Hi all,
Quick question. I find myself in the unexpected, but pleasantly surprised position where I contacted a production company here in the UK who were on the lookout for scriptwriters. I sent them the logline to my TV pilot script and they came back immediately asking to read the full script, which I did. Shortly after they asked if I had a show bible I could send them. So I did. I'm now into that waiting period of anticipation and uncertainty and whether anything will actually come of this. In the meantime, what are the best next steps for me in case they respond and it's good news? Are there things I should be researching e.g. potential investors/directors/actors etc? I've only got a pilot at the moment, but I have a beat sheet for Episode Two. Is it worth going ahead and starting a draft in case they want to read more?
Basically anyone who's had experience of sending pilots and bibles to production companies, if you could share your knowledge and wisdom I'd be grateful. Thanks!
Been there, done that. If I were you, I'd start hammering out that bible. But take your time. Make sure it's good. All the episodes. All the character arcs. So it flows smoothly, and rivets the reader. Unless they've given you a strict deadline, don't rush it. You'll thank yourself later. If you (or a friend of yours) can help you designing a lookbook, that's also a huge bonus, but not absolutely necessary. You see, a lookbook helps the potential client to visualize YOUR world and your worldbuilding. I'd make and submit a 1 - 1,5 minute teaser trailer, too. Based on the lookbook imagery, with a nice score from some genre appropriate Hollywood movie.
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Don’t write eps 2 . It’s a waste of your time and you want to be paid to write. chill and wait. It’s a read request. That’s all. Tv shows take years to make, lots of input from Execs to show-runners.
As far as look books, that’s a big expense, unless you know how to draw, photoshop software.
There are some look books online. I think “Stranger things” is online. David Simon “The wire” bible is online too. It’s about 90 pages.
Don’t worry about actors, directors and the like. If production moves forward, that will not be your job. If England has the same production cycle as the US, they will let you know by around August if they want to produce your pilot and will give you a couple months to polish the script. Then by this time next year, if the show has outshined its competition, it may be picked up by a network for broadcast.
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Hey, Callum. All that was said above is true. It seems you've done most of what you were supposed to do. Now you will have to wait until the decision makers do what they do. The wait is nerve-wrecking, I know, and patience is a virtue. However, if I were you, I'd consider (as you have no option but to wait) to start a new project. I'm not talking about writing a new script at full speed - just putting down on paper new concepts and ideas that may interest you now. We spend lots of time and energy in single projects that can take years to fully develop (and most of them will not get produced). This means a filmmaker needs more stuff in the oven. If your current project is greenlit, then you'll have richer drawer with ideas you'll always get to at some point later. If your project does not get produced and you feel you exhausted your options, there's already something else in the oven coming right up. I wish you the best of luck and i hope you'll get greenlit!! :-)
Paulo Leite , does that include drinking heavily? And if so, how much? And are there any brands you can recommend?
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Stephen Floyd: I live in Portugal, land of AWESOME wines. When I go to Cannes (or any festival) I always bring an extra suitcase with bottles of wive I give to friends, clients and people I like. Many call me afterwards saying "oh, my god, that bottle you gave me was amazing, thank you!". So, in a way, YES, drinking (moderately) is a part of the business. It does wonders for your networking. :-)
Callum, the best thing you can do is start on something else. As was said above, waiting is now the name of the game with this project. Work on something else. This has no down side: you'll improve as a writer, you'll take your mind off the waiting game, and who knows, they may like your writing but the current story doesn't fit and they ask, what else have you got? Second best thing you can do is - drink. :)