Good evening, writers! So I'm sick at home with strep throat, but I'm still posting. Want to know why? Because I love you all! So there, feel loved.
Today's topic is TV scripts--more specifically, a pilot. In my Creative Writing class, my assignment was to write up a pilot (first episode) for my very own TV show. I created the plot, the setting, the characters, everything. Just like a novel. However, what makes it different from a novel is the format.
1. Length - Usually it goes about a page a minute, so an hour show would be about 45 pages (since you have to include commercial time). A half an hour show would be about 20 pages (again, leaving time for commercials).
2. Format - The first page of your script is often a title page, consisting of the title of the television show and your name, in a large font (the most popular for TV scripts being Courier). The next page will include a short summary of your story, comparable to what you would find on the inside flap of a hardcover book. The third page will be for brief character descriptions.
3. Characters - Don't have more than 4 or 5--though 5 is stretching it--main characters. It keeps things more simple with less main characters. I generally follow this rule with novels, too. You shouldn't really include physical description unless they have an important feature, like a distinguishable scar, etc.
4. Description - One main difference between novels and scripts is that scripts aren't very descriptive. The scripts don't usually have a lot of description except for the basics. If you're describing a room for the first time, you can simply say, "INT TYLER's KITCHEN - A small, cluttered kitchen with a table, a stove, and not much else." A short, quick description. Remember, the director will work with the script, so it's not really your job to describe everything. While novels should be very descriptive, scripts should be open to the imagination of the director. F
5. Direction and Transitions - Include transitions like "FADE IN" or "FADE OUT" when beginning or ending a scene to describe the lighting/camera. Just include a simple tag. It's not your job to direct the cameras precisely, remember. For direction, again, make it simple and short. You don't have to use adverbs, you don't have to describe it. It's pure "tell," a main opposite from novel writing.
A lot of things you've learned from writing your novel can be put to use here, like character making, but certain things, like "Tell, don't show" are vital to making a true television script. Happy writing!
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at penelopepaige@rocketmail.com. Time to go sharpen that pencil...
Question: Have you ever written a TV pilot before? If so, what are you experiences with it? If not, why?
I've written a script or two, and it's really hard to restrain myself from clearly describing the image I have in my head. Of course, any elaborate novel will have different interpretations for each reader, so either way you can't have complete control of what the public sees just by writing. Unless the writer is also the director, anyway.
ReplyDelete