A double beat is two separate moments that do the same thing. Like you want your character to feel guilty, but you have two scenes whose only purpose is to elicit that guilt. That's a double beat. You don't need both and the existence of both suggests you don't believe -- fully -- in either...

Write what you love and what makes you excited to sit down at the keyboard...and you'll figure the rest out later. Nothing is easy. NOTHING. And the biggest barrier to selling something is never finishing. So, if you have a passion, then write what you love in the worm it's usually aired and then...

Concept A: Pick the network you think is most right for the subject matter, find a recent pilot made for that network and structure your pilot to match. Concept B: Choose a structure that most melds with your idea. Lots of twists...use act outs to make bigger. Subtler? Slower? Maybe no act outs.

Got an hour to spare. If you've got questions about writing for TV/FILM...I -- might -- have answers. Fire away and if this seems helpful...please pass it on.

I'll open this up to all since there have now been a billiony TV shows, but I'll say I started doing a rewatch of the West Wing and there was a palpable moment when Sorkin left and something just...broke...never to get fixed again.

The ink is not even dry on the conrac before someone from the AMPEEPEEP starts to strategize how to use incentives as weapons. "Hey, we'll give you a rate cut so you can start.a new thing..." which they never revisit even after the new thing is now the highest grossing part of the industry.

I mean...this is not my area of experience...and it probably depends on the comedy. The Full Monty was a pretty stellar piece of writing soup-to-nuts.

Need more info. Like...played out? Or too complicated?

Here's the problem: you'd still need a couple billion dollars to do something sustainable and the people who have a couple billion dollars are not creatives. So, something small...for a project here or there...totally, but to take the things back from the assholes means we'd need our own asshole.

What are the chances of reviving the UA idea of creative-owned-and-led production and distribution for writers, actors, and musicians?

That's a SUPER hard question to answer, because once a movie is made the version that originally sold sort of disappears into the ether. But know there's the version that you sell and the version that you make and they are often very, very different.

Got an hour to spare. If you've got questions about writing for TV/FILM...I -- might -- have answers. Fire away and if this seems helpful to you, please pass it on.

Flying across America. Have a moment. Let's play. You got questions about writing for TV/FILM...I -- might -- have answers. Fire away and if this is useful to you, please pass it on.

No. A great log line and a great pilot and a SHORT, smart bible that explains season one and where the show is going/ends (and 5 pages is a good place to START with this)...should be enough to learn if people are interested. If they are...you'll do the rest of the work, but also...

Yes. We all do. Every step forward I've had was based on a connection I made, none of which I had when I got to LA. High tide raises all boats and we all benefit from people we know succeeding.

One has to balance the two side by side, such that you can be friends with people and know you MUST ask for help from the people who are your friends and understand that if they can't help it's not because they're not friends and hope they have the ability to be honest with you. It's not easy.

Well they hopefully go -- This is who I am and who are you and this is what I've done and what I want to do and what do you do, please tell me stories. And if that goes well it ends with...thank you for your time, I'll grab the check and I'd love to keep in contact and let me know...

Yes, but both those shows were seen as successes so some part of the culture was saved. There are also the cases where shows are actively changing artistic directions, though in this day and age...they kinda just cancel the thing.

No real onus, but there are two very different kinds of transfers. 1: Old Showrunner moves on from long running show. Often person who takes over is picked to maintain most of the culture. 2: New Showrunner brought on 'cause Network/Studio fire old one. Part of the mandate is to change the culture.

Flying across America. Have a moment. Let's play. You got questions about writing for TV/FILM...I -- might -- have answers. Fire away and if this is useful to you, please pass it on.

Universities offering screenwriting graduate degrees are essentially printing free money in exchange for a piece of paper that should say "you are now qualified in writing a screenplay for a grade." Graduate degrees typically require you to demonstrate more than 1/2 competence in a field.

This… (The only difference is that no one sites five paragraph form as if it — itself — we’re an active formula to make the art form.)

You absolutely positively do not need any accredited skills training to work in film/tv. What we do is mostly craft and the very best experience is in going the work. Being smart and rounded is SUCH a plus, but no one will ever ask to see your diploma.

Do you still love it? If so, wipe it clean, reconstruct it and see what remains. If you don't still love it...deeply...write from your new self.

That is optimistic, but there are SO MANY outsized costs that can only be controlled through scale...it's hard to imagine building a sustaining independent market. What would be better is if the people who bought into entertainment but actually hate entertainment...would get out.

See my kids (both in NYC for school). Yes. Very.

One line should be simple and clear and prompt the "tell me more" where you can get into what makes it unique. I go back to Breaking Bad... "Chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer decides to make meth to make money to leave behind to his family and goes from Walter Mitty to Pablo Escobar."

#1: I think cost will drive the process more than what is successful or not, given that for every White Lotus there's 10 "auteur" written shows that went nowhere. TV is better when really smart writers work with other really smart writers to hash out something that is super not boring...

We are in a MAJOR correction and what will be the new normal won't even start to show up until next fall. It's a mess. Was always going to be a mess. And now we have to wait and see. The people who made up the AMPTP have been ass vamping for half a decade and we're bearing the results.

I've started with what I thought was the start and turned out to be the end or thought was the end and turned out to be the start and all I'll say is...do a beat sheet...do as much of an outline as you can...and then the moment you know you're changing it up...go back to beat sheet/outline.

Save the Cat is something to know and then utterly forget because the first rule of writing is be interesting and how can you be interesting if you're structurally on rails. That said...knowing it...understanding it...will help you get back on track when you are lost.

How much do you follow the 'basic structure' (ie: save the cat etc) and how much is gut?

On a plane with some time. Let's play. You got questions about writing TV/FILM, I -- might -- have answers. FIRE AWAY and...if this is at all helpful...please pass it on.

Calling the Republican Party a Clown Car is an insult to Clown Cars everywhere.

I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule, but it helps to have some foundation…a job…any job…a plan to have a job. LA is expensive and not a figure it out as you go kinda place. Have a financial buffer if you can….

I think we’re broadcasters concerned, they’ve realized that simpler is better. All the nets are looking for close ended procedurals with likable characters. It’s what they do. As for streamers, anything still goes, but I think they’ve walked away from wanting “non-TV, people “ to screw up TV…

I think we’re broadcasters concerned, they’ve realized that simpler is better. All the nets are looking for close ended procedurals with likable characters. It’s what they do. As for streamers, anything still goes, but I think they’ve walked away from wanting “non-TV, people “ to screw up TV.

This is an excellent question. Unfortunately I don’t have an excellent answer. I will say, always get a cover. Whenever the furniture is, it’s longevity has helped play having a cover.

Sadly, I’m not. Work is going to keep me in LA this fall.

A full month clear of the bad place. It is a joy to not be giving anyone another reason to stay in the disinformation cesspool. Let’s play: you have questions about writing for TV/FIlm…I (might) have answers. Fire away and, if this is helpful to you, please pass it along. Also, Sampson…

TV (traditionally) has been more fun because you have some control. Film can be brutal for writers. Succeeding often means you get fired because you’ve done your job and they’ll bring in someone else to do something else. TV is about more and more episodes…which means more writing…which means you.

Outlining might be my least favorite part of the job (when I’m not in a room). I’ve tried cards. Numbers. Beat sheets. I hate it all. My process is now sort of like Jeff’s. Outline until I get sick of it and then start writing.

You gotta find your way. I'm a big fan of opening a file and starting a numbed list of what happens next. Into that I put details and character beats. And I just keep building until I get to some point where outlining gets frustrating. Then I write a few scenes that I really know...

To the extent they exist in that form, antagonists are more fun, but the truth is...everyone is people and the best characters are when they can be understood from all sides. Like, yes, the antagonists is working against your characters goals, but if we can track their primal needs...better!

I'm still pitching an idea I first had in 2015. Sold it once. Open a mini room and wrote three episodes. Had the whole thing fall apart because the network stopped doing limited series. Time passed. I've reimagined it. Taking it out again. So hat's...8 years and counting. Shortest...

Basically, you're taking an arc...Character A cannot forgive themselves not saving their beloved friend from some terrible fate to Character A makes piece with their beloved friend's death by solving the murder...and you're breaking it into little pieces. If you have 10 episodes...

Find some way, in the first 15 pages, to open a window onto what your character specifically cares about, is specifically scared of, specifically loves most. Yes, you have to get the plot going, but we attach to characters because we understand what stirs their soul.

My advice is figure out (roughly) what network your show would be best on an conform the pilot structure to that network. So, is it network or cable or streaming? Then which of those outlets. Then get a copy of a pilot from that outlet and make your script look structurally similar..

Three weeks clear of the bad place. Still have all my limbs and most of my brain. Let’s play: you have questions about writing for TV/FIlm…I (might) have answers. Fire away and, if this is helpful to you, please pass it along.

Give a cool person, take a cool person. Quote this and add someone you met THERE, who has shown up HERE. For me that would be @bmj.bsky.social , who is always giving of himself to the screenwriting community