tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post1301025993264615864..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: What not to do when writing a pilotBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9128436924074268092017-04-15T07:37:57.986-07:002017-04-15T07:37:57.986-07:00I used to watch MASH when I was 10! (Currently hum...I used to watch MASH when I was 10! (Currently humming the song in my head) Ha-ha. It was one of my favorite shows. <br /> A production company in England is currently reading a pilot/TV bible I wrote. I've been tempted to write beyond the pilot episode (first season) but would that be silly? Any advice is appreciated. <br /><br />Thanks, <br />ReesaReesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04562315502399611316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83478881552476529262011-02-22T12:32:51.841-08:002011-02-22T12:32:51.841-08:00Thanks for continuing to write the most useful blo...Thanks for continuing to write the most useful blog around - both wit and wisdom in abundanceUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10145859746416528120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57722956026124605342011-02-19T00:14:40.729-08:002011-02-19T00:14:40.729-08:00I was actually in a focus group (don't hurt me...I was actually in a focus group (don't hurt me!) for the show that premiered this week "Mad Love." It was called something else and had Minka Kelly and Lizzie Caplan in the female roles. It was interesting to see essentially the same script I remembered but with different actors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24170937273249015752011-02-18T03:55:00.212-08:002011-02-18T03:55:00.212-08:00I also hate spunk.I also hate spunk.Jenna Jamesonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66344189619341519742011-02-18T00:28:27.430-08:002011-02-18T00:28:27.430-08:00Thanks for the tips and information.Thanks for the tips and information.analeehttp://www.moviesonzone.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-50334349517640842672011-02-17T23:35:28.643-08:002011-02-17T23:35:28.643-08:00I actually liked Sam much better in the early year...I actually liked Sam much better in the early years of Cheers, before he was dumbed down. Sam may not have been an intellectual, but he was street smart. Later, they made him so dumb that he couldn't even run his own bar (a job he previously did) and had to hire Rebecca to manage for him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61610889624767298012011-02-17T20:55:32.551-08:002011-02-17T20:55:32.551-08:00te: I saw Paul Haggis' 2-hour pilot for EZ Str...te: I saw Paul Haggis' 2-hour pilot for <i>EZ Streets</i> when it was first broadcast, around 1996. That was an extremely vivid piece of work. Too bad CBS didn't give the series a fair chance.gottacooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48233193342904506542011-02-17T19:55:53.216-08:002011-02-17T19:55:53.216-08:00Thanks to gottacook for refreshing my 30 year old ...Thanks to gottacook for refreshing my 30 year old memory of Hill Street Blues. Be careful out there...Phillip Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08498595633633248863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73494741947381435642011-02-17T19:29:03.239-08:002011-02-17T19:29:03.239-08:00Best pilot I ever saw -- full, movie length, too, ...Best pilot I ever saw -- full, movie length, too, giving him time to establish the two key characters (three if you count Diefenbaker) -- was "Due South," written by the series' creator, Paul Haggis. I don't think he's equaled his work on that series yet.<br /><br />And yeah; that "spunk" exchange nailed the Mary Tyler Moore Show as one I was going to keep watching.tenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49472694307073437522011-02-17T19:21:34.162-08:002011-02-17T19:21:34.162-08:00The 20 minutes length of comedies is more resonsib...The 20 minutes length of comedies is more resonsibe for the decline of the genre than anything.Ger Apeldoornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03633862833036214748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24110899688821417982011-02-17T16:40:25.803-08:002011-02-17T16:40:25.803-08:00well, if there's one thing mitch hurwitz knows...well, if there's one thing mitch hurwitz knows about, it's how to get a show cancelled. he's had more than just about anyone i can think of. yet, he gets 3 new pilots every year, and they all die a quick death. what a country.danny woodheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01978449325892399796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34432464874498287292011-02-17T16:36:15.643-08:002011-02-17T16:36:15.643-08:00The pilot for Cheers is outstanding. It covers so ...The pilot for Cheers is outstanding. It covers so many bases with such ease and wit, it's like watching great dancing. <br /><br />It's also easy to see what Ted Danson meant when he said Shelley Long was the reason for his success in the first couple of seasons. He didn't know how to play Sam Malone, I think he told Terry Gross on Fresh air, but Shelley was Diane Chambers from the start. In the pilot, Sam Malone is stylish and graceful and bright -not yet the ex-jock. <br /><br />My favorite line in the Cheers pilot is also Coach.<br /><br />Diane: Excuse me, where is your bathroom?<br /><br />Coach: Uh, next to my bedroom.<br /><br /><br />The pilot for Monk was also great. Within ten minutes, we know we're watching a kind of detective show nobody has ever done.Max Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706524941272103444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8744568142022852062011-02-17T14:28:05.072-08:002011-02-17T14:28:05.072-08:00The first episodes of Mary Tyler Moore and Lou Gra...The first episodes of <i>Mary Tyler Moore</i> and <i>Lou Grant</i> (and the 1985-86 <i>Mary</i> as well) are structured around applying for and starting a new job. Of course not every pilot can do this, but it's a simple and straightforward structure that also allows wonderful, <i>brief</i>, character-revealing dialogue such as at the end of Mary's job interview (Lou: "Y'know, you've got spunk"--Mary preens--"I HATE spunk!")<br /><br />Phillip B: It was actually two characters, Hill and Renko, who were killed in the <i>Hill Street</i> pilot; after the series sold, it was decided to keep them alive, and I believe that when the pilot was broadcast as the first episode in early '81, a few scenes were reshot to accommodate this turn in the story. Either way, a great pilot episode.gottacooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-11038874977535356682011-02-17T14:21:34.735-08:002011-02-17T14:21:34.735-08:00No luck googeling "Pilots" (although it ...No luck googeling "Pilots" (although it did get me some nice pictures) so thanks for the tip, will check them out! <br />Getting on to watch Cedar Rapids now, hope it's worth it.Linnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04556977350246803389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43282961370454202002011-02-17T14:02:23.482-08:002011-02-17T14:02:23.482-08:00My question is the same as Warren's. I've...My question is the same as Warren's. I've been working on a pilot since the start of October, fleshing out characters for a while before starting the script.Danielle Solzmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10273354313459326114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12469239704303126962011-02-17T12:32:28.950-08:002011-02-17T12:32:28.950-08:00I'd be mighty proud to have a cancellation lik...I'd be mighty proud to have a cancellation like "Arrested Development" on my CV. One of the best sitcoms of the decade.Macnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65430996507259381032011-02-17T12:23:15.348-08:002011-02-17T12:23:15.348-08:00Hi Ken, a related Friday question:
When writing a...Hi Ken, a related Friday question:<br /><br />When writing a pilot script, do you give a quick description of a main character the first time we meet him/her -- their appearance, quirks, etc? <br /><br />And if so, how do you do it in only a line or two?<br /><br />Thanks!Warren Znoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-617111674881186462011-02-17T12:15:00.811-08:002011-02-17T12:15:00.811-08:00I like the story of Party Down. HBO didn't &qu...I like the story of Party Down. HBO didn't "get" their show, so they shot their own pilot at someone's home. With YouTube showing so much these days, I wouldn't be surprised if more and more people take this route.Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46935628165646832062011-02-17T11:38:49.141-08:002011-02-17T11:38:49.141-08:00A great many fans are anxious to go back and see t...A great many fans are anxious to go back and see the pilots of their favorite shows, for the same reasons the network execs want to see it - the premise, characters and tone are really interesting to see and compare to what came later. <br /><br />There are lots of pilot episodes floating around on the web, and I especially enjoyed the short era when the TRIO network showed a series of failed pilots.<br /><br />Some of my favorites in terms of changes -- mostly in tone -- are: <br /><br />"The Beverly Hillbillies" - in the pilot the bone crushing poverty of hillbilly life evoked real pathos. Only later was Jed Clampett cast adrift in a world of corn pone surrealism. <br /><br />"Fantasy Island" - in the pilot Mr. Roarke really is the devil and offers his guests an opportunity which may also be a trap. One of them winds up carried off the island in a straight jacket without so much as a lovely parting gift. <br /><br />"Hill Street Blues" - a lead character was killed in the pilot, which served as the first episode of the series. The next week, of course, he magically came back to life. <br /><br />"The Dick Van Dyke Show" - is often cited and shown. Somehow Carl Reiner came to the understanding that he would not be a sitcom star, and recasting was particularly bad news for Morty Gunty - who somehow morphed into Morey Amsterdam. <br /><br />"Angie" - never seen the pilot, but have read that it took almost 4 years to get the series on the air after it was completed. <br /><br />Pilots seem especially intriguing when they are not aired, and I've heard the pilot is sometimes used as the second or third episode of a series. <br /><br />How often does a fully produced pilot remain unaired?Phillip Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08498595633633248863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67414530634626409872011-02-17T10:23:47.311-08:002011-02-17T10:23:47.311-08:00Our BIG WAVE DAVE'S and ALMOST PERFECT pilots ...Our BIG WAVE DAVE'S and ALMOST PERFECT pilots are up on YouTube. Check 'em out. For whatever faults you may find, you will be able to follow the stories clearly.By Ken Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-5511825901718812432011-02-17T09:59:30.435-08:002011-02-17T09:59:30.435-08:00Is there anywhere to watch pilots from shows that ...Is there anywhere to watch pilots from shows that have aired? (or not been aired, would be fun to compare)Linnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04556977350246803389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21451088897415748202011-02-17T08:13:56.907-08:002011-02-17T08:13:56.907-08:00Question for Friday: Since you talked about music ...Question for Friday: Since you talked about music rights, is there a similar problem with products? I've seen names taped over on shows for years, I know Xerox has gone out of its way to tell people to call it copying, bit Xeroxing to protect their intellectual property. Radar always ordered a grape Nehi. Did they get a cut? What are the rules and customs on that?Bob Summersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3666931641102192722011-02-17T07:47:02.016-08:002011-02-17T07:47:02.016-08:00Believe it or not, Ken, we were always cutting bit...Believe it or not, Ken, we were always cutting bits and stories to get to the final product. You should have seen the first drafts! I'll miss you on Dodger Talk this year..John Levensteinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38401189446832859652011-02-17T07:08:22.102-08:002011-02-17T07:08:22.102-08:00My favorite character-establishing bit in a pilot ...My favorite character-establishing bit in a pilot was for Coach in "Cheers":<br />==================<br />COACH<br />(Answers phone)<br />Cheers.<br />(A beat)<br />Is there an Ernie Pantusso here?<br /><br />SAM (Off-camera)<br />That's you, Coach.<br /><br />COACH<br />Speaking.<br />=================<br />Establishes the guy in three lines: a little addled, but not totally out of it. <br /><br />As good as it gets.<br /><br />--tTod Hunterhttp://tod-hunter.netnoreply@blogger.com