How To Write TV: Recent Episodes

Thom Bray

If you've ever been curious about writing for television, this podcast will explain it all to you! Hosted by TV Writing veteran Thom Bray, a former professional television writer and a university professor who specializes in teaching television writing.

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THIS EPISODE: In this episode I talk about THREE Stress Tests you should give your concept to be certain it will make a good TV show.

TO REGISTER FOR THE ONLINE COURSE, "How To Write A Sitcom"

https://writingtv.info
or
https://writetv.thinkific.com/courses/writesitcom

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Get your free EBook about TV Script Structure by subscribing to my email list. visit WriteTV.info

Visit our show website:

THIS EPISODE: In this episode I talk about one of the most fun (and often necessary) character types in your tool box--Harry the Explainer!

TO REGISTER FOR THE ONLINE COURSE:

https://writingtv.info
or
https://writetv.thinkific.com/courses/writesitcom

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Get your free EBook about TV Script Structure by subscribing to my email list. visit WriteTV.info

Visit our show website:

THIS EPISODE: In this episode I talk about the concept of CONTINUOUS STORYLINES and how to structure one in your original show!

TO REGISTER FOR THE ONLINE COURSE:

https://writingtv.info
or
https://writetv.thinkific.com/courses/writesitcom

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Get your free EBook about TV Script Structure by subscribing to my email list. visit WriteTV.info

Visit our show website:

THIS EPISODE: In this episodeI talk about the NEW structure we are seeing in TV, while reviewing the Four Act HOUR TV structure and showing how it can be adapted.

TO REGISTER FOR THE COURSE:

https://writingtv.info
or
https://writetv.thinkific.com/courses/writesitcom

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Get your free EBook about TV Script Structure by subscribing to my email list. visit WriteTV.info

Visit our show website:

THIS EPISODE: In this episode I'd like to take a moment to preview my new online course, How To Write a Sitcom, and tell you how I think it will help you.

TO REGISTER FOR THE COURSE:

https://writingtv.info
or
https://writetv.thinkific.com/courses/writesitcom

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PLEASE, leave a review where you listen to this podcast. It helps!

Get your free EBook about TV Script Structure by subscribing to my email list. visit WriteTV.info

Visit our show website:

THIS EPISODE: Form your own TV Writing Comedy Room! Today I'm going to give you a brief background on writer's comedy rooms, and why you should create your own!

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PLEASE, leave a review where you listen to this podcast. It helps!

Get your free EBook about TV Script Structure by subscribing to my email list. visit WriteTV.info

Visit our show website:

THIS EPISODE: SitCom Series premise theme songs! You may thing it's way to early to even think about a theme song, but I would argue thinking about it now will help you develop your show!

Practice! Have fun writing! Write to me at:  HowToWriteTV@gmail.com

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PLEASE, leave a review where you listen to this podcast. It helps! Get your free EBook about TV Script Structure by subscribing to my email list. visit WriteTV.info

Vist our show website:

THIS EPISODE: The Traditional, IV ACT Hour TV Structure.

Learn what it is!

Practice! Have fun writing! Write to me at; HowToWriteTV@gmail.com

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PLEASE, leave a review where you listen to this podcast. It helps!

Get your free EBook about TV Script Structure by subscribing to my email list. visit WriteTV.info

Vist our show website:

THIS EPISODE: A Virtual Writing Party! Practice writing your six beat structure for your original comedy episode.

To review, here are the beats:

  1. The PROBLEM is introduced
  2. The PROBLEM complicates
  3. The PROBLEM explodes
  4. WHAT TO DO-->PLAN
  5. High Comedy Scene
  6. Resolution

Practice! Have fun writing! Write to me at; HowToWriteTV@gmail.com

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SHOW NOTES

EPISODE 005: This Week’s Topic: The Classic Sit Com Structure

TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure: GET FREE-EBOOK

This EPISODE: I want to show you how to answer this question: ***what is the structure of a situation comedy?

Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me, leave a voice message on my website.***

Important Administrivia:
TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com/ Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Music from https://www.zapsplat.com

This Week I Recorded With: AEA KU5A, a modern ribbon mic that gives you a classic old radio sound! What did you think of the sound? Email me at howtowritetv@gmail.com

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SHOW NOTES EPISODE 004: This Week’s Topic: Making Your Characters Sound Authentic TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit my website https://howtowritetv.com/

This EPISODE: I want to show you how to answer this question: ***do my characters sound unique and authentic?

Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me, leave a voice message on my website.***

Important Administrivia:
TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com/ Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Music from https://www.zapsplat.com This Week I Recorded With: Neumann BCM 705. I'm not sure yet if I like this mic--What did you think of the sound? Email me at howtowritetv@gmail.com

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WRITING PARTY #3: Practice writing character DESCRIPTIONS! TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ **I want to help you understand the difference between the two different kinds of character descriptions: INLINE, that appears as characters enter the story, and SCORECARD, a list of character descriptions at the beginning of the script.

Be sure to read the article that goes with this episode for further resources:**https://www.howtowritetv.com/blog/podcast-writing-party-3-character-descriptions/

Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me, leave a voice message!

Important Administrivia:TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com
Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Music from https://www.zapsplat.com

Recorded with a Neumann BCM 705 Dynamic Mic. Like the sound? Let me know!

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SHOW NOTES EPISODE 003: This Week’s Topic: Writing Character Descriptions TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit my website https://howtowritetv.com/

This EPISODE: I want to show you how to answer this question: how will you describe your characters. In this episode I take you through two methods: The Scorecard, and Inline, and tell you the pros and cons of each. Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me, leave a voice message on my website.

Important Administrivia:
TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com/ Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Music from https://www.zapsplat.com This Week I Recorded With: Rodecaster Pro & Rode Procaster. I'm not sure yet if I like this mic--What did you think of the sound? Email me at howtowritetv@gmail.com

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SHOW NOTES:

In this Writing Party, we are focussed on EXPANDING THE WORLD of your TV SERIES. In episode #1, we talked about The Series Premise Logline. There are, generally, two models for that logline: a logline based on Character(s) (think Breaking Bad, with Walter White's journey) or a logline based on Place (think the original Star Trek, aboard the Enterprise.) Whichever model you followed in writing your Series Premise Logline, in podcast episode #2 I talked about filling out your world: if you know the character(s), you need to flesh out the place; if you know the place, you need to flesh out the characters.

In this Writing Party, that's what I want you to do. Go to the BLOG POST ARTICLE that accompanies this Writing Party. There you will find a Venn Diagram and instructions for using it for this Writing Party.

Have fun!

Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me, leave a voice message on my website.

Important Administrivia:
TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com/ Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Music from https://www.zapsplat.com Recorded With: Tascam Mixcast4 with Shure SM57. What did you think of the sound?

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SHOW NOTES EPISODE 002:This Week’s Topic: Creating Your World TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit my website https://howtowritetv.com/

This EPISODE: I want to show you how to answer this question: what is the world of your show?

You’ve thought about a series premise logline, but to really think about it, you had to make some decisions that need some thought:

There are a couple of common ways into a show:

  • Through character
  • Through place

If your logline is from the point of view of CHARACTER (think Breaking Bad and Walter White) you need to put them in a WORLD. And the World should be heightened, extraordinary.

If your logline is from the point of view of PLACE (think STAR TREK and the starship Enterprise) you need to populate it with interesting characters.

Remember–heightened emotion, high stakes!

Episodic Problems vs. Series Problems:

  • An Episodic Problem is one that comes up and is dispensed with within an episode.
  • A Series Problem is a problem that continues through the life of the series, and rises and falls over many episodes.

Look for Series Problems as you build out your world.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Fill out the world of your show!

Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me, leave a voice message on my website.

Important Administrivia:
TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com/ Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Music from https://www.zapsplat.com Recorded With: Zoom Podtrak P8 & EV RE20. What did you think of the sound?

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For Work Along Content, go to WRITING PARTY ONE for the supplemental material you will need to get the most from this episode.
Go here to learn what is a WRITING PARTY PODCAST.
EPISODE NOTES:
This writing party you will do an exercise around creating your own Series Premise Logline (see episode 001).
Remember, a good Series Premise Logline is * Short and easy to remember * Raises the curiosity of the listener you are pitching to * Helps you see if your show idea is to general.

Exercise Directions: 1. Go to this link: WRITING PARTY ONE 2. Referring to the photo, practice writing Series Premise Loglines. 3. If you have time, write a half dozen for different versions of the same series. Turn it into a

  • A detective show
  • A medical drama
  • A high concept science fiction show
  • A situation comedy
  • A lawyer show
  • A fantasy show with vampires

Stop the podcast and set a timer while you work.
Now that you've practiced using this image, you can go on to write the SERIES PREMISE LOGLINE for your original show! If it helps you to find an image of your own that fits your idea--do it! Or, sometimes looking at stock images can spark your imagination.
However you do it--do it!
Talk to you soon,
Thom

Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me leave a voice message
on my website, https://www.howtowritetv.com Important Administrivia:
TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com
Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com Music from https://www.zapsplat.com

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SHOW NOTES: EPISODE 001:This Week’s Topic: The Series Premise Logline -->TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/ I want to show you how to answer this question: what is your show about?

First of all, when you answer that question you’ve written a logline.

What is a logline?

There are a few kinds, but this one tells whomever you are pitching to what is your episode about?

Answering this question helps in these ways:

  • It puts your idea into an easy to understand sentence
  • It shows you whether your idea is too general
  • It sparks ideas for episodes

What makes a good Series premise logline?

  • It grabs your attention
  • It makes the listener want to ask you questions
  • It is easy to remember

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK:

Same as in the PROLOGUE WEEK. Make a list of the kinds of TV shows you like to watch. From what you like to watch, comes what you'd like to write.

Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me, leave a voice message!

Important Administrivia:

TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/

OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

Music from https://www.zapsplat.com

PLANS FOR THIS PODCAST

Here's what I have planned:

  • Every other week "podcast lectures" on TV Writing Topics
  • In between the lectures, short "podcast writing parties" where you will practice the concepts from the lectures
  • Occasional YouTube Live Writing Parties
  • Ebooks
  • Affordable, concise, Teachable.com courses in TV Writing

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I'm Thom Bray and in this prologue to HOW TO WRITE TV I discuss my journey in TV Land, and what I hope to accomplish with this podcast. As a writer producer turned university professor, I've taught TV Writing for over a dozen years.

Here's what I have planned: * Every other week "podcast lectures" on TV Writing Topics * In between the lectures, short "podcast writing parties" where you will practice the concepts from the lectures * Occasional YouTube Live Writing Parties * Ebooks * Affordable, concise, Teachable.com courses in TV Writing

It's my goal to give you the tools you need to write your own original TV show. THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK:
Make a list of the kinds of TV shows you like to watch. From what you like to watch, comes what you'd like to ***write.

Thanks for listening! If you have a question for me leave a voice message using the microphone icon! Important Administrivia: *TO GET on my Email List and Get my FREE Ebooklet: The QuickGuide To TV Writing Structure, visit-- https://writetv.info/
OUR WEBSITE: https://howtowritetv.com

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com
Music from https://www.zapsplat.com