A Quick Guide to Television Writing

Copyright © 2013 by Ray Morton

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a newspaper or magazine reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Published in 2013 by Limelight Editions

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Contents

Introduction

1. Dramatic Storytelling

2. Dramatic Storytelling for Television

3. The Teleplay Writing Process

4. The Television Writing Process

5. Script Format, Structure, and Length for Single-Camera Shows

6. Script Format, Structure, and Length for Multi-Camera Sitcoms

7. Script Format, Structure, and Length for Multi-Camera Shows Shot on Video

8. A Few Tips

9. Jobs for Television Writers

10. Creating a Television Series

11. Writing Other Forms of Television

12. The Business of Television Writing

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Television is a medium of enormous diversity. It offers a wide array of programming, including news and commentary, talk shows, game and competition series, variety, documentaries, and reality, how-to, makeover, and clip shows.

The most popular form of television is drama (a category that includes both comedy and serious drama): fictional stories from a wide range of genres. This type of programming will be the main focus of this book.

All drama is scripted. The script for a television show is called a teleplay—a written blueprint that identifies all the settings and characters that will appear in the show; describes the things those characters will say and do in those settings in the precise order in which they will say and do them; and indicates the major props and effects (practical, visual, and sound) that will be required to realize these events. In aggregate, all these elements tell a dramatic story: a narrative in which a main character in pursuit of a significant goal becomes involved in a conflict that will eventually lead to a climax, a resolution, and (ultimately) a transformation. A well-written teleplay aspires to tell a tale that—after it has been interpreted, realized, and transmitted by a team of skilled artists, technicians, and craftspeople—will engage, entertain, and move an audience.

This book will teach you the basics of writing a teleplay—the essential elements, principles, and formats that, when mixed with your own imagination and creativity, will help you get started telling wonderful stories for the small screen.

1

Dramatic Storytelling

All forms of dramatic writing—from stage plays to movie scripts to teleplays—are constructed from the same basic components.

THE PREMISE

The premise is the core concept of the story. It has two parts:

1. The Narrative Premise.

A basic outline of the tale to be told. The Narrative Premise incorporates the following elements:

• The Setup. The story’s hook: Two young people from feuding families fall in love; an English nobleman robs from the rich to give to the poor; a lost alien is taken in by a lonely young boy; etc.

• The Protagonist. The main character of the story (sometimes called the Hero). The Protagonist has a significant goal he or she wants or needs to achieve. That goal can be big (to save the world) or small (to save a local landmark); it can be internal (to overcome a trauma) or external (to find a buried treasure); it can be personal (to find love) or public (to stop global warming). The actions the Protagonist takes to pursue his goal drive the story forward.

At its core, drama is about transformation: In a dramatic story, the Protagonist undergoes a profound transformation as a result of his experiences in the narrative: he solves a personal problem; repairs a broken relationship; achieves fame and fortune; etc. This transformation is usually for the better, although sometimes it can be for the worse: a good cop becomes corrupt; an idealistic woman becomes cynical; a sane man descends into madness. This transformation is often called the Protagonist’s arc.

The Protagonist should always be active—he should do things rather than talk about doing things, and he should make things happen rather than simply react to events or to the actions of others.

• The Antagonist. A force that seeks to keep the Protagonist from achieving his goal. The Antagonist (sometimes called the Villain) is usually a person, but can also be a physical entity (a mountain that has to be climbed, a desert that needs to be crossed, a storm that must be survived), internal issues (phobias, a lack of confidence, an addiction), or circumstances (privation, imprisonment, oppression).

• The Central Conflict. The clash between the Protagonist, who is trying to get what he wants or needs, and the Antagonist, who is doing his or its best to prevent the Protagonist from getting what he wants or needs.

• The Dramatic Question. To create tension and suspense, every dramatic story poses a narrative question that is generated by the characters and situations and that is answered by . . .

• The Ending, which describes how the Central Conflict is ultimately resolved.

The following is the Narrative Premise of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet: After King Hamlet of Denmark’s sudden death, his son, Prince Hamlet, receives a visit from the king’s ghost. The late monarch tells the prince that he was murdered by his brother, Claudius, who then took his throne and married his widow (the younger Hamlet’s mother). The ghost asks the prince to avenge his murder by killing Claudius. Young Hamlet agrees, but delays action while he struggles initially to resolve his doubts about what the ghost has told him and then to find the right time to strike. The prince’s hesitation gives Claudius time