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This is a definitive guide on how to write and, more importantly, sell scripts for situation comedies. It provides tips on character development, sub-plots, manuscript formats and comedy and timing.
Sitcoms have never been hotter in Hollywood, and the demand for writers has never been greater. With fees starting at $16,000 for a half-hour script, sitcoms can be a lucrative option for freelancers. The hundreds of shows produced every year, each of which needs a team of writers, provide a tremendous opportunity to break into the industry. But successful sitcom writing begins long before Act I, Scene I. Hollywood insider Jurgen Wolff will start you off right. He'll show you why some ideas are promising and some should be rejected immediately, even when they're funny. You'll learn how to analyze and develop characters. And you'll find out how the pros punch up their work with subplots, physical comedy, and timing. The technical ins and outs of the sitcom format are also explained, including act structure, subplots, sets, entrances, and exits. You'll learn the manuscript formats the networks use, so your work will look as professional as it reads. And you'll get solid advice on how to find an agent, take a pitch meeting, and land your script on a producer's desk-- even if you don't live in Los Angeles. Novice and veteran sitcom writers alike keep Jurgen Wolff's book handy. Read it, and you'll see why.
Describes the writing method called premise-driven comedy, examines how comedy affects character development and story structure, discusses guidelines on script layouts, and offers advice on establishing a career
Veteran television writer/producer Jerry Rannow gives aspiring and experienced comedy writers a humorous and eye-opening guide to conceiving, writing, and marketing a winning TV sitcom. Drawing on more than twenty-five years' experience, he tells how to construct a story outline, structure and format scripts, develop character and dialogue, pitch to producers, collaborate with other writers, and work with network and studio executives, producers, directors, agents, writers, and stars. Full of laughs and profitable tips for making a living in the business, this book is an invaluable tool for any writer who wants to break into TV comedy. Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.
SUCCESSFUL SCRIPTWRITING Let's start with "The End." The credits roll - we see "Screenplay by ..." and there's your name. The show's a hit! It's Emmy/Oscar night, and you're seated up front. The nominations are revealed; your name is called. Your acceptance speech is memorable, an inspiration to the new writers "breaking in." Variety says your "future looks very bright." Hooray for Hollywood! But how did you get here? With talent, determination, and the help of this comprehensive guide, you'll have the wherewithal to move your dream from your mind onto the page and to succeed in this fiercely competitive, highly selective field. Starting with a basic course in scriptwriting, Jurgen Wolff and Kerry Cox teach you the fundamental skills of writing the feature film script, from original idea to finished screenplay. Then you'll learn how to apply your new-found skills to every type of television and film script: movies-of-the week, episodic television, situation comedies and soap operas. You'll also find helpful insight from the greats in the business, like Colin Higgins (Harold and Maude, Foul Play, 9 to 5), Larry Gelbart (Oh, God!, Tootsie, "M*A*S*H"), William Bickley ("Perfect Strangers," "Happy Days"), and Steven Bochco ("Doogie Howser, M.D.," "L.A. Law"). And you'll find answers to these essential questions: • What fundamental skills and essential ingredients do I need to write a feature film script? • By what criteria do producers and studios evaluate scripts or ideas presented to them? • When should I write an outline or a treatment for my script, and what are the formats? • How do I go about protecting my work? • Is there a cut-and-dried technique for pitching my ideas? Every part of this book reflects the needs and realities of today's TV and film industry, providing you with insight as well as practical knowledge. With this book as your guide, you can start at the beginning and follow a well-defined path to successful scriptwriting.
Almost every writer, whether professional or beginner, has thought of a good sitcom idea at one time or another, but fleshing that idea out is a long and complicated process of character development, plotting, dialogue writing and rewriting and then putting the whole package together in a way that will attract producers. In this book, successful sitcom writers John Byrne and Marcus Powell break that process down into a series of easy to follow steps. With chapters devoted to concept, characters and plot through to proposals, commissioning and production, Writing Sitcoms covers every aspect needed for success in the UK.
The industry speaks out about SUCCESSFUL TELEVISION WRITING "Where was this book when I was starting out? A fantastic, fun, informative guide to breaking into?and more importantly, staying in?the TV writing game from the guys who taught me how to play it." --Terence Winter, Coexecutive Producer, The Sopranos "Goldberg and Rabkin write not only with clarity and wit but also with the authority gleaned from their years of slogging through Hollywood?s trenches. Here is a must-read for new writers and established practitioners whose imagination could use a booster shot." --Professor Richard Walter, Screenwriting Chairman, UCLA Department of Film and TV "Not since William Goldman?s Adventures in the Screen Trade has there been a book this revealing, funny, and informative about The Industry. Reading this book is like having a good, long lunch with your two best friends in the TV business." --Janet Evanovich "With sharp wit and painful honesty, Goldberg and Rabkin offer the truest account yet of working in the TV business. Accept no substitutes!" --Jeffrey B. Hodes and Nastaran Dibai, Coexecutive Producers, Third Rock from the Sun "Should be required reading for all aspiring television writers." --Howard Gordon, Executive Producer, 24 and The X-Files
The craft of sitcom is possibly the hardest of all screenwriting genres, demanding a complex set of skills. How NOT to Write a Sitcom is a troubleshooting guide aimed at both the novice and the practising sitcom writer. It illustrates and explains the many pitfalls in concept, characterisation, plotting and dramatic/comedic writing,which pepper the hundreds of scripts submitted every year. Each point is illustrated with an example of the error and each section contains practical suggestions and exercises for the writer to apply to their own writing. The book makes no assumption of the reader other than an interest in the form. It contains interviews with current producers as well as interviews with successful practioners of the craft. Marc Blake is a script consultant, writer and teacher of writing for sitcom. In this book he acts as a `script mechanic' for writers - stripping a sitcom down to its component parts, isolating the faults and fixing them. What script editors and producers are looking for are scripts that work. Naturally they want a genius in embryo, but above all they first want to see something that is roadworthy.
Why is TV writing different from any other kind of writing? How will writing a spec script open doors? What do I have to do to get a job writing for TV? Writing for television is a business. And, like any business, there are proven strategies for success. In this unique hands-on guide, television writer and producer Ellen Sandler shares the trade secrets she learned while writing for hit shows like Everybody Loves Raymond and Coach. She offers concrete advice on everything from finding a story to getting hired on a current series. Filled with easy-to-implement exercises and practical wisdom, this ingenious how-to handbook outlines the steps for becoming a professional TV writer, starting with a winning script. Sandler explains the difference between “selling” and “telling,” form and formula, theme and plot. Discover: • A technique for breaking down a show style so you’re as close to being in the writing room as you can get without actually having a job there • The 3 elements for that essential Concept Line that you must have in order to create a story with passion and consequence • Mining the 7 Deadly Sins for fresh and original story lines • Sample scripts from hit shows • In-depth graphs, script breakdown charts, vital checkpoints along the way, and much, much more!