COURSE DESCRIPTION
The key to successful writing for TV and radio is learning to write to a
specific brief, and to modify storylines, scenes and characters to work within
budgetary and filming restrictions. Important skills are learning to accept
feedback and collaborating with other members of the production team. The Drama
and Comedy Writing Online Diploma is designed to tap into your creativity and is
based in 'Active Learning'. Most of the actual learning takes place within your
own activities - that is, writing! You will learn by doing. Completing this
project will increase your confidence in your ideas and abilities, and you'll
feel prepared to pitch your first script and get started on your next.
COULD I WRITE FOR TV?
The fact is, someone has to - because the TV networks need a constant and
never-ending supply of new shows...
Okay, so your next question will most likely be:
CAN I GET IN ON WRITING FOR TV?
And the answer is: of course you can, if you sign up NOW for my latest Academy
writing course:
> WRITING SUCCESSFUL DRAMA AND COMEDY FOR TV NETWORKS!
First off, let's see if you have what's needed to write for TV:
Do you have...
* A fertile imagination
* A need to communicate in writing to the masses
* The ability to tell a compelling story (I can teach you that!)
* Information on how to pitch to Networks & TV Producers (I got that covered
for you too!)
* Expert knowledge about the 'rules' of TV writing...
Now, this is where I come into my own.
In case you don't know me, I'm Rob Parnell, considered by many online sources
(including Google and Wikipedia) and various personalities to be the first and
last authority on writing, self-motivation and personal creativity.
I have created over 110 published books, courses, books and information
resources, many of which have been translated into foreign languages. I am often
described by friends, family and students as an 'over-achiever'!
For the last decade, I have been increasingly drawn to the visual media. As a
writer, I've worked with Hollywood producers, been intimately involved with some
very exciting film and TV projects and, best of all, been paid a small fortune
by production companies and media funding bodies to learn and hone my
screenwriting abilities.
So much so that we've recently formed our own production company, R&R Books Film
Music, just to deal with the legal and logistics that tend to surround working
within the visual media.
> I CAN TEACH YOU HOW TO WRITE FOR TV
The television industry has its own rules - rules that are not generally
broadcast (no pun intended) to the general public. In order to compete as a TV
writer, you need someone on the inside - like me - to help you.
I have so much information to share with you about writing for TV, I want to
invite you on a journey into the world of television.
It's actually relatively easy to meet with producers and TV network executives -
there's a good reason for this, which I'll teach you later (in the first module,
immediately on sign-up!) But the hard part is presenting yourself and your
material to the TV industry in exactly the right way.
Because, unless you follow the TV industry protocols - and major things like the
way you format documents - you don't stand a chance.
Yes, even something as seemingly innocuous as the way a script and a TV program
proposal looks is enormously important. More than that, your material has to
look exactly right, or you won't get a serious look in.
But, don't worry, my friend, I can teach you everything you need to know about
writing for TV.
In the SIX VALUABLE LESSONS, you will learn:
MODULE ONE: INTRODUCTION TO WRITING FOR TV
A thorough analysis of the genre, how it works, how we got to where we are now
and where we are heading in TVLand. Insights into successful writers, execs and
producers in the TV world, past, present and future. How TV has changed in the
last few years - and why the industry now welcomes new writers, ideas people and
independent producers, directors and even web-based media individuals (like
you!) Also, crucial clues as to how to quickly familiarize yourself with TV
trends, including up to the minute insider tips on how to seem like a TV expert
(without doing much work!)
MODULE TWO: YOUR IDEAS & HOW TO PRESENT THEM
Curiously, one of the last questions you'll be asked in TV is whether you can
actually write. You can go a long way with a good TV drama or comedy pitch
without writing anything but a proposal. In this module I teach you the exact
format you need to present your ideas. I'll also show you how to go about
contacting people within the TV industry. It doesn't matter if you're shy or
nervous - there are effective ways around these things. This module includes
case studies and examples. I'll also teach you exactly how to brainstorm ideas
like a professional so that you never have to want for inspiration again!
MODULE THREE: WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT TV WRITING?
As any writer knows, good stories come out of great characters in interesting
scenarios. Once you've had a good idea, how do you develop that for TV? What are
the rules that are specific to the audiovisual media? I'll teach you the subtle
differences and we'll go over some of more familiar aspects of story telling
that still apply to writing for the small screen - things like character
development, story arc, long term serial considerations and other TV genre
specific musts. Here we'll also investigate 'pushing the envelope' with regards
to time-slot, moral correctness, network politics and social responsibility.
MODULE FOUR: SCRIPTING, EDITING AND THE STORY BIBLE
A TV script is formatted differently from a movie script - and ne'er the twain
shall meet! There are rules on timing and pacing (read: ad breaks) that you
absolutely must understand and incorporate into your screenplays when writing
for TV. I'll explain how professional script editors work too - and why you'll
never get all of your words onscreen. Plus, we investigate the 'Story Bible'.
How to write and create the basis of your TV series, so that you don't have to
write every script - if you were ever allowed to do such a thing anyway! Module
includes actual TV templates you can adapt for your own use.
MODULE FIVE: A SPECIAL MASTERCLASS ON COMEDY WRITING
Often considered the most difficult, demanding, yet rewarding of all the TV
genres. In fact, to those in the know, Comedy writing has long been essentially
formulaic and really not that difficult to understand and/or emulate. In this
very special, first for the Net, Masterclass, I will teach you everything you
need to know about comedy writing, from how to write funny sketches to a
long-running comedy series. By the end of this module, you'll know how those
writers achieve seemingly effortless comedy following just a few simple rules.
MODULE SIX: THE MONEY & HOW YOU GET PAID
As the famous TV series tells us, despite all the creativity in the world, it's
the Dirty Sexy Money we're ultimately after. In this module, I explain how
writers get paid for TV work - which is surprisingly often, even when your work
doesn't appear on TV - and how much you can expect to make. I explain how TV
gets funded, where the money comes from, who and why gets paid when, and how to
negotiate deals where you get paid lots of money BEFORE everyone else and AFTER,
again and again. This module also includes market listings and tips on how to
start and maintain a lucrative TV writing career.
The Writing for TV Course Welcome to the Writer's Greatest Untapped Income
Source FREE 00:30:00 Introduction to Writing for TV, Cable and Satellite
Networks FREE 01:00:00 Your Ideas and How to Present Them 01:00:00 What's
Different About TV Writing? 01:00:00 Scripting, Editing and the Story Bible
00:30:00 A Special Masterclass On Comedy Writing 00:30:00 The Money and How You
Get Paid 00:30:00 Mock Exam Mock Exam - Drama and Comedy Writing Online Diploma
00:20:00 Final Exam Final Exam - Drama and Comedy Writing Online Diploma
00:20:00