphorical choices are rough.” Dilemmas provide tremendous opportunity for drama. If you add dilemma to your stories or strengthen your existing dilemmas, it will elevate your writing. We’ve all been through dilemmas. Start to be conscious of the dilemmas you have faced and are facing in your life. During most of my career as a TV executive, I analyzed story by focusing on the goal of each story line. It wasn’t until later in my career that I got to Know and understand the true value of linKing the trigger incident, dilemma and pursuit. By analyzing story for over 21 years, I have learned that having a clear goal that stems from the choice made in your dilemma that was caused by the trigger incident will give your story a much stronger chance of working.