Pilots, The Internet and You...

Kay Reindl - she of Seriocity blog infamy - has a new post up on the pilots being put forward to production, genre, and network branding. You should go read it first. I'll wait.)

(Reads comics from Boom Studios, takes cold meds, masturbates)

Okay - great. Now you've read it. It's a long post that covers a lot of subjects about that multi-billion dollar entity we call Television. But in the interest of giving you "news you can use" let's focus on just a couple of things - namely pilots and branding - and how they can relate to your use of the internet:

Kay writes:

But let's look at it in all seriousness. Masterwork, for example, the Paul Scheuring pilot for Fox, which is about people who travel the world and collect artifacts. We pitch this show every year, and we're not the only ones. But if you're a Fox executive and Paul Scheuring and Jane Writer pitch the same idea, who do you buy it from? Jane, who's never gotten a pilot shot no matter how much staff experience she has, or Paul, who had a show on the air on your same network? The choice is clear. And the executives can't really be taken to task for that. It would be wonderful if the idea were the only thing that mattered, but that's not how it works. Of course a network's going to buy from people who've produced for them.

I can't find fault with any of her logic here - it's sound as a pound. You can't blame the networks for backing a horse with a proven record. So the point is - you have to have a record, a body of work to show what you do, and how well you can do it. These days, anyone can write a pilot script and try to sell it. The market is tough enough that the guy with the track record is going to sell his, even though the ideas are the same, and yours may even be better written.

Enter internet. Stage right.

The internet is your first job in the industry. It can be your network, marketing machine and production hub all in one. It is a place where you can show what you can do. You create shorts and serials and put them up on the web for all to see and marvel over... But you also back that up with spec scripts you've written for other shows. This aspect of your personal career growth and marketing strategy is going to be super important as more TeeVee folks cross back and forth across the web-o-sphere.

"Hmmm...Big name writer is going to create aweb serial for us. He's going to need a (small) writing staff to meet the deadline...wait, I know. I saw this guy's short on the web the other day. [click, click, click of the mouse] Yep, and he's a writer too. He'd be perfect - watch this. "

You have to invest in your career as if it were your business (because it is). As Kay puts it:

What's most interesting is that two of the ABC pilots -- V and Happy Town -- were written on spec. I don't know if Scott Peters has an ABC deal, but Applebaum and Nemec do, and they wrote their pilot on spec. Very interesting. There's something I like about networks buying spec material, and also about writers believing so much in their idea that they'll write a script to prove the veracity of said idea. It's also selfishness on my part. I'd rather write a pilot than pitch one. We'll see what happens with all of these pilots. I'm certainly looking forward to reading them.

If your goal is to be a TV showrunner - then write the show, produce it and put it up. It shows your writing skill, your producing skillset and your brand (what sort of stuff gets your creative wheels turning enough for you to invest in making it happen). And if TeeVee never comes calling, then at least you have something to work with in order to build your company, your brand, and explore other options.

Because as things change, there will be more options outside traditional media.

Writers Write...No Matter What

Our friend, Lee Goldberg has a wonderful profile on prolific western (and other genres) writer James Reasoner:

"At one point in my career, I had published more than eighty books, only one of which (TEXAS WIND) had my name on it. People used to ask me how I could write a book knowing that my name wouldn’t be on it, and my stock answer was “I don’t care if my name is on the book as long as it’s on the check.” Of course, that’s not exactly true now and wasn’t then. I’d love to be able to just write what I want, sell it, and have my name on it. But being able to keep writing, period, is more important to me."

People have asked me recently when they are going to see a new movie or TV or web show with my name on it, and my answer is generally the same as Reasoner's -- I'm too busy getting paid for my other writing!
And yes, it's sometimes disconcerting that other people are sometimes credited for my work, but that's part of what I get paid for - making it seem like it's the other guy's or company's work. And if the check clears - then I have no problem with my name not being on the cover (or the website, or email blast, or casewrap, or poster, or animation).

You either write or you don't. There is no try. There is no "I only write [insert medium here]"

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to quit procrasti-blogging and get over to writing.

Traditional Indies Tank Big...Honestly

Note that I say "traditional" in that headline...

It's been a hell of a year for some folks with whom I've consulted. A lot of employee slates have been wiped clean. The herd has been culled. (Insert another ugly "a lot of people lost their jobs" metaphor here)

I'm still here.

With you.

Working on 2009 and beyond.

This isn't a "I told you so!" post. I took some hits. Major kicks to the wallet. Went from small nest egg to yolk on the floor. But there is a reason I still have an apartment and shirts to wear, and a job to go to...and a strategy for the future.

It's because I was honest with myself and didn't lie to myself regarding any movie I've worked on. I didn't lie to myself and throw a lot of money at a film or a film company which I KNEW (or at least were told) had limited potential or appeal, hoping somehow the problems would go away. I was honest with myself, my clients and my colleagues.

I treated it like it should be treated - a business - respectfully.

Honesty goes a long way. It slices through double talk like a hot knife through butter. It gets you labeled as "difficult" or "demanding." It gets you exasperated sighs or awkward silences during meetings when you question the validity of a strategy...

But damned if it doesn't save your ass every now and then. Honesty allows you to keep working while other "cooperative, nice" sweethearts are shown the door.

So, if you want to give yourself a gift this year - give yourself some honesty.

Like herpes it's the gift that keeps on giving.

(I'm going to be quiet now because I have a webcomic to write this weekend)

Focus, Rogers, Focus....

CBR has a press piece on the launch of John Rogers' new show LEVERAGE:

Rogers’ career has taken him all over the place. He began as a writer, story editor and producer for Cosby. Since then, he has also written for NBC’s Eureka, served as executive producer for the science-fiction pilot Global Frequency and the crime-drama telefilm Red Skies. On the big screen, Rogers is widely known for his most recent success: writing the original screenplay for the blockbuster DreamWorks hit Transformers, starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox and Josh Duhamel, under director Michael Bay.

Rogers pulls from all of his work experiences to write and executive produce LEVERAGE alongside Producer Dean Devlin (Independence Day). As a former stand-up comic with a degree in Physics, Rogers uses subtle comedy, high-tech gadgetry, movie-like theatrics and superhero talents in each of his scripts for LEVERAGE. The up-and-coming ensemble cast, led by Academy Award® Winner, Timothy Hutton, brings Rogers’ words and storylines to life. This caper show follows a team of thieves, grifters and hackers who act as modern-day Robin Hoods, using their specialized talents to steal from the rich and give back to the regular guys. Much like the thrilling twists and turns found in Blue Beetle and Transformers, LEVERAGE offers high-octane energy with every heist!

Catch the premiere episode of LEVERAGE in December on TNT.

Speculations..

I was watching the documentary Dreams on Spec (which you can watch here if you are in the United States) which traces the lives of three spec screenwriters here in Los Angeles.

I haven't watched the whole thing but after ten minutes it appears pretty bleak for our three "heroes." It's painful to watch because you realize what sort of crap shoot the writing games is in Hollywood...

That is, how it used to be played.

All the time people ask me how I came to wrote the Scarecrow movies. I tell them that I only co-wrote them and I was in the right place at the right time with a good sample of my work. I knew enough to streamline a lot of the narrative (which amazingly got inserted back into the film anyway) and had enough production experience to make some script changes that enabled the film to be shot on its initial 10 day schedule.

If I hadn't already been close to the production or wasn't prepared with a script that people thought was a good read - I wouldn't be writing this post. And because there is so much chaff surrounding the good wholesome wheat of scripts here in Hollywood - I would be speccing with the rest.

Fortunately, I was invited (ordered, commanded?) to come up with more characters and stories my employers to exploit. I did so gleefully, accepting my checks for my creativity on top of my regular salary. I was hired by other production companies to rewrite scripts and concepts they had in development. I then wrote several short stories which were published...and so on.

But...

The crap shoot could just as easily gone the other way. They could have laughed at me and said,"Hell No," and I could have been stamped, "Denied."

And where the hell would I be?

Exactly. Same place two of the guys in the documentary are - unproduced (A word which has this stench of failure stuck to its shoes that gets all over the carpet).

My advice? Treat your writing and filmmaking career like any other bit of employment. You have to build it. You have to build your work experience and your field of contacts. You have to get good by doing it every day. You have to kiss that Better Idea right on the mouth, and take her advice when she tells you to take out the trash in your story.

And thankfuly the web is right here to help you do that.