More lists. While doing some cleaning up this week I found the 2009 spring issue of Canadian Screenwriter (the journal of the Writer’s Guild of Canada) that has a great article about writing spec TV scripts, and “how to show what you know”.
It features a number of prominent Canadian writers, agents and producers commenting on Jane Espenson’s “ten commandments for spec writers”, explains them in depth, and adds a few bonus rules to that list. Espenson, if you didn’t know, is a former writer for Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and worked as a co-executive producer for Battlestar Galactica. Her list says:
- Don’t spec a show you don’t respect.
- Don’t make your spec about a guest character. Focus on the main character.
- Get sample scripts of produced episodes. Study them.
- Follow the show’s structure exactly.
- Find a story for your spec that plays on the show’s main theme.
- Don’t write an episode that resolves the show’s mystery or consummates its romance.
- Place the story turns at the act breaks, and give us a reason to come back after the commercials.
- In a comedy, spend time polishing the jokes, especially the last one of each scene.
- Spelling, formatting, clarity of stage directions – they really matter.
- Use strong brass brads.
The WGC suggests the following five rules are equally important:
- Use surprise and motivation.
- Never send the spec to the show that you’re specing.
- Write stand alones.
- Choose your show with care.
- Consider using a feature spec or writing an original pilot instead.
The article also suggests that 2009’s specs of choice were House and Dexter for procedurals, Mad Men and True Blood for dramas, 30 Rock, Weeds and The Office for comedy, and Two and a Half Men for traditional sitcoms.
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