Category: Resources

40 years worth of TV writing experience and info, yours for the taking.

Troy DeVolld: TV Consulting – What It Is, What It’s Not

troy logo

by Troy DeVolld

When I first moved to California, long before reality television seemed like a real career, I was hell-bent on writing for sitcoms and films.  I shelled out what I could afford (and what I couldn’t afford) on pitchfests, consultants, and anything that I thought would help me get a leg up in the entertainment universe.

It didn’t do much to move the success needle in the short term.  I mean, I made some great friends and watched them bloom into amazing professionals, but that was usually incidental and a result of just being in rooms with like-minded people.

It’s also one of the reasons I was so slow to ever consider consulting, which I’ve only done sporadically, and only when I feel like I can genuinely offer useful input to the client.  More than half of the calls and meetups, unfortunately, end up being a waste of time and gas for both of us. If I think someone’s grip on the reality of the business is tenuous at best, I’ll politely end our session and refund their money. I don’t want to become anyone’s party story as the cruddy consultant (oh, how they love to blame a consultant) who couldn’t deliver them a rose-petaled path to the top of the mountain and a jetliner view in the Hollywood Hills… something few consultants ever even manifest for themselves. read article

Diana Black has More to Say About Archetypes

archetypes cult

by Diana Black

As mentioned in a previous article: “Archetypes Are Here to Stay” – storytelling in one form or another and the ‘characters’ created therein, have been around for a very long time. Homo sapiens, radiated out of Africa into Europe by around 700 000 years ago, into Asia by 400 000 years ago and then onto remote island-continents like Australia, at around 80 000 years ago. So, we’ve had ample time to hone the craft. Important to note, we’re all related – thanks to our common ancestry way back on that African savanna.

“So what!” you say? Well, it’s interesting to note – and Joseph Campbell did, that archetypes within ‘stories’ in whatever form and across cultures, are essentially the same: – Hero, Villain, Messenger etc. Did story-telling and generalized archetypes in the form of memes, go along for that ancient ride? Hard to say, but recent brain research has provided important implications for us as writers – although we intuitively knew it all the time – the way the human brain thinks and responds, regardless of cultural nuance is essentially the same.

Story-telling could have been passed down through the generations as memes but that for us, is now inconsequential – the human brain seems ‘hardwired’ to be receptive towards storytelling and able to recognize archetype. read article

Ken Levine on How to Begin a Series Pilot

The Big Man of sitcom and baseball announcing strikes again!

We know this is the wrong kinda pilot. But it's so damn cute....
We know this is the wrong kinda pilot. But it’s so damn cute….

by Ken Levine

Let’s say I’m given a pilot to write. And for whatever reason, this has to be my first scene: Young guy brings the girl he’s recently dated back to her place. She invites him in the for the first time. He’s excited because he figures he’s going to get laid. But when they step inside he learns that her ex-fiancé is on the couch. He still lives there.

Okay. That could be funny. read article

Diana Black Tells Us Why We Love Flawed Characters

flawed diamond by Diana Black

The Perfectly Flawed Character – why we love them so

As writers we’re complicated beasties – we bring to the table not only immense creativity but attributes that sometimes work against us – empathy and compassion. The aforementioned may help us enliven a lovable hero who’s having a shit of a time, but in the end saves the day – what’s not to love about them?

But what about the character we have to create and live with – over the life of the series, who happens to be supremely flawed? The one that’s chronically: selfish, evil, cruel, violent, ditzy, stupid/dumb, greedy, petulant, superficial and/or supercilious, the loser of all losers, manipulative, sluttish, smug, murderous, arrogant, delusional, irritating beyond belief, emotionally clueless or a hopeless romantic etc. read article

Linguistics, Style and Writing in the 21st Century – with Steven Pinker

Some good advice from a qualified advisor on how to write clearly, cleanly and effectively. No matter what medium you’re writing for. (Notice that we didn’t say “media?” Just trying to follow Steve’s rules, yo.

This is actually a “science video.” Find out more about them HERE