tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post5052232145434872901..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: What scripts do you need to get an assignment or representation?By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4539091992972548012012-04-17T10:37:57.913-07:002012-04-17T10:37:57.913-07:00If your show is going to make use of an actual cit...If your show is going to make use of an actual city, especially if it's a single-camera show with lots of exteriors, then for God's sake at least make an effort to make it LOOK like the city you're representing. You run the risk of alienating viewers if your show is set in, say, the Midwest, yet the San Gabriel Mountains are all over the background. <br /><br />I'm from the San Francisco area so MONK was a sticking point for me. I wanted to grab the producers and shake them and tell them that San Francisco does NOT have blue flag-style street signs like LA does, nor do the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train stations look like Grand Central Station with freight trains running through them (I'm looking at you, MONK finale).<br /><br />More recently, the new ALCATRAZ show is set in the Bay Area. They try to utilize the names of actual Bay Area suburbs, but of course they look nothing like the real thing.<br /><br />Granted, people unfamiliar with actual cities and areas used in TV shows won't care, but believe me, the people who ARE familiar WILL notice these things.rogernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51690617183190684142012-04-16T12:23:33.775-07:002012-04-16T12:23:33.775-07:00Or perhaps "3D House of Beef" to
steal f...Or perhaps "3D House of Beef" to<br />steal from SCTV.chuckcdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89690757787840423872012-04-16T12:16:01.499-07:002012-04-16T12:16:01.499-07:00I loved the occasional regional errors on Frasier....I loved the occasional regional errors on Frasier.<br />Guards checking fruit on the border with Oregon? Ice fishing in Washington? That view out the window?<br />Great show.Walthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00928271919273796598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2644917150352857632012-04-14T21:05:21.584-07:002012-04-14T21:05:21.584-07:00I am disappointed with your reference to White Ca...I am disappointed with your reference to White Castle as a popular East Coast franchise. It is a midwestern franchise. I didn't even know they were on the East Coast. Even if they're there now, it still isn't any kind of institution, IMO. I am 60 years old, in Chicago, and my parents went to White Castle, in high school, in Chicago. So..... a reference to White Castle as an East Coast franchise would have me saying to the TV, "you should have looked that up." Unless there's a different White Castle and then, well, never mind.MyNameIsJannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70307222760216422152012-04-14T13:50:21.975-07:002012-04-14T13:50:21.975-07:00Well, Norm Peterson did eat quite often at the Hun...Well, Norm Peterson did eat quite often at the Hungry Heifer.Don K.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19867082102701828872012-04-14T02:48:28.500-07:002012-04-14T02:48:28.500-07:00I was just thinking, an alternative would be to sp...I was just thinking, an alternative would be to spell the joke out in the place name. So instead of "White Castle" (which no-one outside of the US really knows) you could have, "Bob's Bargain Burgers" or "The Grease Hut" or "Mystery Meat Palace".<br /><br />Not as funny, perhaps, but you communicate the same message: The character isn't afraid to eat crap.Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62577657987284662352012-04-13T18:03:37.939-07:002012-04-13T18:03:37.939-07:00Thanks, Ken! Appreciated... I guess I sort of figu...Thanks, Ken! Appreciated... I guess I sort of figured that, but at least you put value in the pilot. Thanks again.<br /><br />And for those keeping score, back in the origin of AOL when I had to pick a screen name, "Damian" was taken so I added "1342" the area code of my home town, so my Aunt who was the only person I knew who had email at the time could remember it easily.Damian1342http://damianglover.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-50297815598763406172012-04-13T14:27:12.144-07:002012-04-13T14:27:12.144-07:00I'd take a guess that she possibly thought his...I'd take a guess that she possibly thought his character was too similar to hers, so he was getting lines that she might deliver. Of course I'm sure she SAID it was because he didn't fit the tone of the show, or something like that.<br /><br />I'd love to hear Ken's answer, though.Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80344150989039662072012-04-13T10:41:27.827-07:002012-04-13T10:41:27.827-07:00In case there's any misunderstanding, Shelly L...In case there's any misunderstanding, Shelly Long lobbied to get him written off of Cheers, not Frasier, though I did read about it in the Frasier Wikipedia entry.Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21330005150129427502012-04-13T10:37:40.884-07:002012-04-13T10:37:40.884-07:00I was reading the Wikipedia entry on Frasier the o...I was reading the Wikipedia entry on Frasier the other day, and it said Shelly Long disliked the Frasier Crane character (though not necessarily the actor who played him), and lobbied to get him written off the show. Assuming this is true (it's Wikipedia, after all), do you have any idea what her objections were?Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52975501736711241602012-04-13T09:13:05.744-07:002012-04-13T09:13:05.744-07:00As Ken said, I don’t think Frasier Crane was conce...As Ken said, I don’t think Frasier Crane was conceived with Charles Winchester in mind. But as the character rounded out, the similarities were evident enough that David Ogden Stiers was cast as the possible biological father of Frasier and Niles.<br /> <br />It’s an episode that always touched me, with sensitive writing and acting all around, particularly the climax scene with Stiers and John Mahoney.chalmersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87090583436025079282012-04-13T09:08:52.285-07:002012-04-13T09:08:52.285-07:00Ken, do you like watching your tv shows?
I never...Ken, do you like watching your tv shows? <br /><br />I never get tired of Cheers and Frasier, but some movie stars supposedly won't ever watch their stuff. Do you see the episode as just an episode, or do you revisit all the stuff that went into making it: the rewrites, the production problems, the broken air conditioning during filming....Max Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706524941272103444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48770545124833362122012-04-13T08:05:13.796-07:002012-04-13T08:05:13.796-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.RCPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251247613686669877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18629845933596823472012-04-13T07:57:49.942-07:002012-04-13T07:57:49.942-07:00The "White Castle" bit got me thinking.....The "White Castle" bit got me thinking... I'm doing translations for a living. The global TV landscape is certainly somewhat dominated by American shows (and of course movies too). My guess is that, while you do write so that an American audience gets it (and not just 10 locals), you generally do not write with the expectation in mind that your show might be airing in other countries. Case in point, probably ten people outside the US have an idea what "White Castle" is, and you can bet a translator will be very much tempted to simply replace that with "McDonald's" (which everyone on the planet knows). What's your take on the "global audience" angle, and how do you feel about such translations that essentially rewrite your creative work? Would you prefer to have elements left intact at the risk of people not getting it, or are you okay with reworks that remove your original idea but at least put some suitable ersatz in its place in order to still appeal to a different locale?Markusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27869887726133777002012-04-13T07:46:06.846-07:002012-04-13T07:46:06.846-07:00I will try it again: Ken, what do you think about ...I will try it again: Ken, what do you think about Cougar Town? Don't you think it's just about some middle aged bored rich people who desperately try to kill some time? And we are trapped with them...nairam_tdlowneorghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05011866634217431951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55566284538221418432012-04-13T07:32:33.634-07:002012-04-13T07:32:33.634-07:00Ray Barrington said...
"Frazier, of course,...<b>Ray Barrington said...</b><br /> <br /><i>"Frazier, of course, was set at a radio station (just reminding you in case you have jet lag). Do shows that mention radio stations have a list of "fake" call letters they can use, like the 555- telephone exchange? (I remember reading an independent TV station started using WKRP long after the show went to syndication.)"</i> <br /><br />In the case of FRASIER, I think it was fairly obvious to anyone familiar with who was running the show that the last three call letters for the station (KACL) were the initials of the three executive producers, David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee.Tom Quigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12959628996361620134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91917396840729717892012-04-13T07:13:25.118-07:002012-04-13T07:13:25.118-07:00Hi Ken, you mentioned that there are some TV criti...Hi Ken, you mentioned that there are some TV critics you like. <br />With a trillion websites doing recaps & critiques, whose voice cuts through the clutter for you?<br /><br />(also, i swear that the squiggly word code that i have to type in before leaving a comment says "Rancho Bathsalts".<br />THAT will be the name of my first pilot).Jarrell Mchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07670528976238895431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9456181643071325722012-04-13T07:04:35.992-07:002012-04-13T07:04:35.992-07:00I saw an episode of "Townies" when it fi...I saw an episode of "Townies" when it first aired, and I distinctly remember seeing Jenna Elfman for the first time and thinking "who is this person because she is going to be famous someday" Of course, "Townies" didn't make it, but Jenna has since had a great career. Were there any actors or actresses you've worked with for the first time whom you had the same kind of reaction?Jenna's fannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9547015881590508452012-04-13T07:02:13.761-07:002012-04-13T07:02:13.761-07:00F.Q. What are the pros and cons of screenplay cove...F.Q. What are the pros and cons of screenplay coverage? Recommended?liggienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45932926199155026132012-04-13T06:57:35.011-07:002012-04-13T06:57:35.011-07:00I would actually guess that Damian1342 chose that ...I would actually guess that Damian1342 chose that name because he was born in 1342. That's another common strategy for distinguishing yourself.Mitchell Hundrednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86256817087449760512012-04-13T06:45:57.950-07:002012-04-13T06:45:57.950-07:00RE: Pawnee, Indiana. As a Hoosier (grew up here, l...RE: Pawnee, Indiana. As a Hoosier (grew up here, lived far away for years, returned a few years ago), I can tell you that Pawnee is nothing like Indiana or any small town I've ever been to. I love Parks and Recreation, but the setting is totally absurd.<br /><br />So again, nothing about Pawnee is remotely like Indiana. Except our bad hair. And our fascination with waffles. And with tiny horses. But that's it.Redheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10453706087802625732012-04-13T06:44:20.598-07:002012-04-13T06:44:20.598-07:00Frazier, of course, was set at a radio station (ju...Frazier, of course, was set at a radio station (just reminding you in case you have jet lag). Do shows that mention radio stations have a list of "fake" call letters they can use, like the 555- telephone exchange? (I remember reading an independent TV station started using WKRP long after the show went to syndication.)Rays profilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13375762252351537791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19172640268151212792012-04-13T06:30:53.991-07:002012-04-13T06:30:53.991-07:00Oh and I just remembered:
Detlef Schrempf (GERMAN...Oh and I just remembered:<br /><br />Detlef Schrempf (GERMAN! HA!) was on Frasier AND he's been on Parcs & Rec several times now.<br /><br />I understood why he was on Frasier (being on the Sonics NBA franchise team when the show was on the air) but who is he sleeping with that they put him on Parks & Rec?<br /><br />Or are the Pacers the connection, being from Indiana like Pawnee?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01936042470523695383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28665514442795856392012-04-13T06:26:17.909-07:002012-04-13T06:26:17.909-07:00That "writing sample" bit had me LOLing ...That "writing sample" bit had me LOLing so loud my neighbours knocked on the wall...<br /><br />Hilarious kid. Hire him! :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01936042470523695383noreply@blogger.com