Category: Opinion

Herbie J Pilato Sees NASHVILLE & SWITCHED AT BIRTH

Late to the Party: What Makes “Nashville” and “Switched at Birth” Great Television
by Herbie J Pilato

ABC-Nashville-PosterKudos to ABC and ABC Family for doing TV right!

From the fall of 1989 to the spring of 1993, ABC aired the TV show titled, LIFE GOES ON, about a family who just so happened to have a son with Down syndrome (played by the amazing Chris Burke) became the first series, family-geared or otherwise, to feature a weekly character with a disability. Chad Lowe later joined the series in his Emmy-winning role as Jesse McKenna (who was diagnosed with HIV-virus, which developed into full-blown AIDS), and the already-ground-breaking series made further historic strides.

Further back in 1975, Robert Altman directed the Oscar-winning (for Best Song) critically-acclaimed feature film, NASHVILLE, which interlocked the country and gospel musical lives of those living in the Tennessee country musical capitol. read article

Peggy Bechko: You Write, You Edit

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by Peggy Bechko

I could stop right there with title, don’t you think? Doesn’t matter what you write; novels, articles, screenplays. If you write it you better edit it.

Why, you say, if the story is great and your writing passable? Well, mainly because passable doesn’t cut it these days.

Really. read article

Cartoon: “Theories of Disappointment”

AKA ‘How Not to Get Ahead, Especially in TV Writing:”

incidentalcomics-com-2015-04-theories-of-disappointment

See More Incidental Comics Greatness

Herbie J Pilato: Make ’em Laugh

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Or
Why Comedy is King – Even in Drama
Or
The Importance of Being Funny – Beyond Comedies
by Herbie J Pilato

Back in the day, classic television shows, and feature films for that matter, made time for humor to balance the drama. After World War II, as big-screen movies became darker and edgier (which today’s productions seem so intent on embracing and displaying), humor began to vanish and was labeled as too old-fashioned.

Humor, however, is a substantial part of life, not to mention sanity – and its inclusion in all creative properties, for the big-screen or small, the live stage or the recorded word or musical lyric, is imperative for a well-rounded presentation and production, particularly when a writer seeks to ignite interest and/or showcase their wares on TV – the most intimate of all mediums.

It’s all about connecting with the audience, viability and likeability….just like when dating – and making the attempt to show your best-side to your potential new romantic interest; in other words: getting someone to like you. read article

Peggy Bechko: Whip Out Your Armor Plating And Write

armor_pose_by_apostolon_iam

by Peggy Bechko

We’re writers. Mostly. And over the years we’ve toughened our hides to all kinds of criticism and rejection, right?

Well mostly.

Sort of. read article