BBC Writers Feed

Do you want to get into scripted TV? Get top tips on making industry contacts and widening your network

2024-04-17T13:00:00+00:00

Recently the Head of Development at World Productions posted a great thread on Twitter/X. We asked Emma to expand on her thoughts and advice from that thread here on our blog.

It’s been a strange start to 2024, with a variety of issues culminating in so many brilliant people looking for work in scripted TV. I’m emailed daily from people wanting to introduce themselves, ask advice and enquire about opportunities.

A thread I posted on X offering some advice on networking received an overwhelming response (I mean, overwhelming for me), which clarified quite how difficult things are.

In an industry that can feel isolating and closed off at the best of times, building a network and making yourself visible is essential. Often it’s your one shot to make an impression and I remember walking away from meetings thinking I’d failed miserably. It took practice to work out how best to make the most of the conversations I had, and now, on the other side of the table, I’ve gained a bit of an insight into what might help you stand out in a crowded market.

1) Always remember it’s in the interest of the industry for us to meet new people.

The industry has grown significantly over the last decade and competition to win the shows is tougher than ever. Talented development people are golden and we all want the best to help us do it – to bring new relationships and a different perspective, to help identify talent and have the skills to nurture that into greenlights. The more people WE know in our networks, the more we can ensure we’re finding the right person when we need them. As an industry we often fall back on the people we know, which is great, but there are always more devils to know and we hate missing out on the best.

As one of the replies to the thread put it, ‘people buy people’. It’s easy to forget this as we try to find new work, prioritising fitting in over standing out. So don’t feel nervous about cold-emailing companies and people you want to connect with, but be aware...

2) You may not always get a reply.

Production and development can often be demanding. Weeks of writers' rooms or working on set mean emails are picked up at random times and we’re regularly responding to the urgent demands of the projects we’re working on with all the best intentions to circle back to the requests to connect later on.

If you don’t get a reply to your attempt to connect, wait six weeks or so and try again. Don’t sound put-out or accusatory, just check to see if they’d received your initial approach and ask if there’s anyone in the team it might be better to coordinate with. When I’m up against it, often there’s a colleague who might be better placed who can be a brilliant ally. Still no reply? Move on with grace.

But back to that first email...

3) Make an effort.

Be polite. Direct the email specifically to the person and production company you want to connect with, and please only email one person from the company at a time. Reference shows they make and have worked on, and why you like their content. There really is nothing worse than an impersonal mail merge or a cut and paste job. You’re asking people to give up their time to connect, so show you’ve done the same in return.

4) Be clear what you’re looking to gain.

You may only get one shot with this. Are you looking for advice about the industry and breaking in, or to introduce yourself for future work and opportunities? These are two different conversations and it’s hard to do both in one.

5) You want advice to break in or on the industry?

Think about who would be best to have this conversation with. Introduce yourself and what you do. Share your CV and be prepared with the questions you’d like to ask as a starting point for any meeting. In advance, if you already work in a different industry, think about how your skills can transfer and why you want to work in TV development.

6) You want to introduce yourself for future opportunities?

Make sure you make an impression. Attach your CV and be clear about where you are in your career and what you’re looking for in terms of your next steps. Name the last show you worked on or the companies you’ve been working with.

Are you interested in development or looking for a production role? It’s easy and understandable (especially in today’s market) to say ‘anything!’. I know I did for a long time, but try and work to your strengths and what you can offer. Be realistic if you’re looking for a step up – make sure you are able to articulate why and what your contribution has been to the projects you’ve worked on. Titles are free, so take a look at the roles at the companies you’re approaching and the experience/credits of those with similar titles to check you’re being realistic.

7) Ensure your CV reflects what you want.

I could write a whole blog on CVs. It’s understandable to want to outline all your experience, but in a world of talented multi-hyphenates and hustle, a CV can often feel confusing and do you a disservice if it doesn’t give a strong indication of who you are. You want the reader to get a clear and confident sense of where you sit in the industry and the path you’re on. Tailor your CV to the role you’re looking to achieve and focus on the relevant experience and transferable skills that speak to that.

So you’ve got the meeting...

8) Make an impression.

You want the person you’re meeting to get a sense of who you are, where your strengths lie and what gap you could potentially fill in a team.

I’ll be honest, I’ve come away from generals without a real sense of the taste and editorial judgment of the person I’m meeting which makes it hard to consider them properly when we do have an opportunity. If it’s on zoom or teams, meetings often blur into one rectangular shaped box, so impressions become even more important to distinguish yourself.

Can I judge how your taste will fit into our team? Can I tell which shows on my slate you’ll be a natural fit for? Tell me what you like and why. We don’t have to agree – I can pinpoint two roles I’ve been offered in my career that were down to respectfully NOT agreeing!

Be humble. Don’t inflate your role. Being part of a team is essential. We all know telly is made by a whole team of countless skilled people collaborating, and that’s how we like it. How did you play a part in that, what worked well and what do you think might’ve gone better?

9) Have an opinion.

That’s what we’re paid for, so give us a glimpse of that. It can be controversial, it can be niche, but let us know you think deeper and wider and can analyse content. We all loved Fleabag/Breaking Bad/Happy Valley – so tell me something I might not have considered about them before.

You’re obsessed with sci-fi? Tell me your thoughts on the ones that work and the ones that don’t. You did your dissertation on Austen? What underrated classic do you think is ripe for adaptation next?

Tell us what you’re watching and be ready to chat about them, but don’t list endless US shows. They’re brilliant, I love them too, but sadly we have neither the run lengths nor the budgets, and our audiences are very different.

10) Have an awareness of the industry.

We all love great writing, but the best people also realise we’re a business. Try and express an opinion on that - who’s watching what, what are the trends you’ve noticed, where has a particular streamer/broadcaster got it right or wrong in their commissioning. And the million-dollar question: what’s next?

It’s hard to be across everyone making waves in the writing world. Bonus points if you can tell me about someone I might not have heard of and what you’ve identified about them. Who have you been tracking? A voice in theatre you think we need to see in TV? A writer you’ve worked with or read you think is on a path to properly breaking through?

11) How you express that opinion is EVERYTHING.

Opinions are our currency, but delivering them is how we develop and thrive in the industry. Creative relationships can be lifelong and how we flexibly resolve editorial differences and give notes are our bread and butter. Be humble, our world is built on collaboration and development is about facilitating the creative vision of a writer. Make sure you show us some of that.

It should feel like a conversation, a joyful fun one that builds and develops. We love to encourage an inquisitive team and are interested in how you can contribute to that. Absolutely be controversial, but a red flag rises quickly if it’s delivered in a way that feels inflexible or over-confident. Interpersonal skills are an essential part of the industry but as I was gently reminded a few days ago, these skills don’t always come easily and as an industry we’re on a path to recognise that we have a whole host of differently wired brains that go to support our creativity. If that resonates with you, there are brilliant organisations that can support you in building a network, check out DDPTV and DANC.

The industry is changing, seen recently with the 2022 launch of TV Access project, an alliance of ten of the UK’s biggest broadcasters and streamers who have pledged to work together to ensure access provision for Disabled talent.

12) Follow up!

They’ve given up their time, so thank them! Perhaps reflect on an area of the conversation - expand on a thought you’d had, send a link to the article you mentioned or the name of the writer you’d loved. This will help cement you in their mind.

They have a sci-fi greenlit? They’ll remember your opinion on the genre. They’re keen to find IP to adapt? Your obsession with classic literature is about to pay off.

13) Connect with your peers.

Of course, you want to connect with people making hiring decisions, but don’t overlook your peers! Development assistants and coordinators, Assistant Script Editor’s and Script/Development Editor’s know EVERYTHING. They have the inside scoop on who, what, and where. They have a much better sense of the best and current ways into the industry as well as the issues. They know where the jobs are, when they’re coming up and the best places to find a home.

Email them, have coffee with them. If it’s advice you’re looking for, they’ve got it. Best case scenario, you’ve found a friend and they’ll facilitate a meeting with someone else where you can use their advice and make that impression I’ve been banging on about.

Forget HODs and Exec Prods - your peers and those a role ahead of you are the people you need in your tribe. Nurture that and you’ll be flying...

14) No meeting is wasted.

There may not always be a job available but every connection will expand your network. Person by person you’ll build a richer picture of the industry and how it works. You’ll leave with a sense of the company and whether it might be the right fit for you. You’ll pick up an insight into the industry that can help form a theory of your own and, if you’re lucky, there’s a brilliant bit of insider knowledge to be had. If you’ve made an impression, one day, I promise it’ll pay off.

15) BE KIND

Make the best tea, be an ear, be humble, roll your sleeves up and get stuck in and be the person everyone wants in the office. Scripted development and production can be stressful and demanding, and frankly, so it should be; we’re in a privileged position and there are big budgets at stake. Being trusted to always work with kindness and respect will take you a long way – it’s not always been prioritised in TV, but slowly and surely, we’ll get there. Absolutely know your worth but be willing to learn, as we all do every day...

Top Tips for Building an Editorial Career in Scripted TV

2024-02-19T12:15:00+00:00

As part of a short series of blog posts related to script-editing we asked experienced Story Producer Alexis Hood to share some advice on getting started on the editorial side of television, in both development work and production.

When you’re starting out, the TV world can feel incredibly intimidating, and difficult to get your head around. If you’re reading this and wondering whether you’ll ever be able to break in – trust me, this is the hardest part, and I’m here to tell you that it gets easier!

The first step is to begin making some connections, while doing lots of research, and getting any experience you can.

There is no one ‘best’ route into a creative role in TV: everyone comes to it in different ways. For example, I used to be a journalist, then moved into drama working as a researcher, which meant I got to know writers that way. With that in mind, here is some advice:

1) CULTIVATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

You want to be developing a deep love and understanding of story, and this means watching loads of TV, and devouring books, plays, and films.

Watch the great classic TV shows and movies from the past as well as the present, so that you can understand where the language of TV has come from. This is especially important if you want to work with writers, who are often voracious readers, and fans of films and TV.

If you can afford it, go to the theatre, especially theatres that showcase lots of new writing. To work in TV development, you will need to start thinking about the writers whose work you love and admire, and who are the new, exciting writers coming up. TV is different from film, in that we are ALL about the writer.

2) MAKE CONNECTIONS

This probably feels like the trickiest part. If you can, you should attend any networking events that you can manage. Ask people already working in the industry if they would be kind enough to have a coffee and a chat with you. (They should be kind enough incidentally, as we all had people help us too when we were new!)

Look people up who have the kind of career you might be interested in, and when you write to them, use their first name, rather than anything more formal. We’re pretty informal as an industry.

You want to start building a network of contacts, over time.

3) WHEN YOU MEET PEOPLE, DO YOUR HOMEWORK

If you have a meeting with someone, it’s always wise to look them up, and find out what they personally have worked on, and what their production company has made. Remember that it’s a small industry, and lots of people know each other, so if you’ve impressed one person, they’re likely to mention you to other people they know, and to recommend you for opportunities.

4) FIND YOUR TRIBE

Potential mentors are great, but so too are your peers – it’s a brilliant idea to start cultivating a network of people who are also starting out, because you will come up in the industry together, provide invaluable support to each other, and often become great friends.

5) GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA

There are quite a few Facebook groups advertising TV jobs, and it’s definitely useful to see what the community is discussing on sites like X, Threads, and Bluesky. Jobs are mentioned on these sites too. It’s also helpful to look at trends, and what’s happening in the States, as the USA and UK are closely linked when it comes to television. One recent example is the Writer's Guild of America writers’ strike in the USA, which had a big impact over here too.

You should create a LinkedIn profile for yourself and start adding connections as you make them.

There are great resources for those looking for entry-level jobs, such as Film London’s Equal Access Network, Creative Access, apprenticeships with ScreenSkills, and of course the BBC’s early career schemes like BBC Get In. Look for schemes, and also check out organisations championing greater diversity in TV, like DANC (the Disabled Artists Networking Community).

6) BE PERSISTENT AND TENACIOUS

You might find it takes a while to find your way in, and that is completely normal. The big thing is to be persistent and keep trying.

7) ACQUIRE PRACTICAL, HANDS-ON SKILLS

As a new entrant to the industry, you can best recommend yourself to potential employers with a great attitude and an eagerness to learn. You also want to start gaining skills as soon as possible – creative skills like understanding how to read and analyse a script, practical skills like how to use Final Draft, and how to take great notes in meetings, and administrative and organisational skills like how to manage a diary. Be prepared to work very hard!

8) GET YOUR HEAD AROUND ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS

Your first step in an editorial career in TV drama might be in one of the following roles:

As a runner in-house at a production company.
As a freelance reader of scripts for a company or a broadcaster.
As an assistant at a production company (a Team Assistant, Development Assistant, or a Personal Assistant).
An assistant at a Literary Agency (e.g somewhere like Independent Talent or Casarotto).
As a runner or Production Assistant on a show.
As a researcher, although these roles are few and far between.
As a Trainee, when this kind of role is offered by a TV company.

9) START UNDERSTANDING THE MORE SENIOR CREATIVE ROLES, AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION

When you’re building an editorial career in TV drama, it’s critical to understand the more senior roles, how you fit into the company structure, and the kinds of jobs you might be aiming for in time.

A great start is understanding the difference between development and production.

Development is when you’re pitching projects to broadcasters, networks and streamers, when you’re storylining and developing scripts, and very often, when you’re working in-house at a company.

Production is when the project is actually getting made. Production work is often freelance, or PAYE on fixed-term contracts.

IN DEVELOPMENT:

In-house at a company, the most senior jobs are usually Head of Drama, Creative Director, Executive Producer, and Director of Development. These people set the creative direction of the company, run the development slate, pitch to broadcasters, and usually Executive Produce shows. There are also Development Producers, another senior role, where people work directly with writers to progress projects, and might manage their own slate.

Mid-weight roles include the role of Development Executive, whose responsibilities include looking for new talent and developing projects with writers.

Junior roles include the roles of Development Assistant and Development Coordinator.

IN PRODUCTION:

On a show, the Executive Producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing and delivering the show. (N.B there are often multiple Exec Producers). The Producer is the person responsible for the show’s day-to-day management, and for managing the budget, alongside the Line Producer.

There will be a script team, led by the Story Producer, who manages the creative process, and who will work closely with the Showrunner and other writers to deliver the scripts. There is usually a Script Editor, who manages the technical side of the scripts (what we call the ‘amends’, i.e live changes to the script that are made throughout the shoot), and may also give notes to the writers (more on this below!), as well as liaising closely with other departments in Production, for example, the Art Department. You can also be a Script Executive – similar to a Script Editor, but more senior.

Sometimes there will be an Assistant Script Editor too; this is great entry-level creative role in Production.

The script team are the guardians of the story and are responsible for the integrity and good health of the story and the scripts.

In time, you’ll need to start understanding how the work of the script department dovetails into the wider production process on a show. As a creative, you should definitely aim to get as much production experience as possible, because this will enable you to come up with brilliant story solutions in high-pressure situations.

10) WORKING WITH WRITERS AND SCRIPT NOTES

Working with writers to develop stories and scripts is a huge part of any creative role in TV drama. This includes giving script notes, which means feedback on the latest outline, treatment, or script draft the writer has been working on.

My advice on notes:

Tell the truth, but be positive, and always say what you like, and what you think is working, as well as the things that need sorting out.
Understand that it’s a process, and that it takes time to arrive at a finished script. Most scripts go through multiple rewrites.
Developing a relationship with a writer is also a process. It takes time to develop the trust that is at the heart of a writer/script person bond, and it’s normal to experience some resistance from writers when you’re first getting to know them!
Notes form part of a conversation in a wider collaborative process between you, the writer, and often many other people, such as studio execs, commissioners, etc. Notes are for another human being, so they should not be your lit crit essay on the script, or your musings on the state of the universe. Great notes are respectful, actionable, and specific. You are there to champion the writer, and to help them realise what they are seeking to accomplish creatively.

And with all of this in mind…

11) BRUSH UP ON YOUR PEOPLE SKILLS, TACT AND DIPLOMACY

You will need these skills to pursue a creative career in TV drama, and they will help you to create fantastic, long-lasting professional relationships, and to diffuse tensions with difficult personalities.

12) BE A GOOD HUMAN

It’s no secret to say that TV hasn’t always been the easiest industry to work in. I’m so encouraged to see how many of the young people coming into our industry exemplify the kinds of values we need more of - integrity, generosity, and kindness.

Alexis Hood is an experienced story producer, who has headed script teams on award-winning projects for traditional broadcasters and streamers, and who has worked in development and production for numerous companies. Her most recent credit is A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW for Paramount Plus and Showtime, starring Ewan McGregor.

How to Approach a Literary Agent

2023-02-17T15:10:00+00:00

Recently, we noticed a great thread on Twitter from literary agent, Emma Obank from Casarotto Ramsay & Associates on how to approach a literary agent. This is a question writers ask regularly so we asked her to expand on her tweets.

Approaching a literary agent for representation can be daunting. The questions circling in your mind as you begin to type are probably along the lines of ‘how do I stand out?’, ‘how do I sell myself’, ‘who do I write to?’…‘what do I say?’.

Agents receive dozens of representation enquiries each week, and the problem is that there are far more brilliant creatives out there than there are agents available to represent them. This means some emails might go unanswered and you’ll receive a few ‘sorry, my list is full’ responses. It’s tough but it’s part of the process; try not to let those rejections deter you or knock your confidence. Talent always finds its way, and it can take time; I for one am guilty of now representing a couple of writers who I had sent that ‘sorry, my list is full’ email to in the past…

So…how do you make that first approach?

In my experience, email is always best. It gives you the chance to reflect and think about what you want to say, and it also gives the agent time to reflect and think about their response. I’d discourage a scattergun approach of contacting agents on their social media platforms unless they say they welcome submissions this way.

Do your research...

When you’re choosing who to write to, be selective. Don’t send one email and blind copy every agent in town. Choose one agent to write to at each agency. If you write to multiple agents at one company, it can feel untargeted and unfocused. Pick the agent who you think will connect most with your voice – a good starting point is to look up agents who represent talent you admire. Once you have your list of who you’d like to approach try and find their contact details online and send them an email directly (cc’ing their assistant if they have one).

It might also be worth looking at who the junior agents are at each company if you’re a brand new writer, as a junior agent will be looking to nurture new talent as they also begin to build their own career. Don’t worry about not reaching the whole company; in most cases it’s company practice for agents to share representation requests internally if their list is too full but they see potential in an email. The Personal Managers' Association is a great resource to begin your agent search – it’s a professional body for talent agencies in the UK and there are 200 agencies and management companies signed up to it. You can see its full list of members on the website. Remember talent agencies represent different types of creatives so make sure you’re not approaching an acting agent about literary representation etc.

Think about your email...

Treat it as though you’re writing a cover letter. No one email to each agent should read the same. Tell the agent about yourself, your work, why the time feels right for you to be securing representation and mention any accolades or important connections you’ve made. Don’t be afraid to boast about your achievements – we want you to namedrop the hell out of everything so your email stands out from the crowd. Let us know of any producers you’ve met with who gelled with your work, any competitions or awards you’ve won or been shortlisted for and any festivals your work has screened at. A simple hack can be to write some of these buzzwords in bold so they’re easy to spot e.g. I was recently selected for the BBC Writersroom's Drama Room group.

Occasionally producers will email agents recommending potential clients. If a producer or commissioner has recommended you to a specific agent, you can ask them if they wouldn’t mind emailing the agent first on your behalf. Or if you don’t feel comfortable asking them, you should write at the beginning your own email that said person recommended you reach out. Agents receive so many requests, so an email with a recommendation from someone whose taste they admire will likely pique their interest.

Think of an eye-catching subject line for your email. If I had a pound for each email I receive titled ‘seeking representation’ I could hang up my agenting boots for good! Use those buzzwords again to encourage the agent to open your email e.g. “BBC commissioned writer – seeking representation”.

Your Spec Script...

The most polarising question is always whether to attach a sample of your work. Do check each company’s submission policies first, but in my experience there’s no harm attaching a sample on the off-chance the agent might dip into it. If you do decide to send your work then attach one original and full sample. The piece you feel best defines you and your voice, be it a produced short film, a screenplay, TV pilot, play or web series.

We want to read something that feels authentic to you so when thinking about writing specs write what you want to write. Don’t think about something which has been successful and try to imitate it, and don’t limit yourself by writing to the constraints of a budget. The most exciting shows and films are always something which has never been seen or done before, and if you want to write that multi million dollar sci-fi pilot then do it. Ultimately, your spec script might not be the one that gets made first so it really doesn’t matter what it’s about or where it’s set. All we care about is the writing.

What then?

It's likely that you will need to chase whoever you have emailed (here is where I apologise on behalf of all agents…). If you don’t hear back in three to four weeks, send a follow-up email on the same chain (re-attaching the attachment if you’ve sent a sample). If you don’t hear back again then send another follow up a few weeks later, and so on. Don’t be afraid to check in and nag us. It might be that the agent has been busy firefighting a myriad of issues for their existing client base and that they’re keen to consider but haven’t had a chance to write back yet. If they have an assistant then you can send them an email too separately asking if the agent has had a chance to take a look.

When you secure an agent...

They will help you strategize, develop your ideas and plan your career. They will act as the intermediary between you and producers, selling your projects, suggesting you for any upcoming roles, negotiating your deals and mediating any unexpected issues which can arise during development and production.

When a client first signs with me, I’ll introduce their work to the producers who I think will connect most with their writing based on the type of work such production companies have made. Ideally the new client will have a couple of new original spec scripts that I can try and sell to get into development at a production company. Hopefully producers will be just as blown away by the writing as I was and even if they aren’t keen to develop the project, they might request a general meeting where you can meet and discuss your other ideas. By going out and meeting producers you will start to be at the forefront of their minds for any opportunities which may arise in the near future such as episodic work and writers rooms.

The road to getting an agent can be long but don’t give up hope. The advice in this article is very much based on the way I work and my own experiences. Ultimately do what feels right for you, and the writing of course will always speak for itself. Good luck!

The One Page Pitch

2023-01-19T12:41:00+00:00

As a scriptwriter, you'll often be asked for a one page pitch of your ideas. How you present this information is really important. This isn’t a dry, factual document. Never lose sight of the fact that the pitch is essentially selling your idea. It should be exciting, compelling and really demonstrate your unique vision or perspective on the world: the pitch should leave the reader longing for more and feel that no one other than the writer is equipped to write it.

We’ve listed some of the key information to consider including in your document below.

NAME, TITLE, EPISODES/DURATION

Put your name and the title of the project at the top of the page. Next to the title, if you’re pitching a TV series, put the number of episodes and the duration (e.g., 6 x 60 mins). This is really useful to help get an idea of what you see as the scope and potential of your drama. It’s not set in stone and can be changed after further discussion.

Use regular sized-font – if you need to use small font to get everything in, then you need to go back and refine and edit your piece.

LOGLINE

The logline should come next. It’s a succinct, but striking, sentence that immediately answers the question: what’s it about? The logline summarises the premise or key concept of the drama, identifies the protagonist and demonstrates the conflict inherent in their journey through the series or film. It can be useful to identify the genre too, if applicable.

For further advice on writing loglines, read this blog post

KEY CHARACTERS

Whose story is it? Your pitch should include a short description of your central protagonist. This is the character we will be engaged with and rooting for, or against. They should be compelling but above all, distinctive. We need to care what happens to them. It isn’t necessary to write a huge character backstory. We want to know where your character is in the present, and reveal anything important through the story. What do they want on a physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual level? Depending on your story, these elements will take different priorities. What is stopping them from getting what they want, what or who are the forces ranged against them?

This can be summarised as: ‘How does your character change?’ The answer to this question gives you your character’s journey across the series or film. If you investigate what your character wants and what is stopping them and why, it will help you to identify what it is they need to change to continue their life in a less fraught way. These changes may be big or small but what matters is that they are significant. If you look at your pitch, and your protagonist is in the same place emotionally at the end as they are at the beginning, then you need to look again at your story. It doesn’t mean that everything should be neatly resolved at the end – although it could be - but it does mean that they should be in a different place from where they started.

Your pitch should also indicate other key characters, most notably the antagonist, who is usually the main source of conflict for the protagonist, and anyone else who plays a pivotal role in the film or series. In an ensemble drama, there will still be one or two characters who are key, so ensure you foreground them while giving a general idea of the overall cast.

Visit our resources page for 'Characters Bring Your Story to Life'

STORY

What happens to your protagonist? We need a short summary of the key points of the story, including the inciting incident that sets the story in motion. ‘Something happens’ that changes the normal life of your protagonist (and their ‘normal’ could be criminal activity, or dealing with an overheated world). It should be clear from your pitch what the inciting incident is, and why this event is so significant that it will sustain a series or film. It can be something small but what matters is that it has huge consequences for your protagonist.

If your pitch is for a TV series, it will invariably focus on the first episode but it should also reveal some of how the story will play out over a series, including major turning points and the ending. It can be a closed or open ending but it’s important to have an idea of the resolution to the story.

Beware of just writing a dry exposition of events. The reader needs to be entertained and emotionally engaged. Surprise and tantalise the reader so they want to know more. If you are proposing a crime drama or a mystery, then consider revealing ‘whodunnit’ or the source of the mystery as it will help to show if the whole story works. You can still maintain the mystery and suspense in the way that you write your pitch.

WORLD

The ‘world’ of the show is more than just where the story is set, although if a specific location is important to the story, put that in your pitch too. The ‘world’ indicates the milieu that your characters operate in. What is different about this world that makes it stand out from other shows and is exciting for a viewer? Is it an elevated world or does it feel like the one we all live in already - even if it seems familiar your pitch should highlight why it is a world that we will be keen to enter as a film, or on a weekly or streaming basis.

TONE

This is a key element of writing a successful pitch. It’s what will help to convey your unique view of the world, your writing style and your vision for the show. The tone of your pitch will give the reader a sense of what it will be like, how it will feel, to watch your drama. On a very simple level, if you are writing a comedy or a thriller, the tone of your pitch should reflect this: incorporating humour or suspense into the piece.

Tone is not the same as genre, it’s the attitude of a show, or the mood of it so, for example, you could have a playful (tone) thriller (genre). The tone is what will set your idea apart from others out there, especially if it is within a world or genre that is very familiar. If you’d like to reference another film or series to give an idea of what your drama is aiming at, use sparingly and choose wisely as it can undermine your pitch if it’s hard to see the connection.

FINALLY, BE YOURSELF!

At the end of the pitch, you may want to put a line or two about what drew you to this particular story. Remember that the pitch is a starting point and much may change once you start developing the idea so don’t worry if you haven’t got everything tied down. These notes are only a guide. There’s no need to put these elements into separate sections, they should all be interwoven in your pitch. How you write your pitch is for you to experiment with until you are happy that it is a true reflection of you as a writer and the great story you want to tell.

Other useful resources:

Treatments, Pitches, Outlines - WHAT ARE THEY?

From Introductions to Re-writing - watch a series of eight videos covering the essentials of writing a successful script

What Makes a Great Spec Script