By: Sarah Chaisson-Warner
Television has entered its newest golden age with prestige drama shows like “Euphoria”, “The Pitt”, “Severance”, “The Testaments” and more. At the same time, comedy is making a comeback with shows like “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” and sci-fi and fantasy television programs like “House of the Dragon” continue to dazzle audiences.
What do TV executives look for when evaluating a pilot, particularly from an emerging writer? Here are ten things executives routinely consider:
A CLEAR HOOK
The hook is what grabs the audience right away, and gives them a reason to watch. There are several types of hooks – some hooks are character-based, others are action-based. For example, “The Bear” (starring Jeremy Allen White) utilized a character-based hook, introducing audiences to Carmie, a brilliant but tortured chef returning to his hometown to take over a restaurant after his brother’s death.
“Succession” uses an action-based hook, introducing the audience to the Roy family’s patriarch as he considers who will be the successor to his media empire.
Some hooks are world-based, where the audience is drawn into a new and unique world – think the new HBO series “Harry Potter” where the world of wizardry and the children’s school Hogwarts serves as the hook.
Regardless of the type of hook you use, be sure to introduce your hook early and in a compelling manner. The hook should make the TV executive want to turn the page and know more about the story you’re telling.
UNIVERSAL THEMES
When a TV Executive says to you – “So, what’s your tv show about?” – they aren’t asking for a summary of the plot. What they’re really asking is – what are the predominant themes in your pilot and how will they resonate with audiences?
Instead of telling the executive, “Well, this show is about three sisters who go on a road trip through the Southwest to find their long-lost brother” what they are really looking for is something more along the lines of, “The show is about the bonds of sisterhood, and how far family will go to protect one another.” Themes that are universal in nature often help the audience create an emotional connection with the characters and their journeys.
THOUGHTFUL WORLD-BUILDING
Building authentic and compelling worlds is key to any television show – regardless of whether your show is based in a contemporary rural town in Utah or during the reign of King Henry VIII in sixteenth century England. Some of the most obvious examples of world-building can be seen in period pieces, sci-fi, and fantasy scripts – including “The Last of Us” and “Peaky Blinders.” But don’t let that fool you – world building is necessary for every script, and even successful contemporary television shows like “The Pitt” take great care to create the setting in which the characters work, struggle, and thrive.
World-building can be tricky – too much descriptive content in the pilot can slow down the read, but too little can leave the reader unclear of the context in which the characters are operating.
Remember too that world-building is more than just what a world looks like. Successful world-building could also include how things sound, smell, and feel as well as the rules that govern this particular world and how your characters move through it.
A WORTHY PROTAGONIST
A protagonist worth watching is one of the most important things a TV Executive looks for in a pilot. What makes your protagonist interesting and special? What are their strengths and what is their fatal flaw? What does your protagonist truly want, and what is in their way? Demonstrating the answers to these questions in your pilot can help demonstrate an elevated protagonist worth watching. (Looking for more questions to consider when creating a solid protagonist? Read our “8 Questions to Ask Your Protagonist” article here.)
As you build your protagonist, it’s easy to confuse likeability with worthiness, but some of the most interesting protagonists are the ones whose likeability is often compromised. Consider Jason Bateman and Laura Linney’s characters in “Ozark” – they often make questionable choices based on their own selfish desires, but we root for them, regardless.
A COMPELLING ANTAGONIST
Just as important as the protagonist is a compelling antagonist. A complex, interesting antagonist is necessary for creating conflict – the harder it is to defeat the antagonist, the more rewarding the victory is for the protagonist. The same questions you ask yourself about your protagonist also apply to the antagonist – what makes them interesting and special? What redeeming qualities might there be within your antagonist, and how might your audience even identify with parts of them?
Remember as well that the antagonist isn’t always a person – sometimes, it’s a thing. Often, “circumstance-based antagonists” represent existential threats that keep the protagonist from meeting their goals. “Lost” is an excellent example of this – while each of the characters may play antagonist to one another in pursuit of their specific goals, the island itself – and the strange experience they take on together to preserve their survival – is the show’s main antagonist.
THE SERIES “ENGINE”
What keeps the series moving forward, beyond the first episode? This is your series “engine” and it’s one of the most important things an executive considers when evaluating a potential new show. An engine can come in several different forms – a procedural show features a high-stakes conflict that typically resolves itself within the same episode. Think “Law and Order” type shows.
Ensemble-type shows power a series engine by bringing together several different characters (often with different personalities and backgrounds) which provides a lot of opportunity for ongoing and new conflict. Think HBO’s sleeper hit, “Industry.” Power-struggle types of shows fuel the engine with ongoing, complex conflicts between a series of characters. Think “Shameless” types of shows.
Last, anthology-type shows rely on consistent themes to weave together individual episodes with distinct plotlines and non-renewing characters as its engine. “Soulmates” on Netflix centers around the theme of enduring and everlasting love, and each episode features a new take or twist on the concept of soulmates, tied together by one major feature – each character has taken a soulmate test matching them with their perfect person.
APPROPRIATE BUDGET
A good television pilot often doesn’t need to rely on expensive shots or significant special effects to make an impression on the viewer. Frankly, a lot of network executives will be hesitant to commit to a high-budget show from a newer writer. Most television pilots from emerging writers that are actually greenlit move forward with a modest budget.
A solid line producer can help you get a sense of how much your pilot will cost to shoot, and even offer a few tips for cutting back the budget with some scene and plot shifts. Bringing the most budget-friendly version of your pilot to the executive demonstrates you’re not only thinking creatively, but about the bottom line as well.
ATTACHED TALENT
This can sometimes be the hardest part for an emerging writer to accomplish – attaching talent to your script. But if you can get actors, producers, or directors excited about your script, that can go a long way with television executives. What’s the best way of going about attaching talent? Past Short Film Fund winner and TV Director Nora Kirkpatrick suggests this:
“For me, it’s always been about working with my friends. I have aimed to cultivate a great group of actors—and if you have strong material for them—nothing is better than working with people you love. I would say ask your friends, ask the friends of your friends, and then ask them to ask their friends. It can also be a reciprocal effort, they will do you a favor and then you can work for them on something down the line.”
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
All new television shows must be able to demonstrate that they can turn a profit. Part of this relies on the script utilizing a sensible budget (to the points above), but it also requires an ability to sell the show to networks and to entice advertisers. Network executives will consider the script’s appeal, who the target demographic is for the show, and international licensing potential. They may also consider recent comps and how well they have performed, and rely on historical viewing data.
A lot of executives have a demonstrated interest in content built from Intellectual Property (IP.) IP is “a work or invention that is the result of creativity, such as a manuscript or a design, to which one has rights and for which one may apply for a patent, copyright, trademark, etc.” When a pilot comes across their desk that is based in IP, they can see the potential success of the show based on a correlation to the number of books sold in the US and around the world, or the popularity of a particular character created for a YouTube channel. This gives them a certain level of confidence that their film will also see success in its release. (Want to know more about creating your own IP? Click here.)
A COMMITMENT TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS
Some people will tell you that if your script isn’t formatted to industry standards or has typos it won’t be counted against you, so long as the story is good. That might be true for experienced writers who are already well-known in the industry, but for new writers, every word and every page counts.
Execs are reading hundreds of scripts a year – and poor formatting on page one can give the reader an early impression that you’re a novice. Demonstrating your knowledge of industry standards – including formatting, grammar, and spelling – shows that you’re a professional who deserves to be taken seriously.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Does your TV pilot have what it takes to garner industry attention? Consider entering it into our TV Pilot Mentorship Program! Break into TV writing faster with the Shore Scripts TV Writer Mentorship Program—an exclusive opportunity designed to help you get staffed or sell your pilot. This isn’t a typical contest. It’s a career-launching experience that gives you direct access to the people who actually hire TV writers. Six writers will be selected for this 8-week intensive mentorship, where you’ll:
Learn directly from top industry professionals
Get insider access to how hit shows are made
Build real connections with decision-makers
You’ll work with: showrunners from BRIDGERTON and ARROW, development executives at Universal Pictures, plus top agents, managers, and more. Final Deadline is June 29th!
