Month: November 2014

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 11/21/14

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Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are=&0=& (BACK IN THE GAME) is writing the pilot for an untitled ABC comedy based on – surprise! – his childhood. (But wait, there’s actually something cool about his childhood. Gregg’s father was an aspiring blues player – okay, so was everybody’s father in my generation, still – and his mother was a “locally famous” puppeteer. And, das munchkind’s gotta level with ya: I %^$! lurve puppets!) Amanda Knox (newbie famous for being convicted, then acquitted, then convicted again of murdering her roommate in Italy – something many of us who’ve spent any time in college in Italy have often wanted to do) has landed a job as “a freelance writer for the West Seattle Herald. (Giving new currency to the old expression, “Who do I have to kill to get hired around here?” Aw, c’mon, that was funny. You know it was.) =&1=& (PRETTY LITTLE LIARS) is adapting Sara Shepard‘s new Young Adult book series into an ABC Family murder mystery about…oh, wait, that would give away the mystery, wouldn’t it? (Truth in journalism confession: Hey, it’s ABC Family, right? What the hell do I care about any show on that bottom feeding network? I mean, it’s gonna be awful, right?) =&2=& (Oscar nominated writer of UP IN THE AIR) is writing Fox’s DIRTY DEEDS pilot. The series is based on a GQ article called “Oops, You Just Hired the Wrong Hitman” by Jeanne Marie Laskas, who obviously has a penchant for smart and funny titles that could all by itself give her a huge career. (Actually, the hitman is really an undercover ATF agent and…well, danger and hilarity are sure to ensue.)

That’s it for now. Write in and tell munchilito what you’ve sold today. TVWriter™ can’t wait to brag to all your friends. (And, more importantly, enemies. Hehehe….)

Angelo J. Bell: Pitching and Planning

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by Angelo J. Bell

November has begun with a bang and I’m scrambling to keep up with the momentum to close out the year and check-off every item from the 2014 To Do list. Earlier this year I decided to “turn up” and work overtime to get something — anything — in gear before the end of the year. I wanted to be able to look at 2015 with even more positivism and hope than the last few years.

Efforts resulted in four pitch meetings in the final quarter of 2014. Two were scripted shows geared for E! and Bravo. The third originated out of North Carolina where, XO5 compadre Paul, networked with author Kim Wiley over the adaptation of her self-published thriller books. NBC Drama liked the written pitch and invited us in to talk about the project. The fourth meeting resulted from an unscripted pitch I heard at The Great American Pitchfest (GAPF) by Dionna Bolarof Atlanta. I remember hearing her pitch and thinking, “This is perfect for Oxygen.” Lo and behold, Oxygen Network felt the same way. Dionna is flying in and we’re heading out on November 24th.

But it’s not over. Still on the go, there are other projects in development, namely an insanely cool and mysterious crime thriller, two contemporary sci-fi dramas and continued efforts to branch out with other unscripted producers and other networks, ie Virgin Produced and Joke Productions. read article

Is Every Film Ever Made Becoming a TV Series This Year? Yikes!

Time now for all of us to get up to date so we can properly castigate one of the absolutely dumbest trends in current TV programming:

Devils-Advocate

by Oliver Lyttleton

Network TV is reaching the point of critical mass similar to the one that shook the music industry a few years ago: a crucible of absolute, sheer panic. Ratings plummet every year, very few shows work or connect on a big level, and even the biggest flagship series are watching their ratings matched or superseded by upstarts from cable TV and streaming services. The result is that executives are floundering desperately, and the next development season indicates that extant hysteria, with a slew of projects that aim to translate brand-name movies to TV. read article

Is Television Sacrificing Its Golden Age

Actually, the full title of this article is, “Is Television Sacrificing Its Golden Age to the Closed Loop of Pop Culture?” And know what? It’s a question that needs to be asked. So, appropos of our oh-so-recent previous post:

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by Jason Bailey

Let us begin with three seemingly unrelated entertainment news items. read article

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 11/20/14

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Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are=&0=& (THE GOOD WIFE) is developing a creepy CBS drama about “a prominent Boston family who…struggles to redefine itself” while under suspicion that one of its members is a murderer. (Wow, the spirit of Shonda Rimes is everywhere, no? Where do they find these clones?) Joe Caren (playwright and TV newbie) is writing a Fox drama series called The SYSTEM, about an ensemble of 20-somethings trying to survive their dealings with the criminal justice system. (Did I ever tell you guys about my close call with the criminal justice system? For reals. I was thisclose to a part as a “funny D.A.’s assistant” on LAW & ORDER back in my even younger youth. But then somebody saw my attempt at stand-up and they knew I was all wrong for the funny part. Sigh….) =&1=& (stand-ups, the both of them) are writing the pilot for a semi-autobiographical comedy series based on Ali (cuz nobody knows Jackie or cares about his life, I reluctantly suppose.) =&2=& (LAW & ORDER) has a new overall deal with Fox TV. (Which this particular munchacho figures must be exciting as all hell for her, but man does it bum me out. Cuz Chris hates me, you see, since that time when I…oh, right, TMI. You’ll have to wait for my autobiographical comedy series, gang. Wonder if I can get Jackie Clarke to co-write. I hear he’s hot right now.)

That’s it for now. Write in and tell munchilito what you’ve sold today. TVWriter™ can’t wait to brag to all your friends. (And, more importantly, enemies. Hehehe….)