Tag: online TV writing workshop

How Recent Pilot Scripts Managed to Make Hurtful Choices Empathetic

The EVERWOOD and 13 REASONS WHY pilots show how to make hurtful choices empathetic
by The Bitter Script Reader

The three best ways to learn more about writing for TV are to read more professional TV scripts, watch more successful TV show episodes, and last but definitely not least, write your own episodes. Here, via one of the most underappreciated writing blogs on the interwebs is an example of how this works:

I’ve been preparing to address the notes on my teen drama pilot and it brought to mind two pilots that were touchstones for me as I wrote: Everwood and 13 Reasons Why. And I hadn’t noticed before they not only share similar scenes, but they’re KEY similar scenes.

13 Reasons Why’s pilot has two moments that I think are essential to getting the audience invested in the story. The first is an interaction between Hannah and Clay at the basketball game. There’s a little bit of banter exchanged that halts when Clay realizes she’s there to check out one of the players. “Don’t be jealous, Clay” she teases. It’s clear on the page he’s pining for her, but the way the scene is played is essential. Hit just the wrong note, and her teasing seems mean-spirited. Instead, it’s a cute moment. read article

Larry Brody: Of Course TV is Childish. Here’s Why.

by Larry Brody

NOTE FROM LB: Another heartwarming tale, both personal and otherwise, from Turning Points in Television, the little history book that could’ve but didn’t. Enjoy!

Chicago. A blustery December day in 1948.

One year to the month after a People-and-Puppet Show that was renamed The Howdy Doody Show after its first week on the air, a four year old boy sat on the floor of his living room, looked up at the tiny (but oh, it seemed sooo big screen of his family’s TV set), and watched Clarabell the Clown sneak up on Bob Smith (who hadn’t yet become the legendary “Buffalo Bob”), and get ready to blast him–and anything or anyone else within range–with seltzer water. read article

For DOCTOR WHO Fans

Sometimes it feels as though TVWriter™ has been enamored with Doctor Who since even before most of us here were born, and the love affair has become even stronger with the almost-imminent advent of Jody Whittaker as the newest Doctor.

Which is why we were delighted to run across the following morsel of ultra cool news:

Courier News, Blair Dingwall story. CR0001110 An Abertay student has recreated a working K9 (from Doctor Who) robot for his coursework and took to the streets of Dundee with the robot. Pic shows; Abertay University student, Gary Taylor with K9. Tuesday, 8th May, 2018. read article

Cartoon: ‘The Nine Rs’

Grant Snider is back to reveal what to this TVWriter™ minion could well be the True Secret of Life:

Or to put it the way our Beloved Leader LB would: The ultimate sign of achievement is to be asked to do your thing, whatever it is, again…and again…and again. read article

Peggy Bechko on Writing: The End Goal of Writing Goals

by Peggy Bechko

Writing goals.

The very idea causes many (or is that most?) writers to shudder. Doesn’t matter if you’ve taken on some kind of ‘contest’ challenge to get a fixed number of words down on a page or if your goal is to just find the time to sit yourself down and get some writing done. read article