My name is Jess Kardos. I’m a TV writer and producer. I’ve been writing professionally for the past decade and have worked on the CW’s “Supergirl” and “The Winchesters.” I am currently developing the comic “Fran Frazer” (Archie Comics) as well as the New York Times Bestselling Series, “Shane Scully.”
The most exciting part of the writing process comes before you even jot down a single word… Getting struck with that germ of an idea that you just know is going to make a killer script. At this stage anything is possible and there are no bad ideas. But where do you go from there? How do you even know if this idea is a script? The idea phase is vast and exciting but can swallow you whole, so come at me with all the questions you have about taking your idea and melding it down into a real script.
Also note, I’ll be hosting a webinar on an adjacent subject, “How to Break Your Pilot,” on Monday December 18th at 1pm(PST) so if you want more insight into this arena sign up and reserve your spot!
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What do you do if you have a good concept for a movie or show and have been told is much, but then you pitch, pitch, pitch, and pitch again but turned down over and over again? It is hard to get things in the hands of execs if you have no representation.
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Thanks for having this AMA, Jess Kardos! What's your process like to see if an idea is a script?
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I have a pilot that's "Supergirl" meets "Raising Dion". How do I get it in the right hands?
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HI Jess Kardos - thanks so much for spending your day with us. When writing a pilot, how much does the cost of production factor into its viability? Thanks in advance!
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Hi! Thanks for being here. I have similar question to Maurice, how do you start?!
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Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions today, Jess Kardos! What is your favorite and least favorite part of the process and why? I often feel that it's important to remember that not every part of writing is a joy. While it may be a passion, it's also a lot of hard work and even when you reach a professional level, there are parts of the process that you enjoy more than others.
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Tasha McLemore this is such a hard predicament to navigate, but one I’ve been in myself. In the case of a pitch being turned down, but you SO believe in the project, I would just write it (and in fact, when I was in this exact scenario, I did just write it). Best case scenario you’re able to prove your concept is solid and you get traction with it in script form, worst case scenario you’ve gotten this idea out and on the page so it no longer plagues you haha (sometimes getting an idea out of you is SO important to your well being so you can move onto the next project!).
As it pertains to representation, yes, it is difficult to get things made and make forward progress in the industry without reps, so either (1) get reps (I know, easier said than done) or (2) make your project on your own (specifically if it’s a feature). Then you can use the finished product to get reps OR use the finished project as a proving ground to get people interested and invested in your next project.
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Leonardo Ramirez — this all depends on why you’re writing the pilot. If you’re writing the pilot on spec as a sample to use for reps/to get staffed, don’t worry about production cost. Write a pilot that’s a reflection of you and your voice. If you’re writing a pilot sell, you have to look at the market — pre-strike, big, world building fantasy was the way to go (meaning production budgets were huge!) but now, post-strike, people are scaling things back, so aiming for a more character based piece or a genre piece that’s grounded and affordable will make your pilot more appealing. If you’ve been hired to write a pilot, you will have likely turned in treatments and outlines prior to writing the script, in which case the budget has already been take into consideration when approving you to move onto the writing phase.
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Maurice Vaughan and Xochi Blymyer — great question! I will be digging into this specifically in my webinar, but to give you a bit of a preview…
… to see if an idea is meant to be a script, the first thing I do is think about whether my character’s conflict is external/whether the story is best told visually. And if the character’s conflict feels internal, how’s the best way to externalize it?
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Ashley Renee Smith — thank you so much for this question! I hate to say this because it sounds like a cop-out, but I don’t have a favorite or least favorite part, I both love and hate it all hahah. It also really depends on the idea. There are some ideas that I can break in a matter of weeks and write the script in five days and be super happy with the end result. There are some ideas that take YEARS for me to wrap my head around and dozens of drafts to get just right. I love all my babies even if theirlabors took years off my life hahh.
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That totally makes sense, Jess Kardos!
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Thanks for the answer, Jess Kardos. I plan on taking your webinar. Either live or on demand, but I'm gonna try and catch it live.
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Jess- Thank you for your time here today and insight you provide.
I've asked this of others and received different answers: When pitching a series idea, should you have a season 1 bible already written (i.e., character details, pilot, episode blurbs, etc.) with a sense of what future seasons could be?
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Hi Jess, thank you for opening up and talking a bit about your creative process here. How long do you typically spend in the "idea" phase of a script, exploring possibilities for your characters and plot points before you start planting flags and committing to decisions?
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Thanks so much Jess Kardos! Makes total sense. All the best in all that you do.
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David C. Velasco This is such a good question. What to include in your TV pitch (and the order of those things) is often dependent on how the studio/network you’re pitching to prefers it. In my experience, executives are looking for a tight 20-25 minute pitch that covers “Why you/Why now,” characters, teaser/pilot, and a general sense of S1/S2. Obviously you’re cramming a ton of stuff into a very short time so you won’t be able to explicate all the details you’ll want *but* it’s great to have those details sorted and in your back pocket because after hearing the pitch, executives will have questions and that’s your opportunity to provide information that deepens your character and the plot.
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Audrey Knox It all really depends on the idea and how fleshed out it is when the idea strikes. If it’s something that requires world building it might take me longer to figure out the logistics on top of the character and plot. If it’s more of a character piece, I might be able to get to the writing stage quicker because I only have to really focus on emotion. No matter what, I try not to spend too too long blue skying and outlining because I can exhaust myself with those things before I ever jump into the script (and lord knows writing is rewriting so best save some energy for that phase of the process).
At the very least I try to have character and emotion pretty well figured out because that’s what I use to dictate plot moves. The sooner you can make decisions the sooner you can tell whether or not it’s the right decision and course correct (or not) from there.
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Love the Germ of an Idea Concept Jess Kardos becuase just like germs they can spread into something very big and look forward to your webniar on the 18th.
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Jess Kardos What type of structure format do you use? 3 Act? 5 Act? no Act?
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@Anthony McBride -- for features I use a three act structure, for TV pilots I'll sometimes use a five or six act structure (pending whether my teaser is part of A1) or no acts (if the idea is more of a "streamer" idea)
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Hi Jess. I have written 42 books in my "Sojourn: What Dreams Await" sci-fi saga and 37 screenplays in a potential "Sojourn" cinematic Universe. I'm looking for advice on getting a project of that size produced. I've heard that it can be difficult to do something like that, but with the continued success of major sci-fi blockbusters, clearly someone in the industry is making movies like that. I've been told by various executives around the industry that my scripts need to be focused on one particular aspect of the Universe that I've created, because, a lot of the time, producers won't know where to start with so much material. I'd just like to hear your thoughts on that.
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Jess Kardos Hi Jess, it’s great to see you here on the AMA. Here’s a question about when you know this idea just doesn’t have the legs to carry it to a pilot script and beyond? What are the tell-tale factors you’ve observed from your experience, that help with that decision?
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Did production invite you to the set on the episodes written by you? I've heard from reliable sources CW shows dont pay/invite staff writers to set.
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Dan MaxXx I was lucky enough to go to set and produce every single episode I wrote for the CW.
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Great having you here Jess Kardos !
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Geoff Hall -- I think you first need to figure out what you’re using this idea for (to sell, to get an agent/manager, to flesh out your portfolio). Sometimes I’ll have a great pilot idea but not have a single idea where it can go from there, and that’s fine, as long as I’m utilizing this sample for a specific reason (i.e. wanting a more broadcast/network friendly pilot amongst my streaming heavy portfolio). Other times I try to imagine what the engine is from episode to episode (the driving force that’s moving the story forward). If I can’t think of one, I know that idea might not be a good TV pilot but maybe it can make for a great feature or short story.
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Steve, amazing job. What you’ve accomplished is such a feat. You should be proud of yourself. That said, a sci-fi heavy, original cinematic universe is something that’s rarely done. If studios are investing millions (if not billions) of dollars on a cinematic universe they want to make sure there is an ingrained audience so as to make the return of the investment a better bet (hence why so many cinematic universes are based on IP). I think having what you have is amazing, but you need to be strategic about things. You can’t play pro ball without starting in the minor leagues. Do you have reps? Start there. Have you ever gotten a feature produced? If not, try selling something more affordable/produceable to start making a name for yourself and build up enough credibility to get your cinematic universe made.
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Anthony McBride I would first start by trying to get representstion
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Thank you, Jess. I've written a bunch of short scripts and am trying to get something done with those in the meantime.
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Good for you Jess.
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Jess Kardos - thanks for sharing your time. I'm curious if you use any software tools for organizing and developing ideas. After years of resisting them, I started using Milanote last year and love it but curious if it's accepted in professional writing circles.
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Stephen V. Stone I’ve never used any software programs for my own writing but used WritersRoom Pro on The Winchesters and it was fantastic. I’m old school and missed breaking story on the white boards but WRP was a fantastic digital replacement
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Jess Kardos thanks for the tip!
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My project in development for 30 years has been waiting for the "right fit". I know there are others out there who understand. The "right fit" can take years/decades. Patience is a virtue I don't have. But I think I may now have the "right fit". I encourage everyone to be patient and pursue the "right fit"! It can happen.