Writing the TV Pilot 1

Display Schedule

Code Completion Credits Range Language Instruction Semester
301MPTP1 credit 4 100 hours (45 min) of instruction per semester, 25 to 45 hours of self-study English summer

Subject guarantor

Tereza BRDEČKOVÁ

Name of lecturer(s)

Tereza BRDEČKOVÁ

Department

The subject provides Department of Screenwriting and Script-editing

Contents

Michele Palermo;

Session One - 17 March - 28 March 2025

Monday – Friday: 09,00 – 12,00

Monday and Wednesday 13,30 – 15,30

Writing the TV Pilot introduces students to the demands of writing for television and gives them tools for developing a half-hour or hour-long TV pilot that has enough depth and complexity to sustain a series. Emphasis will be placed on pitching, creating compelling characters with irresolvable conflicts, building strong story, act, and scene structures; and establishing a clearly defined story world and tone. The course will consist of lectures, screenings, readings, and in-class writing exercises. By the end of the two weeks, each student should have a draft outline for their pilot and a solid understanding of television writing structure.

Session One - 17 March - 28 March 2025

Session Two - 31 March – 11 April 2025

Writing the TV Pilot introduces students to the demands of writing for television and gives them tools for developing a half-hour or hour-long TV pilot that has enough depth and complexity to sustain a series. Emphasis will be placed on pitching, creating compelling characters with irresolvable conflicts, building strong story, act, and scene structures; and establishing a clearly defined story world and tone. The course will consist of lectures, screenings, readings, and in-class writing exercises. By the end of the two weeks, each student should have a draft outline for their pilot and a solid understanding of television writing structure.

Learning outcomes

1.To further students’ understanding of TV writing and the unique demands of a pilot script.

2.To further students’ ability to map out a pilot story, long term arc and characters that will make for a compelling, sustainable series.

3.To complete a solid outline for a TV pilot and, for screenwriting students who enroll in Session One and want to continue tutelage through April 11 - write at least the first act of your TV pilot.

Prerequisites and other requirements

A strong idea (or a few) for a television series. Please think these through enough to be able to talk about them on day one (for 1-2 minutes each) and PITCH the best on day two.

1.Show up ON TIME, PREPARED for class, and READY to engage.

2.Be prepared to WORK. This is a two-week class with a very big mandate. If you can’t do the work, DON’T TAKE THE CLASS.

3.Ask questions.

4.LISTEN to each other.

5.Be KIND to one another.

6.ENJOY YOUR TIME IN CLASS AND WORKING ON YOUR PILOT. Why? Because

if you are going to do a job you DON’T enjoy; you can make more money and have more stability over your lifetime doing almost anything else!

Literature

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Evaluation methods and criteria

WEEK ONE

Class #1 (morning)INTRO: THE PILOT

CLASS EXERCISE: Introductions

DISCUSSION: PILOT OVERVIEW – What is a pilot? What are the story elements of a series? Character, World, Genre, Setting, Tone, Theme, Framing Devices and how to put all of that into your logline and “elevator pitch”.

Assignment: Write a LOGLINE and ELEVATOR PITCH for an EXISTING series.

(afternoon)SCREEN OUR IN CLASS CASE STUDY SHOWS

•“SEVEN SECONDS” (One-hour drama)

•“BEEF” (Half-hour comedy)

Individual ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS with Michele (30 minutes)

Class #2 PITCHING and BUILDING YOUR SERIES’ WORLD

Students will present their loglines and “elevator pitches” for existing series.

DISCUSSION: STRUCTURE - We will begin to “BEAT OUT” the structure of the pilots we watched (“BEEF” and “SEVEN SECONDS”) and talk about the importance of STRUCTURE in TV writing.

Assignment: Write a LOGLINE and 5-minute PITCH for YOUR series, moving beyond “elevator” length by focusing on the most original part of your series (and why YOU are the ONLY person who can write it).

Class #3 (morning)PITCH IT – then BEAT IT!!

Students will pitch their series.

DISCUSSION: STRUCTURE - We will continue to “BEAT OUT” the structure of the pilots we watched (“BEEF” and “SEVEN SECONDS”) and talk about the importance of STRUCTURE in TV writing.

Assignment: Start your BEAT SHEET. Please submit your draft BEAT SHEET to Michele and your class colleagues by Friday night at 23,59.

(afternoon) Zoom with a pro! And individual ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS with Michele (30 minutes)

Class #4ACT and STORY STRUCTURE

DISCUSSION: A, B, and C Storylines, “Act Outs” and “Cliffhangers”.

CLASS EXERCISE: Tell a story from your own life using A, B and C storylines – as well as a cliffhanger!

Class #5TEASERS

DISCUSSION: The TEASER

What is a teaser and why do I need one?

SCREENING: Examples of great (and terrible!) teasers! CLASS EXERCISE: TEASE a story from your own life.

Assignment: WRITE YOUR TEASER!

Please have your teaser ready to workshop in class on Monday morning.

WEEK TWO

Class # 6CHARACTER

WORKSHOP: Read-through TEASERS!

CLASS EXERCISE: Build a great character from your own life.

DISCUSSSION: What makes for great CHARACTERS? Protagonists,

antagonists, shadow characters, allies and TV’s obsession with sociopaths.

Assignment: Fly on the Wall dialogue exercise.

Class # 7 (morning)DIALOGUE

WORKSHOP: Read- through Fly on the Walls.

DISCUSSION: What makes for great dialogue

Tapping into people you know

YOUR voice vs. your characters’ voices

(afternoon) One-on-one meetings with Michele

Assignment: BEGIN ACT ONE!

Class # 8CATCH UP

WORKSHOP: Bring any unanswered questions, problem or concerns about

anything we have covered (or have not!) and we will address them!

Class # 9 (morning)THE BUSINESS OF THE BUSINESS

DISCUSSION: The television business today: old way and new paradigms and how to break into the global marketplace.

CLASS EXERCISE: Re-pitch your show knowing what you know now.

(afternoon) ZOOM with a pro! And one-on-one meetings with Michele

Class #10IN CONCLUSION

WORKSHOP: Read -through Act One’s (what you have) and discuss triumphs, problems, concerns, and fixes.

DISCUSSION: Whatever you want to know – ask now! It’s the last day!

For the first group of students, its preferable to have the screenwriters who want to WRITE their pilots during the second two weeks of my tenure. For the second two weeks, I will continue to meet with them on Wednesday afternoons to follow their progress and answer questions.

I may adjust the syllabus a bit for the second group of students. Remove writing Act One the second week (possibly, not necessarily) and maybe stretch out the other assignment a bit. It really depends on their level of interest and how much they want to get out of the class.

The condition for credit is 100% attendance and participation in the program.

Note

Michele Palermo has built a dynamic and multifaceted career as a writer, director, and producer. A published and award-winning creator, she has developed network television projects alongside industry luminaries such as Peter Horton and David E. Kelley. Her television work includes The Mansion for Lifetime, an upstairs/downstairs dramedy set in a Governor’s mansion and the classic teen favorite Boy Meets World on ABC. Michele has also written, produced, and directed two acclaimed independent feature films: Ladies in Waiting (based on her play) and the mockumentary Unreel: A True Hollywood Story. In addition, she created the award-winning web series Chapin Circle. Currently, Michele is the creator, writer, director, producer of Middlehood, an award-winning half-hour television comedy-drama that captures the comedic yet poignant experiences of middle age. The first 8-episode season is now available in worldwide distribution. Michele’s international background spans her upbringing in both Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Rome, Italy. Fluent in Italian and French, she holds an M.A. in International Communication from American University and was once recruited by the CIA (she respectfully declined). Michele’s diverse professional journey includes four years as Chief of Staff and Speechwriter for Virginia First Lady Lisa Collis and a unique stint in research for Martha Stewart. She is currently an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of the Arts, where she teaches television writing.

Published, produced, award-winning writer, director and producer of television, films and theatrical stage plays and faculty member at Columbia University School of the Arts. Served three years as Chief of Staff and Speechwriter to Lisa Collis, the First Lady of Virginia (2002-2006). As head writer for Martha Stewart Living TV Show, researched everything from who grew the first tomato to the best way to wash a dog. B.A. in Theater/French from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI; M.A. in International Communications/French from American University in Washington, D.C. Fluent in French, Italian and English.

Television

MIDDLEHOOD – Half-hour single-camera comedy (8 episodes), Writer/Director/Prod. (Best TV Show New York City International Film Festival; Best Pilot North Fork Television Festival; Audience Award Seriesfest; Audience Award Dances with Films; full awards list on request)

BLIND FAITH – One-Hour Pilot, Writer (Page Awards finalist)

LIONS – One-Hour Pilot, Writer (U.K.)

CHAPIN CIRCLE - Web Series, Writer/Director/Executive Producer, West 51st Street Productions

THE MANSION – One-Hour Pilot, Writer, developed with Nancy Cotton and Larry Gilbert, Icon Productions for LIFETIME Television

CAPITAL STEPS – One-Hour Pilot, Writer, developed with Peter Horton for Pico Creek Productions

CAMPAIGN– One-Hour Pilot, developed with Bill D‘Elia and Rick Silverman for David E. Kelley Productions

BOY MEETS WORLD – Writer, “TURNAROUND”, ABC

MARTHA STEWART LIVING – Head Writer, ZM Productions

Film

SPITE FENCES (adapted from the award-winning novel by Trudy Krisher)

LEDA (co-written with David Klass), feature script (in development)

HUSH (co-written with David Klass), feature script. Doug Davison, producer UNREEL: A True Hollywood Story (feature). (Spirit Award, Best Local Film,

Silver Lake Film Festival). Co-Director, Writer, Producer

LADIES IN WAITING (feature) Writer/Producer; International television distribution through Sullivan Entertainment. (Bronze Award, Houston Film Festival, Audience Award, Palm Springs Short Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival)

WEST OF THE MOON (feature script) Writer, Michael Pressman Productions, based on the novel by Jonathan Nasaw

THE BREAK, (co-written with Vince Van Patten) for Autumn Wind Films

Stage Plays

LADIES IN WAITING (Samuel French). World premiere Los Angeles (Gardner Stage, Tiffany Theater). New York Premiere, West Bank Café. (Backstage West Award, Best Writing, Best One-Act Play; LTA Playwriting Award)

LABOR PAINS (Samuel French). World premiere Los Angeles (Gardner Stage; Backstage West Award, Best Writing)

A NEW YORK MINUTE (Samuel French). World premiere Los Angeles (Gardner Stage, Tiffany Theater; (Backstage West Award, Best Writing, Best One-Act Play)

LEGACY: The Story of a Family. World Premiere Los Angeles (Hudson Theater)

THE SISTERS THREE World Premiere Los Angeles (Coast Playhouse)

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Schedule for winter semester 2024/2025:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

Schedule for summer semester 2024/2025:

Date Day Time Tutor Location Notes No. of paralel
17.03.2025 09:00–18:00 Tereza BRDEČKOVÁ
ONLY FOR KP AND KSD parallel1

The subject is a part of the following study plans